GRE考試機(jī)經(jīng)之英語寫作部分
對于“be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position”的要求，只能“兩面寫”。
在新版GRE的Issue寫作六條寫作指引中，是不是只有這一條是必須要兩面寫的呢?
——不是的。
除了上面提到的帶有“be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position”的這個(gè)寫作指引外，其它五個(gè)寫作指引分別如下：
A: Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.
B: Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.
C: Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.
D: Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.
E: Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.
可以看出，這六個(gè)寫作指引基本上每一個(gè)都由兩句話組成。前一句實(shí)質(zhì)意義都不大，都是在問考生在多大程度上同意或者不同意題目中的判斷而后立場。關(guān)鍵的“指引”意圖在后一句。
首先看指引A，這個(gè)指引非常有特色。帶有這個(gè)指引的Issue題目一般都會(huì)提到兩個(gè)相互對立或矛盾的立場，比如類似這樣的表述 - “Some people believe that government funding of the arts is necessary to ensure that the arts can flourish and be available to all people. Others believe that government funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts”。
正是由于題目中這兩個(gè)相互對立的立場，該指引的前一句話才會(huì)要求考生討論“which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take”;然后，它的后一句便提出要求：“you should address both of the views presented”。
顯然，這已經(jīng)是直白地要求考生一定要論及題目中兩個(gè)彼此不同或矛盾的立場，即是說，必須要“兩面寫”。
我們再來看指引B。
這條指引一般出現(xiàn)在屬于“建議類”的ISSUE題目中，比如這道Issue題庫第72題：
“Governments should not fund any scientific research whose consequences are unclear”。這個(gè)指引的后一句“consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy”是要求考生必須要考慮到題目中一項(xiàng)政策或建議的可能后果。
常識(shí)告訴我們，當(dāng)一項(xiàng)政策建議提了出來，然后眾人被要求考慮該項(xiàng)政策建議的可能后果時(shí)，要考慮的內(nèi)容的重點(diǎn)只能是實(shí)施那項(xiàng)政策建議所可能導(dǎo)致的不良后果。所以，這樣的題如果只單純地談“implementing the policy”的好處或者弊端，從邏輯上就講不通了。因此，又必須“兩面寫”。
指引C所蘊(yùn)含的要求同指引B是一樣的。
指引C也幾乎總是出現(xiàn)在“建議類ISSUE題目”中，比如類似這道Issue題庫第80題：“Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed”。這個(gè)指引的后一句“describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous”要求考生在作文中一定要論及題目中的建議“會(huì)導(dǎo)致有利或不利的結(jié)果的具體情形”。初看上去，這條寫作指引好像可以讓我們在某項(xiàng)建議所導(dǎo)致的有利或不利的結(jié)果中選擇一個(gè)進(jìn)行討論。但大家試想一下，如果別人給了你一個(gè)建議，你怎么可能只考慮該建議的一個(gè)方面呢?我們的理性以及本能都會(huì)要求我們“利·弊”權(quán)衡的。所以說，這本質(zhì)上又要求我們只能采取一個(gè)“兩面寫”的行文思路。
好了，至此，新版GRE考試的Issue作文六條寫作指引中，四條已經(jīng)直接或間接地要求我們必須要“兩面寫”了。
最后再來看指引D和E。
這兩條指引似乎沒有要求“兩面寫”的意味。指引D說：“you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true”，言下之意是，考生既可以考慮題目中的觀點(diǎn)成立的情形，也可以考慮其不成立的情形。至于指引E，這是一條最為普通的指引，其字面意思就是“討論在多大程度上同意或者不同意題目中的立場極其理由”。既然如此，考生當(dāng)然可以選擇任意一邊。