Two pictures above describe a story which we would never wish to encounter. In the first one, a large crowd gathered around a man lying on the ground. One person said, “He seems to be drunk.” Another whispered, “His head and hands seem to be bleeding.” In the second picture, a policeman is asking those who were present, “Why didn’t send him to hospital?” The first one said, “I was hurrying to work.” The second one said, “I was hurrying to school.”
It is quite obvious that the drawer wishes to draw our attention to this most unfavorable social phenomenon. Many people are used to finding all kinds of excuses to shirk their responsibilities of helping those who are in need of help. In their eyes, their own daily businesses are always more important than those of the strangers, even their lives.
This phenomenon will bring a series of harmful consequences. First, when people refuse to take care of the strangers, the danger of accidents will be much higher, because you have only a small group of people to rely on whenever emergency arises. Everyone may come across accidents from time to time, and mutual help will prevent most of them from being destructive. Second, the possibility of attaining a happy life will be much smaller. If everyone only takes his own interests into consideration in face of big events, the society will be full of selfish people. The social cost of achieving success will remain high before cooperation becomes a habit.
If any one of us wants to enjoy a happy and secure life, we have to be prepared to extend our helping hands to others including strangers, for helping others is equal to helping ourselves.
点评:
这篇文章最终写成了四段,结构非常清晰。第一段分别描写了两副图画,语言简洁流畅。注意这一段不宜过长。
第二段是测度作者的意图,共三句话,第一句是一个经典句型:It is quite obvious that the drawer wishes to draw our attention to... 这句话直指图画所揭示的社会现象,后面两句来具体说明:先说许多人千方百计找理由以逃避帮助他人;然后解释原因,他们认为……注意段中句子之间的逻辑关系,这是非常重要的。
第二段的第二句中的shirk ones responsibility表示“逃避责任”。第三段第二句的emergency表示“紧急情况”。第三句的destructive表示“造成重大损害的”。第五句的in face of表示“面临”。最后一句的cooperation becomes a habit表示“合作成为一种习惯”。
心得:
1.文章的结构层次一定要清楚,这是充分理解提纲与图画构成语境的结果。
2.学习写作主从复合句,充分理解句子内部的逻辑关系。通过本文,重点学习条件状语从句。
典型的条件状语从句:If everyone only takes his own interests into consideration in face of big events, the society will be full of selfish people.
嵌套原因状语从句的条件状语从句:If any one of us wants to enjoy a happy and secure life, we have to be prepared to extend our helping hands to others including strangers, for helping others is equal to helping ourselves.
Directions 7
Study the following pictures carefully and write an essay in which you should:
1. describe the two pictures,
2. interpret their meaning, and
3. point out the consequences for this phenomenon.
You should write 160~200 words neatly on ANSWER SHEET 2.
In the pictures, we see clearly a person who claims to begin his grand scheme tomorrow. In the first picture, he claims that he will begin tomorrow because he is not yet well prepared today. In the second picture, when tomorrow really comes, he again says he will begin later because he is not feeling well at the moment.
What can we say at seeing such pictures? We can always find excuses for our mistakes, failures and inaction, but how can we make real progress in our life? We will never ever grow up if we keep on finding excuses instead of looking directly into the matter, analyzing the situation objectively and taking action as soon as possible.
Delay has a lot of bad consequences. In many cases, we will lose the chance to succeed forever. Time is limited, and so are youth and enthusiasm. When we form a plan, we should always try our best to put it into practice immediately. We should not worry about failure, because we can always learn from it. Only if we keep on trying and never stop, will we make progress and eventually turn our dream into reality.
The important thing in life is to have a great aim and the determination to attain it. Without action, a great aim will be nothing more than a castle in the air.
第三段就是一个好的例子,这一段分成两个部分,各有三句话,有机地结合在了一起。第一句先是讲拖延有很多坏处,第二句直接解释第一句——在很多情况下,我们就永远失去了成功的机会。注意这句话的写法,首先,使用in many cases表示“在很多情况下”,显得客观,因为不是所有的情形均是如此。其次,使用forever表示“永远”,加强了语气,并且恰如其分地指出了人生的悲怆,点出了韶华易逝的真谛。第三句是对第二句的补充说明——时间是有限的,青春和激情也是如此(句子的后部使用了倒装)。第四句笔锋一转,说明我们一旦有了计划,应当全力以赴立即将其付诸实践,注意这里使用了immediately,是反过来与该段的第一句话进行呼应。第五句说明我们不该担心失败,因为我们总能从中学到东西。末句是以only开头的倒装句,说明行动和结果之间的关系,语气很强。
Directions 8
Study the following picture carefully and write an essay in which you should:
1. describe the picture,
2. interpret their meaning, and
3. make your comment.
You should write 160~200 words neatly on ANSWER SHEET 2.
This picture sets me thinking for a long time. The parents themselves are playing mahjong, but they are telling their little child loudly: “Work hard. Don’t let us down.”
The drawer reminds us of a common social phenomenon. Nowadays, more and more parents wish children to study hard in order to embrace a brilliant future, but many of them do not know how to turn this dream into reality. We come across many parents who ask their children to attend all kinds of training classes, but is it that important in the making of a good student and later a successful person?
What is really important, according to the drawer, should be something else. That is the environment created by the parents and felt by the child. How can a child grow up into a scientist who loves research when the noise of playing mahjong is always there? Actions always speak louder than words. If parents turn off TV and family cinema, stop all noisy games and get down to reading quietly, the positive impact on the child will be considerable. In the years to come, the child will gradually learn concentration, which is an essential part of the learning process.
Across the nation, parents are investing more and more money on the education of their child. If they have a closer look on the learning process, they will know what is important is often how they behave, not how much money they spend.
句子中的好的用法一定要日积月累,这很重要。第三段的首句中有插入语的用法。第二句有名词由两个平行的过去分词短语修饰的用法。第三句中的when the noise of playing mahjong is always there是个精彩用法,表示“一直有噪音”,如果说没有噪音,可以说when the noise is down。第四句是个谚语,需要平时积累,注意使用时务求准确。第五句在条件状语从句中,有平行的动宾结构。本段最后一句中in the years to come是个好词组,表示“在将要到来的数年中”,之后有非限制性定语从句的用法。
Directions 9
Study the following picture carefully and write an essay in which you should:
1. describe the picture,
2. point out the reasons for this phenomenon, and
3. give possible solutions.
You should write 160~200 words neatly on ANSWER SHEET 2.
审题:
这篇文章的提纲是图画作文另一种非常典型的提纲,在描述图画后分别给出该现象(或问题)的原因及其解决办法。这里在提纲中虽没有出现interpret the meaning(阐释含义)的字样,实际上这个步骤是不可少的,但可以做得极为简洁。
Sample:
In this picture we are surprised to see a group of fat children who want to lose weight at a dieting center. We can’t help asking such a question: why are there so many overweighted young children in present society?
In my belief, many reasons contribute to this undesirable result, but three of them play the dominant role. In the first place, with the development of national economy, people’s living level becomes higher and higher. Grandparents and parents devote all their love to the young children, who consequently often take in much more nutrition than necessary. In the second place, more and more young boys and girls are even addicted to foreign snacks, which contain too much fat and thus do great harm to the heart and the vessels. Last but by no means the least, pressure from teachers, parents and the whole society often leaves little time for small children to take part in physical exercises.
To solve this worrying problem, all of us should take immediate and effective measures. First, a balanced and healthy diet is often the most important factor in the making of a strong body. In this aspect, teachers and parents should do their jobs. Second, exercises should become part of their daily life—once children get used to sports, they will find it not only beneficial but also interesting.
All of us have realized the children are the future of our nation, and we should also realize that healthy minds always dwell in healthy bodies. To fulfill this goal, all of us should work hard.
点评:
该文章仍然是四个段落。第一段非常引人注目,只用了一句话便完成了对图画的描写,还加入了表达作者心情的部分(be surprised to see)。段落中的第二句话非常关键,是将图画总结为一个大家都该来关注的社会问题——儿童的肥胖问题。第二句话的作用相当于对画图人意图的测度,只不过由于提纲的要求,这里没有单独成段,而是放到了第一段。
第二段与第三段严格按照提纲来写,分别写原因和解决办法,段落的首句都是非常精彩的模板句。第二段首句的写法请大家用心揣摩——既显得全面(句子的前半部分),又不失重点(句子的后半部分)。该段之后分为三点来写,第一点两句话由浅入深,脉络清晰。先写随着国民经济的发展,人民生活水平提高了——这句话是常常用到的经典句子,大家应熟练掌握。然后写祖父母和父母将爱都倾注在孩子们身上,导致孩子们常常营养过剩。该句中大家应首先掌握非限制性定语从句的写法,该从句的拓展性非常好,能避免连写句(runon sentence)这样的常见错误。之后大家应学习词组devote...to...和more than necessary的用法。第二点讲越来越多的孩子沉溺于洋快餐。注意句中be addicted to和非限制性定语从句的用法。句中有一个难词thus(副词),这里表示结果。第三点讲述了孩子缺乏锻炼的原因——该句使用了特殊的句型结构,有助于我们拓展思路,注意学习leave little/no time for someone to do something的结构。
第三段分两点来说解决问题的办法。第一点说平衡健康的饮食是至关重要的,这句话中的making是个闪光点,表示“造就……的过程”。后面一句中的do ones jobs等于take on ones responsibility。第二点中使用了破折号,后面是时间状语从句,注意get used to(习惯于)和not only...but also...的用法。句子中出现了part的用法,注意这里不能加冠词,否则不仅不能加分,还要扣分。再举一例,大家细细体会:
Learn the phrase by heart until it becomes part of you.
Study the following pictures carefully and write an essay in which you should:
1. describe the pictures,
2. point out the reasons for this phenomenon, and
3. give possible solutions.
You should write 160~200 words neatly on ANSWER SHEET 2.
审题:
这篇文章的结构很清晰,可分为三段来写,分别是描述图画、说明原因和给出解决办法。
Sample:
In the first picture, a beggar says, “Have pity on me,please. I am old. I am blind.” In the second picture, he is eating to his heart’s content in a big restaurant. He tells the waiter, “Another fish, please.” We can say he is in fact a man with bright eyes.
These two pictures remind us of such a group of people who don’t want to work to earn a living. Instead, they disguise themselves as beggars to make easy money. The reason for this phenomenon is rather obvious. In such a society full of competitions, some people do not want to use their own hands to make a fortune. They also can not bear a poor life, so they make such a shameful choice.
To solve this problem, the government and the common people should join their hands. On the one hand, the government should issue policies to take care of those people who are really in need of help. Those fake beggars should be educated and punished in order that they give up begging and live a decent life. On the other hand, common citizens should also extend helping hands. They should report such madeup beggars to the police as soon as possible. If they can help such people learn skills, find jobs and live a normal life, it should be much better.