雅思培訓丨雅思寫作高頻題目分析之教育篇

教育話題一直以來都是雅思大作文寫作的重中之重。在去年全年的雅思考試中，教育類和工作類話題佔比達到了將近40%。而且，很多話題就算不是教育類話題，也可能有相應的分論點與教育有著一定的關係。所以，若要準備雅思大作文寫作，教育話題肯定是首先要進行準備的。下面是筆者根據過去5年的雅思考題，總結出來的考得最多的關於雅思教育類話題的題目。

1. What kinds of subjects should students learn in school/university?

2. Is school/university education helpful to students in finding their jobs?

3. Who should pay for the educational costs?

第一道題目主要涉及的內容是學生應該在學校學習什麼課程。在一般的考試中，重點並非是一些academic subjects的考察，而更多的是一些非學術類科目的重要性的探討，比如很多題目都涉及到一些科目，如藝術，體育，課外活動等是否重要。第二道題目指的是大學的學習是否對以後的工作有幫助，這裡主要可能涉及到大學的專業知識學習是否有用，大學是否能夠很好地讓學生們應對今後的工作。第三道題目主要涉及到了教育花費的問題，應該由誰來付這筆費用，應該是政府來付，還是學生自己，還是其他的渠道。針對這三個大的方面，朗閣海外考試研究中心的專家將從以下幾個分論點方面來剖析教育類話題。

1. 很多中學的課程里所教授的科目知識還是非常有用的，雖然可能對以後的工作生活沒有什麼直接的幫助，但是包含了很多常識，而這些常識與人們的生活是息息相關的。

The fundamental academic knowledge and skills learnt in high school often come in handy for students in their everyday life. Understanding a foreign language offers tourists better traveling experiences since they can communicate and interact with locals directly. Knowledge of electric circuits may help people repair broken appliances or fix short-circuits at home without seeking assistance from professionals. What one learns in biology class is effective in protecting oneself from unhealthy food products such as junk food or desserts served in unsanitary street stalls.

Argument development:

考生可以說這些在高中學習到的知識和技能能夠用到日常生活的方方面面。在展開過程中，可以舉出三個例子：首先，學習好一門外語可以讓遊客有更好的旅遊體驗，因為他們可以用外語跟當地人很好地交流。第二個例子是學習好物理知識，學生們以後如果遇到家裡電器壞了之類的小的電路問題時，完全可以自己解決，很好地節省了相關的費用。第三個例子是生物課或者化學課學的知識可以讓我們知道哪些食品不健康，不能吃路邊攤的食品等，避免對我們的健康造成危害。

Takeaways:

? fundamental knowledge

fundamental: 基本的，根本的

Example: The desire to achieve world peace and human solidarity remains the fundamental message sent by the military parade staged by China on the Victory Days celebration.

? come in handy

handy: 方便的，順手的

Example: The New Horizons probe may appear to yield few immediate benefits, but the data transmitted back by the device may come in handy for astrophysicists who hope to corroborate their advanced theories with evidences and further unravel mysteries that have continued to puzzle them.

? fix short-circuits

fix: 修理，修補

Example: The package of fix for Windows 10 made available by Microsoft soon after the release of the new operating system seems a penny short and a minute late.

? serve foods

serve: 提供食物，為...服務，起到...作用 / service n.

Example: Those Afro-American veterans who had served their country in the World War II failed to be treated as well as their white counterparts were.

2. 課外活動的參與可以豐富學生們的業餘生活，並且可以讓他們學習到新的東西，擴展社交圈

Active participation in extra-curricular activities can widen/broaden ones social circle and diversify their personal interests. Those interested in drama performance, for example, could seize this opportunity to get an insiders view of how drama performance is staged and rehearsed from the beginning to the end; those in the cross country club will probably start to recognize and appreciate the perseverance and hard work it takes for athletes to eventually rise to international fame and success. Students have a greater chance of meeting those who share identical interests and hobbies.

Argument development:

這裡展開說到了參加課外活動能夠發展學生的社交圈，並且開闊他們的視野和興趣。比如說，那些對表演非常感興趣的人可以抓住這個機會更深入地了解戲劇是怎麼排練的；那些參加越野長跑俱樂部的人會最終理解那些成功的運動員在為奪取榮譽的過程中所付出的努力。通過這些課外活動，學生們可以很好地認識那些與自己志同道合的人。

Takeaways:

? active participation

participation: 參與

Example: Lack of employee participation in the key decision-making process is partly held responsible for the lackluster performance of Mi in recent years.

? diversify personal interests

diversify: 分散，廣泛化

Example: Microsofts reckless rush into diversification into Surface Pro and Windows Phone business backfired as vast investment required for business diversification seriously cut into the resources available for the research in its new operating system.

? seize the opportunity

seize: 抓住

Example: The western countries seize every opportunity to accuse China of its unwarranted assertion of military prowess in South China and failure to maintain sound multilateral ties with its neighboring countries.

? get an insiders view of something

insider: 內部人員的，專業的

Example: This book offers an insiders guide on how to prepare for IELTS exam.

? have a greater chance of doing so

chance: 幾率，機會

Example: Although the odds are stacked against the team, they remain convinced that there is a chance that they will eventually emerge victoriously.

3. 現在的學費非常貴，很多家庭負擔不起。所以，如果學生能夠做兼職工作的話，不僅能夠負擔這些學費，而且也能了解外面的世界，獲得相關的工作經驗。

Many students are born in impoverished families; the costly tuition fees impose a vast financial burden on them and their family members. The average annual tuition in a typical Chinese university is US 3000, equivalent to annual per capita income in many rural areas. Therefore, taking a part-time job can allow students to scrape a living on their own without having to ask for allowances from their parents. Besides, it also provides them an opportunity to see the real world and gain relevant work experience. However, such experience may not be useful since rarely do employers assign undergraduates to important positions in the company.

Argument development:

很多學生來自貧窮的家庭，對他們來說，學費是很大的經濟負擔。在中國的大學，平均一年的學費是3000美金，相當於很多農村地區一年的收入。所以，做一份兼職工作可以讓學生不需要問父母要生活費，而且這也可以讓學生獲得相關的工作經驗。然而，問題是這些工作經驗有可能並沒有什麼用，因為這些大學生的兼職工作並不可能是一些非常重要的工作。

Takeaways:

? impoverished families

impoverished: 貧窮的，貧瘠的

Example: The impoverished soil will make it impossible for the farmland to continue to churn out the same amount of produce as it did in previous years.

? financial burden

burden: 負擔 n. / v.

Example: Hospitals, instead of burdening those terminally ill with the devastating news of their medical conditions, often make up a relieving story that assures patients of their health.

? equivalent to

equivalent: 相當於

Example: The destructive force of the two consecutive explosions at Tianjin port is equivalent to that of 24 tons of TNT.

? allowance: 津貼，補貼

Example: The recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C is 4 to 6 tablets, depending on the physical conditions of individuals.

? assign undergraduates to important positions

assign: 分配

Example: He was surprised by the new military assignment that dispatched him to the war zone in Syria when the army there was ready to retreat.

4. 藝術已經演變成為一個行業，並且涉及到數百萬人的生計，所以學校應該開設藝術課程。

Unlike the past when arts were often deemed an inaccessible, classy form of spiritual pursuit reserved exclusively for a selected few, contemporary art industry has long been commercialized and evolved into a valid sector supporting the livelihood of millions. Many talent hunt programs, exemplified by American Idol, are searching for those possessing extraordinary artistic talents among the grassroots population; art associations are also burgeoning in number, seeking to provide budding talents/ child prodigy an opportunity to present their works to the world. Therefore, art courses serve an important role in high school curriculum in cultivating and delivering art talents needed by our society.

Argument development:

過去的藝術通常被認為是無法獲得的，只限於一小部分人群，但是，現在這個行業已經發展成了一個產業，支持著成千上百萬人的生計。比如說一些選秀節目，例如美國偶像，是尋找一些平民當中的藝術人才，一些藝術機構也可以資助那些年輕的藝術家舉辦展會，所以應該開設藝術課程。

Takeaways:

? arts are deemed an inaccessible, classy form of spiritual pursuit

deem: 認為

Example: The vocal protests against the new legislation on same-sex marriage are deemed a reflection of the public attitude.

? reserved exclusively for a selected few

exclusively: 全部的，只有

Example: The so-called democratic government exclusively serves the interests of the upper class including merchants and social elites.

? commercialize: 商業化

Example: The education sector in China has largely been commercialized, as more investors take advantage of the vulnerability of parents who are willing to stake perhaps their lifes fortune on their childrens education.

? extraordinary artistic talent

extraordinary: 格外的，尤其好的

Example: The extraordinary craftsmanship showcased by the new Lamborghini model justifies its prohibitive price.

? budding talents/child prodigy

prodigy: 兒童天才

Example: Without proper upbringing, many child prodigies lapse into mediocrity into their adulthood.

? cultivating and delivering art talents

deliver: 送貨，發表演講

Example: President Barrack Obama fails to deliver the promise of health reform it swore to implement, thus tipping the scale of presidential election 2016 in Republican favor.

5. 學生應該學習歷史

As globalization is sweeping across the world by storm, plenty of minor indigenous cultures have been largely undermined by the abrasive force of western cultures. While holding the latter in high regard, the younger generation has largely ignored their own cultural identity characterizing their particular race, ethnicity, religion, and people. History courses can educate the youngsters, helping them to rediscover their cultural roots and recover their lost cultural identity since culture and history have always been closely intertwined and weaved into each other during their parallel developments.

Argument development:

隨著全球化的發展，很多小眾的本土文化已經被外來的西方文化所侵蝕。很多年輕人都很崇洋媚外，已經忽略了他們自己的文化，歷史，和宗教。歷史課程能夠教育年輕人，讓他們重新發現自己的文化，因為文化和歷史都是交織在一起的。

Takeaways:

? sweep across the world

sweep: 席捲

Example: The sweeping juggernaut of industrialization has ushered the entire world in an era of explosive economic growth.

? indigenous cultures

indigenous: 本土的

Example: The diverse indigenous tribal cultures have been rapidly assimilated into the mainstream American culture by the late Colonial Period.

? undermine: 削弱

Example: Many western economists view the rise of China as a grave threat that undermines the supremacy of western capitalistic powers.

? hold something in high regard: 重視

Example: When presidential candidates hold their donors in high regard, small wonder that they will fight for these interest groups that have backed them during the campaign once they are sworn into office.

? intertwine: 交織在一起

Example: History and culture are often intertwined together; separating one from the other is impossible.

6. 學生應該學習體育課

The physical well-being of the general population has been largely on the decline. The concerns over food safety issues - addition of toxic chemical in foods for instance - and the widespread popularity of fast food - exemplified by the worldwide trend of McDonalization - have led people to wonder what can be done to reverse the deteriorating health. Sports appear to be the answer. By involving students in physical activities in sports classes, it can help enhance blood circulation and thus reduce the risks of heart diseases and diabetes. Moreover, regular physical exercises can also help one to better concentrate on the learning of academic subjects. After all, continuous, enduring learning will easily wear out the cognitive faculties and drive down learning efficiency.

Argument development:

現在學生已經很不健康了，他們吃很多含有有害化學物質的食物。通過運動可以促進學生的血液循環，讓他們更有精神，把注意力放到學習效率上。

Takeaways:

? exemplified by McDonalization

exemplify: 例子，舉例

Example: Abraham Lincoln exemplifies the exclusive range of qualities demanded of a superb leader.

? reverse the deteriorating health

reverse: 逆轉

Example: The government introduces a series of stimulus-package to reverse the trend of economic downturn.

? enhance blood circulation

enhance: 提升

Example: The visually enhanced image of photos taken by the new iPhone camera hardly qualifies for an exciting innovation.

? wear out cognitive faculties

wear out: 很累，消耗殆盡

Example: The shopping spree truly wears me out.

? drive down learning efficiency

drive: 推動

Example: The new electric car drives up the sales of Tesla.