1、GRE Analytical Writing,Issue Questions,Overview,I. Introduction to Issue Questions II. How to Answer Issue Questions A Detailed Look at an Issue Topic and Answer / Developing a Position on the Issue III. Other Useful Tips,Introduction to Issue Questions,There are two kinds of essay questions in the
2、GRE test:1) Present Your Perspective on an Issue 1 question, 45 minutes2) Analyze an Argument1 question, 30 minutes,You will be asked to -,(1) Present your perspective on the issue, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views. That means, you will adopt a position. (2) You need to c
3、hoose one from two issue topics. Each presents an opinion on an issue of broad interest. ETS has released its official pool of GRE Analytical Writing questions on www.gre.org,Directions for the Issue Writing Task (excerpt),Present your perspective on one of the issues below, using relevant reasons a
4、nd/or examples to support your views. You are free to accept, reject, or qualify the statement. 以下两项议题选择一题，提出你的看法，并运用相关理由或例子支持你的看法。你可以接受或者反对所选的议题(accept or reject the statement) ，或者不选择接受及反对议题，而是阐述议题的正当性(qualify the statement) 。,Topics,Topic 1 “Both the development of technological tools and the uses
5、 to which humanity has put them have created modern civilizations in which loneliness is ever increasing.“Topic 2 “Our declining environment may bring the people of the world together as no politician, philosopher, or war ever could. Environmental problems are global in scope and respect no nations
6、boundaries. Therefore, people are faced with the choice of unity and cooperation on the one hand or disunity and a common tragedy on the other.“,How to Answer Issue Questions A Detailed Look at an Issue Topic and Answer,“In our time, specialists of all kinds are highly overrated. We need more genera
7、listspeople who can provide broad perspectives.”在我们的时代，各行各业的专家都被高估了。我们需要更多的博学家，也就是能提供多样性、广泛观点的人们。http:/www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/awintro.pdf,Sample Essay:,In this essay, the writer attempts to qualify the issue statement. He/She acknowledges that both specialists and generalists are needed. (F
8、or complete sample essays scored from 1-6 with reader commentaries, please refer to http:/www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/awintro.pdf ),Introduction of this essay:,In this era of rapid social and technological change leading to increasing life complexity and psychological displacement, both positive
9、 and negative effects among persons in Western society call for a balance in which there are both specialists and generalists.,Outline of the Main Body:,Specialists are necessary in order to allow society as a whole to properly and usefully assimilate the masses of new information and knowledge that
10、 have come out of research and have been widely disseminated through mass global media. Simply put, without specialists, our society would find itself bogged down in the Sargasso sea of information overload. On the other hand, Over specialization means narrow foci in which people can lose the larger
11、 picture.,Outline of the Main Body (Contd):,(4) Not only may over-specialization be dangerous in terms of the truth, purity and cohesion of knowledge, but it can also serve to drown moral or universall issues.(5) Finally, over-specialization in a peoples daily lives and jobs has meant personal and p
12、sychological compartmentalization.,Conclusion,Without generalists, society becomes inward-looking and eventually inefficient. Without a society that recognizes the importance of broad-mindedness and fora for sharing generalities, individuals become isolated. Thus, while our form of society necessita
13、tes specialists, generalists are equally important. Specialists drive us forward in a series of thrusts while generalists make sure we are still on the jousting field and know what the stakes are.,Strategies,Before you start writing, explore the complexities of the issue. 1) What, precisely, is the
14、central issue?中心议题为何？ 2) Do I agree with all or with any part of the claim? Why or why not?我是否同意议题的所有敘述，或部分敘述？理由为何？ 3) Does the claim make certain assumptions? If so, are they reasonable?议题的敘述是否有任何预设立场？如果有，它们合理吗？,Strategies (Contd),4) Is the claim valid only under certain conditions? If so, what are
15、 they?议题的敘述是否只有在特定情況下才合理?若是的話，是哪些情況? 5) Do I need to explain how I interpret certain terms or concepts used in the claim?敘述中是否包括特殊用語或观念，而我是否需要在作答時解释我如何诠释這些特殊用語或观念?,Strategies (Contd),6) If I take a certain position on the issue, what reasons support my position?若我作答時采取某一观点(表示赞同或反对议题的敘述)，有哪些理由支持我的观点？
16、 7) What examples could I use to illustrate those reasons and advance my point of view? Which examples are most compelling?我可以用哪些例子验证我提出的理由，并加强我的观点?哪些例子是最能说服读者的?,Developing a Position on the Issue,Accepting or Rejecting the Statement Qualifying an Issue Statement,Accepting or Rejecting the Statement
17、,You must provide sound reasons and supporting examples to justify your strong agreement or disagreement. * It is ok to adopt a controversial stance, but avoid a fanatical or extreme stance. * Avoid making criticism based on personal moral grounds, spirituality, or jingoism (excessive patriotism).,Q
18、ualifying an Issue Statement,For issue statements that have the following patterns, you might want to consider choosing to qualify the statement in your essay: A statement whose accuracy depends on various factors that raises two issues which look distinct but related that lists, or otherwise embrac
19、es, two or more distinct categories that is unclear or vague in some way that might be true generally but fails to account for significant exceptional cases,Other Useful Tips,Step 1 Read the question make sure you understand the question. Step 2 Underline - Underline key words in the question and wr
20、ite words with the same or related meaning.Step 3 Get Ideas - Decide if you are for or against the idea. It is ok to give both sides (for and against - one paragraph each) and then to give your opinion in the conclusion.,Other Useful Tips (Contd),Step 4: Decide LayoutThere is one easy layout called
21、3773, which you can use if you agree with both sides of the argument. That means four paragraphs: introduction (3 sentences) one side (7 sentences), the other side (7 sentences) and the conclusion (3 sentences). Step 5: Choose a major layout You may choose 3773 or 35553 layout.,3773 layout,Use the 3
22、773 layout if you are giving both sides of the argument or situation. In the second and the third paragraphs, you can give examples and reasons. In the conclusion, just sum up your main idea, or paraphrase your introduction. 3773结构适用于阐述议题的正当性，在第二,三段段表达赞成和反对的理由，並提出佐证的例子，最后在结论重申你的观点，或再回应引言。,35553 layo
23、ut,Its best to say if you agree or not right at the beginning. a five-paragraph essay with three sentences in the introduction, five sentences in the second, third and fourth paragraphs, and three in the conclusion. In the three body paragraphs, you give examples and supporting information.35553结构适用
24、於赞成或反对议题敘述。最好在引言马上表明你的立场，共五段，引言三句，主文三段各五句，结论三句。在主文记得提供相关且明确的理由及例子加以佐证你的立场。,Exercise:,Topic 1: “Some educational systems emphasize the development of students capacity for reasoning and logical thinking, but students would benefit more from an education that also taught them to explore their own emotions.”Topic 2: “Encouraging young people to believe that they can accomplish great things if they try hard enough is both misleading and potentially harmful.”,
