名师指导:新GRE考试作文的得分要点(1)
截止到发稿,共有12名考生通过电话或电邮向我反馈了他们抽到的作文题目以及临场写作的感受,这其中还包括三位没上过我在北京新航道的GRE写作课,但却是我的《GRE写作5.5》一书的读者,并在往来作文批改和电邮交流中结下信任的远在上海和南京的同学。他们整体感觉都不错。每人基本上都抽到了自己较为熟悉的题目,并且很好地控制了考场上的写作节奏,字数也大都在400~500之间。
在我教过的每个GRE班上,每次我都会非常有信心地告诉我的学生们,在掌握了文章的分析切入点和论证方法后,只要英语(论坛)语言表达能力上没有致命的不足,无论是Issue还是Argument,都完全可以拿到满意的分数。所以,这些同学的考试感受实际上是我预料之中的事情。但是,GRE是个“会让人产生濒死感的考试”。顺利完成这个考试本身就已非常不易,更何况还能期待不错的成绩?因此,我为他们感到特别的欣喜。
但这些考生中最幸运的也许是一位来自复旦大学的同学:他抽到的Issue题目岂止是熟悉,在一个月前他还和我细细讨论过!
以下就是那个曾令他不胜苦恼和困惑,而今却给他带来好运的题目:
“Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and to disobey and resist unjust laws.
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.”
照理说,这道题目不算太难。旧版GRE作文题库中就有一道和它极其类似的题目:
"There are two types of laws: just and unjust. Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and, even more importantly, to disobey and resist unjust laws."
但当时在给我的电邮中,这位同学感到万般纠结的是如何理解这道新G作文的写作指引(Instruction),也就是这句话:“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”,尤其是如何满足“be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position”的要求。
这的确是个问题。
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