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? (剑桥雅思9,test 2)
【解析】
本作文提出了一个观点,即应该硬性(compulsory)要求高中生无偿地做一些社区服务工作,比如从事慈善、改进社区环境、教孩子运动等,然后问考生“在何种程度上同意或不同意这个观点”。
对于这种“在何种程度上同意或不同意某个观点”的题目,绝大多数的回答应该是双边讨论:既讨论在何种情况下同意,又讨论在何种情况下不同意。这种回答方式无疑能体现出考生对这一观点的全面认识,因为世界上其实没有任何观点是绝对正确或者绝对错误的,只有相对的真理,而雅思这一国外考试往往期待考生能够揭示出某个观点的相对性。这和国内英语考试有较大不同。比如在2019年国内非英语专业研究生入学考试中,英语作文题目是论述“坚持”,2020年的题目则是论述“不要拖延”这样的题目,考生腾挪的空间就比较小,只能从正面论述“坚持”和“不拖延”为什么重要。我们很难想象有考生会去论述“在什么情况下不需要坚持或者可以拖延”。
当然,在雅思考试中,也并非完全不允许考生持绝对一边倒的观点,但老雅认为,考生首先还是要考虑双边讨论的策略,尤其是当题目给出的观点本身就具有较大争议的时候。比如“医药企业的宗旨应该是挣钱吗?”“环境保护只能由大企业或政府出面才能实现吗?”“电视直播体育会让孩子不去参加运动了吗?”这类题目,采取一边倒的论述方式,无论是完全同意还是完全反对,都不具有说服力。但是,如果有些题目给定的观点用一边倒论述方式明显很容易说清楚(就像国内英语考试作文那样),那么,考生就可以很轻松使用一边倒的结构来写作了。
这次老雅给各位读者分析的恰恰就是这么一个题目。高中生是否应该免费给社区做服务工作?这个用一边倒思维方式就很容易,答案当然是:100%应该。至于理由,我们也很容易想到:在这种服务工作中可以学到一些技能(物质层面),可以让学生意识到工作的艰辛,挣钱的不易(心理层面),可以避免学生因为无聊而走向反社会的道路(社会层面)。老雅希望提醒各位读者的是,在这种一边倒的作文结构中,我们想到的2—3个理由,应该用一种符合逻辑的顺序来呈现:一般是从物质层面过渡到心理层面,再从心理层面过渡到社会层面。
【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.
本段是开头段,直接提出题目中的观点,然后给出自己的观点,即:学生从事社区服务工作能为他们提供各种有用的技能。在一边倒结构的作文中,大多应该在第一段明确提出自己的观点和立场。
开头段的核心是要对题目中的句子进行适度改写,不能大面积重复。在这里,原文中的主动语态句 “Some people believe that...”变成了被动语态句“It has been suggested that...”“... unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes”变成了以students为主语,即“... students should be involved in unpaid community services as a compulsory part of high school programmes”。这些都是在句子结构上的变化。除此之外,我们还能通过词语替换或者将题目中的抽象词置换为具体词来实现对题目的改写:如果题目中说的是modern communication technologies,那我们就可以将其置换为 email、Facebook、WeChat等具体形式。
老雅一直在讲一个理论,雅思高分作文可能并不需要很炫酷的大词汇,但需要体现出句子结构的多样性。本段用词较为亲切,稍微有品的不过involve和 valuable,这两个词即使在大学英语四级词汇表中也不是难词。句型方面则不然,开头段就使用了两类高分句型:一是“It has been suggested that...”这样用 it来引导的主语从句;二是“sending students to work in community services is...”这样的动名词做主语。
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.
本段论证学生从事社区活动的第一类理由:提高生活技能。论证思路是:1. 提出做义工可以提高孩子们的交际能力、合作能力、时间管理能力和组织能力;2. 学生们提高这些能力的机会很少。
大家需要注意的一个地方是,本范文没有使用我们常见的“firstly..., secondly..., finally...”这样的连接方式。这样的连接方式有利于让各段之间产生联系,但它们显得过于死板,7分段以下的同学可以考虑使用,在高分段作文中,一般不建议使用。另外一个值得关注的地方是,本段并没有对各种生活技能展开论证,而是指出学生们没有机会提高这些生活技能,这就暗示了学生们应该去做社区服务工作。
如果仔细考察本段最后一句话,我们会发现,这是一个在简单句基础上通过提供具体细节扩充而成的句子,其基本结构是:After-school clubs are no longer that popular and students mostly go home after school.如果这样写,句子的内容就会显得很单薄,信息浓度不够,因此可以拓展。如何拓展呢?可以通过进一步描写学生回家后做什么来拓展,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.”这样一个内容显得更加丰富的句子了。
此外,老雅发现,“by doing...”这个句型在雅思写作中非常有用,建议同学们掌握这个句型。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.
本段讨论学生从事社会服务的第二类理由:有助于锻炼学生的心理。论证方式是:1. 让学生更有创造性,这可以增加学生就业的机会;2. 让学生更尊重工作和金钱,因为这能让他们明白挣钱不易,因此也会更节约。可以看到,论证第一点,采用的是“原因—结果”;论证第二点,采用的是“结果—原因—结果”。
本段的词汇依旧比较平易,相对较难的词只有asset、employability、practical,依然只有大学英语四级的中等难度。句型方面则相当可观。“by doing...”句型再次出现;“skills gained through compulsory work will not only...but also...”中有过去分词短语,有“not only...but also”句型。最后一句则是一个长句,as引导的从句是通过提供原因来对主句进行“扩容”。
在雅思高分作文中,可以用as来引导原因。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.
本段讨论学生从事社会服务工作的第三类原因:社会原因。论证方式是:1. 社区工作让孩子有事可做,从而实现生活平衡和身体锻炼;2. 社区工作可降低孩子的犯罪率,孩子有事可做之后,就不会因为无聊而从事危险的活动。论证第一点用了“结果—原因”,论证第二点也是“结果—原因”。
本段含高分词汇的语句有:“...are strongly promoted by...”“It could also possibly reduce the crime level...”“...they will not be bored and come up with silly ideas...”。这些词汇看起来还是很亲切。句型方面,可以学习最后一句的长句构成“If..., they... which...”,这里使用了if引导的条件状语从句和which引导的定语从句。
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.
本段为结尾段。在一边倒结构的作文中,结尾段相对容易,只需对前面讨论的内容进行浓缩总结,然后写1—2个表达希望或者提供方法的句子即可。本段用in conclusion引导总结;用I hope引导期待。至此,全文完美收官。观点方面,明确支持高中生从事社区服务工作;论证方面,从技能学习、心理帮助、减少社会危害三个方面展开,层层推进;语言方面,词汇不大,但使用准确,句子不太复杂,但富于变化。按照雅思评分标準,这就是一篇标准的高分范文了。