獨立寫作是托福考試寫作部分的第二個任務(wù)，要求考生對于一個給定的觀點發(fā)表自己的看法，并且需要給出具體的例子和細(xì)節(jié)去支撐自己的觀點?？荚嚂r間為30分鐘，官方指南指出考生的作文應(yīng)該不少于300詞。 對于獨立寫作來說，同學(xué)們第一個困擾就是拿到一道題目后不知道從什么角度來展開分析，所以很多同學(xué)的主題句內(nèi)容寫的非?；靵y。為了解決這個問題，我們首先來對托福獨立寫作的題型進(jìn)行分類。托福獨立寫作話題一般可以分成兩個大類：利弊類和事實類，抓住了每一個類別的特點后，我們就可以輕松地去解決分析角度的問題，也就是主題句寫作的問題。在近兩年的考試中，兩種題型的出現(xiàn)比例如下： 圖 1：2015年獨立寫作題目類型 圖 2：2014年獨立寫作題目類型 接下來我們就分別分析這兩種題型的解題策略。首先是利弊類，它的特點是題目中往往建議或者選擇執(zhí)行某個具體的動作，題干中常含有should, must, need, important, necessary, better/best to do等。對于這種題目我們的處理方法是找出題目中的具體動作，分析該動作可能帶來的結(jié)果。如這樣一道題目： Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for government to build new housing than preserve old and historical building. 首先判斷這道題目的題型，題目中有明顯的more important for sb. to do sth. 的結(jié)構(gòu)，屬于利弊類的話題，接下來，我們?nèi)フ翌}目中的具體動作：build new housing和preserve old and historical building。接下來我們只需要選擇其中的一個動作，分析該動作帶來的結(jié)果。比如說我們同意這個觀點，也就是政府應(yīng)該建新房子，我們只需要討論建新房子能帶來什么樣的好處，或者說新房子能夠帶來什么樣的好處即可，所以我們的主題句形式可以寫成： (1)New Buildings … (2)New Buildings … (3)New Buildings … 新房子能夠有什么好處呢?我們可以想到新房子能夠提供更多的居住空間(因為樓層高可居住人口多)，新房子能夠提供更安全舒適的居住環(huán)境(因為設(shè)計更加合理，材料更加優(yōu)質(zhì))，新房子能夠提升城市形象(因為高樓大廈帶來現(xiàn)代感)。把這些理由用英語表達(dá)出來我們就可以寫成： (1)New Buildings provide citizens with more living space. (2)New Buildings offer people a safer and more comfortable living condition. (3)New Buildings can enhance the city image. 這樣寫是不是就符合我們前面所提到的處理方式了。同樣我們也可以寫不同意，也就是政府應(yīng)該保護(hù)老建筑物，這時候主題句形式可以為： (1)Old Buildings … (2)Old Buildings … 接下來我們只需要思考老建筑物有什么好處即可。比如說老建筑物有歷史價值，老建筑物可以作為景點觀賞游覽等。把這些理由用英語表達(dá)出來我們就可以寫成： (1)Old Buildings are of great historic value. (2)Old Buildings are of great aesthetic value. 當(dāng)然在實際寫作的過程中，主題句前面需要加上一些transitional words來保證文章的連貫性，如：In the first place, … Furthermore, … 或 First and foremost, secondly, In additional等。 練習(xí) 根據(jù)上面的方法大家可以思考下面的兩道題目： 1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Young people should take several jobs before they decide a long-term career. 2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A university should focus more on its facilities, such as libraries, computers or laboratory, rather than on hiring famous teachers. 另外一種題型就是事實類的話題，其特點是題目中往往會給出一個可能存在的現(xiàn)象，而不涉及到具體需要去做的動作。對于這種題目我們的處理方法是判斷題目中現(xiàn)象是否真實存在，并解釋導(dǎo)致該現(xiàn)象存在與否的原因。如這樣一道題目： Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers had a greater influence on young people in the past than they do today. 首先判斷這道題目的題型，題目中并沒有要求人們?nèi)プ鲆粋€具體的動作，只是給出了一個現(xiàn)象讓我們?nèi)シ治?，屬于事實類的話題，接下來，我們先判斷題目中的現(xiàn)象(過去的老師對于學(xué)生影響力更大)是否真實，并分析其原因即可。比如說我們認(rèn)為這個現(xiàn)象是存在的，也就是過去的老師的確對學(xué)生的影響力更大，接下來我們只需要解釋原因，也就是為什么過去的老師影響力更大，現(xiàn)在的老師影響力會減小即可。我們可以想到過去學(xué)生跟老師在一起的時間更長，以及過去老師是學(xué)生知識的來源等。把這些理由用英語表達(dá)出來我們就可以寫成： (1)Students spent more time with teachers in the past. (2)The teachers were the only source of knowledge in the past.
練習(xí) 根據(jù)上面的方法大家可以思考下面的兩道題目： 1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students are more interested in politics today than before. 2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The fast development of society today is a positive trend. 完成主題句后，同學(xué)們接著就遇到了第二個問題：如何發(fā)展主題句。在托福評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)中對于內(nèi)容發(fā)展(Development)有明確的要求，那么如何去設(shè)計正文段的發(fā)展呢? 對于正文段來說，我們一般建議同學(xué)們按照5個步驟去發(fā)展： 1 主題句 Value類：Topic(題目中所描述行動)能帶來XXX Fact類： XXX導(dǎo)致了Topic(題目中所闡述的現(xiàn)象) 2 對主題句進(jìn)行解釋拓展 (1) 為什么會這樣? (2) 這樣做能帶來什么? 3 通過比較或?qū)Ρ冗M(jìn)一步說明 如果是A和B兩種事物比較，假設(shè)選擇A，在描述A好的時候，可以闡述B的不好。 如果只有一種事物，可以先說該事物怎么樣，再說如果沒有該事物又會怎樣。 4 例證 將上面的論述具體到一個人或一件事情上。 5 小結(jié) 對例子進(jìn)行小結(jié)，呼應(yīng)主題句。 舉個例子來說，題目中問到底是住在鄉(xiāng)村好，還是住在城市好，我們選擇住在鄉(xiāng)村好，我們的一個主題句就可以寫成： In the first place, living in the country contributes to our health. 接下來我們需要解釋為什么住在鄉(xiāng)村會有益于健康，我們可以這樣解釋： As is known to all, in the country there are few industrial plants and vehicles so that fewer pollutants are emitted into the water and air. As a result, we can enjoy the blue sky, clean water, fresh air and healthy food, which contribute to our health. 然后我們可以講城市生活與鄉(xiāng)村生活進(jìn)行對比，完成第三步驟： By contrast, people living in the city are suffering from various diseases caused by the environmental contamination, for pollutants from factories and automobiles are continually being discharged into the air and rivers. 接著我們通過一個具體的例子去把問題闡述地更加清晰： Take my bother, Tom, as an example. Tom had lived in the country with my grandparents for twelve years before he went to the city to enter middle school. When he was living in the countryside, he seldom fell ill and enjoyed himself in the nature every day. Since he went to the city, he gradually felt his throat sore and often coughed. When he was sent to the hospital, the doctor said that it was because of the air pollution, especially the smog, caused by the exhausted gas of automobiles and the pollutants discharged by the factories. So Tom had to wear masks in bad weather. Last summer, he went back to the countryside to spend his vacation, and the next week he arrived, his cough stopped and he felt much better. 最后我們只需要簡單地對例子進(jìn)行小結(jié)，呼應(yīng)主題句就可以了： It is clear that the good environment in the countryside is beneficial to our health. 將上面的內(nèi)容連接起來，就形成了一個完整的重點段落： In the first place, living in the country contributes to our health. As is known to all, in the country there are few industrial plants and vehicles so that fewer pollutants are emitted into the water and air. As a result, we can enjoy the blue sky, clean water, fresh air and healthy food, which contributes to our health. By contrast, people living in the city are suffering from various diseases caused by the environmental contamination, for pollutants from factories and automobiles are continually being discharged into the air and rivers. Take my bother, Tom, as anexample. Tom had lived in the country with my grandparents for twelve yearsbefore he went to the city to enter middle school. When he was living in thecountryside, he seldom fell ill and enjoyed himself in the nature every day.Since he went to the city, he gradually felt his throat sore and often coughed.When he was sent to the hospital, the doctor said that it was because of theair pollution, especially the smog, caused by the exhausted gas of automobilesand the pollutants discharged by the factories. So Tom had to wear masks in badweather. Last summer, he went back to the countryside to spend his vacation,and the next week he arrived, his cough stopped and he felt much better. It is clear that the good environment in the countryside is beneficial to our health. 這樣看來，獨立寫作是不是并沒有想象中的那么難呢? 在TOEFL iBT Official Guide(托福官方指南，以下簡稱OG)中明確指出托福獨立寫作有三大考查維度：Development(展開論點)，Organization(組織文章結(jié)構(gòu))和Language Use(語言運用)。因此，除了注意作文的內(nèi)容和結(jié)構(gòu)外，閱卷老師同樣十分注重我們在作文中表現(xiàn)出來的語言基本功。不管我們的觀點多么精妙，證據(jù)多么充分，結(jié)構(gòu)多么合理，如果語言錯誤百出，就不可能在寫作部分得到高分。所以同學(xué)們在平時的學(xué)習(xí)中也別忘了語言的積累。