朗阁海外考试研究中心唐艳
在2月18日的托福考试中，很多考生都感觉读独立作文的题目如同绕口令，而且一遍过去还是没有看懂，有的考生甚至说读题要花半小时。写独立作文的时间也就半小时，已经包含了读题和思考例子的时间。之所以考生们觉得这样的题目太难读了，那是因为他们看惯了TPO中这样的出题模式：All the university students should be
required to take history courses no matter what field they study.或In twenty years, there will be fewer cars in
use than they are today.今天，朗阁海外考试研究中心的老师就为考生们讲讲如何解读题目以及如何快速呈现后续书写中的例子。
一、如何解读题目
1.断句最重要
2月18日Task 2:
Sometimes we are assigned to work in a group on a
project. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The group will
be helped more by person who will be willing to do what other group members
want than by person who often strongly insists that things should be done in a
way that is different from what the group wants todo.就这样看过去的话绝对是个绕口令的句子，因为中间连个标点都没有。那么考生们知道在练习阅读的时候，有个题型是在四个选项中寻找意思最接近原文的句子：寻找句子逻辑关系和主谓关系。相比起那个题型，独立作文题目的断句就容易的多了。首先考生读完一遍后就知道了这次考试的类别属于两个对象对比类的题目，而这个类型在课堂教学中是反复练习的题型。那么先把两个对象找出来：
A:The group will be helped more by person who willbe willing to do what other group members want
B:The group will be helped more by person who oftenstrongly insists that things should be done in a way that is different fromwhat the group wants to do.
题目重心：The group will be helped more by person who…
题目的前提条件：Sometimes we are assigned to work in a group on aproject.
A:work together
B:work alone
题目重心：learn much more effectively
题目的前提条件：When teachers assign projects
再看一个例子：1月14日考题Imaginethat you are a student at university that has a long break between universitysemesters, and that your university requires all students to do one of thefollowing things.
1). Students must take a course on a subject thathas no direct connection to their major course of study (for example, a studentmajoring in engineering might take course in fine art).
2). Students must volunteer to work on a projectin their university’s city or in their hometown to improve some aspect of lifein the city or town (for example, students can work with local primary schoolchildren who need help with their homework).
Which one of these choices do you think would bemore beneficial for the university students? Why?
虽然这次考试题目已经很清晰地给出了两个对象，但是同学们不要忘记题目的前提条件：Imagine that you are a student at university that
has a long break between university semesters, and that your university
requires all students to do one of the following things.
重心：Which one of these choices do you think would bemore beneficial for the university students? Why?
2.区分题目间的异同
刚才分析的考题，他们之间的共同点（2月18日考题）Sometimes
we are assigned to work in a group on a project;（TPO32考题）When teachers assign projects on
which students must work together可以看出这两道考题的共同任务都是完成projects,但是题目的对象范围是有很大的区别的：
前者使用的例子范围广，可以是工作上的，学习上的；
后者的例子取材只能是学习上的；
前者考题强调的是group的获益；
后者强调的是个体学生的学习有效性收益。
考生们若是很好地区分题目间的差异，很好的办法就是要注意题目中的前提条件。
笔者的一位学生写了这道题目，让我们来看看他的中心论点的写法是否体现到以上要求：First of all,group will be more efficient when every persondoes the same.
Secondly,person is willing to do other members want, whichraises the team spirit.
这位学生在审题上还是可以的，按照上面的分析，强调团队的受益，而该学生在书写论点上满足了这一特点。
二、如何快速想出例子
1.首先要符合评分标准
官方给出的四个评分中的第一条对于考生想例子至关重要：effectively address the topic and task。尽管老师在上课时会反复提及这个准则，但是考生往往忽视它们。依照前面的分析，题目中的前提条件和重心会非常明确地告知考生。请看这道题目：Workers would be much happierif they are doing different types of tasks during their workday than doing thesame task.
A: they are doing different types of tasks
B: doing the same task
重心：Workers would be much happier
前提条件：during
their workday
一位考生书写的片段就没有有效地应对话题和任务：Thirdly, workers with
different task during working days often have higher salary, which brings him a
happy life.论点里有考题分析的重心和前提条件My
father once had a friend with a double degree in mechanical and computer
science. He did both tasks for the company in mechanics and software. Since he
did different tasks, he had a salary 50% higher than the other workers and
enjoyed a happier and higher quality life.前面书写的例子部分就可以看出问题了，缺少during
working day字眼的例子，例子换了概念，写成了做不同类型的工作。This
may be the reason why so many students nowadays struggling for a double degree
and seeking for jobs with different and complex tasks.段落末尾的内容又顾左右而言他了。
2.要不断地变换个人身份
有的考生说熟悉的话题就很容易想例子，比如In order to
celebrate important events such as graduation or a special birthday, some of
them prefer a large party, while some others prefer a small party with only a
few close friends and family members.而对于Your job has
more effect on your happiness than your social life does.就觉得离自己很遥远。其实考生在书写作文时，适时地把自己当作题目中的已经工作的人，想象一下你自己工作中获得的和你的幸福间的关系；同样An effective leader will make others
feel like they are a part of making decision,考生也可以想想班级的班长、学校的校长、你工作单位的领导，甚至是政府官员，秒杀这道题目就显得很容易了。
请看一位高中生写的作文片段：Compared to social life, one’s occupation does
help create value for both the company and the society. Accomplishing of jobs
plays a key role in assisting us to increase happiness and look for our meaning
of life. Take myself as an example, as a programmer, during a competition once
I took part in, my team including some of my classmates worked out all the
obstacles and finally won a prize within three days. There is no exaggeration
to say that it’s the happiest time ever in my life. All of the work paid off at
last with the effort of everyone in the team. The sense of achievement brought
by the job is much more than sociallife.从论据书写来看他的身份已经是一个工作的人了。
综上所述，读懂独立作文的题目（无论题目的长短），必须在平时的演练中列出题目重心、前提条件和题目对象范围。同时在后续的书写中要注意例子的切题，并且想例子的时候要不断变换自己的身份。
网友评论