Question

GRE作文中该如何举例论证？有前辈可以指导一下吗？

GRE作文中怎样举例子才能有显得很有力度，显得有说服力呢？

Answer 1

首先，在任何考试的写作中，我们举例子的目的只有一个——那就是支持我们在写作中提出的观点。GRE作文也不例外。其次，与雅思托福等语言能力类的考试相比，作为学术测评类的考试，GRE会在考查考生基本语言能力的同时更加看重考生的逻辑思维能力。因此，我们在GRE写作中举例子的时候，要更加注意观点与例子，例子与例子的解释、例子的泛化之间的关系。比如，一个作文题是“对于大学来说，花钱改善设施比雇佣著名教授更重要，"我的观点是：雇佣著名教授更重要。我的理由一就可以说：“雇佣著名教授比培养优秀学生起了更为重要的作用。”然后举例说：“孔子在传道授业解惑时并没有现在这样先进的设备，但是仍然可以培养出优秀的学生。”一般人例子举到这里就够了，但其实还是不符合ETS的官方标准。我们最好还有一个例子的解释：“这个例子说明，培养优秀学生的关键在于名师。现代的著名教授相当于古代的名师，雇佣著名教授对于培养学生会起到更关键的作用。

Answer 2

　　举例子是我们写作中最常用的论证办法。雅思作文要求学生在文章中“include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience”。一个好的例子能更具体地证明论点，使得文章更有说服力。然而，在实际作文中，学生写出的例子却常常让老师啼笑皆非。
　　剑七 test 1的task 2 ：It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion 比较天赋和后天教育的重要性，我曾收到过两篇学生作文，把他们作文中的举的例子拿出来分析一下，看看我们自己写例子的时候，应该要注意些什么问题。
　　其中一篇论证后天培养的重要性，使用的例子是: “我爸爸从小生长在贫困的家庭，家里没有钱，他也没有什么才能，但是他努力的工作，19岁的时候就开始做生意，26岁的时候就有了第一家厂。所以后天的努力比先天的才能更加重要。”首先，这个例子本身是不切题的。题目要求论证的是“通过教育”获得成功，而不是“通过努力”获得成功。而且题目虽然说的是“certain talents”，但是却给出了一个小范围“for instance for sport or music”、 “become a good sports person or musician”。所以我们的论证应该尽量与体育和音乐有关，避免偏题。第二，我们的大作文毕竟是议论文，而不是记叙文。举例子不能像讲故事一样，洋洋洒洒写六、七十字。应该要把握重点，一句话（不超过两句话）讲清楚。第三，雅思作文的虽然要求你的例子“from your own knowledge or experience”，但这不代表你必须要举出你身边七大姑八大姨真人真事作为例子，而且一个人的事迹也不一定有代表性。所以举例的时候最好列出一个具体的，但是有普遍性的人或事。比如说到音乐天才，可以举莫扎特为例。
　　另一篇学生作文，同样是论证后天培养的重要性，他使用了一个反例：“以仲永为例，他从小天赋惊人，却因为后来父母没有好好培养，长大一事无成。” 这个例子倒是紧扣论点，有代表性，也一句话说清楚了。问题是，伤仲永的故事，别说老外不知道，很多对国文典故不熟悉的中国人都未必认识仲永是哪位达人。毕竟我们的雅思作文是拿给老外去评分的，写时候要考虑一下文化差异，想想看你的“读者”是否和你一样了解并认同你举出的例子。
　　综上所述，一个好的例子，必须要紧扣主题、精炼简要、有代表性，能够有力地证明论点同时也要具备“国际性”，使考官认同。
　　另附范文一篇，供烤鸭们学习参考。
　　Talents are those who attain a certain exceptional skill that others cannot be compared to. What attributes to become talents has been discussed by many people. It is believed by some that several people are naturally born a talent of music or sport. Some other, on the other hand, claim that any child can be trained to be the talented sports person or musician.
　　Traditionally, many educational institutes have been established by basing on the needs of society and of parents, and on what children are expected to become in the future. For example, sports school is to train the future excellent sports persons; art schools are for movie stars, singers and musicians or artist of the years ahead. It is subsequently understandable for some who believe that talents can be trained to be. In reality, there are many good examples of people from zero, but through the sustainable training process, to become the success story in sport or artist history.
　　People who were born talented probably inherit from parents' or ancestor's prominent genes. This special natural skill is unique, and it is hardly found in someone who is by training process to get talented. It can be understood that when a child of a well-known musician were born, he would possibly possess the innate ability for improvisation. Mozart, music composer of every time, was a very good example for this extraordinary.
　　I believe that talents can be taught. It is because with continuing training, efforts in conjunction with desires for a certain skill, either on sport or art, any one of us certainly will be excel in this area. Conversely, a person with "God bless" ability which is not under an appropriate training process could not go any further mile. However, it would make perfect and phenomenal if persons with special talent are well trained.