唐老雅
【題目】
Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree? (劍橋雅思9,test 2)
【解析】
本作文提出了一個觀點,即應該硬性(compulsory)要求高中生無償地做一些社區(qū)服務工作,比如從事慈善、改進社區(qū)環(huán)境、教孩子運動等,然后問考生“在何種程度上同意或不同意這個觀點”。
對于這種“在何種程度上同意或不同意某個觀點”的題目,絕大多數的回答應該是雙邊討論:既討論在何種情況下同意,又討論在何種情況下不同意。這種回答方式無疑能體現出考生對這一觀點的全面認識,因為世界上其實沒有任何觀點是絕對正確或者絕對錯誤的,只有相對的真理,而雅思這一國外考試往往期待考生能夠揭示出某個觀點的相對性。這和國內英語考試有較大不同。比如在2019年國內非英語專業(yè)研究生入學考試中,英語作文題目是論述“堅持”,2020年的題目則是論述“不要拖延”這樣的題目,考生騰挪的空間就比較小,只能從正面論述“堅持”和“不拖延”為什么重要。我們很難想象有考生會去論述“在什么情況下不需要堅持或者可以拖延”。
當然,在雅思考試中,也并非完全不允許考生持絕對一邊倒的觀點,但老雅認為,考生首先還是要考慮雙邊討論的策略,尤其是當題目給出的觀點本身就具有較大爭議的時候。比如“醫(yī)藥企業(yè)的宗旨應該是掙錢嗎?”“環(huán)境保護只能由大企業(yè)或政府出面才能實現嗎?”“電視直播體育會讓孩子不去參加運動了嗎?”這類題目,采取一邊倒的論述方式,無論是完全同意還是完全反對,都不具有說服力。但是,如果有些題目給定的觀點用一邊倒論述方式明顯很容易說清楚(就像國內英語考試作文那樣),那么,考生就可以很輕松使用一邊倒的結構來寫作了。
這次老雅給各位讀者分析的恰恰就是這么一個題目。高中生是否應該免費給社區(qū)做服務工作?這個用一邊倒思維方式就很容易,答案當然是:100%應該。至于理由,我們也很容易想到:在這種服務工作中可以學到一些技能(物質層面),可以讓學生意識到工作的艱辛,掙錢的不易(心理層面),可以避免學生因為無聊而走向反社會的道路(社會層面)。老雅希望提醒各位讀者的是,在這種一邊倒的作文結構中,我們想到的2—3個理由,應該用一種符合邏輯的順序來呈現:一般是從物質層面過渡到心理層面,再從心理層面過渡到社會層面。
【考官高分范文逐段分析】
第一段:It has been suggested that high school students should be involved in unpaid community services as a compulsory part of high school programmes. Most of the colleges are already providing opportunities to give work experience, however these are not compulsory. In my opinion, sending students to work in community services is a good idea as it can provide them with many sorts of valuable skills.
本段是開頭段,直接提出題目中的觀點,然后給出自己的觀點,即:學生從事社區(qū)服務工作能為他們提供各種有用的技能。在一邊倒結構的作文中,大多應該在第一段明確提出自己的觀點和立場。
開頭段的核心是要對題目中的句子進行適度改寫,不能大面積重復。在這里,原文中的主動語態(tài)句 “Some people believe that...”變成了被動語態(tài)句“It has been suggested that...”“... unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes”變成了以students為主語,即“... students should be involved in unpaid community services as a compulsory part of high school programmes”。這些都是在句子結構上的變化。除此之外,我們還能通過詞語替換或者將題目中的抽象詞置換為具體詞來實現對題目的改寫:如果題目中說的是modern communication technologies,那我們就可以將其置換為 email、Facebook、WeChat等具體形式。
老雅一直在講一個理論,雅思高分作文可能并不需要很炫酷的大詞匯,但需要體現出句子結構的多樣性。本段用詞較為親切,稍微有品的不過involve和 valuable,這兩個詞即使在大學英語四級詞匯表中也不是難詞。句型方面則不然,開頭段就使用了兩類高分句型:一是“It has been suggested that...”這樣用 it來引導的主語從句;二是“sending students to work in community services is...”這樣的動名詞做主語。
第二段:Life skills are very important and by doing voluntary work, students can learn how to communicate with others and work in a team but also how to manage their time and improve their organisational skills. Nowadays, unfortunately, teenagers do not have many after-school activities. After-school clubs are no longer that popular and students mostly go home and sit in front of the TV, browse the Internet or play Video games.
本段論證學生從事社區(qū)活動的第一類理由:提高生活技能。論證思路是:1. 提出做義工可以提高孩子們的交際能力、合作能力、時間管理能力和組織能力;2. 學生們提高這些能力的機會很少。
大家需要注意的一個地方是,本范文沒有使用我們常見的“firstly..., secondly..., finally...”這樣的連接方式。這樣的連接方式有利于讓各段之間產生聯系,但它們顯得過于死板,7分段以下的同學可以考慮使用,在高分段作文中,一般不建議使用。另外一個值得關注的地方是,本段并沒有對各種生活技能展開論證,而是指出學生們沒有機會提高這些生活技能,這就暗示了學生們應該去做社區(qū)服務工作。
如果仔細考察本段最后一句話,我們會發(fā)現,這是一個在簡單句基礎上通過提供具體細節(jié)擴充而成的句子,其基本結構是:After-school clubs are no longer that popular and students mostly go home after school.如果這樣寫,句子的內容就會顯得很單薄,信息濃度不夠,因此可以拓展。如何拓展呢?可以通過進一步描寫學生回家后做什么來拓展,于是就有了“After-school clubs are no longer that popular and students mostly go home and sit in front of the TV, browse the Internet or play Video games.”這樣一個內容顯得更加豐富的句子了。
此外,老雅發(fā)現,“by doing...”這個句型在雅思寫作中非常有用,建議同學們掌握這個句型。比如:
1. On the one hand, by judging and criticizing their teachers, students will have a better idea of what they really need from their teachers.
2. By opening to tourists, museums can generate profits, which, in turn, can be used for their preservation and development.
第三段:By giving them compulsory work activities with charitable or community organisations, they will be encouraged to do something more creative. Skills gained through compulsory work will not only be an asset on their CV but also increase their employability. Students will also gain more respect towards work and money as they will realise that it is not that easy to earn them and hopefully will learn to spend them in a more practical way.
本段討論學生從事社會服務的第二類理由:有助于鍛煉學生的心理。論證方式是:1. 讓學生更有創(chuàng)造性,這可以增加學生就業(yè)的機會;2. 讓學生更尊重工作和金錢,因為這能讓他們明白掙錢不易,因此也會更節(jié)約??梢钥吹?,論證第一點,采用的是“原因—結果”;論證第二點,采用的是“結果—原因—結果”。
本段的詞匯依舊比較平易,相對較難的詞只有asset、employability、practical,依然只有大學英語四級的中等難度。句型方面則相當可觀?!癰y doing...”句型再次出現;“skills gained through compulsory work will not only...but also...”中有過去分詞短語,有“not only...but also”句型。最后一句則是一個長句,as引導的從句是通過提供原因來對主句進行“擴容”。
在雅思高分作文中,可以用as來引導原因。比如:
1. So, as they have been used to this kind of “easy” online life, many young people simply cannot put their heart into the more serious and consuming school work.
2. And, as they gain more and more equality in the workplace, women have also gained financial independence.
第四段:Healthy life balance and exercise are strongly promoted by the NHS, and therefore any kind of spare time charity work will prevent them from sitting and doing nothing. It could also possibly reduce the crime level in the high school age group. If students have activities to do, they will not be bored and come up with silly ideas which can be dangerous for them or their surroundings.
本段討論學生從事社會服務工作的第三類原因:社會原因。論證方式是:1. 社區(qū)工作讓孩子有事可做,從而實現生活平衡和身體鍛煉;2. 社區(qū)工作可降低孩子的犯罪率,孩子有事可做之后,就不會因為無聊而從事危險的活動。論證第一點用了“結果—原因”,論證第二點也是“結果—原因”。
本段含高分詞匯的語句有:“...are strongly promoted by...”“It could also possibly reduce the crime level...”“...they will not be bored and come up with silly ideas...”。這些詞匯看起來還是很親切。句型方面,可以學習最后一句的長句構成“If..., they... which...”,這里使用了if引導的條件狀語從句和which引導的定語從句。
第五段:In conclusion, I think this is a very good idea, and I hope this programme will be put into action for high schools and colleges shortly.
本段為結尾段。在一邊倒結構的作文中,結尾段相對容易,只需對前面討論的內容進行濃縮總結,然后寫1—2個表達希望或者提供方法的句子即可。本段用in conclusion引導總結;用I hope引導期待。至此,全文完美收官。觀點方面,明確支持高中生從事社區(qū)服務工作;論證方面,從技能學習、心理幫助、減少社會危害三個方面展開,層層推進;語言方面,詞匯不大,但使用準確,句子不太復雜,但富于變化。按照雅思評分標準,這就是一篇標準的高分范文了。