GRE写作之IssueOG学习心得
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GRE写作--Issue OG学习心得
Analyze an Issue Task(下文简称Issue写作)永远都是大家考GRE时遇到的第一个任务。30分钟的时间，围绕给出的话题独立完成一篇文章 。OG上面给出的官方定义是这样的：
The Issue task presents an opinion on an issue of broad interest followed by specific instructions on how to respond to that issue. You are required to evaluate the issue, considering its complexities, and develop an argument with reasons and examples to support your views.
(Issue写作任务会给出一个对大众息息相关的话题的一个观点和具体的写作指导，来告诉大家应该怎样对这个话题进行回答。你们需要评价这个话题，考虑其复杂性，并且写出一段有理论、例子支撑你观点的论证)(OG P11)
用一个大家可能会熟悉的考试来进行比较的话，和Analyze an Issue Task最接近大概就是托福考试的最后一项--独立写作了。也是三十分钟的时间，也是与生活相关的话题、差不多的出题形式，但是两种考试考察目的却有本质的不同。如果说托福更注重的是语言的表达，那么GRE的Issue更注重的就是逻辑。毕竟，托福考试考察的是外国留学生在美国学习、生活的能力，而GRE考察的则是想要念美国研究生的本科生/本科毕业生是否具有符合研究生学术层次的分析性思考和写作能力，也正是GRE写作的官方定位--Analytical Writing (分析性写作)。这种分析性写作的根本则在于critical thinking，也就是我们所谓的“辩证思考”或者“批判性思考”，而它在题目中最明显的体现，就在于话题的“complexities”(复杂性)。话题的complexities在于它不只是回答绝对的“对”、“错”或者“同意”和“不同意”就可以的，而是无论自己的观点如何，都需要考虑正方和反方从多角度考量的利弊--这也就是我们称为“complexities ”的地方，这一点从题目本身就足以得到印证。我们会在下文举例讨论。
怎么想、怎么写，相辅相成。只有想法和内容足够清晰、有深度、广度，才能写出具有“clear and insightful”观点的文章(ETS官方对于满分6分作文的评分标准，OG P37);而只有结构清晰、表达形式丰富的语言，才能够把内容清晰、有深度、广度的想法化成一篇优秀的analytical writing。
所以归根到底，GRE的写作，尤其是个人发挥的自由度比较大的Issue写作，只用研究透两件事情--怎么想，怎么写。我们接下来就从这两个角度分别来分析，以便于了解在备考时应该怎样提高自己的思考和写作能力，才能够在GRE写作中拿到理想的分数。
怎么想?
在学会“怎么想”之前，我们首先得了解题目。题目一般是由两部分组成的：题干(issue)和写作指令(writing instruction)。题干是供讨论的话题本身，而写作指令则是告诉你怎样去写。根据官方网站给出的题库显示，话题一共有152道，范围涉及学习教育、政治社会、思想行为、科技生活、历史文化这五个类别。而写作指令一共有如下6种(OG P13)：
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述观点。在发展和支持你自己观点的过程中，需要考虑使得该陈述可能正确或者可能不正确的情况，并且解释这些考虑是怎样形成你的观点的)
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述观点。在发展和支持你自己观点的过程中，需要考虑使得该建议有利或者有弊的具体情况，并且解释这些例子是怎样形成你的观点的)
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述观点。在发展和支持你自己观点的过程中，请确保提到一个最能够挑战你的论证/例证)
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论上述哪一个观点更接近你的观点，并解释你支持你方观点的原因。在发展和支持你自己观点的过程中，你应该提及两种观点)
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论你在什么程度上同意或者不同意上述原因和结论)
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.
(写一个作答，在作答中讨论你对于上述政策的看法并且解释你支持你方观点的原因。在发展和支持你自己观点的过程中，你应该考虑实施这个政策可能的后果，并且解释这些后果怎样形成了你的观点)
我们可以看到，无论怎么问，这6种写作指令都要求考生：1有自己的观点并解释论证 2从多种角度(甚至从与你观点相悖的角度)来论证。而这6种写作指令所要求的，实质上就是critical thinking--从多个角度、甚至是违背你观点的角度来论证。换句话来说，当你不仅仅从你的观点出发进行思考，还能考虑到相反观点各个角度的利弊，并且通过道理论证(或者举例论证)进行更深入的阐述，最终通过各方面的权衡才得到你的观点，那么这个观点一定是经过缜密思考、经得起推敲的。而GRE考察的就是这种多方位、多角度的分析能力。
比如这道题(来自ETS官方网站题库第四题)：
Scandals are useful because they focus our attention on problems in ways that no
speaker or reformer ever could.
(丑闻是有用的，因为它们会让我们看到⼀些演说者、改⾰家⽆法展⽰给我们看的东西)
对于这道例题来说，不论你的观点如何，我们都从同意和反对题目观点的两个角度来分析一下：
如果同意：丑闻有用，因为它让我们看到不为大众所知的社会阴暗面，而大众知道后，所制造的舆论影响和压力可能会有助于推动社会某方面的改革。比如三鹿奶粉事件之后，食品安全监管部门就加大了对食品安全的监督力度，这一改革首先对政府部门是一个促进，其次对相关企业也是一个有力的警示和监督，最后对人民的食品安全也会产生非常积极而久远影响。
如果不同意：丑闻没用，因为它往往把大众的注意力集中到一些戏剧性但无用的细节上，成为喜闻乐见的饭后谈资，而没有关注和利用丑闻背后可能会给社会带来益处的方面。它也很有可能给丑闻当事人造成毁灭性的人身伤害。比如克林顿的性丑闻，大家可能更多地把兴趣集中到办公室性丑闻的故事情节/克林顿和莱温斯基的人肉搜索上，并没有过多地关注其背后可能牵扯的办公室性骚扰/政府职能部门监管相关的相关问题和改革。并且大家无止境的网络暴力给当事人(尤其是莱温斯基)造成了毁灭性的打击。
如上，我把这道题从正反两方、每一方都从多角度(对社会、政府部门、人民、当事人)进行了思考分析。这就是我们每一道题需要做的思考。而思考过后，我们再去选择自己善于展开的一方当作自己的观点来进行全文的写作。
怎么写?
从官方给出的评分标准(OG P37)，我们可以明确地看到ETS对于一篇文章评价的角度有三：信息(内容)，逻辑，语言。
对于信息(内容)的要求又包含position和reasons and/or examples这两个部分，也就是我们的观点和论证。有清晰的观点是形成一篇文章的前提，对于题干中的话题可持同意、反对、中立的态度。论证可以只有道理论证，也可以道理论证加上例证。考虑到GRE写作题库里有很多形而上、距离生活比较远的题目，考生不一定能够举出例子，因此只有道理论证在GRE考试中也是行得通的。
逻辑分为内容逻辑和形式逻辑。内容逻辑即我们的行文结构，而形式结构则是体现出我们行文结构的承上启下的语句。行文结构来讲，我们用五段论来举例：开头段阐述题目、明确观点，三个主体段落，结尾段总结、重申观点。三个主体段落，按照我们刚才在“怎么想”中已经提到的，要从我方和反方观点分别考量，最终得到我们的观点。那么我们建议这三个主体段落可以依次是：1我方观点的分论点及其论证2反方观点及其论证3综合考量后还是得出支持我方观点的分论点及其论证，在观点的分析角度和深度上这一段需要有一个区别于第一段的升华。这样写出的就是一篇思维缜密、经多方考量的议论文了。有了内容逻辑，形式逻辑也就应运而生了，毕竟这些包含不同观点、角度和深度的段落，是需要恰当的词汇连接在一起的。比如该转折时用however，while，unlike，in contrast等等，该总结时用in short, to put it in a nutshell, all in all等等，该体现段落层次时用furthermore，additionally，building upon the above argument等等的词汇短语，就能够让我们的文章的逻辑看上去清晰明了，同时对我们行文时的内容逻辑也是一个很好的督促和梳理。
对于语言来说，前面已经说到，并不是GRE的重点考察对象，因此语言不要盲目追求复杂化，词汇也不是越生僻越好。GRE的写作并不需要用到为GRE考试所背的很多长难词，而是掌握四、六级和托福的差不多7000词就足够了。虽说语言不是重点考察对象，但它应该足以表达我们的逻辑思考，毕竟，对于Issue来说，很多形而上、离生活较远的话题，是需要比较有积累的语言来驾驭的。另外，毕竟考试只有三十分钟，ETS也考虑到短时内对于思考和打字也可能是一个考验，因此少量的表达错误和错字情况是基本不影响分数的。
怎么备考?
ETS官方在他们的网站上公开了题库，这152道题目，就是在考场上所有可能遇到的Issue写作的题目。ETS官方也知道，由于话题涉及的面极广，有些确实是需要知识面的广度和思考的深度作为基础的，而我们每个人接触到的知识面有限，未必可以在短时间内有思路、写文章。因此他们把这一百多道题全都公布出来，就是供考生提前准备用的。这些题目在考场上都是随机拿到的，因此考生在练习时也可以随机选择题目。
如果备考时间充裕，练习的时候可以分思考练习和写作练习两个方面。思考练习就是拿到一道题，正反两方面分别考虑，看看自己能够站在两方立场上思考出多少角度和怎样的深度，也就是我们平常说的brainstorm，头脑风暴。思路都有了，就从中提出自己认为比较好写的分论点来进行写作练习。写作可以先从不限时、一心一意把文章写精、写好，再到逐渐限时。如果备考时间有限，不妨一开始就限时练习，看看自己在三十分钟内思考的限度是多少。不论是哪一种练法，只要勤练习，都可以提高。一般来说，考生一般没有时间在备考时练完所有的题目，那么就可以利用零散的时间，随机拿到一道题去全面思考。这种思考的训练不但对写作思路的拓展有益，万一在考试时真的遇到思考过的题目，对于时间来说也是一个很大的节省。
希望此篇对大家有益，祝大家备考顺利!
GRE Issue写作思路讲解之大城市
例题讲解
To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.为了了解一个社会/一个群体的重要特点，我们要去研究这个社会的大城市。
大城市=好
例子: 什么social groups?哪个大城市? Chinese social groups = Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong(Canton groups) = Beijing as an example = political center, powerful city = city layout = Chinese respect authority and hierarchy; Hong Kong = communicative: information hub: transportation, human labor force = mobility
大城市=好
道理论证:大城市的研究可以帮助我们更好地了解这个社会人的一些重要特点。WHY?因为人都会从各个地方去到大城市? WHY?因为大城市发展比较好,各项生活services以及机会都比较多。 WHY?因为地理位置比较好或者国家的政策扶植。原因说清楚了,那 结果呢? 所以我们研究大城市,可以更好的了解每个地区的人又特点 .为人都是从不同的地方聚集到大城市的,所以他们会不可避免的带 有属于自己local的特点。所以我们可以很轻易地在大城市实现一个 cross regional / national的研究,而不用travel many miles。.态特点 + 动态融合 . original + dynamic
GRE issue写作优秀实例：政府资助艺术问题
题目：
Government funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts.
正文：
When it comes to government subsides, such questions arise: Do the Arts actually need government funding? Does the national endowment for the arts really threaten the integrity of the arts? The debate on the merits of government funding of the arts is a hot issue. As far as I concerned, Government funding is hazardous to artistic health and integrity.
Before discussion, we must define the integrity of the arts. I think it has two-fold meanings: First, it refers to the diversity of the arts. Second, it means that artists should have the independence and free creativity.
Government support for the arts is inherently problematic. It breeds passivity,undermines the independent creative spirit. It makes artists shift the focus from creativity towards pleasing funding bodies. The importance of individual passion and creativity are undercut by the funding regime. And much more! It raises the question of official art, whether that art be the standard of the public, government officials, or a largely self-chosen art establishment. In the Netherlands, for example, the government guaranteed a market for the works of professional artists. If no one else would buy their work, the government paid them for it. This was commonly referred to as the "Dutch treat". They had a huge warehouse full of art that wouldn't sell. This assured the survival of artists, but it also assured the creation of a lot of bad art.
Also, The process of official encouragement of some kinds of art and official discouragement of others will have begun to influence artistic directions. It must cause the imbalance of the development of the arts. For example, vast investment in the Beijing opera would hurt other local operas. As a result, some kinds of small operas might become extinct.
Furthermore, limited resources mean decisions have to be made to fund or not to fund.The criteria ultimately include an aesthetic judgment that necessarily select the relative worth of one artistic entity (be it an organization, project or individual) among all participating in competition for the same dollars. Questions arise: What resources should be committed to supporting art that is not popular? Does art deserve to be supported if there are not sufficient patronage for it to survive on its own merits?
What's more, funding agencies take efforts to assure a diverse and objective mix of panelists. But no panel is qualified to evaluate every application. If a representative of some art form have no strong support, there must be an imbalance in arts diversity.What shall we do to ensure the diversity of the arts? There is no easy answer to this.The only obvious solution is to have sufficient public funding available to ensure the survival of all the arts in a community so that the hard decisions don't have to be made.Private patronage on the whole is a far better protection for diversity and independence than any governmental program can be. Without government direction and intervention, the arts can avoid being byproducts of government and freely create what artists want to express.Private patronage has its randomicity; therefore any art form has equal chance to be funded. Meanwhile, through free competition excellent artists have the freest space to display their creativity.
In sum, despite opposing views, I believe that the arts are an important area in our society, which should be given freedom. Without the help of the government, we could be doing some useful things to our nation's creative future.
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