Study the set of drawings carefully and write an essay in which you should
1) describe the set of drawings, interpret its meaning, and
2) point out its implications in our life.
Example 1
It goes without saying that the drawings aim at revealing a common and serious problem in China: how to educate and cultivate the young. Let’s take a closer look at the drawings. In an ideal condition, the flower blooms. But when moved out of the green house, it perishes under the rain and storm. It is obvious that the flower in greenhouse can’t withstand wind and rains.
Nowadays the young generation in China, like the flower in the greenhouse, live under the full protection from their parents. Parents want to show all their love to their children. They give their children all the best things they can afford and do not let their children do anything at home. Self-centeredness and arbitrariness have become a trait of the young generation. Once leaving their parents, many young people cannot make a living of their own. They get lost when stepping into the complex reality and cannot face any hardships and difficulties.
Children education has become one of the most popular topics discussed not only by education experts, but also by people in all walks of life. The failure of children education does more harm to the development of our society and our civilization than to children themselves. Thus, it’s high time that parents, educators and the government made concerted efforts to put an end to this situation. (225 words; 67/ 92/ 66)
Example 2
As depicted in the pictures, the flower in green house cannot stand for the severe storms and maybe dead in the near future. What does the author really want to tell us? In my opinion, the real implication of the author is that everyone has to meet difficulties in their life experiences, so we have to make adequate preparations for them.
There is no denying that a majority of young people, especially who are endowed by their rich parents, take their happiness for granted. I’m fully convinced that they may inevitably suffer from failure in their future. For the simple reason is that they like the flowers in green house. Therefore, it is necessary for those parents to take some measures to control this trend which may lead to their children’s failure. The best way to solve this problem I think is to give young people opportunities to do things independently. Only in this way can young people confront with difficulties and deal with them easily.
As far as I am concerned, I am greatly in favor of the idea that encouraging young generation practice in hard environments. Because young people can benefit a lot from their own experiences in hard times and earn enough confidence to face their future challenges. (211 words; 61/ 105/ 45)
Example 3
As we can see from the first picture, there is a flower in a greenhouse which is blooming and growing well while it is raining and thundering outside. But in the second picture, the greenhouse is removed. This time, the flower cannot stand in the heavy rain. Compared the two pictures we can conclude that the flowers in a greenhouse are too weak to bear the worse outsetting.
These pictures describe a common social phenomena in China today that children are taken care of and protected by their parents and grand- parents so well that they cannot even do anything themselves. When children are young, some reasonable protection and care are acceptable because they still have not the ability to live and do things on themselves. But when children grow up, it is better to let them handle thing on their own. On the other hand, as children grow up, their parents become old too, and it will be children’s turn to take care of their parents. We cannot imagine a society full of adults having the ability like seven-year-old children. It is harmful to the social development.
Chinese parents should give their children more opportunities to deal with things themselves, push them to uncomfortable environments to some extent, make them dure some trouble, and so on, all of these will benefit their growing. Only through these, they can take on greater responsibilities and have more abilities to fulfill themselves and serve the country and society when they grow up. (251 words; 68/ 120/ 62)
二． 题目类型
1． 文字，图，表提示（图画，漫画，照片，统计表，比率表，图示与统计数据相结合的图表）(1997—2005)
2． 纯文字提示 (1991—1996)
1） 提纲式
2） 规定情景式
3． 早期作文题目一览
1996年：Good Health
Outline:
1) Importance of good health;
2) Ways to keep fit;
3) My own practices.
1995年：The “Project Hope”
Outline:
1) Present situation;
2) Necessity of the project;
3) My suggestion.
1994年：On Making Friends
Outline:
1) The need for friends;
2) True friendship;
3) My principle in making friends.
1993年：Advertisement on TV
Outline:
1) Present state;
2) Reasons;
3) My comments.
1992年：For a Better Understanding Between Parent and Child
Outline:
1) Present situation:
Lack of communication between parent and child
2) Possible reasons:
Different likes and dislikes
Misunderstanding
Others
3) Suggestion:
For parents
For children
1991年：Where to Live—In the City or the Country
Outline:
1) Conveniences of the city;
2) Attractions of the country;
3) Disadvantages of both;
4) My preference.
第二部分：写作准备
一．选词
1． 多用近义词：
1) I think/believe/argue/maintain/insist/deem/hold that…, As I see it,… In my opinion,…From my standpoint,…
2) solve/cope with/deal with/put an end to/tackle…the problem
3) is important/is of the utmost importance
4) take pride in/be proud of
5) This product enjoys a good market in that market. (This product sells well in that market.)
2．区分具体与抽象的词
抽象 具体
good kind, honest, generous, warm-hearted, selfless, friendly
laugh smile, chuckle, snigger
scientist physicist, biologist, chemist
fish shark, salmon, perch, eel
tree shrub, bush, pollard, oak, plane, pine, willow
3．善于使用代词
A scientist draws conclusions by studying the facts he collects.
Such symbols as are used to represent chemical elements should be firmly kept in mind.
二．造句
1． 英文的基本句型
1） 主+系+表：I am a university student./I feel proud of myself./The leaves turn green when spring comes.
2） 主+动+（状）：I study very hard./I have prepared for the NETEM for a long time.
3） 主+动+宾：I read English books./I’ve memorized all the words in the word list.
4） 主+动+宾+宾：Prof. Kang gave me a lot of assignments every day./I wrote my teacher a letter yesterday.
5） 主+动+宾+补：The little boy found the box empty./We’ll make our country greener and more beautiful.
2． 英文句子的特性
1） 完整：English is a language, language is something used to communicate with other people.
2） 统一：My trouble is that I cannot speak English fluently and I like English very much.
3） 多样：She felt nervous and frightened. She took out the key and unlocked the door.
4） 简洁：After five months of hard work, she finally returned back to her home.
5） 有效：It is very interesting because it brings me peace, love and beauty. (It is like a magic paradise filled with peace, love and beauty.)
三． 段落
1． 段落的特性
1） 单一：Pollution has become a serious problem about which we worry. Wherever we turn we find pollution: polluted air, polluted water, polluted food and polluted environment. As we know, this is threatening the very survival of the human race.
2） 连贯：In order to know what the weather will be, special people are hired to provide this information. These people are called weathermen. They work in a weather station every day. Some of them observe the weather; the others analyze weather information; and still others make forecast about the weather. It is known that their work can save thousands of lives and millions of dollars in property damage.
3） 过渡：The traditional husband is different form modern husband in certain aspects. First of all, the traditional husband usually made the big decisions about spending money. However, the modern husband shares these decisions with his working wife. In addition, the traditional husband did not help with housework. In contrast, the modern husband helps his working wife at home. He may do some of the household jobs, and it is not unusual for him to cook.
2． 段落的构成
1）开头段
（1）开头段的表达方法
① 主题句法（use of topic sentence）
Now people become increasingly aware of the importance of acquiring a mastery of a foreign language. To them, the knowledge of a foreign language, say, English, often means a good opportunity for one’s career, even a passport to a prosperous future. Many of them equate success in life with the ability of speaking a foreign language.
② 使用引语（use a quotation）
“Great minds must be ready not only to take the opportunity, but to make them.” Colton, a great writer once remarked. But it still has a profound significance now. To a person, in whose lifetime opportunities are not many, to make opportunities is more essential to his success.
③ 使用具体详实的数字或数据（use figures or statistics）
In the past 5 years there has been a marked decline in the number of young married couples who want to have children, coupled with a growing trend toward delayed childbearing. According to official statistics, in 2003, about 28 percent of married couples with wives under 35 gave no birth to children, compared with the 1993 level of 8 percent.
④ 提出问题（ask a question）
What do you want from your work? Money? Promotions? Interesting challenges? Continual learning? Work-based friendships? The opportunity to develop your own idea and potentials? Though we are all individuals and so our answers will differ, all agree that work provides more than material things.
⑤ 给出背景（offer relevant background）
Once in a newspaper I read a crowd of people who remained appallingly indifferent to the plea of a mother. As she failed to offer the required amount of cash as a price to save her drowning son, the woman at last watched her son sink to death. The story is not rare in newspapers and on TV, and the casualness and detachment our people now have developed has aroused nationwide concern.
It was reported in the newspaper that a student killed four of his classmates just because of a trivial matter. It can be easily seen that pressure has become a serious issue we cannot neglect.
⑥ 定义法（give definition）
Flexibility is defined as being adaptable to change. In the course of your lifetime, it is essential that you learn to bend and flex around every new circumstance, as rigidity deprives you of the opportunity to see new possibilities. Paradigms change over time, and so must you. Your company may restructure, and you will have to survive. Your spouse may choose to leave the marriage, and you will have to cope. Technology will continue to advance and change, and you must constantly learn and adapt or risk becoming a dinosaur. Flexibility allows you to be ready for whatever curve lies ahead in life instead of getting blindsided by it.
(2) 开头段的常用核心句型
l The arguer may be right about …, but he seems to neglect (fail) to mention (take into account) the fact that ….
l As opposed to (Contrary to) widely (commonly / generally) held (accepted) belief (ideas / views), I believe (argue) that …
l Although many people believe that …, I doubt (wonder)whether the argument bears much analysis (close examination).
l The advantages of B outweigh any benefit we gained from (carry more weight than those of / are much greater than) A.
l Although it is commonly (widely / generally) held (felt / accepted / agreed) that …, it is unlikely to be true that ….
l There is an element of truth in this argument (statement), but it ignores a deeper and more basic (important / essential) fact (reason) that ….
l It is true that (True, / To be sure, / Admittedly,) …, but this is not to say (it is unlikely / it doesn’t follow / it doesn’t mean / it won’t be the case) that ….
l The main (obvious / great) problem (flaw / drawback) with (in) this argument (view / remark) is that it is ignorant of (blind to) the basic (bare) fact that ….
l It would be possible (natural / reasonable) to think (believe / take the view) that …, but it would be absurd (wrong) to claim (argue) that ….
l In all the discussion and debate over …, one important (basic) fact is generally overlooked (neglected).
l There is absolutely (in fact) no (every) reason for us to believe (accept / resist / reject) that ….
l Logical (Valid / Sound) as this argument seems and I wholeheartedly agree with it, it appears insignificant (absurd) when … is taken into consideration(account).
l To assume (suggest) that … is far from being proved (to miss the point).
l A close (careful) inspection (examination / scrutiny) of this argument would reveal how flimsy (groundless /fallacious) it is.
l On the surface (At first thought), it (this) may seem a sound (an attractive) suggestion (solution / idea), but by careful weighing on the mind (on closer analysis / on second thought), we find that …
l Too much emphasis placed on (attention paid to / importance attached to) … may obscure (overlook / neglect) other facts ….
l The danger (problem / fact / truth / point) is that….
l What the arguer fails to understand (consider / mention) is that ….
l We don’t have to look very far to see (find out) the truth (validity) of this argument (proposition).
l However just (logical / sound / valid) this argument may be, it only skims the surface of the problem.
l Among the most convincing (important) reasons given (cited / offered / identified) by people for …, one should be stressed (emphasized / mentioned).
l As far as I am concerned, however, I believe that ….
l I believe that the title statement is valid because (of) ….
l I agree with the above statement because I believe that ….
l Although I appreciate that …, I cannot agree with the title statement.
l There is a public controversy nowadays over the issue of …. Those who object to … argue that …. But people who favor …, on the other hand, argue that….
l Currently (In recent years / In the past few years / For many years now), there is (has been) a general (widespread / growing / widely held) feeling towards (concern over / attitude towards / trend towards / awareness of / realization of / illusion of / belief in)….
l Now it is commonly (widely / generally / increasingly) believed (thought / held / accepted/ felt / recognized / acknowledged) that …. But I wonder (doubt) whether ….
l These days we are often told that (often hear about) …, but is this really the case?
2）中间段
（1）展开方法
① 列举法(Listing)
常用词语：first, second, third...last
firstly, secondly, thirdly...finally
to begin with, what’s more, in the end
first of all, then, next, moreover, furthermore...
in the first place, in the second place, last but not least
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support—financial aid, material resources, and needed services—that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.
② 举例法(Exemplification)
常用词语：show, exemplify, illustrate, prove, indicate, exhibit, demonstrate, for example, for instance, take...as an example, such as, like, a good case in point
常用句型：There are many examples to prove...Here I will cite just a few.
There is enough/convincing/sufficient evidence to prove...
Take...as an example.
An analysis of the above-mentioned cases may be useful in explaining...
Before you get the idea that economics is relevant only for politics or business, we should mention that economics focuses on all the choices people make and the personal and social consequences of these choices. Some choices involve money, but many do not. Even seemingly non-economic decisions fall within the realm of economics. Most decisions involve attempts to balance costs against benefits, which may or may not be measurable with money. For example, many costs and benefits are primarily psychological.
③ 定义法(Definition)
常用词语：mean, signify, refer to, constitute, involve, deal with, relate to, be considered to be, be concerned with, be defined as
常用句型：...may be defined as...
...means...
…is described as…
A paragraph may be defined as a distinct part of section of any piece of writing, whether of one or more sentences, that deals with a particular point of the subject. It is to a sentence what a sentence is to a word. The term is also applied to a short composition consisting of a group of sentences dealing with a single topic and closely related to each other.
④ 分类法(Classification)
常用词语：arrange in two/three categories, be classified into a number of groups, fall into the following kinds, be put into several groups
常用句型：...consists of...
...may be classified according to/on the basis of/depending on
...may be divided into...
There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. But this act of purchase is only the prelude to possession. Full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make it a part of yourself is by writing in it. An illustration may make the point clear. You buy a beefsteak and transfer it from the butcher’s icebox to your own. But you do not own the beefsteak until you consume it and get it into your stomach. I am arguing that books, too, must be absorbed in your stomach to do you any good.
⑤ 比较对比法(Comparison and Contrast)
常用词语：just as, in comparison, like, similarly, likewise, correspondingly, similar to,
in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, unlike, whereas, but, however, yet, while
常用句型：There are some similarities/differences between...
We can compare...with...
...has something in common with...
By contrasting...and...
...has little in common with...
...are different in many ways...
Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor and industrialist, was a man of many sharp contrasts. (1) He was the son of a bankrupt, but became a millionaire; (2) a scientist with a love of literature, (3) an industrialist who managed to remain an idealist. (4) He made a fortune but lived a simple life, (5) and although cheerful in company he was often sad in private. (6) A lover of mankind, he never had a wife or family to love him; (7) a patriotic son of his native land, he died alone on foreign soil. (8) He invented a new explosive, dynamite, to improve the peacetime industries of mining and road building, but saw it used as a weapon of war to kill and injure his fellow men.
⑥ 因果法(Cause and Effect)
常用词语：cause, result in, lead to, produce, bring about, contribute to, based on,
because, since, now that, therefore, thus, consequently, owing to, due to,
through, because of, on account of, as a result, as a consequence
常用句型：There are several reasons for...
The reasons why...can be traced to...
The causes for...are as follows...
Therefore, we can draw/arrive at/reach/make the following conclusions...
Professors will help students who need it, but prefer that their students not be overly dependent on them. In the United States, professors have other duties besides teaching. Often they are responsible for administrative work within their departments. In addition, they may be obliged to publish articles and books. Therefore the time that a professor can spend with a student outside of class is limited. If a student has problems with classroom work, the student should either approach a professor during office hours or make an appointment.
⑦ 发展过程法
To build your own sun scope, get a carton and cut a hole in one side, big enough to poke your head through. Paste white paper on the inside surface that you will be facing. Then punch a pinhole into the opposite side high enough so that the little shaft of light will miss your head. For a sharper image you can make a better pinhole by cutting a one-inch square hole in the carton, taping a piece of aluminum foil over this hole, and then making the pin-hole in the foil. Finally, tape the box shut and cover all light leaks with black tape.
(2) 中间段的常用核心句型
l Although the popular belief is that …, a current (new / recent) study (survey / poll / investigation) indicates (shows / demonstrates) that ….
l Common sense tells us that ….
l The increase (change / failure / success) in … mainly (largely / partly) results from (arises from / is because of) ….
l The increase (change / failure / success) in … is due to (owing to / attributable to) the fact that ….
l Many people would claim that ….
l One may attribute (ascribe / owe) the increase (decrease / change ) to …, but … is not by itself an adequate explanation.
l One of the reasons given for … is that ….
l What is also worth noticing is that ….
l There are many (different / several /a number of / a variety of)causes (reasons) for this dramatic (marked / significant) growth (change / decline / increase) in …. First, …. Second, …. Finally, ….
l There is no evidence to suggest that….
l Why are (is / do / did) …? For one thing, …. For another, ….
l Another reason why I dispute the above statement is that ….
l It gives rise to (leads to / brings /creates) a host of problems (consequences).
l There are numerous reasons why …, and I shall here explore only a few of the most important ones.
l It will exert (have / produce) profound (far-reaching / remarkable / considerable / beneficial / favorable / undesirable / disastrous) effect (influence) on ….
l A multitude of factors could account for (contribute to / lead to / result in / influence) the change (increase / decrease / success / failure / development) in ….
l In 2000, it increased (rose / jumped / shot up) from 5 to 10 percent of the total (to 15 percent / by 15 percent).
l By comparison with 2002, it decreased (dropped / fell) from 10 to 5 percent (to 15 percent / by 15 percent).
l It accounts for 15 percent of the total.
l There were 100 traffic accidents in April, an increase of 5 percent in a five-month period.
l By 2002, only (less than / more than / almost / about / over/ as many as) three quarters (40 percent of / one out of five / one in four) college population (graduates / housewives) as against (as compared with) last year (2002) preferred to (liked) ….
l With the development (improvement / rise / growth / general recognition / acknowledgement / realization) of …, vast changes await this country’s society.
l Now people in growing (ever-increasing / significant) numbers are beginning (coming / getting) to believe (realize / recognize / understand / accept / see / be aware) that ….
l According to a(n) recent (new / official) study (survey / report / poll), ….
l History (Our society) is filled (abounds) with the examples of ….
l The story (case / instance / situation) is not rare (isolated / unique), it is one of many examples (typical of dozens).
l A (one) recent (new / general / nationwide) study (survey / poll / investigation) conducted (taken) at a university by (officials / scientists / experts) indicates (reveals / suggests / shows / proves / demonstrates) that ….
l According to (As can be seen in / As is shown in) the figures (statistics / findings / data / graph / table) released (provided) by the government (an institute), it can be learned (seen / predicted) that ….
l There is (no) good (every / little / sufficient / considerable / strong) evidence (proof) to
l Personal experience (Examples I heard / read of) leads me to conclude that ….
l We must admit the undeniable fact that ….
l No one can deny (ignore / doubt / overlook / obscure / brush aside) the fact that ….
l Experience (Evidence) suggests (shows) that ….
l Take for example … who (that) ….
l The same is true of ….
l As the saying goes, “….”
3）结尾段
（1）写作方法
① 总结归纳
In conclusion I would like to say that change is a problem confronting most of us today. The changes which have already taken place in every field of our life are irreversible. Continuation of the growth which has already begun is inevitable. During this evolution there are great rewards to be won—by those who are willing to take the opportunities being offered.
② 重申主题
Admittedly, science has created atomic bombs and produced pervasive pollution. But it has transformed the lives of millions of people. It has multiplied man’s energy, hopes, ambitions and understanding. It has elevated and will continue to elevate man intellectually and spiritually.
③ 预测展望
It is time that the government spoke out against corruption and took strong actions to punish whoever takes bribes or embezzles fund. For present official corruption, if permitted to continue, will not only tarnish the government’s popularity, but lead to its ultimate downfall.
④ 提出建议
College athletics plays such a vital role that it deserves close attention and persistent effort. It is suggested that physical training should be regarded as a required course wedged into college curricula, however crowded it may be, and that a fair share of college budget should be devoted to athletic programs. We sincerely hope that this suggestion will be a commitment that all colleges and universities will take up.
⑤ 提出问题
Old people may choose to live alone for themselves and even embrace this living pattern. But in the deep part of their hearts, they must feel lonely. They need their children to stay with, to talk with, and take care of them. Why can’t young people think of the days when they are getting old?
⑥ 引用格言
Many years ago, a great philosopher Francis Bacon remarked that “Knowledge is power.” This can now be translated into contemporary terms. In our social setting, “Knowledge is change”—and accelerating knowledge-acquisition, fueling the great engine of technology, means accelerating change.
（2）核心句型
l From what has been discussed above (Taking into account all these factors / Judging from all evidence offered), we may safely draw (reach / come to / arrive at) the conclusion that ….
l All the evidence (analysis) supports (justifies / confirms / warrants / points to) a(n) unshakable (unmistakable / sound / just) conclusion that ….
l It is high time that we placed (put) great (special / considerable) emphasis on the improvement (development / increase / promotion) of ….
l It is high time that we put an end to the deep-seated (unhealthy / undesirable / deplorable) situation (tendency / phenomenon) of ….
l We must look (search / call / cry) for an immediate action (method / measure), because the present (current) situation (phenomenon / tendency / state / attitude) of …, if permitted (allowed) to continue (proceed), will surely (certainly) lead to (result in) the end (destruction / heavy cost) of ….
l There is no easy (immediate / effective) solution (approach / answer / remedy) to the problem of …, but … might be useful (helpful / beneficial).
l No easy method (solution / recipe / remedy) can be at hand (found / guaranteed) to solve (resolve / tackle) the problem of …, but the common (general / public) recognition of (realization of / awareness of / commitment to) the necessity (importance / significance) of … might be the first step towards change (on the right way / in the right direction).
l Following these methods (suggestions) may not guarantee the success in (solution to)…, but the pay-off will be worth the effort.
l Obviously (Clearly / No doubt), if we ignore (are blind to) the problem, there is every chance that ….
l Unless there is a common realization of (general commitment to) …, it is very likely (the chances are good) that ….
l There is little doubt (no denying) that serious (special / adequate / immediate / further) attention must be called (paid / devoted) to the problem of ….
l It is necessary (essential / fundamental) that effective (quick / proper) actions (steps /measures / remedies) should be taken to prevent (correct /check / end / fight) the situation (tendency / phenomenon).
l It is hoped (suggested / recommended) that great (continuous / persistent / sustained / corporate) efforts should be made to control (check/ halt / promote) the growth (increase / rise) of ….
l It is hoped that great efforts should be directed to (expended on / focused on) finding (developing / improving) ….
l It remains to be seen whether …, but the prospect (outlook) is not quite encouraging (that rosy).
l Anyhow, wider (more) education (publicity) should be given to the possible (potential / grave /serious / pernicious) consequences (effects) of ….
l To reverse (check / control) the trend (tendency) is not a light task (an easy job), and it requires (demands / involves / entails) a different state of mind towards (attitude towards / outlook on) ….
l For these reasons, I strongly recommend that ….
l For the reasons given above, I feel that ….
第三部分：写作提高策略
一．三大纪律
1．千万不要跑题：仔细审题，题目多集中在社会现象与问题，如学校教育，人际关系和交往，娱乐方式，健康和生活方式，环境保护，职业道德及人口增长等方面。
2． 需要“死去活来”。
3。表达大于内容。
例一： 有钱能做很多事情。
例二：试比较
1) As is shown in the picture, on arriving at the finishing line of a race on the playground, the active young man has to continue his new journey in no time instead of stopping to take a rest. He has successfully settled the puzzle of "stopping or going on" which might have confused many others.
2) There is always no real end of a road for a person. Endpoint may also be a start point. As the drawing describes, having reached an end point, one should not stop. For it’s a new start at the same time, and he has to continue to run.
3) The drawing depicts that a boy after a long distance running, is just hitting the ending rod. There are two marks on the ground. The one after the boy marks “ending” and the one in front of the boy marks “starting”.
4) As is known to all people should never give up hard working. Just like a drawing has told us. In the drawing, there is a runner who has reached the end, but he doesn’t stop, he is keeping on running. The runner doesn’t have a rest because of he knows the end is also the new being.
5) The picture shows a sense of race, a man is just running into the final point. And breaking the spread in sport yard on the picture.
二．八项注意
1. 结构。
Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way
Model Composition
(1) “Where there is a will, there is a way” is accumulated experience we inherited from our forefathers and it is still widely applied to our present life. (2) The idiom proves that we must have a strong will if we want to achieve any success. (3) Without determination, we will be complete failures in life and in our careers.
(1) A good case in point is the study of English. (2) Take my neighbor, Xiao Wang, as an example: He is not confident in learning English and he doesn’t have a strong will to learn it better. (3) So the natural consequence is that he often fails the English exams. (4) As far as I am concerned, I firmly believe that I can learn English well and I make a plan to spend five hours a day on English. (5) As it turns out, I have made much progress in learning English, which gives me more confidence in my future career. (6) In a sense, I benefit much from my strong will while Xiao Wang suffers a lot from lack of determination.
(1) A lesson that can be drawn from the above examples is obvious. (2) A strong will can make a difference between success and failure in our English study as well as in our future career. (3) Therefore, we must have determination in order to succeed. (217 words, 57/117/43)
从阅读文章学习作文结构
(1) The American economic system is organized around a basically private-enterprise, market-oriented economy in which consumers largely determine what shall be produced by spending their money in the marketplace for those goods and services that they want most. (2) Private businessmen, striving to make profits, produce these goods and services in competition with other businessmen; and the profit motive, operating under competitive pressures, largely determines how these goods and services are produced. (3) Thus, in the American economic system it is the demand of individual consumers, coupled with the desire of businessmen to maximize profits and the desire of individuals to maximize their incomes, that together determine what shall be produced and how resources are used to produce it.
(1) An important factor in a market-oriented economy is that mechanism by which consumer demands can be expressed and responded to by producers. (2) In the American economy, this mechanism is provided by a price system, a process in which prices rise and fall in response to relative demands of consumers and supplies offered by seller-producers. (3) If the product is in short supply relative to the demand, the price will be bid up and some consumers will be eliminated from the market. (4) If, on the other hand, producing more of a commodity results in reducing its cost, this will tend to increase the supply offered by seller-producers, which in turn will lower the price and permit more consumers to buy the product. (5) Thus, price is the regulating mechanism in the American economic system.
(1) The important factor in a private-enterprise economy is that individuals are allowed to own productive resources (private property), and they are permitted to hire labor, gain control over natural resources, and produce goods and services for sale at a profit. (2) In the American economy, the concept of private property embraces not only the ownership of productive resources but also certain rights, including the right to determine the price of a product or to make a free contract with another private individual.
2. 句型。
1）主语从句
Why he would reject such a good offer remained unknown all these years.
Whether we can succeed or not depends upon our efforts.
What you have done for us will be in our memory forever.
It is common knowledge that honesty is the best policy.
It is well-known that…
It is self-evident that…
It goes without saying that…
2）宾语从句
They believe that the central government’s decision to develop the western part of the country and the success of Beijing’s bid to host the 2008 Olympics will open up further opportunities for the country’s development.
We cannot understand why he was so cruel to his roommates.
Experience from foreign countries suggests that no aircraft manufacturers can survive depending only on their domestic market.
3）表语从句
This is where she lived when she was young.
Quality is what counts most.
The problem is not who will go, but who will stay.
What we want to know is whether the government may take measures to tackle this problem.
The question is which one you may choose.
4）定语从句（限定性和非限定性）
As is shown/demonstrated/illustrated/depicted/described…in the cartoon/picture/graph/table…,
There are many reasons why I want to study in your university.
It is estimated that tens of billions of yuan is spent on cigarettes every year in our country, which is a huge waste.
5）状语从句（时间，原因，地点，条件，让步等）
When the man is enjoying the cigarette, the smoke becomes a monster (怪物) which will devour him.
Whatever the reason, there are still some problems with student use of computers.
6）分词短语做定语或状语
Prof. Kang came to our university, giving us a lecture on how to acquire English better.
7）强调句
It was him who gave us much hope for the future.
8）倒装句
Only through these measures can we hope to solve the problem.
9）省略句
If so, we have to give it up.
If necessary…
Whatever the reason…
10）What句型
We totally agree with what you have just said.
11）设问句
Do you still remember the boy who cried wolf for several times so no one would trust him?
12) 被动句
Some measures should be taken to deal with the problem.
He is said to have accomplished a lot of great deeds.
Many people believe that…(It is believed that…)
The government and the public should pay enough attention to…(Enough attention should be paid to…from both the government and the public.)
3. 体裁。
4. 题材。
5. 设计。
6. 卷面。
7. 语法。
同学们经常犯的错误如：
1） 主谓一致
(1) He want to buy a computer.
(2) Many person believe that reading is very important to every one of us.
2） 无主语
(1) After graduated from university, I began to work in a company.
(2) Do you know why must protect our environment?
(3) Have you seen a man without enough food but had a healthy body?
3） 无主谓结构
(1) For another reason. When we have a vacation, it will be convenient to ride a bike.
(2) Lived in the country, no loud noise, no dirty air, but quiet and fresh.
4） 时态
(1) Nowadays it was commonly said that English was the most important subject for the students.
(2) Yesterday I have a dream: I become a lawyer.
5） 无连接词
(1) But a person has not enough food, he will not have a healthy body.
(2) China is a developing country, most people cannot afford a car yet.
6） 主语使用错误
(1) Rich doesn’t mean a happy life.
(2) Without a friend will feel alone.
(3) However, making friends should be careful.
7） “there be”用法错误
(1) There are many students read books in the classroom.
(2) There are few persons can afford a car in our country.
(3) There are many things must be done to deal with energy crisis.
8） 举例用法错误
(1) We should take some sports. For example, football, basketball and so on.
9） 不完全句
(1) Nowadays, if you want to find a job. Then you must pass the College English Test.
10） 分词使用错误
(1) Comparing with other countries, China pays little attention to the energy problem.
(2) Looking at from above, this picture gives us an image of a lion.
8. 单词。
1）大小写错误。 it is well-known that smoking is harmful to people’s health. I went to beijing yesterday. How To Deal With The Problem Of Smoking is a huge task.
2）拼写错误。in my opium, in the morden society, I fell deeply moved by his act. The cooks in our canteen are not delicious.
3）冠词用法错误。
4）名词的单复数。
5）代词指代错误。
三．平时多加积累
1．常用句式
1) With more emphasis put on “building a harmonious society”, people begin to realize the importance of environmental protection (solving the problem of inequality/ solving the problem of unemployment…)
2) As the central task of our country is to “build a well-off society in an all-round way”, more efforts are being made to improve the living standards of the people…
3) Since “sustainable development” is our main goal, we should pay more attention to striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection (enabling some people to get rich and helping the disadvantaged…)
4) With the rapid growth of our economy (transportation system/ market economy/ private enterprises/ housing industry…), an increasing number of problems have arisen, such as…
5) With the rapid development of science and technology (electronic industry/ higher education…), more and more people come to realize that…
6) Currently, there is a widespread concern over high unemployment rate (desertification/ widespread corruption/ energy crisis/ traffic jams/ water shortage/ increasing traffic accidents…).
7) Nowadays, a heated debate about private cars (China’s football/ brain drain…) is under way in China.
8) As the public awareness of market economy (population control/ human rights/ competition/ laws and regulations…) heightens, …
9) Now an increasing number of people come to realize that…
10) Different people hold different views on accession to WTO (studying abroad/ private cars/ Internet surfing…). Some are in favor of…, while others are against…
11) The case only reveals the tip of an ugly iceberg of serious environmental pollution (widespread waste/ organized crime…)
12) When it comes to the problem (the issue/ the case…) of eating wild animals (net chatting/ morning exercise…)
13) As far as family planning (adult education/ recycling…) is concerned, there is much room for improvement.
14) All these statistics (pictures…) reveal a painful fact that corruption is spreading rapidly in our country (more and more fish have been killed…)
15) Without love, my classmate Xiao Wang would have died in the hospital. But with our love and care, he survived the illness and can enjoy his life now.
16) Without computers (cell phones/ private cars/ the Internet…), it would be difficult to imagine modern life.
17) It is imperative for us to take effective (drastic/ immediate/ prompt…) measures to correct the situation (eliminate environmental pollution/ fight against corruption/ ban drug abuse…)
18) In order to make our world a better place to live, we must…
19) Let us work hand in hand to solve this problem (hold back a tidal wave of crimes/ fight against corruption…)
20 We should do our best in eliminating industrial pollution (fake commodities/ poverty in China…)
2．善用引语
1) Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
2) Spare the rod, spoil the child.
3) Let bygones be bygones.
4) Like father, like son.
5) He that lives with cripples learns to limp.
6) Example is better than precept.
7) Health is above wealth.
8) Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
9) Every advantage has its disadvantage.
10) Easier said than done.
11) Doubt is the key of knowledge.
12) Don’t put off what should be done today till tomorrow.
13) Discontent is the first step in progress.
14) Diligence is the mother of success.
15) Brevity is the soul of wit.
16) Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen.
17) Better late than never.
18) Art is long, but life is short.
19) All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
20) Adversity leads to prosperity.
21) Actions speak louder than words.
22) Nothing is difficult to the man who will try.
23) Every dog has his day.
24) No pains, no gains.
25) A man is known by the company he keeps.
26) It’s no use crying over the spilt milk.
27) Man is the measure of things.
28) Live to learn, not learn to live.
29) A little learning is a dangerous thing.
30) Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
第四部分：作文模式
Model 1: Problem-solution
Writing 1
2005年
Directions: Write an essay of 160-200 words based on the following drawing. In your essay, you should first describe the drawing, then interpret its meaning and give your comment on it.
养老“足球赛”
Model Composition
A “Football Match” of Taking Care of Parents
As is illustrated in the cartoon, the four children are playing a “football match”, however, the “ball” is their old father. While the eldest son kicks his father out, his younger brothers and sister are serving as “goalkeepers”, trying to keep their father out of their “goals”.
There is no denying that this picture reveals a common yet serious problem in our country. In the first place, many young people are enjoying a comfortable life, but they regard their parents as burdens. In the second place, their parents have grown so physically weak that they cannot support themselves. If their children don’t take care of them, they will be reduced to utter poverty. Last but not least, to be kind to one’s parents is the height of virtue in our tradition.
As far as I am concerned, we should do something to prevent such an evil phenomenon from happening again. To begin with, all the society should condemn such a wrongdoing and these children should be punished by law. What’s more, every citizen must realize it is our duty to support our parents when they are old. Only with the joint efforts can we hope to solve this problem. (199 words, 47/84/68)
Writing 2
Our Right Attitudes Toward Animals
Your essay should meet the requirements below:
1) Describe the cartoon and deduce the purpose of the drawer of the cartoon;
2) State the negative effects of eating wild animals; and
3) Give your suggestion as to how to solve the problem.
As is depicted in the cartoon, both the cat and snake are on the table, with tears in their eyes, waiting to be eaten by humans. Through this picture, the drawer condemns the eating of wild animals and calls for our sympathy for and protection of them.
Eating wild animals gives rise to a lot of negative effects. In the first place, as many wild animals carry viruses or parasites, when we eat them, the viruses or parasites enter our bodies, thus causing a lot of illnesses. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a case in point. It was reported that the virus derived from a “delicious” animal and the disease has claimed thousands of lives throughout the world and brought great damages to people’s properties. In the second place, since animals are an indispensable part of our environment, the extinction of some animals may disturb the natural balance. Last but not least, eating wild animals is cruel. After all, wild animals are our close friends.
Since eating animals causes so many harms, we should work together to put an end to the problem. On the one hand, the government should make stricter laws to prohibit people from eating wild animals, just as our government has been doing. On the other hand, all the people should realize the harms of eating wild animals and refrain from doing so. Only through these measures can we hope to solve the problem. (240 words. 47/120/73)
Writing 3
There is a discussion in the newspaper about the employment problems of college graduates. According to a recent survey, many graduates will be unable to find a job. You should write a letter to the newspaper to
1) Explain the statistics in the table;
2) Give the reasons for the phenomenon, and
3) Propose your suggestions as to how to solve the problem.
Employment Problems of College Graduates
Year 2002 2003 2004 2005
Number of Unemployed Graduates 380,000 420,000 700,000 1,000,000
As is demonstrated in the table, more and more college graduates are out of a job in our country, which is a serious problem to our economic development and social security as well as a hindrance to our building a “harmonious society”. It is estimated that in 2005, there will be 1,000,000 unemployed graduates, more than twice the number in 2002.
There are several reasons for this phenomenon. In the first place, as the enrollment of college students has grown by more than 30% annually since 1998, more and more students are thrown into the labor market. However, our annual GDP growth has been about 8%. Therefore, the supply of labor exceeds the demand, hence a shortage of positions. In the second place, many graduates do not want to work in medium-sized and small cities or towns where they are most needed. Instead, too many of them crowd in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou. Last but not least, the knowledge of many students is out of date. As a result they cannot meet the requirements of the factories and companies.
Serious as the problem seems, we can come up with some measures to deal with it. On one hand, the government should develop our national economy more rapidly, creating more job opportunities. On the other hand, the college students must be realistic in choosing jobs. It is reported in the newspaper that many graduates went to the West of our country to pursue their career in 2003. With the joint efforts of all of us, the unemployment problem will surely be solved soon. (265 words, 61/121/83)
Writing 4
2000年
Your essay should meet the requirements below:
1) Describe the pictures.
2) Deduce the purpose of the drawer of the pictures.
3) Suggest counter-measures.
As is shown in the pictures, we can see clearly that with the increase of commercial fishing, the number of fish sharply decreased. In one picture, there were various kinds of fish and only one fishing-boat in 1900. On the contrary, in 1995 there was only one fish, but many fishing-boats.
The purpose of this picture is to show us that due attention has to be paid to the decrease of ocean resources. Owing to over fishing, the number of fish has obviously dropped. If we let this situation go as it is, we won't know where fish is in the future. By that time, our environment will suffer a great destruction.
Therefore, it is imperative for us to take drastic measures. For one thing, we should appeal to our authorities to make strict laws to control commercial fishing. For another, we should enhance the awareness of people that the ocean resources are vital to our survival. Only in this way can we protect our ocean resources. Also, I believe that we human beings can overcome this difficulty, and we will have a bright future. (185 words, 51/61/73)
Writing 5
The Harmfulness of Smoking
1) Describe the cartoon;
2) State the harms of smoking;
3) Give your suggestions as to how to solve the problem.
As is shown in the cartoon, when the man is enjoying the cigarette, the smoke becomes a monster which will devour him. This picture tells us vividly that smoking is harmful to people.
The harmfulness of smoking can be illustrated in three aspects. To begin with, smoking does harm to people’s health. It is common knowledge that many deadly diseases derive from smoking. Take my neighbor, Lao Wang, as an example. He has been smoking cigarettes for nearly 30 years and during the recent check-up, doctors told him that he suffers from lung cancer. His days are numbered. Much as he likes smoking, he decides to give it up to stop the illness worsening. In addition, smoking costs a lot of money. It is estimated that tens of billions of yuan is spent on cigarettes every year in our country, which is a huge waste. Last but not least, smoking may cause fire. Do you still remember the big fire in the Northeast of our country which caused serious damages to people’s lives and properties?
Serious as the problem seems, we can come up with some ways to deal with it. For one thing, the government should make stricter rules to prohibit smoking in public places, imposing higher fines on smokers. For another, all the smokers should give up smoking for the sake of themselves and those around them. (229 words, 33/142/54)
Writing 6
1998年
Your essay should meet the requirements below:
1) Write out the messages conveyed by the cartoon.
2) Give your comments.
Model Composition l
The past several years have witnessed a phenomenon that a variety of promises have been arising from all walks of life. Regrettably, quite a lot of promises are sheer nonsense, just as the hen in the given cartoon commits herself to laying eggs which are round without any angles and corners and have shells, egg whites and yolks.
Odd and funny as they sound, such false promises can be seen and heard everywhere in our country. Administration departments claim to perform their tasks effectively and fairly without taking any bribes; manufacturing units guarantee to turn out products of good quality; commercial enterprises swear to provide genuine commodities and enthusiastic services. Can you find anything new and substantial other than their obligations, duties and jobs in these so-called promises? I guess your answer will be negative. As a matter of fact, their intention to make such commitments is nothing but to put on civilized outer clothing to please or deceive the public.
I dare say that our society is suffering corruption and cheat which are causing damage to society both materially and morally. But the hen and her like should know that by dishonest words no one could survive the intense competition in the market economy. They should remember the old saying, "Honesty is the best policy". (216 words, 58/103/55)
Model Composition 2
Here is an interesting cartoon: With her head held high, maybe singing, a hen stands proudly in the center of the picture with a notice in her hand, which says that she promises to lay eggs that are like any normal egg. It's so ridiculous that we can't help laughing. But after that there must be something for us to think.
Recently, many promises have come up in many walks of life, especially in the service departments. They promise that they will provide you with warm smile service and good products. At first you are moved nearly to thank them. But if you think twice, you may wonder if those should be their duties. It goes without saying that factories should produce goods of quality; department stores should serve customers politely; buses should arrive on time, and so forth, because all of these are their responsibilities. But why should they promise what are their due jobs? One reason may be that they want to correct their past mistakes under the planned economic system. Another reason is that they intend to improve their images and please the customers.
In my opinion, trying to be better is worth welcoming, but making empty and false promises is unacceptable. If factories, companies, stores and administrations do their jobs well rather than talk nonsense, our society will be more prosperous. (225 words, 61/126/38)
Writing 7
Homework
1) Give your understanding of the symbolic meaning of the picture;
2) State the harms of the phenomenon;
3) Tell how to solve the problem.
As can be clearly seen from the cartoon, the mahjong pieces occupy most part of the desk, while a book, an exercise book and a pencil box lie at the corner. This picture vividly tells us how poor the condition is for the child to study.
This phenomenon gives rise to a lot of negative effects. In the first place, while the parents are playing mahjong, they make a lot of noise, which disturbs the child’s study. How can a child concentrate on his study in such a poor condition? In the second place, the child will have no place to study if his parents spend all day playing mahjong. However, time is crucial for him to acquire the knowledge, because “Practice makes perfect”. Last but not least, the child will learn to play mahjong from his parents. Just as the old saying goes, “Like father, like son”, so the child will abandon his study and be a gambler like his parents.
Serious as it seems, we can think of some measures to deal with the problem. To begin with, the government should make stricter rules to prohibit parents from playing mahjong. What’s more, the parents should give up playing mahjong for their child’s sake. (205 words, 46/116/43)
Writing 8
How Can Laid-off Workers Find New Jobs?
1． 很多下岗工人很难找到新的工作。
2． 如何帮助他们。
The market economy has brought China both benefits and headaches, one of which is the problem of finding new jobs for laid-off workers. There is no denying that serious social problems will arise unless this problem is properly solved. As a result, it is essential to explore ways to get laid-off workers back to work.
Serious as the problem seems, we can find some solutions to it. To begin with, priority should be given to the expansion of tertiary industry because tertiary industry can create a great number of positions with few restrictions on age, education, skill, etc. Also, little capital is needed to set up enterprises in this field. In addition, the laid-off workers have to update their skills to meet the demands of the society, just as the old saying goes, “God helps those who help themselves.” Last but not least, they should stop relying on the state and throw away any worries about their “face” while doing “low” jobs such as washing dishes at restaurants or sending newspapers to households. Once the habit of dependency is cracked, then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving their living standards. With the concerted efforts from all parties concerned, laid-off workers are bound to find new jobs in the future. (213 words, 55/158)
Writing 9
The Tears of A Bird
1. Describe the cartoon and deduce the purpose of the drawer of the picture;
2. State the harmful effects of the phenomenon;
3. Give suggestions as to how to solve the problem.
As can be clearly seen from the cartoon, a bird is sitting on the top of a huge ax, with tears streaming from its eyes. Because all the trees are cut down, the bird will have no habitat. The cartoon conveys the meaning that it is urgent to preserve the woods for the birds and protect the environment for human beings.
The cutting of trees, as well as the destruction of our environment, may lead to several harms as follows. In the first place, the trees provide us with many vital things we humans need, such as oxygen, food, shelter and so on. The animals, such as the bird in the picture, also need the trees. In the second place, if trees are cut down, then there will be nothing to retain the rain water, thus floods will happen more often in the future. Last but not least, there is only one earth. If the environment is destroyed, then we will have no place to live in.
Since this phenomenon causes so many harmful effects, we have to come up with some measures to deal with it. First of all, the authorities should adopt the policy of “sustainable development”, just as our government has been doing. What’s more, every citizen should realize the seriousness of the problem and make concerted efforts to protect our environment. (225 words, 61/106/58)
Writing 10
Illiteracy among the Adolescents
Nowadays one of the serious problems China is faced with is the increasing illiteracy among the adolescents. According to a recent survey by Dr. Li, dean of Educational Department of Beijing Normal University, about 10% of the children between 8 and 15 years old have dropped out of school across the country. The same survey also indicates that the number of dropouts is likely to grow in the years to come. Therefore, it is clear that illiteracy has been getting more and more serious.
To account for the phenomenon, people have come up with various causes as listed below. On the one hand, many families are still too poor to afford schooling for their kids. Take my neighbor as an example. There are three members in their family and the two adults were laid off last year. The only child will have to drop out of school next semester. On the other hand, some parents believe that schooling is useless, particularly for girls. In the end, some students are bored of the school life, and they drop out to escape teachers and lessons.
Whatever the reason, the issue has turned a crippling force to the development of our country. Therefore, some measures should be taken to put an end to this problem. To begin with, our government should make stricter laws to forbid parents to take kids away from school. In addition, more funds should be given to those poor students. Last but not least, we should enhance the awareness of the harms of illiteracy among the people. Only through these measures can we hope to solve the problem. (270 words, 84/98/87)
Follow-up Exercises:
1. On Superstition
2. Overpopulation
3. Harmfulness of Fake Commodities
4. “Holiday Economics”
5. Combating Desertification and Sandstorms
1) Describe the cartoon.
2) Analyze the reasons.
3) Your suggestion.