1. 比如Evidence:Write a response in which youdiscuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument. 在这里,你就需要提及为什么这样的evidence能够weaken or strengthen这个argument:换句话说,你需要Both identifyingspecific evidence that would strengthenthe prompt’s argument and identifying evidence that would undermine the argument.
以我在1215G考场上遇到的高中学生参加驾校为例(A-134),第三个攻击点是:学校提供的驾驶课程是最好的解决方案。我在考场上是这样写的(大意):
The writer also assumes that the coursesthat the high school will provide will be effective. But before we believe thisassumption, we need to obtain extra evidence to know if it is valid or not. Ifwe can get information that the school will hire some senior professionaldrivers to teach those students, this assumption will be enhancedsincethose drivers have more experienceand thus they may ensure the quality of the driving courses. On the other hand,if we can get information that there will be no practice of driving in thosecourses , where students will have chance to exercise their driving skills inreality, this writer’s claim will be undermined because in this way students’ driving skill will actually not bepromoted: what they learn will be merely theories of driving rather than realabilities.
如你所见,这里面不但提到了,同时还解释了为什么某些evidence能够支持或者削弱这个writer的claim。如果你研究过OG里面的第一个模拟考试的Argument,你会发现5分的文章评论中,提到了这句话:Thiswriter approaches the task by first discussing the evidence that might weaken Dr. Karp’s argument and then, insomewhat less depth, considering the evidence that could strengthen it. In both cases the writer analyzes the ways in which the evidence would bear on the argument.所以,在Evidence的A中,需要support/strength/undermine/weaken这样的词汇。
2. Question类的Instruction:Write a response in which youdiscuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether therecommendation and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure toexplain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the recommendation. 这里面提到了Evaluate这个词,但什么叫evaluate?在我看来,就是判断这个argument是valid还是不valid的,就像OG第二个模考的5分范文评论说的那样:Inboth cases, the writer indicates the specific kinds of information thatmanagement would need to gather in order to determine whether its prediction isvalid. 至于写法,可以参照范文。
3. 至于assumption类的,其实是最好写的。因为所有的argument都是assumption错误,只是区别在是要求你给出evidence,question,explanation,还是implication。引用OG第一篇范文的原话:
Should any of theabove assumptions prove unwarranted, the implications are:
a. That the logic ofthe argument falls apart/ is invalid/ is unsound.
b. That the state andcity are spending their funds unnecessarily.
也就是说,你需要说明,如果这个assumption是invalid的,这暗示着这篇文章是不合逻辑的,然后给出原因(也就是你的分析)。
5. 因此,对于Argument,首先要把范文吃透,这样子才能用正确的方式练习。至于练习频率,我建议把在3以上的都练习一遍,然后就是熟悉题库注意总结出自己的“难题”,怎么也要过两遍吧(因人而异)。
还有很重要的一点:不要“套”模板。什么是“套”?就是网络上那种非常俗的那种,比如Inthis argument, the author claims that… However, as the author does not provideus with enough evidence, this assumption is not valid.
我的观点是,语言要平实,毕竟和托福不同,而且提两句“无关紧要”的话。比我考场上的那个A。第一段开头:Thewriter seems to be concerned with the accidents of teenagers in the C region. 最后一段开头:Admittedly,it is useful to avoid car accidents by improving people’s driving skills.为什么这么写?因为我觉得这表明你没有套模板(讽刺的是,模板全都是切题的),而模板是ETS极力打压+鄙视的东西。