[托福写作]托福作文 第三讲
第三讲 题型分析(2)
2. 比较类
1) Topics:
(1) A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do you think this person would like and dislike about living in your town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
(2) Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
2) 例文分析
Topic 1: Some people prefer work or activities that mainly involve working with people. Others choose work or activities that mainly deal with objects or machines. Compare these types of activities. Which of them do you prefer? Give reasons to support you answer.
There is much disagreement over whether it is better to work with people or with objects or machines. Some people claim that it is more comfortable to work with objects or machines. Others, however, argue that working with people is more pleasant. If I were forced to agree with one of the two positions, my choice would be the latter.
Why do some people think that working with objects or machines are more advantageous than working with people? For one thing, objects or machines are easier to deal with. Since both objects and machines have no wills, they do not argue with us. On the contrary, they are always ready to follow our directions. For another, objects or machines are reliable. Unlike people who sometimes hurt our feelings, they never cheat us. In addition, I suppose, these people cannot adapt themselves to the human world of competition.
Although I agree that working with objects or machines certainly has its advantages, I insist that it is far more beneficial and exciting to work with people. In the first place, when I work with people, I can work more efficiently than when I work with machines or objects. The reason, in my opinion, is that working with people gives us power and competition and thus make our work more productive. In this sense, rivalry can become a very effective motive in improving one''s ability. Moreover, two heads are always better than one. In the second place, working with people is more interesting than working with machines or objects. The latter makes one bored, and it takes much more time to complete a certain task. Besides, if one spends most of his or her time only handling machines or objects, he or she can become indifferent and inhuman. Though machines may be very accurate, they have no hearts. In other words, it is hard to feel love for machines or objects.
In conclusion, I believe that working with people is far more valuable not only because it increases our efficiency in work, but also because it brings us a sense of companionship that contributes to the meaning of our life as well as our work. Therefore, I prefer working with people.
Topic 2: Violent TV programs have been blamed for causing crime rates to rise in many cities. But many people do not agree that violence is related to TV viewing. Discuss the possible reasons for both opinions. Give your opinion as to whether or not violent programs should be taken off the air.
There is much debate over whether violent TV programs are relevant to the rise of crime rates or not. Some people assert that it is obvious that violent TV programs cause violence. Others, however, do not agree that violence is related to TV viewing at all. As far as I am concerned, the disgraceful violent TV programs should be largely responsible for the rising rates of crime in modern cities.
Why do some people disagree that the violence on TV programs should be blamed for the rise of crime rates? For one thing, they presuppose that everyone has self-control. Except by force, one cannot make a person do anything which he or she is not willing to. Since TV programs are something over the air broadcast simply for fun, how can they control a person without recourse to any physical means? For another, those people believe that everything can be changed except the essential character of an individual. In most cases, just as a law-abiding citizen always abides by the law, criminals cannot change their own character no matter how much punishment they have suffered in jail. It is their character rather than TV violence that drives them to commit crimes. Violent TV programs, they conclude, are innocent
Although I agree that the individual''s self-control and character has certain effect on his or her behavior, I insist that the external environment plays a far more important role in forming people''s moral values and behavior, to say nothing of children and the youth who have not yet fully developed their own "self-control and character." In the first place, violent TV programs tend to obscure the difference between good and evil, harming the social morals and values. As we know, Evil is the next-door neighbor of Good; even an adult sometimes cannot distinguish them, needless to say a teenager. Consider the case of a boy who imitates the violence on TV just out of curiosity without knowing that he is doing something that he would regret in his rest life. Can you still claim that it is the fault of the boy, not the violent programs, because he is a born criminal?! In the second place, violent TV programs can gradually change people''s behavior, misleading them to the belief that violence is the most effective way to resolve conflicts. Nowadays, as soon as you turn on your TV, violence is vividly presented before you, with the success of the criminals encouraging you, the luxurious booty tempting you, and the stupidity of the police cheering you. The implied message is obvious: if you want to get rich fast, STEAL, ROB AND MURDER! How many people can resist this tempting invitation?
From what has been discussed above, we may draw the conclusion that violent TV programs have in a large sense caused crime rates to rise not only because of their destructive influence on people''s morality, but also because of their vicious effect on people''s behavior. Therefore, I strongly hold that they should be censored strictly.
Topic 3: Some people like different friends. Others like similar friends. Compare the advantages of these two kinds of friends. Which kind of friends do you prefer? Explain why.
Which kind of friends is more desirable, different friends or similar friends? Since people''s criterion for friendship differs, they may never agree on the above issue. Personally, I have made friends with people from all walks of life, and these different friendships are such a precious treasure of mine.
In the first place, a mixture of friends can bring us many practical benefits. As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Since we all need to move on in life, we need new friends to lead us to new adventures, new career opportunities and new life. In fact, most of us have to make new friends when we leave school and find employment. Besides, different friends can help us with the different difficulties that we encounter in life. At the risk of sounding cold, different friends can also help us with financial problems. And the friend in a foreign country might be able to arrange cheap accommodation for a holiday.
In the second place, contact with different friends gives a person a broad outlook to life. As the Chinese sage Confucious put it, "When three persons walk together, one of them can surely be my teacher." Since we all have our weaknesses, the strengths of different friends can always complement each other. For example, from a friend who majors in computer, I have learned how to design my own web page; by exchanging e-mails with an American pen-friend, I have greatly improved my English writing. In addition, different friends can help me to enjoy a variety of interests, and we can always attract each other with our different hobbies, different ideas and different experiences. I feel that I can always find things to learn from my various friend friends.
Admittedly, common sense tells us that the idea of having similar friends is not without advantages. We can feel a sense of strength when we have a group of friends who share our opinions. A person with a purpose in life--such as an artist or a politician--may feel a special need to surround himself or herself with people who stick to the same cause. It seems to me that introvert people tend to enjoy similar friends because they fear the potential risks of arguments and conflicts among different friends.
All in all, although "birds of a feather flock together," I would like to fly with "birds" of different feathers, which would certainly add to the color of my life.
Topic 4: There are advantages and disadvantages to different seasons of the year such as rainy or dry. Pick any two seasons that you are familiar with and compare the two. Describe what it is that makes you prefer one over the other. What activities do you engage in? What feelings do you have during this season?
Year in and year out, the four seasons, like our faithful friends, bring to us expected joys and satisfactions. The year would be much less colorful with any one of the four seasons missing. However, on balance, I like summer and winter best of all because they provide me with diversity that I look for in my life.
In the hot summer season, the world is full of life. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and I feel energetic about different kinds of outdoor activities, such as jogging, bicycling, and swimming. Actually, swimming is one of my favorite sports. In water, both body and mind have to work together either to move forward or simply float. It is good stress reduction for the intensive modern life that many of us have. Summer also enables us to have more fresh fruits and vegetables. I like to go to the farmers'' market where I can enjoy the good prices, the availability of fresh produce, and the farmers'' smiles.
In winter, on the other hand, the world is quiet and peaceful. Inside the house, there is nice warmth, with friends or relatives chatting over cups of hot tea or coffee. Or if you like, you can sit in front of your window enjoying the pleasure of quiet reading. Outside in the open air, the world is beautiful with roads, trees, mountains, lakes, everything, dressed in pure white snow. It''s fun to watch children play in the snow or to join them in making a snowman. It would be even more exciting, if you live in the countryside, to follow the trails of foxes or hares on the snowfield.
In a word, summer is colorful while winter is tranquil. On the one hand, the exciting activities of summer can always fill me with joy; on the other hand, the poetic scenes of winter arouse tender feelings in my heart. However, I prefer winter for the simple reason that I was born in a snowy winter 20 years ago and that every winter there is a splendid birthday party waiting for me.
3. 综合类
Topics:
(1) Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
(2) In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools. Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.
