SAT写作答疑一二

南京朗阁培训中心写作主讲 杨岱

SAT作文是多数准备出国留学的苦孩子难以征服的一块高地。究其原因，第一是SAT是一种学术能力评估考试，其作文考察的是一种思辨能力，问题一般非常抽象，若未经过充分的准备和训练，一般都无法下笔。第二是多数学生在准备SAT考试的过程中，疲于应付阅读和词汇，根本腾不出时间来准备用于写作的输出性词汇积累，甚至对写作抱一种战略性放弃的消极态度。三是多数学生会有针对性的准备一些所谓的万能素材，但没有对素材进行全方位的解读和适配，生搬硬套的结果就是往往答非所问，离题万里。四是学生的思维定势，一见到问题就条件反射地开始寻找素材，但如未对问题进行深入剖析，堆砌例子的结果就是文章变成了讲故事而缺乏议论文必不可少的批判性思维和夹叙夹议的论证力度。但SAT作文并非传说中的无法跨越，以下我将对SAT考生经常迷惑的两个问题进行解答。

问题一：作文的开头如何写?

答：可以像OG中的满分范文那样开门见山提出论点，不需要任何的铺陈和让步。也可以采用CABE(让步-观点-原因-例子)的方式开头，一开始就展示清晰的逻辑结构和严密的批判性思维并顺利地过渡到主体部分的论述。现以OC题目为例，用一正一反的思路作为开头，请各位同学观摩学习、深度消化、举一反三。

Assignment: Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? (Yes)

C: Some people believe that the surest and yet the most practical way to success is by following suit.

A: However, I believe that people will accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way.

B: This allows them to bring their creativity into full play when they are allowed to tap on their potentials.

E: If you look closer, you will be able to find ample examples to illustrate this claim.

Assignment: Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? (No)

C: People often assume that they can accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own ways.

A: However, this assumption can rarely be verified by solid evidence or with concrete examples.

B: This is because innovation is often risky and invariably costly and thus not a practical solution to everyone.

E: If you take a closer look at the circumstances around you, it is easy to find out why giving people freedom to approach a mission as they wish often fails to come up with the intended result.

问题二：如何准备素材?

答：首先必须强调的一点是，对于顺利完成一篇SAT作文来说，思路的分析永远都比素材重要。比如2012年5月份SAT写作(香港地区)的题目是Do advertisements contribute to people's unhappiness and dissatisfaction? 这个题目已经非常接近托福的题目，多数考生所准备的关于乔大叔，爱迪生，甚至号称万能素材的water cube几乎都用不上。但如果学会托福写作的思维分析方式，那么这个问题就完全可以按照托福的写法来论述，从而迎刃而解了。事实上，SAT的论证手段包括推理分析和例证两大类。前者假设、对比、因果、综合分析等手段，完全不必依赖名人例子。

而即便是例证的素材也包括：阅读(包括文学作品，名人传记，新闻时事等)、学科理论、亲身经历和个人观察。很多考生不敢写个人的经历或观察，在此要特别提出来说明一下，个人真实的亲生经历是很值得推崇的，原因有两个。一是个人经历有充分的细节，很容易达到段落拓展的目的;二是能写出感人的真实体会和感受。OG中的一篇范文通过描写自己的完美主义倾向并论述其利弊，充分展示了生动的细节花描写和观点的演化，同样获得了满分。可见，个人经历如果用得恰当，比名人例子更有说服力也更容易驾驭。

准备素材的过程中，必须记住两个要点。一是例子必须有一定的知名度但不要被过渡滥用，比如Bill Gates，Thomas Edison，Copernicus的例子一般就不要当作first option了，因为历代的缺乏学识的骚人墨客已经穷尽各种亮点，很难写出新意了。二是例子必须有一定的普适性能应用到各类题目中，在准备

的过程中，对素材进行多角度的分析和充分的消化，记住具体的细节而不是背下整段的范文，在引用例子的过程中，必须进行适配，论述的角度必须始终紧扣题目。以下试举一个例子予以说明。

Assignment: Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? (No)

Another case in point to demonstrate the benefits of following suit is the design and construction of the Beijing Acquatic Center, namely, the world-renowned Water Cube. Everyone knows that this megastructure is a brilliant piece of eco-architecture that regulates itself and maintains a nice temperature in all seasons, cool in summer and warm in winter, thus saving a lot of energy. However, it is not an entirely brandnew design. In fact, the use of ETFE is a brilliant imitation from the Alienz Arena, the host site of FIFA 2006. Designers knew from the depth of their hearts that this magic building material will be a great success, as it has proven to be in the past already.

(对照上文给我的CABE开头，用水立方的例子验证：innovation is often risky and invariably costly and thus not a practical solution to everyone。水立方的外层材料ETFE首次用于2006年德国足球世界杯安联体育馆，这个例子可以普适于各类innovation，creativity，uniqueness题材的作文作为例子)。