Writing1.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. Increasingly, over the past ten years, people—especially young people—have become a ware of the need to change their eating habit, because much of the food they eat, particularly processed food, is not good for the health. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in natural foods: foods which do not contain chemical additives and which have not been affected by chemical fertilizers, widely used in farming today.
Natural food, for example, are vegetable, fruit and grain which have been grown in soil that is rich in organic matter. In simple terms, this means that the soil has been nourished by unused vegetable matter, which provides it with essential vitamins and minerals. This in itself is a natural process compared with the use of chemicals and fertilizers, the main purpose of which is to increase the amount—but not the quality—of foods grown in commercial farming areas. Natural foods also include animals which have been allowed to feed and move freely in healthy pastures. Compare this with what happens in the mass production of poultry, there are battery farms, for example where thousands of chickens live crowded together in one building and are fed on food which is little better than rubbish. Chickens kept in this way are not only tasteless as food, they also produce eggs which lack important vitamins.
It is significant that nowadays fibre is considered to be an important part of a healthy diet. In white bread, for example, the fibre has been removed. But it is present in unrefined flour and of course in vegetables. It is interesting to note that in countries where the national diet contains large quantities of unrefined flour and vegetables, certain diseases are comparatively rare. Hence, the emphasis is placed on the eating of wholemeal bread and more vegetables by modern experts on "healthy eating".
There are other aspects of healthy eating which are now receiving increasing attention from experts on diet. Take it for example, the question of sugar. This is actually a nonessential food! Although a natural alternative, such as honey, can be used to sweeten food if this is necessary, we can in fact do without it. It is not that sugar is harmful in itself, but it does seem to be additive: the quantity we use has grown steadily over the last two centuries, and in Britain today each person consumes an average of 200 pounds a year! Yet all it does provide us with energy, in the form of calories. There are no vitamins in it; no minerals and no fibre.
[解析] 第一段讲述在过去的十年中,越来越多的年轻人意识到需要改善自己的饮食习惯,因为他们食用的大部分食物对身体不利。因此,人们对自然食物的兴趣与日俱增。
第二段接着讲述自然食物(natural foods)是什么,它何以称为“natural”,以及它可以包括的方面。
最后一段讲述纤维(fibre)是当今健康膳食中的重要部分。它帮助降低某些疾病的发病率。
题目要求补出第三自然段。根据上下文内容,该段应该描写与自然食物相关的内容。可以举例从反面角度说明一些非健康的食物,并说明这些食物为何不健康。建议最后落脚到其中“contain no fibre”上,这样和下文衔接更自然。
2.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. The Breakdown of Communication
It is commonly acknowledged that language problems make communication between people from different cultures difficult. Because of the language barriers, people cannot express their feelings clearly to each other. However, communication problems also exist between individuals from the same culture. Although they have the same cultural back- ground, they sometimes cannot understand each other well. Communication between individuals breaks down because of many factors. The most significant ones include personality, age difference and competition between individuals.
Personality has a great influence on communication between people. First, the sharing of common interests is often essential for initiating communication. If two people hold completely different attitudes, it will not be easy for them to start communicating with each other. Second, the willingness to express their feelings and opinions freely is needed if meaningful communication is to be developed. Some people do not want to talk about controversial subjects, fearing that this will hurt their relationship with friends. Instead, they keep their discussion of topics at a very superficial level, which prevents them from knowing and under- standing each other. The lack of understanding leads to unsuccessful communication. It is clear that personality, to some extent, affects the initiation and maintenance of communication.
Although age difference gives rise to communication problems between two generations, competition poses an even greater problem when people are about the same age. Intense com- petition in the modern world creates tremendous pressure on people. In order to get ahead in a career or in school, people tend to devote most of their time to working, studying, or other activities that enhance their prospects for the future. As a consequence, they have little inclination to communicate with others. They are anxious about their achievements because those are the measures of success in life. So, keen competition also discourages people from having a good understanding of each other.
Communicating with other people involves much effort because people's personality, the generation gap and keen competition bring about potential problems. These problems are constantly with us, and any of them may lead to a breakdown in communication between individuals.
The age difference between generations also has a significant influence on communication. People of different generations receive very different education. Since society is advancing at a great pace, it is not surprising that they hold very divided opinions because of the wide gap in age. Disagreement on many topics between people of different generations results in difficulties for effective communication. For example, some parents expect their children to share their views, yet the values that the younger generation holds vary greatly from those accepted by the older generation. Therefore, communication between generations de- clines because of the lack of understanding.
[解析] 浏览全文可知,这篇文章为说明文,它包括三部分:开头段,数个主体段和结论段。开头段为第一段,它由导入语和主题句组成。人们普遍认为,来自不同文化背景的人们的语言问题本身使得他们的交流变得困难,因为语言障碍,人们不能明白地表达他们的思想感情。这是导入语一。然而交流问题同时也出现在来自相同文化背景的人们之间。虽然他们的文化背景相同,但有时候,他们也不能彼此了解得很好。这是导入语二。交流失败有很多原因,最重要的包括个性、年龄差异和个体之间的竞争。这是文章的主题句。
文章第二、三、四段,这三个段落是对主体思想句的分项阐述和说明。
第二段:讲到个性对人们之间的交流起着重要的作用(main idea)。首先,同样的兴趣爱好对交流的开始很重要(sub-idea)。如果两个人有着完全不同的人生态度,那么,他们之间能够开始交流将不是那么容易的事(supporting detail)。其次,如果想进行有意义的交流的话,自如地表达他们的感情和观点就很有必要(sub-idea)。有些人不想说有争议的话题,生怕会伤害朋友之间的感情(supporting detail)。相反地,他们把他们的讨论维持在一个非常浅的程度,这使得他们不能彼此深入地了解(supporting detail)。缺乏理解使得交流很不成功(supporting detail)。很明显,个性在某种程度上影响交流的开始和展开(conclusion)。
第四段:虽然年龄差距使得两代人之间的交流出现问题,但是同龄人之间因为竞争导致的问题更大(main idea)。现在社会中激烈的竞争给人们带来巨大的压力。为了在学校或职场上走在别人的前面,人们往往把大部分时间用在工作、学习或者其他有助于增强他们未来竞争力的事情上。结果,他们几乎就没有什么想要和别人交流的欲望。他们对它们的成就更焦虑,因为那是他们成功的标准(sub-idea)。因此,激烈的竞争也无助于人们彼此之间更好地了解(conclusion)。
结论段是对全文的总结和概括,是对主题句的强调和深化。
第五段:与别人交流要很用心,因为人们的个性、代沟和激烈的竞争会产生很多问题。这些问题经常出现,有一些还可能导致交流的无法继续(conclusion)。
很显然,本题所考的是补充其中一个主体段落,而且它的主题思想(main idea)是:The age difference between generation also has a significant influence on communication.我们来分析第二段的展开方式:首先出现的是主题句。本主题句由两个主要推展句展开,分别以first, second为标记。前者用对比法,后者用举例法进行分析。最后用一句话简要总结主题。
第四段的展开方式:开头主题句出现后,文章用四句话叙述了现代人的真实情况,这样来说明主题。最后还是用一句话总结主题。
在准确判断原文的写作方式和写作特点后,我们在补充缺省段落时,就可以采用类似的方法,这样才能保证整个主体段落的连贯与一致性。
3.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. How to Lose Gracefully
Losing is a necessary part of life. Nobody likes to lose, yet in every even remotely competitive situation, someone will. Perhaps it's the next promotion at work, or the selection of a student union leader. Even small things, like playing a card game, have an air of winning and losing to them. However, it's what you do with that failure that makes all the difference. Assuming one is the "loser", all of these situations present a choice. One can either be a sore loser or a graceful loser.
Losing gracefully is the first step to move forward and overcome the loss. In fact, graceful losers are hardly impacted by the loss at all, because they know another opportunity a- waits them. They congratulate their opponent, embrace their failure and try to figure out where they went wrong. Graceful losers do not take failure personally, but they do accept responsibility. They learn from the loss, and then apply what they've learned so that next time they may win.
Sore losers are quite the opposite. Perhaps the biggest risk of being a sore loser is this loss of hope for the future. Sore losers are stuck on the loss, and in so being, they may miss out on a new opportunity because of their poor attitude. Sore losers get angry. They blame their loss on the opponent, not taking responsibility for their own actions. Sore losers hold on to resentment, and may internalize their failure, leading to low self-esteem or even depression.
Of course, making lemonade out of life's lemons is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright hard. But it is a principle worth living by. How can you lose gracefully, even when you really, really wanted to win? Essentially, you need to realize that you never really lose.
In fact, once you learn how to release the feelings about losing—the anger, the embarrassment, and the resentment—you will always feel successful. And then an amazing thing will happen. When you FEEL successful, you will ACT successful, and then, sure enough, you will BE successful. As you let go of the feelings that cause the sensation of loss, you dis- cover that you never really lose anything.
The objects in your life are always changing, but what you are at your core is change- less. The more you release on the fears and negativity about winning and losing, the easier it will be to accept things that do happen. When you lose or win, you'll then be able to do so gracefully.
By releasing your negative feelings, you allow the comings and goings of your life to simply happen as they do. This gives great relief and also allows you to be present with and for the new opportunities that are here every moment.
Everyone has failed at some point in his or her life. This is nothing exceptional. Even in adverse situations, one should keep in mind the principle of losing gracefully. A graceful loser will turn into a potential winner while a sore loser a bigger failure.
Topic Outline
Ⅰ.Introduction: Losing as a par of life (Para. 1)
A.Failure occurring in every competitive situation.
B.One's attitude and action making a difference
Ⅱ.Difference between graceful and sore losers (Para. 2—3)
A.Graceful loser with optimistic attitude and positive action.
B.Sore loser with pessimistic attitude and negative action.
Ⅲ.Learning the principle of losing graceful (Para. 4—7)
A.Learning to release the negative feeling about loss.
B.Accepting whatever happens to you.
Ⅳ.Conclusion: Keeping in mind the principle of losing gracefully(Para. 8)
[解析] 该题相对来说比较容易,我们在答题时,只要找出文章中相应的句子,然后对号入座即可。下面我们来具体研究一下该题。
第一段:指出失败是人们生活中的一部分(主题思想句)。没人喜欢失败,然而在这个竞争激烈的社会里,到处都会有失败(导入语)。
第二段:从容的失败是克服再次失败的第一步。实际上,这并不是真正的失败。通常他们会抓住身边的机遇。他们会为对手祝贺,也接受失败并找出失败的原因,其实上从容的失败并不是真正的失败。而是在为下次的成功做准备。
第三段:对于纯粹意义上的失败者,他们态度消极,行为被动。
第四段至第七段:面对失败,如何才能更从容。
4.
Write a concluding paragraph for the following essay. Spare-time Job
With the change of people's ideas, those who do the spare-time job are no longer looked down upon. Not only workers but also teachers and engineers are getting more involved in the spare-time job. They work in their spare time to make more money to improve their own living standard.
However, some people are not for this. They think that they will fail to do their full time job well if people are engaged in their spare-time jobs, for they can't concentrate their mind during the regular working hours, or they are too tired to recover from overwork. What's more, the spare-time job would make people interested in nothing but money. They will be concerned with nothing but themselves.
It is necessary to pay enough attention to the spare-time job. Nothing is wrong with the job itself. What is important is how people deal with it properly. If one can work effectively in his full time job, and bring some benefits to the society in his spare time, why shouldn't he do it?
[解析] 浏览全文可知,这篇文章为说明文,它包括三个部分:开头段、主体段落和结论段。第一段:为开头段,它由导入语和主题思想句组成。随着人们观念的改变,人们不再瞧不起兼职了(导入语),不仅农民工,各行各业的人们在闲暇时光来赚取更多的薪水来提高自己的生活标准(中心思想)。
文章第二段:然而另外一些人却持有不同的看法,他们认为做兼职会使得人们无法集中精力来做本职工作。通过对上面两段内容的分析知,不同的人对“兼职”的看法是不同的,有的支持,有的反对,结束段不但要与正文衔接,在逻辑上一脉相承,还要准确、全面,本题考查的是对主题进行最终评价。
5.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. Restore happiness to your marriage by using whiteshirt laundry detergent. Your husband will love you all the more for it. "End those lonely Saturday nights—use bretheen mouth- wash." "Only Aloha Sea-lines super-duper jets will fly you upside down to Hawaii!" Thus the barrage of TV commercials continues day and night in almost every American home. I think most of the commercials are irritating or insulting or dangerous. I believe they can be improved so that they will be not only less offensive to the public but also more effective as advertisements.
Even while I am registering my objections to commercials, I recognize that commercials are necessary. Since the money which pays for a TV program comes from the sale of the sponsor's products, the sponsor must have air-time in which to advertise.
But sometimes the advertising is objectionable, first, because it is irritating for the end- less repetition of the same commercial and the too frequent interruption of programs. I sup- pose that once advertisers have a slogan that has proved effective, they are reluctant to give it up, but if they realized how meaningless the familiar words become after a thousand repetitions, maybe they would find that an occasional change would be effective. The truth is that no one pays any attention to the worn-out slogans, and everyone is irritated rather than interested when the familiar lines begin.
I think, too, that advertisers lose more than they gain when they insist on interrupting a program every ten minutes to plug their wares, Irritation of the viewer-buyer is surely not the way to sell anything. If sponsors would all agree to confine commercials to the beginning and the end of programs, the public's appreciation would be reflected in its buying. If they would realize how weary we get of the same old commercials, they might find an occasional change to be surprisingly effective.
Another kind of objectionable commercial is the kind that insults our mentality with its meaningless claims. Analyze the claims made by many TV commercials, and you will find yourself asking, quite logically, "Well, so what?" In our simple-minded way, we are expected to accept blindly the word of a cowpuncher or a water skier as sure proof of the quality of a really soft drink. Every Little Leaguer knows that the leading hitter in the American League has not really achieved his enviable record because of the breakfast food he eats. And parents know that not all family problems will be solved by downing a couple of headache pills. Even shy and desperate danny doubts that a change in deodorant, shaving lotion, or mouthwash will make him irresistible to the prettiest models on TV. Claims that are completely without reason are insulting to thinking people. The writers of commercials should give their viewers credit for some brains.
Finally, TV commercials can be dangerous. They can endanger the finances of the American family. The goal of advertisers is to create a demand if none exists. You should have the latest dishwasher, the newest electric hair dryer, a second car, and such status symbols as a backyard swimming pool and a winter vacation. To listen to the honeyed pleas of the hand- some, suntanned, obviously happy announcers, you wonder how any of us can possibly live another minute without all the luxuries of a millionaire. But, then, the solution is so easy. Just apply for a personal loan-fast, courteous, no questions asked-and let the Easy Loan Finance Company pay all your bills at once. "We'll even write the checks." This lure could be irresistible to a young breadwinner trying to keep up with the standard of living fostered by the commercials the family watches every night as they try to catch a program in between.
Commercials endanger our health as well as our budgets. Although the writers are careful to advise us to see our doctors "if the pain persists," they do strongly suggest that we ailing viewers can get the relief we want just as well by following the do-it-yourself patentmedicine approach. Hypochondriacs must go crazy after a day of television. They are presented with a sure cure for every ailment. They can fill their medicine cabinets until they are bursting with cure-alls, fill their objecting stomachs with pills, and cover their bodies with creams until they are either dead or unrecognizable. Certainly the daily bombardment leads many people into a way of living that is dangerous to both pocketbook and health.
I have tried to make a case for the TV commercial which appeals to the intelligence of its audience. I have tried to show that commercials should be improved so that they will arouse the approval instead of the antagonism of the viewer.
Necessary
A.To pay for broadcasts
B.To sell sponsor's products
2.Irritating
A.Repetition
B.Frequency
3.Insulting
A.Unexplained virtues of the product
B.Meaningless testimonials
C.Catchy tunes
4.Dangerous
A.Creating demand for luxuries
1)Dissatisfied families
2)Debt-ridden parents
B.Promoting phony cure-alls
[解析] 这是一篇讲述美国电视广告的文章,从文章第一段第三行末尾处可看出。接着,作者写道:“I think most of the commercials are irritating or insulting or dangerous.”第二段第一行末尾又提到“I recognize that commercials are necessary.”这就为文章的提纲给出了一定的信息。
1.Necessary
文章写道:“Since the money which pays for a TV program comes from the sale of the sponsor's products, the sponsor must have air-time in which to advertise.”,从中可总结出该部分的小层次应为:
A.To pay for broadcasts
B.To sell sponsor's products
接着,作者分别描写了广告的irritating, insulting, dangerous三方面,与第一段中的“I think most of the commercials are irritating or insulting or dangerous.”照应。
2.Irritating
A.Repetition
B.Frequency
3.Insulting
A.Unexplained virtues of the product
B.Meaningless testimonials
C.Catchy tunes
4.Dangerous
A.Creating demand for luxuries
1)Dissatisfied families
2)Debt-ridden parents
B.Promoting phony cure-alls
6.
Compose an essay (60 points). Some people often say, "Opportunity plays a vital role in success". Do you go along with the idea. Write an essay (about 300 words) expressing your view on it.
Many people do not agree about opportunity. Some think that opportunity is so rare that only the luckiest persons have it. This can be proved by the fact that great successes have been so few as to be counted on one's fingers. Others argue that everyone has opportunity at one time or another in his or her life.
As far as I am concerned, I am for the latter to some extent. As a western saying goes, "Every dog has its day", there are opportunities for everybody. In fact, we can't find anyone in the world who never has his chance to succeed during his life. Those who claim that they have been out of luck can't recognize or make good use of opportunity. We should know that who seizes the right moment is the right man. If a farmer didn't sow his seeds in spring, he would be unlikely to get crops in autumn. If Helen Keller had refused her teacher's help, she might have been as ignorant as any other inborn blind. What's more important, opportunity will not serve a man on its own initiative unless he makes more opportunity than he finds it. Before Newton almost everyone had seen an apple or a similar fruit falling from a tree, but only Newton discovered the law of gravity because he had developed a good habit of thinking over answers to problems and stuck to his studies in spite of difficulties. This story tells us that a wise man is always creating his opportunity rather than wait for it.
In a word, in my opinion, everyone has opportunity and can make use of it. Those who take advantage of it succeed. So I believe this proverb: "Opportunities are only for the pre- pared minds."
[解析] 题目是要学生就“机会”这一话题展开论述。“机会在成功中扮演很重要角色。”你同意这种说法吗?发表一下个人见解。
关于可以从两方面叙述的题目(在本题中即:1.同意;2.不同意)一定要将自己的观点阐释清楚,最好用一句话说明自己的观点,做到论点清晰。
确定了论点之后,要按照一定的逻辑把自己的论点做出一系列解释,来支撑自己的看法。如果认为机会是很重要的,那么可以进一步说,人人都有平等的机会,关键是要看是否有能力抓住这种平等的机会。接着可以举一些例子。再往下一步思考,有了一点机会之后,我们能否将这一微小的机会,为自己创造更多的,更大的机会?这样慢慢把自己的思路打开。最后,为了强调,可以再次总结下自己的观点,换种方式说明自己的看法。
为了丰富文章的内容,我们还可以引用一些谚语、警句、名言、俗语等增强文章的信服力和趣味。