文/唐老雅
雅思考試大作文有如下幾種常見提問方式:(1)To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?(2)Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?(3)Do you think this is a positive or negative development?(4)What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?(5)Discuss both views and give your own opinion.一般來說,我們將前三種提問叫“討論型”(discussion),也就是題目中僅給出一個觀點(diǎn),然后要求考生對這個觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行討論:同意還是不同意,在何種程度上同意/不同意?這個觀點(diǎn)的優(yōu)劣勢是什么?這個觀點(diǎn)是好還是壞?我們把第(4)類提問稱為“報道型”(report),即對一個現(xiàn)象/問題的原因進(jìn)行分析,然后要求給出解決辦法。第(5)類我們稱為“爭辯型”(argumentation),題目會給出兩個或者對立,或者互補(bǔ)的觀點(diǎn),然后讓你對兩個觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行討論,最后給出你自己的觀點(diǎn)【即你同意哪個觀點(diǎn),或者都同意,或者都不同意】。
什么是“一邊倒”和“雙邊討論”?
“報道型”題目通常不需要我們對觀點(diǎn)進(jìn)行論證,我們今天暫且不論。在另外兩種題型中,我們都需要論證某些觀點(diǎn),并最后明確提出自己支持哪個觀點(diǎn)及其理由。而在論證過程中,我們通常有兩種做法,分別俗稱“一邊倒”和“雙邊討論”。所謂 “一邊倒”,就是在論證中全力支持某一個觀點(diǎn),反對另外一個觀點(diǎn);所謂“雙邊討論”,就是在論證中先分別討論雙方的優(yōu)劣勢,然后給出自己的判斷。下面我們先來看看“雙邊討論”和“一邊倒”的經(jīng)典布局形式。
雙邊討論型:首段引入話題,提出兩類觀點(diǎn);第二段討論一類觀點(diǎn);第三段討論另一類觀點(diǎn);結(jié)尾段提出自己的觀點(diǎn)。
一邊倒型:首段引入話題和觀點(diǎn),提出自己的觀點(diǎn);第二段討論支持自己觀點(diǎn)的理由1;第三段討論支持自己觀點(diǎn)的理由2;第四段討論支持自己觀點(diǎn)的理由3【可選】;結(jié)尾段對全文進(jìn)行總結(jié)。
有些人認(rèn)為,“爭辯型”題目應(yīng)該雙邊討論,“討論型”題目應(yīng)該一邊倒,但事實(shí)并非如此。老雅認(rèn)為,無論“雙邊討論”還是“一邊倒”,都只是文章布局形式,因此,“爭辯型”和“討論型”題目都可以用“雙邊討論”結(jié)構(gòu),也可以用“一邊倒”結(jié)構(gòu)。同時,雅思作文沒有真正的“一邊倒”,這是因?yàn)樵凇盃庌q型”和“討論型”題目中,都存在對立的觀點(diǎn),都需要加以討論。比如,在To what extent do you agree or disagree這類題目中,雖然看似只有一個觀點(diǎn),但其實(shí)暗含著兩個觀點(diǎn):你同意還是不同意,這意味著你需要給出同意的理由和不同意的理由。如果你“一邊倒”地僅討論同意的理由,完全沒有討論不同意的理由,你的作文就是不完整了。再如,在Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages這類題目中,也需要你討論“優(yōu)勢和劣勢”,如果“一邊倒”地討論優(yōu)勢(或劣勢),那作文就不完整。
因此,所有雅思作文的本質(zhì)上都需要我們做雙邊討論,但在形式上,我們卻不必拘泥:我們既可以使用“一邊倒”的形式,也可以使用“雙邊討論”的形式。在任何一種形式中,我們都要討論兩個觀點(diǎn)或者一個觀點(diǎn)的兩面,不能完全不提另一個觀點(diǎn),或者不提一個觀點(diǎn)的另一面。這其實(shí)就是雅思作文的基本要求:要我們批判性地看問題,而不是一根筋。
“一邊倒”的作文中必須要有“雙邊討論”
下面,老雅用例子來說明,在“一邊倒”形式中如何置入“雙邊討論”的實(shí)際內(nèi)容。
【題目】
Many people say that cooking and eating at home is better for the individual and the family than eating out in restaurants and canteens. Do you agree or disagree?
7分范文
Everyone has to eat. The question is, where to eat? You may cook and eat at home, or just eat out in restaurants or canteens. My personal opinion is that eating at home is better for the individual and the family than eating out.
First, it has no doubt that cooking and eating at home can save a lot of money. Generally, the cost of eating in restaurants is much higher than eating at home. By cooking at home, you don’t have to pay the labor fee for the chef,and don’t have to pay tips to the waiter. What you have to do is just a little handoperation and a little time. From supermarkets, you can buy cheap vegetables and meat, which may cost only 10 percent of the same food in a restaurant.Sometimes, you can get cheaper food in discount time. Especially, a big family may enjoy the method, as the monthly cost would be less.
Second, you can freely select your favorite food to cook. A restaurant cannot always provide you with delicious food. The taste of food in restaurants is usually designed for the public, which is not suitable for a particular guest. If you miss the taste of your mum’s soup, it’s not likely to fi nd the same one in a restaurant.In this case, the best choice is to cook by yourself, to reproduce your mum’s food to the best you can.
Finally, it’s obvious that eating at home is more healthy and clean. You don’t know whether it’s dirty in the restaurants, and also you don’t know whether the food is fresh. But by cooking at home, you can know everything about the cooking materials. Moreover, it’s easy to control the usage of fat and oil, unless you don’t care to become too fat.
In brief, I believe that eating at home is healthy and clean. If people want to save money, eating at home is also a good choice. In addition, people can cook what they like as well. So I personally prefer eating at home.
老雅分析
這個文章是典型的“一邊倒”格局。作者在第一段就明確提出自己的觀點(diǎn):My personal opinion is that eating at home is better for the individual and the family than eating out.接下來的2—4段提供了3個理由來支持這個觀點(diǎn):First, it has no doubt that cooking and eating at home can save a lot of money.(第2段);Second, you can freely select your favorite food to cook.(第3段);Finally, it’s obvious that eating at home is more healthy and clean.(第 4 段)??雌饋恚孟衩恳粋€點(diǎn)都是一邊倒地在談“在家吃飯”的好處,完全沒有涉及在“餐館吃飯”的情況。但如果我們仔細(xì)看,就會發(fā)現(xiàn),作者在每段都將“在家吃飯”與“在餐館吃飯”進(jìn)行了比較。比如:
第二段:Generally, the cost of eating in restaurants is much higher than eating at home.... From supermarkets, you can buy cheap vegetables and meat, which may cost only 10 percent of the same food in a restaurant.
第三段:A restaurant cannot always provide you with delicious food. The
〔〕〔〕taste of food in restaurants is usually designed for the public, which is not suitable for a particular guest.
第四段:You don’t know whether it’s dirty in the restaurants, and also you don’t know whether the food is fresh.
這樣,整個作文就不是一邊倒地談在家吃飯的好處,而是也緊密聯(lián)系了題目中“在餐館吃飯”的這一要求。因此,看似一邊倒,其實(shí)是雙邊討論。在這里,老雅還想澄清一個誤區(qū),所謂雙邊討論,并非一定要分別討論雙方各自的好處和壞處,我們完全可以在雙邊討論中,完全支持一種觀點(diǎn)而反對另一種觀點(diǎn)【比如本例雙邊討論中僅支持在家吃飯的好處,并不討論在餐館吃飯的好處】。雙邊討論的實(shí)質(zhì)是,一定要在討論中涉及雙方觀點(diǎn)或者一個觀點(diǎn)的兩面,不能完全無視任何一方。 □