GRE作文分数有多难拿?中国学生最有优势的,当然是quantitative,真的是在全世界都出名的东亚数学天才,平均分164.8,percentile全球前12%。Verbal语文,中国学生作为非英语母语国家考生,虽说还差一点才能达到全球平均水平,但是148.6的成绩,也是全球42%的percentile了。
那么中国学生的写作呢?真的是非常非常的让人跌破眼镜了。平均分3.1,全球倒数17%的percentile啊!全球倒数17%的写作成绩,真的是要想上文科类美国名校,是彻底没有任何希望的。宾大教育学就有一个不成文的规定,写作最最低要求是3.5分。这让很多3分的学生,不得不被拒之名校之外。
有的同学这时候可能会想,英语国家的平均分不也就只有4分嘛。3分到4分,也就一分之差,有很大的关系么?这个关系可就大了。
直观的来讲吧,什么叫全球17%的percentile呢?就相当于quantitative只考了142分,是17%的percentile,相当于Verbal考了141分,也是17%的percentile。这么低的成绩,真的用来申请是非常难的。而写作4分,全球59%的percentile,相当于Verbal153,数学152的成绩,也就是说,这写作从3-4,别看差距至于哦一分,相当于Verbal后者Quantitative差距10分之多。
那么,一篇好的GRE作文应该是什么样的呢?下面会从ETS官方给出的评分细则和范文中为大家分析应该如何写好一篇作文。
1.GRE作文怎么写?
首先,我们要考虑的问题是,我们想写一篇怎样的GRE作文?是一篇语言优美如散文一般的文章,还是一篇在grader眼中可以得高分的文章?很多同学,在考试之前,都错误的用自己认为的一篇好文章的标准去指导自己的写作,而从未考虑过,grader阅卷人,究竟以怎样的标准在给一篇文章打分。
那么这时候,如果你还不知道grader的打分标准,请一定打开官网,阅读这一段话。(GRE国内众多写作资料鱼龙混杂,请一定以官网为主,不要轻易相信一些机构给出的写作建议,一定认真阅读官网所展示的打分标准)以下是GREargument与issue的打分标准:
官网给出的ScoringGuidefortheArgumentTask
官网给出的ScoringGuidefortheIssueTask
总结起来,大概是一下几点:
一定要看instruction!!
有些题目往往很相似,但是instruction不一样,那么就是两篇完全不同的题目。如果instruction没有扣住,想要拿到高分就很难了。
找对点,topicsentence要写对
对于argument来说,一定要找到前提到结论非要不可的桥梁。不可以质疑前提,或者从结论出发。这个桥梁是什么意思呢,就是要找前提到结论非要不可的一个条件,如果这个条件不成立,前提对结论就没有支持力度。
而对于issue来讲,就是要找到一个体现深刻思考,并且逻辑严密的理由,作为段落的topicsentence.如果理由本身没有说服力,就算后面努力给出很多论证,也依旧很难说服别人。对于issue来讲,最重要的,永远是说服力。
给出强有力的支撑部分
这是一个非常重要的得分点。
对于argument来讲,就是你的举反例部分,是否能够足够有说服力,让别人觉得你就找的这个逻辑漏洞真的很对,文章中的前提确实可能推不出结论。比如说,前提是我上个月我发胖了,上个月我分手了,结论是我要想挽回我男朋友,就得减肥。
这里,找一条前提到结论非要不可的条件,就是作者assume了发胖是分手,的原因。然后努力的举有说服力的反例:而事实上,很有可能的情况是,男朋友劈腿才是分手的原因,或者性格不合吵架才是分手原因。如果情况是这样的,那么前提,对于支撑结论要想挽回男朋友就要减肥,就完全没有任何支撑力度了。
那么,对于issue来讲,给出强有力的支撑,就是要给出足够有支撑力,有细节,逻辑严密的论证。这里可以是说理论证,举例论证,数据统计等,原则就是,要对段落主题有足够的支撑,让人信服。
衔接!衔接!衔接!
很多同学不知道,GRE打分标准中,衔接是很重要的一个得分点。
文章的逻辑连贯,非常需要起承转合等表达逻辑链条关系的词汇。文章的结构,通过这些linkingwords,应该是让人感受到一目了然的。句与句之间,段落与段落之间的关系,要交代的很清楚。官网4分的文章中,有一句话,与上下文没有衔接,就被grader单独拎了出来,叫做跳跃句,对逻辑链条关系交代的不够清楚。
词汇,句式,语法
语言重要么?只能说,对于GRE考试来讲,语言不是最重要的。
就相当于问一你个问题:博士论文,语言重要么?好的一篇博士论文,一定是没有语法错误,语言精练,清晰,用词准确的。但是,我们不能因为一篇论文语言非常优美,就说这是一篇好的论文。博士论文,最重要的,一定还是其中的内容。
GRE作为一个英语为载体的考试,首先,语言必须清晰,就算有小错误,不可以影响到阅读。在不影响阅读的情况下,最重要的,就是文章的逻辑与说服力。但是,倘若文章语法错误百出,grader根本就很难读懂你的内容,那么,就算再好的内容,别人看不懂,看是没用的。
2.GRE满分范文示范
以下,给大家呈上一篇GRE官网6分issue范文及grader点评,以及相应的3分文章及点评,让大家看到grader眼中,究竟看重什么,怎样才能得到高分。题目如下:
Aspeoplerelymoreandmoreontechnologytosolveproblems,theabilityofhumanstothinkforthemselveswillsurelydeteriorate.
Discusstheextenttowhichyouagreeordisagreewiththestatementandexplainyourreasoningforthepositionyoutake.Indevelopingandsupportingyourposition,youshouldconsiderwaysinwhichthestatementmightormightnotholdtrueandexplainhowtheseconsiderationsshapeyourposition.
EssayResponseScore6
Thestatementlinkingtechnologynegativelywithfreethinkingplaysonrecenthumanexperienceoverthepastcentury.Surelytherehasbeennotimeinhistorywherethelivedlivesofpeoplehavechangedmoredramatically.Aquickreflectiononatypicaldayrevealshowtechnologyhasrevolutionizedtheworld.Mostpeoplecommutetoworkinanautomobilethatrunsonaninternalcombustionengine.Duringtheworkday,chancesarehighthattheemployeewillinteractwithacomputerthatprocessesinformationonsiliconbridgesthatare.09micronswide.Uponleavinghome,familymemberswillbereachedthroughwirelessnetworksthatutilizesatellitesorbitingtheearth.Eachofthesecommonoccurrencescouldhavebeeninconceivableattheturnofthe19thcentury.
Thestatementattemptstobridgethesedramaticchangestoareductionintheabilityforhumanstothinkforthemselves.Theassumptionisthatanincreasedrelianceontechnologynegatestheneedforpeopletothinkcreativelytosolvepreviousquandaries.Lookingbackattheintroduction,onecouldarguethatwithoutacar,computer,ormobilephone,thehypotheticalworkerwouldneedtofindalternatemethodsoftransport,informationprocessingandcommunication.Technologyshortcircuitsthisthinkingbymakingtheproblemsobsolete.
However,thisrelianceontechnologydoesnotnecessarilyprecludethecreativitythatmarksthehumanspecies.Thepriorexamplesrevealthattechnologyallowsforconvenience.Thecar,computerandphoneallreleaseadditionaltimeforpeopletolivemoreefficiently.Thisefficiencydoesnotprecludetheneedforhumanstothinkforthemselves.Infact,technologyfreeshumanitytonotonlytacklenewproblems,butmayitselfcreatenewissuesthatdidnotexistwithouttechnology.Forexample,theproliferationofautomobileshasintroducedaneedforfuelconservationonaglobalscale.Withincreasingenergydemandsfromemergingmarkets,globalwarmingbecomesaconcerninconceivabletothehorse-and-buggygeneration.Likewisedependenceonoilhascreatednation-statesthatarenotdependentontaxation,allowingrulingpartiestooppressminoritygroupssuchaswomen.Solutionstothesecomplexproblemsrequiretheunfetteredimaginationsofmaverickscientistsandpoliticians.
Incontrasttothestatement,wecanevenseehowtechnologyfreesthehumanimagination.Considerhowthedigitalrevolutionandtheadventoftheinternethasallowedforanunprecedentedexchangeofideas.WebMD,apopularinternetportalformedicalinformation,permitspatientstoselfresearchsymptomsforamoreinformeddoctorvisit.Thisexerciseopenspathwaysofthinkingthatwerepreviouslyclosedofftothemedicallayman.Withincreasedinterdisciplinaryinteractions,inspirationcanarrivefromthemostsurprisingcorners.JeffreySachs,oneofthearchitectsoftheUNMilleniumDevelopmentGoals,basedhisideasonemergencycaretriagetechniques.Theunlikelymarriageofeconomicsandmedicinehashealedtense,hyperinflationenvironmentsfromSouthAmericatoEasternEurope.
Thislastexampleprovidesthemosthopeinhowtechnologyactuallyprovideshopetothefutureofhumanity.Byincreasingourrelianceontechnology,impossiblegoalscannowbeachieved.Considerhowthelate20thcenturywitnessedthecompleteeliminationofsmallpox.Thisdiseasehadravagedthehumanracesinceprehistoricaldays,andyetwiththetechnologyofvaccines,freethinkinghumansdaredtoimagineaworldfreeofsmallpox.Usingtechnology,battleplansweredrawnout,andsmallpoxwassystematicallytargetedanderadicated.
Technologywillalwaysmarkthehumanexperience,fromthediscoveryoffiretotheimplementationofnanotechnology.Giventhehistoryofthehumanrace,therewillbenolimittothenumberofproblems,bothnewandold,forustotackle.ThereisnoneedtoretreattoaLudditeattitudetonewthings,butratherembraceahopefulposturetothepossibilitiesthattechnologyprovidesfornewavenuesofhumanimagination.
RaterCommentaryforEssayResponseScore6
Theauthorofthisessaystakesoutaclearandinsightfulpositionontheissueandfollowsthespecificinstructions(一定要符合instruction)bypresentingreasonstosupportthatposition.(清晰且富有洞察力的观点。这边如果过于肤浅的讨论,也是很难上4分的)Theessaycogently(cogent,有说服力)arguesthattechnologydoesnotdecreaseourabilitytothinkforourselves,butmerelyprovides”additionaltimeforpeopletolivemoreefficiently.”Infact,theproblemsthathavedevelopedalongsidethegrowthoftechnology(pollution,politicalunrestinoil-producingnations)actuallycallformorecreativethinking,notless.
Infurtherexamples,theessayshowshowtechnologyallowsforthelinkingofideasthatmayneverhavebeenconnectedinthepast(likemedicineandeconomicmodels),pushingpeopletothinkinnewways.Examplesarepersuasiveandfullydeveloped;(例子非常的有说服力,而且展开充分)reasoningislogicallysoundandwellsupported(逻辑推理严密,有说服力).
Ideasintheessayareconnectedlogically,witheffectivetransitionsusedbothbetweenparagraphs(“However”or”Incontrasttothestatement”)andwithinparagraphs(观点衔接真的是grader非常看重的).Sentencestructureisvariedandcomplexandtheessayclearlydemonstratesfacilitywiththe”conventionsofstandardwrittenEnglish(i.e.,grammar,usageandmechanics),”withonlyminorerrorsappearing(句式多样性体现语言能力).Thus,thisessaymeetsalltherequirementsforreceivingatopscore,a6.
EssayResponseScore3
Thereisnocurrentproofthatadvancingtechnologywilldeterioratetheabilityofhumanstothink.Onthecontrary,advancementsintechnologyhadadvancedourvastknowledgeinmanyfields,openingopportunitiesforfurtherunderstandingandachievement.Forexample,theproblemofdibilitatingillnessesanddiseasessuchasalzheimer’sdiseaseisslowingbeingsolvedbythetechnologicaladvancementsinstemcellresearch.Thefutureabilityofgrowingnewbraincellsandthepossibilitytoreversetheonsetofalzheimer’sisnowbecomingareality.Thisshowsourinitiativeashumanstobetterourhealthdemonstratesgreaterabilityofhumanstothink.
Oneaspectwheretheabilityofhumansmayinitiallybeseenasanexampleofdeterioratingmindsistheuseofinternetandcellphones.Inthepasthumanshadtoseekoutinformationinmanydifferentenviromentsandaspectsoflife.Nowhumanscansitinachairandtypeanythingintoacomputerandgetananswer.Ourrelianceonthistypeoftechnologycanbedetrimentalifnotregulatedandregularilysubstitutedforotherinformationsourcessuchashumaninteractionsandhandsonlearning.Ithinkifhumansunderstandthatweshouldnothavesucharelianceoncomputertechnology,thatweasaspecieswilladvancefurtherbyutilizingtheopportunityofcomputertechnologyaswellastheothersourcesofinformationoutsideofacomputer.Supplementingourknowledgewithinternetaccessissurelyawayfortechnologytosolveproblemswhilecontinuallyadvancingthehumanrace.
RaterCommentaryforEssayResponseScore3
Thisessaynevermovesbeyondasuperficialdiscussionoftheissue.(肤浅的讨论,真的只能是3分)Thewriterattemptstodeveloptwopoints:thatadvancementsintechnologyhaveprogressedourknowledgeinmanyfieldsandthatsupplementingratherthanrelyingontechnologyis”surelyawayfortechnologytosolveproblemswhilecontinuallyadvancingthehumanrace.”Eachpoint,then,isdevelopedwithrelevantbutinsufficientevidence(虽然relevant,也就是不跑题,但是证据却非常不充分,没有说服力).Indiscussingthepotentialoftechnologytoadvanceknowledgeinmanyfields(abroadsubject,rifewithpossibleexamples),thewriterusesonlyonelimitedandverybriefexamplefromaspecificfield(medicineandstem-cellresearch)(论据不充分导致分数低。说服力真的是Issue高分至关重要的).
Developmentofthesecondpointishinderedbyalackofspecificityandorganization(不够具体,不够深入).Thewritercreateswhatmightbebestdescribedasanoutline.Thewritercitesaneedforregulation/supplementationandwarnsofthedetrimentofover-relianceupontechnology.However,theexplanationofboththeproblemandsolutionisvagueandlimited(“Ourreliance…canbedetrimental.Ifhumansunderstandthatweshouldnothavesuchareliance…wewilladvancefurther”)(解释部分模糊且有限,不够清晰).Thereisneitherexplanationofconsequencesnorclarificationofwhatismeantby”supplementing.”Thissecondparagraphisaseriesofgeneralizationsthatarelooselyconnected(逻辑衔接不够紧密)andlackamuch-neededgrounding.
Intheessay,therearesomeminorlanguageerrorsandafewmoreseriousflaws(e.g.,”Thefutureabilityofgrowingnewbraincells”or”Oneaspectwheretheabilityofhumansmayinitiallybeseenasanexampleofdeterioratingminds”)(有一些严重的语法或者用词问题,导致理解困难,也是让分数低的重要原因).Despitetheaccumulationofsuchflaws,thewriter’smeaningisgenerallyclear.Thus,thisessayearnsascoreof3.
GRE写作,作为中国考试GRE最弱的一项,真的是非常需要引起每个考生的注意。一定不能仅仅把GRE写作当做一次考英语的考试,觉得语言优美,用词高端就可以得高分,而要真正去关注阅卷人的打分标准,理解ETS真正想要的一篇文章是怎样的。