1、新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作GRE 写作电子讲义主讲：张雷冬欢迎使用新东方在线电子教材How to analyze the topicArgument 题目结构：Evidence conclusionSupport审题：分清论据和结论，看清推理关系结论的标志词：Therefore, thus, so, hence, consequently, evidently以及：Clearly, should/must, 目的状语从句 论据的种类:Facts/statistics/examples/Ways of argumentation: analogy/comparison, as
2、sumption写作原则逻辑：切中要害语言：言简意赅词汇：正规书面写作语言句式：多变，适度复杂Argument writing steps1, skim the topic and write the introduction2, input topic sentences for body paragraphs3, develop body paragraphs one by one新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作4, write the conclusion5, checkingHow to write the introductionBasic elements：Conce
3、ssion(cc)/conclusion(cl)/evidence(ev), assumption/evaluation(el)67, The following appeared as part of a business plan developed by the manager of the Rialto Movie Theater.“Despite its downtown location, the Rialto Movie Theater, a local institution for five decades, must make big changes or close it
4、s doors forever. It should follow the example of the new Apex Theater in the mall outside of town. When the Apex opened last year, it featured a video arcade, plush carpeting and seats, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Furthermore, in a recent survey, over 85 percent of respondents reported that
5、 the high price of newly released movies prevents them from going to the movies more than five times per year. Thus, if the Rialto intends to hold on to its share of a decreasing pool of moviegoers, it must offer the same features as Apex.“Write a response in which you discuss what questions would n
6、eed to be answered in order to decide whether the recommendation is likely to have the predicted result. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation. In the argument the arguer concludes that Rialto Theater must offer the same features as Apex, a n
7、ewly opened theater, to attract more moviegoers (cl). As evidence the arguer points out many fancy functions featured by Apex and the dissatisfaction of moviegoers about high price of new movies (ev). However, lacking more accurate information we cannot make sure if the managers proposal could bring
8、 about desired effect as predicted (el). In this argument, the arguer cites the evidence that to reach the conclusion that By citing the evidence that , the arguer concludes that 1, Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been found only in the immediate vicin
9、ity of the prehistoric village of Palea and therefore were believed to have been made only by the Palean people. Recently, however, archaeologists discovered such a “Palean“ basket in Lithos, an ancient village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and so the ancie
10、nt Paleans could have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or
11、strengthen the argument. In this argument, the writer employs a variety of evidence concerning the Palean culture, 新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作including their geographical isolation and the recent discovery of a basket, to argue that Palean baskets could be made by non-Palean cultures (ev+cl). We may acc
12、ept part of the writers claims regarding the Paleans (cc), but in the absence of some critical evidence, we cannot accept the conclusion that the Paleans have no means of transporting one of their baskets to other regions (el).fallacies in topics 题目中常见缺陷1, flaws in evidence 论据的问题1) Problems about su
13、rveys 调查类问题A, selective sample 选择性样本137, While the Department of Education in the state of Attra recommends that high school students be assigned homework every day, the data from a recent statewide survey of high school math and science teachers give us reason to question the usefulness of daily ho
14、mework. In the district of Sanlee, 86 percent of the teachers reported assigning homework three to five times a week, whereas in the district of Marlee, less than 25 percent of the teachers reported assigning homework three to five times a week. Yet the students in Marlee earn better grades overall
15、and are less likely to be required to repeat a year of school than are the students in Sanlee. Therefore, all teachers in our high schools should assign homework no more than twice a week.Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain
16、 how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted. The result of the survey lacks credibility because the arguer fails to include teachers in other subjects.B, Do the statistics make any difference? 调查是否有意义81, The follo
17、wing appeared in a business magazine.“As a result of numerous complaints of dizziness and nausea on the part of consumers of Promofoods tuna, the company requested that eight million cans of its tuna be returned for testing. Promofoods concluded that the canned tuna did not, after all, pose a health
18、 risk. This conclusion is based on tests performed on samples of the recalled cans by chemists from Promofoods; the chemists found that of the eight food chemicals most commonly blamed for causing symptoms of dizziness and nausea, five were not found in any of the tested cans. The chemists did find
19、small amounts of the three remaining suspected chemicals but pointed out that these occur naturally in all canned foods.“新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be addressed in order to decide whether the conclusion and the argument on which it is ba
20、sed are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to the questions would help to evaluate the conclusion. The argument treats a lack of proof that Promofoods tuna cans may cause dizziness and nausea as constituting sufficient proof that the cans were not responsible for any of the sickness.C, q
21、uantity of the sample 样本的数量113, The following is a recommendation from the personnel director to the president of Acme Publishing Company.“Many other companies have recently stated that having their employees take the Easy Read Speed-Reading Course has greatly improved productivity. One graduate of
22、the course was able to read a 500-page report in only two hours; another graduate rose from an assistant manager to vice president of the company in under a year. Obviously, the faster you can read, the more information you can absorb in a single workday. Moreover, Easy Read would cost Acme only $50
23、0 per employeea small price to pay when you consider the benefits. Included in this fee is a three-week seminar in Spruce City and a lifelong subscription to the Easy Read newsletter. Clearly, to improve productivity, Acme should require all of our employees to take the Easy Read course.“Write a res
24、ponse in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the advice and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the advice. The sample is too limited. How about other graduate
25、s? D, What question was asked in the survey? 调查所问问题是否恰当55, The following appeared in an editorial in a business magazine.“Although the sales of Whirlwind video games have declined over the past two years, a recent survey of video-game players suggests that this sales trend is about to be reversed. T
26、he survey asked video-game players what features they thought were most important in a video game. According to the survey, players prefer games that provide lifelike graphics, which require the most up-to-date computers. Whirlwind has just introduced several such games with an extensive advertising
27、 campaign directed at people ten to twenty-five years old, the age-group most likely to play video games. It follows, then, that the sales of Whirlwind video games are likely to increase dramatically in the next few months.“Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions
28、 of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted. Other questions that should be asked:新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作 How about the supply of such video games? Can the players afford these
29、games? How many players have access to such kind of computers? E, Who conducted the survey? 调查的进行机构Example: A81F, are the respondents forthright when answering the questions? 回应者是否诚实 22, According to a recent report, cheating among college and university students is on the rise. However, Groveton Co
30、llege has successfully reduced student cheating by adopting an honor code, which calls for students to agree not to cheat in their academic endeavors and to notify a faculty member if they suspect that others have cheated. Grovetons honor code replaced a system in which teachers closely monitored st
31、udents; under that system, teachers reported an average of thirty cases of cheating per year. In the first year the honor code was in place, students reported twenty-one cases of cheating; five years later, this figure had dropped to fourteen. Moreover, in a recent survey, a majority of Groveton stu
32、dents said that they would be less likely to cheat with an honor code in place than without. Thus, all colleges and universities should adopt honor codes similar to Grovetons in order to decrease cheating among students.Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered i
33、n order to decide whether the recommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation.G, are the respondents representative? 回应者是否具有代表性43, The following appeared in a memorandum written by th
34、e chairperson of the West Egg Town Council.“Two years ago, consultants predicted that West Eggs landfill, which is used for garbage disposal, would be completely filled within five years. During the past two years, however, the towns residents have been recycling twice as much material as they did i
35、n previous years. Next month the amount of recycled materialwhich includes paper, plastic, and metalshould further increase, since charges for pickup of other household garbage will double. Furthermore, over 90 percent of the respondents to a recent survey said that they would do more recycling in t
36、he future. Because of our towns strong commitment to recycling, the available space in our landfill should last for considerably longer than predicted.“Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengt
37、hen the argument.2) Problems about data / information 数据信息类问题A, vague data 模糊数据32, The following appeared in a memo from a vice president of Quiot Manufacturing.“During the past year, Quiot Manufacturing had 30 percent more on-the-job accidents than at the nearby Panoply Industries plant, where the
38、work shifts are one hour shorter than ours. Experts say 新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作that significant contributing factors in many on-the-job accidents are fatigue and sleep deprivation among workers. Therefore, to reduce the number of on-the-job accidents at Quiot and thereby increase productivity, we sh
39、ould shorten each of our three work shifts by one hour so that employees will get adequate amounts of sleep.“Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are fo
40、r the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted. The arguer fails to convince us that the safety record in Panoply is superior, because we do not know the total number of workers in each company.B, completeness 信息完整性73, The following appeared on the Mozart School of Music Web site.“The Mozart Sc
41、hool of Music should be the first choice for parents considering enrolling their child in music lessons. First of all, the Mozart School welcomes youngsters at all ability and age levels; there is no audition to attend the school. Second, the school offers instruction in nearly all musical instrumen
42、ts as well a wide range of styles and genres from classical to rock. Third, the faculty includes some of the most distinguished musicians in the area. Finally, many Mozart graduates have gone on to become well-known and highly paid professional musicians.“Write a response in which you examine the st
43、ated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted. The arguer does not provide complete information which will influence the parents decisions. We are
44、not informed about the performance of other faculty members, students are not necessarily taught by those distinguished musicians. We need the information concerning the general employment condition of the schools graduates. The author does not inform us the amount of tuition charged by the school,
45、and if the parents could afford it. 2, Flaws in the reasoning line 推理过程漏洞1) False analogy 错误类比77, The following recommendation appeared in a memo from the mayor of the town of Hopewell.“Two years ago, the nearby town of Ocean View built a new municipal golf course and resort hotel. During the past t
46、wo years, tourism in Ocean View has increased, new businesses have opened there, and Ocean Views tax revenues have risen by 30 percent. Therefore, the best way to 新东方在线 网络课堂电子教材系列 GRE 写作improve Hopewells economyand generate additional tax revenuesis to build a golf course and resort hotel similar to
47、 those in Ocean View.“Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.2) Confusing comparison and variati
48、on 横向比较与纵向比较混淆48, The following appeared in a magazine article about planning for retirement.“Clearview should be a top choice for anyone seeking a place to retire, because it has spectacular natural beauty and a consistent climate. Another advantage is that housing costs in Clearview have fallen si
49、gnificantly during the past year, and taxes remain lower than those in neighboring towns. Moreover, Clearviews mayor promises many new programs to improve schools, streets, and public services. And best of all, retirees in Clearview can also expect excellent health care as they grow older, since the number of physicians in the area is far greater than the national average.“Write a
