我們先來看看以下一組雅思考試真題:
1. Some people think that technology makes life complex, so we should make our life simpler without using the technology. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2017/2/8)
2. Most of the world’s problems are caused by over-population. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2019/5/11)
3. The increasing use of technology in the workplace has made it easier for young people to find jobs and harder for older people to do so. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2019/5/4)
4. Art classes like painting and drawing are important to students’ development and should be made compulsory in high school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2017/1/7)
5. Some people believe that children can learn effectively by watching TV and they should be encouraged to watch TV at home and school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2017/3/18)
6. Some people think everyone should be a vegetarian, because they do not need to eat meat to stay healthy. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2015/9/19)
7. The use of mobile phone in certain places is just as antisocial as smoking. Do you think mobile should be banned like smoking? (2015/2/14)
仔細閱讀這些真題,我們會發現它們有一個共同特點,那就是這些題目中都蘊含了一個因果關系,詳細分析請看下表。
可以看到,這些題目中的因果關系,有些是很清楚地表達出來,比如題1使用so這個連接詞直接表明前后的因果關系,題6使用because來提示原因;但有些題目的因果關系則是間接隱含的,比如題目3使用“… has made it…”這個句型來表達前后的因果關系,題目4和5則是通過and來暗含前后的因果關系。但無論哪種方式,我們在閱讀題目的時候,都需要看出題目中的因果關系。
面對這種因果關系的題目時,我們不外乎有以下4種思維方式:
一、承認原因的合理性,也承認結果的合理性。
二、承認原因的合理性,但否認結果,論證原因不一定導致結果。
三、否認原因,承認結果,論證導致這個結果另有其因。
四、否認原因,否認結果。
拿到這類因果關系的題目時,我們容易出現兩種傾向:(1)不討論因果之間的關系,僅片面論證原因或者結果,導致審題不完整;(2)不加分析地承認原因和結果,使作文缺乏批判性。正確的做法是,先分析原因,再分析這個原因與結果之間是否存在必然的因果關系,是否還存在其他(或許更重要的)原因等。
老雅在雅思教學和寫作實踐中發現,這類因果類題目,一般的做法都是先承認原因,然后批判論證這個原因與結果之間的邏輯關系。當然,這只是一般情況,各位烤鴨應該根據題目具體情況具體分析。結合以上分析,老雅嘗試給出本文開頭7道雅思作文真題的審題思路,供大家參考。
第1題:技術讓我們的生活復雜,因此我們應該拋棄科技,讓生活更簡單。
思路:(1)承認技術有時候讓我們的生活變得復雜,比如我們得記住很多密碼,最嚴重的是我們很多時候只能依賴技術,而一旦技術停止工作,我們的生活就會陷入困境;(2)但這并不意味著我們拋棄科技生活就會更簡單,因為新技術在給我們帶來困惑的同時,也為我們提供了很多便利;(3)我們應該擁抱新科技,同時又努力不成為科技的奴隸。
第2題:人口過多引發世界上多數問題。
思路:(1)承認人口過多給世界帶來了很多問題,比如環境和社會問題;(2)但是,人口過多并不是世界多數問題的源泉,因為當今人口爆炸并沒有降低人們的生活水平,而且人口過多問題正在得到改善;(3)我們應該關注人口過多帶來的問題,但不宜過分夸大其影響。
第3題:工作場所新技術使用越來越多,因此,年輕人更容易找工作,而年紀大的更難。
思路:(1)承認工作場所新技術使用越來越多,并在很多情況下有利于年輕求職者;(2)但是這不意味著新技術對年紀大的求職者不利,因為一方面年紀大的求職者也可以學習新技術,另一方面新技術并不是求職的最重要因素,年紀大的求職者的經驗和忠誠度往往讓他們在求職中更有優勢;(3)新技術的廣泛使用讓年輕人在求職中占據一定優勢,但這并不意味著年紀大的求職者找工作更難。
第4題:藝術課程對學生發展很重要,因此藝術課程應該在高中成為必修課。
思路:(1)承認藝術課程對學生知識、情感、美學的發展很重要;(2)但是,藝術課程成為必修課值得商榷,因為每個學生的實際興趣和未來發展規劃不同,應該由學生自己來選擇;(3)藝術課程的確很重要,但是否投入很多時間去學習,選擇權應該留給學生自己。
第5題:孩子可以通過電視有效學習,因此應該鼓勵孩子在家和學校多看電視。
思路:(1)承認孩子可以通過電視有效學習;(2)但是這并不意味著要鼓勵孩子盡量多看電視,因為看電視過多影響孩子的身體健康,更重要的是,通過看電視學習有局限性,孩子們無法通過電視學習合作精神和領導才能;(3)看電視有利于孩子學習,但學習方式應該多樣化,不宜過多鼓勵孩子看電視。
第6題:人們不需要吃肉就可以保持健康,因此每個人都應該成為素食主義者。
思路:(1)不承認人類健康不需要吃肉,論證人類需要肉類食品來維持身體需要,因此不能要求每個人都成為素食主義者;(2)即使人類不需肉類食品就可保持健康,也不能要求所有人都避免食肉,因為這是個人自由選擇問題;(3)只要避免破壞動物多樣性,人類有理由食肉,要求每個人都成為素食主義者是不合理的。
第7題:有時候用手機和抽煙一樣對他人有害,因此手機應該和香煙一樣被禁止。
思路:(1)承認有時候我們用手機和抽煙一樣對周圍的人有害:抽煙讓周圍的人被動吸煙,影響他們的身體;用手機產生輻射,制造噪音,同樣影響別人健康;(2)但這并不意味著手機和香煙一樣該被禁止:手機除了給周圍的人帶去輕微的傷害外,還有很多重要的功能,而香煙除了傷害還是傷害;(3)手機不應該被禁止,但手機使用者應該盡量避免給他們帶來的不利影響。
下面是老雅原創的一篇范文,讀者可以結合實例看看這種因果類的題目一般是怎樣來寫的。
題目
Some people believe that children can learn effectively by watching TV and they should be encouraged to watch TV at home and school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (2017/3/18)
老雅范文
Children sitting in front of TV and enjoying their favorite programmes is certainly an attractive scenario, yet TV is an even more attractive tool for the education of children. [引出話題] Travel channels take children to many different places around the globe, thus opening their eyes to the vast outside world. History programmes give children a sense of the past by telling them about historical events and figures. And, if children watch such programms as “animal world”, they may cultivate an awareness of the environment in which we human beings find ourselves and then they may understand the importance of maintaining good relationships with animals. [孩子們可以通過電視學到什么] Furthermore, TV often presents knowledge in far more vivid ways than books and teachers, which makes learning from TV very enjoyable and efficient. [通過電視學習效率高,有趣味]
However, it does not follow that children should be encouraged to watch TV as much as they want at home and in school. [質疑題目中的結果部分,提出不應該鼓勵孩子看那么多電視] In the first place, watching too much TV is harmful to the eyes of the children. As a matter of fact, many children become short-sighted at an early age simply because they spend too much time staring at the TV screen. [原因1:看太多電視對孩子的視力有害] Then, watching too much TV means the children have to sacrifice their time for reading and other creative activities. As many experts suggest, though children can learn a great deal from watching TV, yet their imagination and language skills can be better developed by reading. [原因2:看電視學習不利于培養孩子想象力和語言技能] Even worse, if children sit in front of TV for too long, they will have little time to mix up with other children, which may put their interpersonal skills at stake. [原因3:看太多電視不利于孩子培養人際交往能力]
To conclude, when we consider the positive role TV plays in children’s development, we need to take into account its possible consequences. We should allow children to watch TV because it is a good way for them to learn about the world, but we should also set a limit on the TV-watching time so that our children can find time for other activities that may help improve their personalities, imagination and interpersonal skills. [結論:應該控制孩子看電視的時間,使孩子們有時間培養其他能力]
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