最近,有一个学生向我诉苦:“老师,为什么我的写作成绩从20提到了24分,然后就再也没有过长进了?”询问了他的备考情况后得知,练习强度适中,学习方法都没有太大的问题,但学生一直使用的是TPO练习,这才找到了问题所在。
TPO即TOEFL Practice Online,是最接近托福考试题目选材、出题思路的退役老题,尤其是较早的TPO题目,它的出题角度已经不符合托福目前的考察趋势了,不具有特别大的备考价值。
对于刚接触托福或者是分数在70以下的同学来说,TPO是有效的入门资料,作为熟悉各科目出题类型和水平测试使用(想要通过TPO作为热身练习的同学可以联系马甲进干货群领取TPO1-66的全部资料哦~)
综合写作中,对观点提出的方式越来越多样化, 例如:
opposition-summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points/theories/arguments/… made in the reading passage.
Problems and solutions-summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they answer the specific problems presented in the reading passage.
Solutions and problems-summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they cast doubt on specific solutions presented in the reading passage
其中Problems and solutions 问题解决型题目在目前的TPO中是非常罕见的,但却在近年考试中占了不小的比例,
比如下面这道题:
阅读认为common starling这种鸟是有害的入侵物种,并提出了三个这种鸟所导致的问题:
Agricultural Damage
Flocks Pose Danger to Aircraft
Competition with Endangered Species。
三选一题目不管是在家考还是线下考试中,出题比率都有所上升,但在TPO中却只有一道三选一题型;并且,三选一题目有着选项越来越长的出题趋势。
以下为TPO和真题的对比:
TPO:选项简短,容易理解。
Imagine that you are in a classroom or a meeting. The teacher or the meeting leader says something incorrect in your opinion, which of the following is the best thing to do?
-Interrupt and correct the mistake right away
-Wait until the class or meeting is over and the people are gone, and then talk to the teacher or meeting leader
-Say nothing
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
真题:选项变长,有“陷阱”。
比如选项1,这里对帮助什么样的学生有一个明确的限定条件“students who have difficulty in study ”如果写出和“career or daily life”相关的观点那就处于偏题的危险边缘了。
Which one of the following reasons is the most important one in helping students study in colleges and universities?
- Having access to university tutors who can provide individual instruction for the students who have difficulty in study
- Having the help and encouragement from family and friends
- Having excellent teachers in high-school who can help students before university
因此,想要高效科学的备考写作,使用真题进行练习是非常有必要的,但只大量练题而不对写过的文章进行复盘和修改也是十分不可取的,只有戳到“痛处”,才能明确之后的练习方向,如果想要更有针对性的找到文章中存在的个性问题,“写-批-改“这样的环节是不可省略的有效提分方式。