研习雅思范文策略（一）——应该选择什么样的范文

文/唐老雅

研习雅思范文策略（一）
——应该选择什么样的范文

文/唐老雅1

在多年雅思培训教学工作中，老雅发现写作是对烤鸭构成威胁最大的一个科目，很多同学阅读和听力都可以得到7分的成绩，但写作却总是徘徊在5分段，因此无比烦恼。这些同学可能去过很多培训机构，也学习过很多所谓的雅思写作高分技巧，但到考试的时候就是无法突破。对这类学生，老雅的建议是：调整写作方法和策略，找到适合自己的写作节奏，而仔细研习适合自己的范文，则可能是发现自己的节奏，迅速提升雅思写作水平的方法之一。

其实，很多烤鸭考试前也阅读过很多范文，但并未从中得到什么实质性的帮助。老雅觉得，其中的原因可能有两个：一是范文不适合自己阅读模仿，二是研习范文的方法不对。那么，我们究竟应该怎样研习范文呢？首先是要选择适合自己的范文。现在网上提供雅思真题范文的机构和个人其实还真不少，还有各类雅思写作辅导书中也有大量的范文，但是鱼龙混杂，语言质量和难度参差不齐，让烤鸭们难以选择。老雅认为，面对各类范文的时候，应该以自己的水平为依据，选择那些不给自己构成任何阅读困难的范文。如果某篇范文超出了你的阅读理解水平，让你发出“我一辈子也不可能写出这样的文字”的感慨，那就说明这篇范文并不适合你，应该果断放弃。如果你发现某篇范文让你产生“我稍微努力也能写成这样的文章”的感觉，那这篇范文就是你的了！理论上讲，对于以7分为写作目标的烤鸭来说，更适合你的范文可能是那些结构清晰，表达直接明了，词汇量不超过5000的范文。

比如，剑桥雅思真题9第一套题大作文题是：Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

本题问：孩子什么时候开始学外语好，是小学还是中学？有专家认为，应该从小学就开始学外语，你觉得这样做的好处大于坏处吗？本题审题应该没有什么问题，题目没有什么大词，问题也是一目了然，要求考生对从小学开始和从中学开始学英语的好处和坏处进行比较，然后做出结论。

以下是官方提供的高分范文，老雅逐段分析，看该范文是否适合志在7分的烤鸭研习。

第1段

Traditionally, children have begun studying foreign languages at secondary school, but introducing them earlier is recommended by some educationalists.This policy has been adopted by some educational authorities or individual schools, with both positive and negative outcomes.

【老雅点评】

大家一定已经发现，本范文的开头与一般模板开头法完全不同。模板开头可能是这样的：

Nowadays, the topic about when children should begin learning a foreign language has been discussed. Some experts say they should begin at primary school. In my opinion, this has more advantages than disadvantages.

这样的开头是中规中矩，但是模板特征过于浓厚，很难取得高分。再看考官范文，先一个traditionally副词开头，引出常规的情况，然后用introducing一个动名词短语引出专家的观点。转瞬间，就用了“副词置于句首”“动名词短语做主语”两种句型变化方式。另外，本段用educationalists替代题目中的experts；最后的with both positive and negative outcomes是介词短语置于句末，也是句型变化之一例。句型灵活可见一斑。本段总体上尚值得模仿，尤其是开头避开模板的方法。

第2段

The obvious argument in its favour is that young children pick up languages much more easily than teenagers. Their brains are still programmed to acquire their mother tongue, which facilitates learning another language, and unlike adolescents, they are not inhibited by self-consciousness.

【老雅点评】

本段讲小学学外语的好处之一：比中学生学得快。接下来的论证逻辑是：小孩正在学习母语的程序中，因此有助于学外语，然后用一个unlike与其对立面中学生学外语比较，说明小孩学外语时还不会被难为情所阻挠，言下之意就是中学学外语，学生可能因为难为情而学不好外语。本段的意思其实很简单，但考官范文高度浓缩，句型简练，用词大而精当。比如：

Their brains are programmed to acquire their mother tongue = Their brains are prepared to learn a language

facilitate = make it easier （超5000词汇）

adolescents = teenagers, secondary school students

inhibit: prevent （超5000词汇）

self-consciousness: shyness （超5000词汇）

很多烤鸭可能都不认识这些词汇，更谈不上正确使用这些词汇，再加上本段浓缩的句型也非一般烤鸭能够驾驭，因此，本段不适合烤鸭模仿。老雅试着保持内容的前提下改写一下，更利于烤鸭模仿：

The obvious argument in its favour is that young children learn languages much more easily than teenagers. Having just begun to learn their mother tongue,children will more likely find that learning a language is interesting. Meanwhile,unlike those secondary school students, children are usually too young to feel shy,which makes it easier for them to learn a foreign language.

这个改写的得分虽然会比官方范文低一档次，但也是7分的模样！

第3段

The greater flexibility of the primary timetable allows for more frequent,shorter sessions and for a play-centred approach, thus maintaining learners’enthusiasm and progress. Their command of the language in later life will benefit from this early exposure, while learning other languages subsequently will be easier for them. They may also gain a better understanding of other cultures.

【老雅点评】

本段讲小孩学外语的另一个好处：时间多，灵活，可用游戏的方法学，从而确保兴趣和进步。同时还谈到其他的好处，比如小的时候学好一门外语，以后学其他外语更容易，同时也更能理解其他的文化。本段同时讲了几个好处，多属于心理和社会层次的内容。这里告诉我们：在一段里，可以集中论述某个观点的一个好处，但也可以同时论述某观点的几个好处，这得根据你自己的论述需要，没有绝对的标准。同样，本段内容很简单，但在表达上很不“友好”，让部分烤鸭看了都头疼：我看都看不懂，还要我照这样写，不是要我命么？不用着急，可以模仿老雅以下改写文：

Comparatively, children have more time and their timetable is more flexible,so it is possible to give them more frequent, yet shorter foreign languages classes and include more language games. This is very beneficial to keep their interest to make sure they make progress. Once they have learned a foreign language at a young age, they will find it easier to learn other languages when they grow up, so they can gain a better understanding of many different cultures.

这个7分的改写文就“友好”多了，显然更适合绝大多数烤鸭来模仿。如果老师硬性让水平还不够的烤鸭来模仿这样的考官范文，效果可能适得其反！

第4段

There are, however, some disadvantages. Primary school teachers are generalists, and may not have the necessary language skills themselves. If specialists have to be brought in to deliver these sessions, the flexibility referred to above is diminished. If primary language teaching is not standardised, secondary schools could be faced with a great variety of levels in different languages within their intake, resulting in a classroom experience which undoes the earlier gains.There is no advantage if enthusiastic primary pupils become demotivated as soon as they change schools. However, these issues can be addressed strategically within the policy adopted.

【老雅点评】

本段讲坏处了。小学老师水平不高，如果请外面的专家去讲课，那么前面谈到的时间灵活方面的优势就没有了。另外，如果小学语言教学不统一，到了中学，学生的水平就会参差不齐，这样势必造成很多学生失去学外语的动力。然而，这些问题可以采取措施加以解决。范文内容丰富，用词考究，句式比较复杂。但本段，老雅打算不改写了，请正在阅读本文的烤鸭拿起笔来，模仿前两段老雅的改写方式，试试来改写一下本段！

第5段

Anything which encourages language learning benefits society culturally and economically, and early exposure to language learning contributes to this. Young children’s innate abilities should be harnessed to make these benefits more achievable.

【老雅点评】

本段为结尾，总结前文，提出观点。鼓励语言学习对经济和文化都有好处，因此，应该早学语言。小孩学习语言的天分应该好好利用。老雅尝试改写如下：

Anything which helps language learning benefits society culturally and economically, so the younger age at which a child learns a foreign language, the better. Young children should make the best use of their advantages to acquire a foreign language before they go to the secondary school.

分析完了这篇考官范文，老雅深深地为那些正在备考雅思作文的童鞋们担忧。担忧你们读了这范文，或者听别人分析这范文后，得出如下雅思作文高分的所谓技巧：（1）使劲用大词；（2）使劲写长句；（3）使劲写抽象的道理。这篇考官范文，的确体现了以上三个特点。但是，对99%的烤鸭而言，如果你尝试按照以上三点去写雅思作文，你的结局可能会比较悲惨，很有可能出现阅读7分但写作5.5分的情况。因为，你不是考官，你没有他的语言水平，你去东施效颦，结果就是满脸胭脂，厚薄不均，不仅没让自己的作文变美，反而成为一个不受待见的丑八怪！

选择好合适的范文后，下期老雅将与各位烤鸭分享如何研习范文，请继续关注本栏目。

唐伟胜，广东外语外贸大学教授，博士，英美文学研究专家。

（获取更好的雅思真题范文，请加微信公众号ieltswriting4u）