GRE寫作之IssueOG學(xué)習(xí)心得
今天小編帶來了GRE寫作--Issue OG學(xué)習(xí)心得,我們一起來看看吧,下面小編就和大家分享,來欣賞一下吧。
GRE寫作--Issue OG學(xué)習(xí)心得
Analyze an Issue Task(下文簡稱Issue寫作)永遠(yuǎn)都是大家考GRE時遇到的第一個任務(wù)。30分鐘的時間,圍繞給出的話題獨立完成一篇文章 。OG上面給出的官方定義是這樣的:
The Issue task presents an opinion on an issue of broad interest followed by specific instructions on how to respond to that issue. You are required to evaluate the issue, considering its complexities, and develop an argument with reasons and examples to support your views.
(Issue寫作任務(wù)會給出一個對大眾息息相關(guān)的話題的一個觀點和具體的寫作指導(dǎo),來告訴大家應(yīng)該怎樣對這個話題進(jìn)行回答。你們需要評價這個話題,考慮其復(fù)雜性,并且寫出一段有理論、例子支撐你觀點的論證)(OG P11)
用一個大家可能會熟悉的考試來進(jìn)行比較的話,和Analyze an Issue Task最接近大概就是托??荚嚨淖詈笠豁?-獨立寫作了。也是三十分鐘的時間,也是與生活相關(guān)的話題、差不多的出題形式,但是兩種考試考察目的卻有本質(zhì)的不同。如果說托福更注重的是語言的表達(dá),那么GRE的Issue更注重的就是邏輯。畢竟,托??荚嚳疾斓氖峭鈬魧W(xué)生在美國學(xué)習(xí)、生活的能力,而GRE考察的則是想要念美國研究生的本科生/本科畢業(yè)生是否具有符合研究生學(xué)術(shù)層次的分析性思考和寫作能力,也正是GRE寫作的官方定位--Analytical Writing (分析性寫作)。這種分析性寫作的根本則在于critical thinking,也就是我們所謂的“辯證思考”或者“批判性思考”,而它在題目中最明顯的體現(xiàn),就在于話題的“complexities”(復(fù)雜性)。話題的complexities在于它不只是回答絕對的“對”、“錯”或者“同意”和“不同意”就可以的,而是無論自己的觀點如何,都需要考慮正方和反方從多角度考量的利弊--這也就是我們稱為“complexities ”的地方,這一點從題目本身就足以得到印證。我們會在下文舉例討論。
怎么想、怎么寫,相輔相成。只有想法和內(nèi)容足夠清晰、有深度、廣度,才能寫出具有“clear and insightful”觀點的文章(ETS官方對于滿分6分作文的評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn),OG P37);而只有結(jié)構(gòu)清晰、表達(dá)形式豐富的語言,才能夠把內(nèi)容清晰、有深度、廣度的想法化成一篇優(yōu)秀的analytical writing。
所以歸根到底,GRE的寫作,尤其是個人發(fā)揮的自由度比較大的Issue寫作,只用研究透兩件事情--怎么想,怎么寫。我們接下來就從這兩個角度分別來分析,以便于了解在備考時應(yīng)該怎樣提高自己的思考和寫作能力,才能夠在GRE寫作中拿到理想的分?jǐn)?shù)。
怎么想?
在學(xué)會“怎么想”之前,我們首先得了解題目。題目一般是由兩部分組成的:題干(issue)和寫作指令(writing instruction)。題干是供討論的話題本身,而寫作指令則是告訴你怎樣去寫。根據(jù)官方網(wǎng)站給出的題庫顯示,話題一共有152道,范圍涉及學(xué)習(xí)教育、政治社會、思想行為、科技生活、歷史文化這五個類別。而寫作指令一共有如下6種(OG P13):
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take.
In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which
the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations
shape your position.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述觀點。在發(fā)展和支持你自己觀點的過程中,需要考慮使得該陳述可能正確或者可能不正確的情況,并且解釋這些考慮是怎樣形成你的觀點的)
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position
you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances
in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be
advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述觀點。在發(fā)展和支持你自己觀點的過程中,需要考慮使得該建議有利或者有弊的具體情況,并且解釋這些例子是怎樣形成你的觀點的)
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to
address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to
challenge your position.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述觀點。在發(fā)展和支持你自己觀點的過程中,請確保提到一個最能夠挑戰(zhàn)你的論證/例證)
Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with
your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In
developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views
presented.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論上述哪一個觀點更接近你的觀點,并解釋你支持你方觀點的原因。在發(fā)展和支持你自己觀點的過程中,你應(yīng)該提及兩種觀點)
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree
with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述原因和結(jié)論)
Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain
your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your
position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the
policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.
(寫一個作答,在作答中討論你對于上述政策的看法并且解釋你支持你方觀點的原因。在發(fā)展和支持你自己觀點的過程中,你應(yīng)該考慮實施這個政策可能的后果,并且解釋這些后果怎樣形成了你的觀點)
我們可以看到,無論怎么問,這6種寫作指令都要求考生:1有自己的觀點并解釋論證 2從多種角度(甚至從與你觀點相悖的角度)來論證。而這6種寫作指令所要求的,實質(zhì)上就是critical thinking--從多個角度、甚至是違背你觀點的角度來論證。換句話來說,當(dāng)你不僅僅從你的觀點出發(fā)進(jìn)行思考,還能考慮到相反觀點各個角度的利弊,并且通過道理論證(或者舉例論證)進(jìn)行更深入的闡述,最終通過各方面的權(quán)衡才得到你的觀點,那么這個觀點一定是經(jīng)過縝密思考、經(jīng)得起推敲的。而GRE考察的就是這種多方位、多角度的分析能力。
比如這道題(來自ETS官方網(wǎng)站題庫第四題):
Scandals are useful because they focus our attention on problems in ways that no
speaker or reformer ever could.
(丑聞是有用的,因為它們會讓我們看到?些演說者、改?家?法展?給我們看的東西)
對于這道例題來說,不論你的觀點如何,我們都從同意和反對題目觀點的兩個角度來分析一下:
如果同意:丑聞有用,因為它讓我們看到不為大眾所知的社會陰暗面,而大眾知道后,所制造的輿論影響和壓力可能會有助于推動社會某方面的改革。比如三鹿奶粉事件之后,食品安全監(jiān)管部門就加大了對食品安全的監(jiān)督力度,這一改革首先對政府部門是一個促進(jìn),其次對相關(guān)企業(yè)也是一個有力的警示和監(jiān)督,最后對人民的食品安全也會產(chǎn)生非常積極而久遠(yuǎn)影響。
如果不同意:丑聞沒用,因為它往往把大眾的注意力集中到一些戲劇性但無用的細(xì)節(jié)上,成為喜聞樂見的飯后談資,而沒有關(guān)注和利用丑聞背后可能會給社會帶來益處的方面。它也很有可能給丑聞當(dāng)事人造成毀滅性的人身傷害。比如克林頓的性丑聞,大家可能更多地把興趣集中到辦公室性丑聞的故事情節(jié)/克林頓和萊溫斯基的人肉搜索上,并沒有過多地關(guān)注其背后可能牽扯的辦公室性騷擾/政府職能部門監(jiān)管相關(guān)的相關(guān)問題和改革。并且大家無止境的網(wǎng)絡(luò)暴力給當(dāng)事人(尤其是萊溫斯基)造成了毀滅性的打擊。
如上,我把這道題從正反兩方、每一方都從多角度(對社會、政府部門、人民、當(dāng)事人)進(jìn)行了思考分析。這就是我們每一道題需要做的思考。而思考過后,我們再去選擇自己善于展開的一方當(dāng)作自己的觀點來進(jìn)行全文的寫作。
怎么寫?
從官方給出的評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)(OG P37),我們可以明確地看到ETS對于一篇文章評價的角度有三:信息(內(nèi)容),邏輯,語言。
對于信息(內(nèi)容)的要求又包含position和reasons and/or examples這兩個部分,也就是我們的觀點和論證。有清晰的觀點是形成一篇文章的前提,對于題干中的話題可持同意、反對、中立的態(tài)度。論證可以只有道理論證,也可以道理論證加上例證??紤]到GRE寫作題庫里有很多形而上、距離生活比較遠(yuǎn)的題目,考生不一定能夠舉出例子,因此只有道理論證在GRE考試中也是行得通的。
邏輯分為內(nèi)容邏輯和形式邏輯。內(nèi)容邏輯即我們的行文結(jié)構(gòu),而形式結(jié)構(gòu)則是體現(xiàn)出我們行文結(jié)構(gòu)的承上啟下的語句。行文結(jié)構(gòu)來講,我們用五段論來舉例:開頭段闡述題目、明確觀點,三個主體段落,結(jié)尾段總結(jié)、重申觀點。三個主體段落,按照我們剛才在“怎么想”中已經(jīng)提到的,要從我方和反方觀點分別考量,最終得到我們的觀點。那么我們建議這三個主體段落可以依次是:1我方觀點的分論點及其論證2反方觀點及其論證3綜合考量后還是得出支持我方觀點的分論點及其論證,在觀點的分析角度和深度上這一段需要有一個區(qū)別于第一段的升華。這樣寫出的就是一篇思維縝密、經(jīng)多方考量的議論文了。有了內(nèi)容邏輯,形式邏輯也就應(yīng)運(yùn)而生了,畢竟這些包含不同觀點、角度和深度的段落,是需要恰當(dāng)?shù)脑~匯連接在一起的。比如該轉(zhuǎn)折時用however,while,unlike,in contrast等等,該總結(jié)時用in short, to put it in a nutshell, all in all等等,該體現(xiàn)段落層次時用furthermore,additionally,building upon the above argument等等的詞匯短語,就能夠讓我們的文章的邏輯看上去清晰明了,同時對我們行文時的內(nèi)容邏輯也是一個很好的督促和梳理。
對于語言來說,前面已經(jīng)說到,并不是GRE的重點考察對象,因此語言不要盲目追求復(fù)雜化,詞匯也不是越生僻越好。GRE的寫作并不需要用到為GRE考試所背的很多長難詞,而是掌握四、六級和托福的差不多7000詞就足夠了。雖說語言不是重點考察對象,但它應(yīng)該足以表達(dá)我們的邏輯思考,畢竟,對于Issue來說,很多形而上、離生活較遠(yuǎn)的話題,是需要比較有積累的語言來駕馭的。另外,畢竟考試只有三十分鐘,ETS也考慮到短時內(nèi)對于思考和打字也可能是一個考驗,因此少量的表達(dá)錯誤和錯字情況是基本不影響分?jǐn)?shù)的。
怎么備考?
ETS官方在他們的網(wǎng)站上公開了題庫,這152道題目,就是在考場上所有可能遇到的Issue寫作的題目。ETS官方也知道,由于話題涉及的面極廣,有些確實是需要知識面的廣度和思考的深度作為基礎(chǔ)的,而我們每個人接觸到的知識面有限,未必可以在短時間內(nèi)有思路、寫文章。因此他們把這一百多道題全都公布出來,就是供考生提前準(zhǔn)備用的。這些題目在考場上都是隨機(jī)拿到的,因此考生在練習(xí)時也可以隨機(jī)選擇題目。
如果備考時間充裕,練習(xí)的時候可以分思考練習(xí)和寫作練習(xí)兩個方面。思考練習(xí)就是拿到一道題,正反兩方面分別考慮,看看自己能夠站在兩方立場上思考出多少角度和怎樣的深度,也就是我們平常說的brainstorm,頭腦風(fēng)暴。思路都有了,就從中提出自己認(rèn)為比較好寫的分論點來進(jìn)行寫作練習(xí)。寫作可以先從不限時、一心一意把文章寫精、寫好,再到逐漸限時。如果備考時間有限,不妨一開始就限時練習(xí),看看自己在三十分鐘內(nèi)思考的限度是多少。不論是哪一種練法,只要勤練習(xí),都可以提高。一般來說,考生一般沒有時間在備考時練完所有的題目,那么就可以利用零散的時間,隨機(jī)拿到一道題去全面思考。這種思考的訓(xùn)練不但對寫作思路的拓展有益,萬一在考試時真的遇到思考過的題目,對于時間來說也是一個很大的節(jié)省。
希望此篇對大家有益,祝大家備考順利!
GRE Issue寫作思路講解之大城市
例題講解
To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.為了了解一個社會/一個群體的重要特點,我們要去研究這個社會的大城市。
大城市=好
例子: 什么social groups?哪個大城市? Chinese social groups = Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong(Canton groups) = Beijing as an example = political center, powerful city = city layout = Chinese respect authority and hierarchy; Hong Kong = communicative: information hub: transportation, human labor force = mobility
大城市=好
道理論證:大城市的研究可以幫助我們更好地了解這個社會人的一些重要特點。WHY?因為人都會從各個地方去到大城市? WHY?因為大城市發(fā)展比較好,各項生活services以及機(jī)會都比較多。 WHY?因為地理位置比較好或者國家的政策扶植。原因說清楚了,那 結(jié)果呢? 所以我們研究大城市,可以更好的了解每個地區(qū)的人又特點 .為人都是從不同的地方聚集到大城市的,所以他們會不可避免的帶 有屬于自己local的特點。所以我們可以很輕易地在大城市實現(xiàn)一個 cross regional / national的研究,而不用travel many miles。.態(tài)特點 + 動態(tài)融合 . original + dynamic
GRE issue寫作優(yōu)秀實例:政府資助藝術(shù)問題
題目:
Government funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts.
正文:
When it comes to government subsides, such questions arise: Do the Arts actually need government funding? Does the national endowment for the arts really threaten the integrity of the arts? The debate on the merits of government funding of the arts is a hot issue. As far as I concerned, Government funding is hazardous to artistic health and integrity.
Before discussion, we must define the integrity of the arts. I think it has two-fold meanings: First, it refers to the diversity of the arts. Second, it means that artists should have the independence and free creativity.
Government support for the arts is inherently problematic. It breeds passivity,undermines the independent creative spirit. It makes artists shift the focus from creativity towards pleasing funding bodies. The importance of individual passion and creativity are undercut by the funding regime. And much more! It raises the question of official art, whether that art be the standard of the public, government officials, or a largely self-chosen art establishment. In the Netherlands, for example, the government guaranteed a market for the works of professional artists. If no one else would buy their work, the government paid them for it. This was commonly referred to as the "Dutch treat". They had a huge warehouse full of art that wouldn't sell. This assured the survival of artists, but it also assured the creation of a lot of bad art.
Also, The process of official encouragement of some kinds of art and official discouragement of others will have begun to influence artistic directions. It must cause the imbalance of the development of the arts. For example, vast investment in the Beijing opera would hurt other local operas. As a result, some kinds of small operas might become extinct.
Furthermore, limited resources mean decisions have to be made to fund or not to fund.The criteria ultimately include an aesthetic judgment that necessarily select the relative worth of one artistic entity (be it an organization, project or individual) among all participating in competition for the same dollars. Questions arise: What resources should be committed to supporting art that is not popular? Does art deserve to be supported if there are not sufficient patronage for it to survive on its own merits?
What's more, funding agencies take efforts to assure a diverse and objective mix of panelists. But no panel is qualified to evaluate every application. If a representative of some art form have no strong support, there must be an imbalance in arts diversity.What shall we do to ensure the diversity of the arts? There is no easy answer to this.The only obvious solution is to have sufficient public funding available to ensure the survival of all the arts in a community so that the hard decisions don't have to be made.Private patronage on the whole is a far better protection for diversity and independence than any governmental program can be. Without government direction and intervention, the arts can avoid being byproducts of government and freely create what artists want to express.Private patronage has its randomicity; therefore any art form has equal chance to be funded. Meanwhile, through free competition excellent artists have the freest space to display their creativity.
In sum, despite opposing views, I believe that the arts are an important area in our society, which should be given freedom. Without the help of the government, we could be doing some useful things to our nation's creative future.
GRE寫作之Issue OG學(xué)習(xí)心得相關(guān)文章: