GRE考试机经之英语写作部分

GRE考试机经之英语写作部分

　　对于“be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position”的要求，只能“两面写”。

　　在新版GRE的Issue写作六条写作指引中，是不是只有这一条是必须要两面写的呢?

　　——不是的。

　　除了上面提到的带有“be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position”的这个写作指引外，其它五个写作指引分别如下：

　　A: 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.

　　B: 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.

　　C: 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.

　　D: 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.

　　E: 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.

　　可以看出，这六个写作指引基本上每一个都由两句话组成。前一句实质意义都不大，都是在问考生在多大程度上同意或者不同意题目中的判断而后立场。关键的“指引”意图在后一句。

　　首先看指引A，这个指引非常有特色。带有这个指引的Issue题目一般都会提到两个相互对立或矛盾的立场，比如类似这样的表述 - “Some people believe that government funding of the arts is necessary to ensure that the arts can flourish and be available to all people. Others believe that government funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts”。

　　正是由于题目中这两个相互对立的立场，该指引的前一句话才会要求考生讨论“which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take”;然后，它的后一句便提出要求：“you should address both of the views presented”。

　　显然，这已经是直白地要求考生一定要论及题目中两个彼此不同或矛盾的立场，即是说，必须要“两面写”。

　　我们再来看指引B。

　　这条指引一般出现在属于“建议类”的ISSUE题目中，比如这道Issue题库第72题：

　　“Governments should not fund any scientific research whose consequences are unclear”。这个指引的后一句“consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy”是要求考生必须要考虑到题目中一项政策或建议的可能后果。

　　常识告诉我们，当一项政策建议提了出来，然后众人被要求考虑该项政策建议的可能后果时，要考虑的内容的重点只能是实施那项政策建议所可能导致的不良后果。所以，这样的题如果只单纯地谈“implementing the policy”的好处或者弊端，从逻辑上就讲不通了。因此，又必须“两面写”。

　　指引C所蕴含的要求同指引B是一样的。

　　指引C也几乎总是出现在“建议类ISSUE题目”中，比如类似这道Issue题库第80题：“Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed”。这个指引的后一句“describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous”要求考生在作文中一定要论及题目中的建议“会导致有利或不利的结果的具体情形”。初看上去，这条写作指引好像可以让我们在某项建议所导致的有利或不利的结果中选择一个进行讨论。但大家试想一下，如果别人给了你一个建议，你怎么可能只考虑该建议的一个方面呢?我们的理性以及本能都会要求我们“利·弊”权衡的。所以说，这本质上又要求我们只能采取一个“两面写”的行文思路。

　　好了，至此，新版GRE考试的Issue作文六条写作指引中，四条已经直接或间接地要求我们必须要“两面写”了。

　　最后再来看指引D和E。

　　这两条指引似乎没有要求“两面写”的意味。指引D说：“you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true”，言下之意是，考生既可以考虑题目中的观点成立的情形，也可以考虑其不成立的情形。至于指引E，这是一条最为普通的指引，其字面意思就是“讨论在多大程度上同意或者不同意题目中的立场极其理由”。既然如此，考生当然可以选择任意一边。