第三节 议论文的素材

一、确定素材的三种方法

拿到题目后，考生要迅速审题并确定素材，下面介绍确定素材的三种最常用的方法：分类法、反证法、扩展法。

1．分类法

当题目的讨论范围过于宽泛或者抽象的时候，我们可以把讨论对象具体化，对其加以分类，那么素材就比原来增加了一倍或几倍，这样我们发现可以写的内容也成倍地增加了。需要强调的是，分类要尽可能科学、准确，否则有可能出现逻辑上的问题。

下面请看2010年11月4日雅思写作G类议论文的题目：

真题： In some countries, young criminals are not put in prison; instead, they are required to do unpaid work in a community. Do you think it has more advantages or disadvantages?

译文： 在一些国家，青少年罪犯不是被关进监狱，而是被要求在社区做无偿的工作。你认为这种做法具有更多的优点还是缺点？

分析： 青少年罪犯情况各异，但仅从他们所犯罪行的轻重来看，他们明显可以分成两大类：罪行较轻的和罪行严重的。

这样分类之后，我们就可以按照下面的结构和内容来写了：

第一段：介绍背景。现在青少年犯罪率上升；转述题目：在一些国家，青少年罪犯不是被关进监狱，而是被要求在社区做无偿的工作。我的观点：不能一概而论，要区别对待。

第二段：提出一些罪行轻微的人在社区接受劳动改造有很多优点。具体可以写两个优点：首先，这种做法可以教育青少年罪犯，同时避免对其造成心理伤害；其次，这种做法还可以为国家节省资金。

第三段：提出一些罪行严重的人在社区接受劳动改造有很多弊端。具体可以写三个弊端：首先，他们会对社区居民构成威胁；其次，这种做法对受害人不公平；最后，就是如果他们逃跑并再次实施犯罪，警察要花很多时间和金钱才能找到并抓获他们。

第四段：结论。对于罪行轻微的青少年罪犯，在社区接受改造比较有利，但是对于那些残忍的犯罪分子，则必须关进监狱接受改造。

我们可以看出，把题目中的青少年罪犯分成罪行轻微的和罪行严重的两大类之后，就可以对这两种情况分别加以论述了。可见，分类法可以帮助我们快速准确地确定写作的素材，希望大家结合本书第二部分中的真题和考官范文掌握并熟练运用。

2．反证法

当我们发现题目中出现only（唯一的）、all（所有的）或者-est（形容词最高级）这类词汇的时候，就可以用反证法。这三类词汇的共同点是它们的语气都很绝对，这样的命题在逻辑上多半站不住脚。因为它们太绝对，所以想证明它们是对的就会很困难，而如果想证明它们是错误的，就很简单，举出几个反例就好了。

下面请看2011年2月20日雅思写作G类议论文的题目：

真题： Some people argue that the purpose of zoos is only to entertain people. What do you think? What are other purposes of zoos?

译文： 一些人认为动物园的目的仅仅是为人提供娱乐。你怎么认为？动物园的其他目的是什么？

分析： 要想证明动物园的目的仅仅是为人提供娱乐在逻辑上是有困难的，而要想证明它的目的不仅限于此，我们只需找出另一种或几种更重要的目的就可以了。

用反证法的思路，我们就可以按照下面的结构和内容来写了：

第一段：介绍背景。现在城市里有很多动物园，里面有各种各样的动物；转述题目：人们认为动物园的目的只是为人提供娱乐；我的观点：反对这种观点，因为动物园还有其他更重要的目的。

第二段：让步段。先承认动物园确实为人们带来很多娱乐；接下来举两点分论点支持就行，比如人们可以来这里欣赏动物；另外动物园景色秀丽，空气清新，也是人们休闲健身的好场所。

第三段：举反例。证明动物园的目的不仅是为人们提供娱乐，还有更重要的目的；接下来再举三个分论点来支持：比如保护濒临灭绝的动物，在自然环境恶化的情况下为动物提供栖息地，促进稀有动物的繁殖和养育等。

第四段：结论。动物园不仅为人们提供娱乐，还有其他更重要的目的。

可见，用反证法，我们可以更客观、更全面地对题目加以论述。请大家结合本书第二部分中的真题和范文掌握并熟练运用这种方法。

3．扩展法

扩展法就是要求考生从多个角度扩展写作思路。能够多角度地扩展思路是雅思写作高分的保证。那么我们该如何扩展思路呢？下面以一个雅思高频写作题目：Do the benefits of tourism outweigh the drawbacks？为例，来看一下扩展法的应用。

Pros of tourism:

（1）从个人角度思考

Tourism is a popular leisure activity.

Tourists can relax, have fun and experience different customs and cultures (sight-seeing, visiting monuments, tasting new cuisine).

Travel opens our minds. It can broaden our horizons.

（2）从经济角度思考

The tourist industry is vital for some countries.

People rely on tourism for their income.

Tourism attracts investment from governments and companies.

It creates employment due to demand for goods and services (hotels, entertainment etc.).

It helps to improve the standard of living.

Cons of tourism:

（1）从环境角度思考

Tourism can have a negative impact on the environment.

Excessive building (roads, hotels etc.) destroys natural habitats and spoils the landscape.

Tourism creates pollution and waste.

It puts pressure on local resources such as food, water and energy.

（2）从文化角度思考

Local traditions may be lost.

Traditional jobs and skills die out (e.g. farming, fishing).

Local people are forced to work in the tourist industry.

通过这几个不同的角度，我们就对这个雅思写作题目的思路进行了扩展，使考生在不同的角度得到了不同的观点，进而写出不同的文章。

其实，绝大多数雅思写作议论文的话题都可以通过以下几个方面进行扩展，现列举如下：经济（economy）、就业（employment）、时间（time）、空间（space）、心理（psychology）、生理（physiology）、环境（environment）、教育（education）、文化（culture）、科技（technology）、情感（emotion）和人权（human right）。

在此，我们通过下面的例题来印证扩展法的实战性。

真题： Some people think tobacco should be made illegal in the same way as other drugs because some products it contains are addictive. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

译文： 一些人认为烟草应该被认定为非法，就像其他毒品一样，因为它里面包含的某些东西会使人上瘾。你在多大程度上同意或不同意这种观点？

分析： 通过审题，我们得知此题问的是是否同意认定烟草为非法。同意则要列举烟草的一系列缺点，反之不同意，则要列举其优点。我们马上用扩展法来准备素材，当然不是每一项都应用，但是大多数都是适用的。

Advantages：

经济：revenue-raising for the country and businessmen concerning this arena

就业： creating opportunities of employment in various fields, including manufacturing, transporting, selling, governing

时间：killing the time

心理：relieving one's pressure

文化：forming/shaping cigar culture

Disadvantages：

经济：money-consuming for smokers

生理：people's being addictive to it, harmful to smokers' health, leading to lung cancer

环境：air pollution, potential hazard of fire

空间：passive smoking / second-hand smoking

情感：be overly-dependent on smoking

可见，用上述办法进行扩展，得出来的论据就很全面而且有条理。

下面我们再用2009年7月23日雅思写作A类议论文的题目来做brainstorming。

真题： Older people often say that their life was better in the past than it is now. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

译文：老年人常说，他们过去的生活比现在的更好。你同意还是不同意这个观点？

分析： 通过审题，此题无非就是问我们现在的生活是利大于弊还是弊大于利，所以只要列举现在生活的优缺点就可以了。下面我们还通过之前介绍的扩展法来准备素材。

Advantages:

经济：economy promoted, efficiency increased

科技：advanced technology facilitating people's life

时间：time-saving when conducting various kinds of activities

人权：more emphasis laid on human rights

心理：an increasing number of recreational activities to help people relieve from pressure

Disadvantages:

就业：growing population, fierce competition

心理：pressure coming from a range of aspects

环境：environmental pollution continuing getting worse

以上两个题目在确定素材时都运用了扩展法，可见其具有很强的适用性，能够帮助考生在短时间内扩展话题的素材，而且比较全面。请考生一定要进行大量的练习，考试时才能够做到信手拈来。

二、实战演练

确定素材的三种方法中，分类法和反证法相对容易理解和快速掌握，请考生结合第二部分的议论文历次考试真题和范文熟练运用这两种方法。扩展法有一定的难度，但应用广泛，为了帮助考生熟练运用这一方法，下面为考生提供了12个热门的雅思议论文题目的正反两方面的观点，帮助考生训练扩展答题思路。

1. Smoking

For (means agreement or advantages)

（1）It is pleasurable and relaxing.

（2）It is one's right.

（3）It is difficult to stop smoking.

（4）It is an important source of tax revenue.

Against (means disagreement or disadvantages)

（1）It is harmful to one's health (e.g. heart disease, bronchial trouble, lung cancer ).

（2）It is harmful to those nearby.

（3）It is addictive (i.e. nicotine).

2. School Uniforms

For

（1）They eliminate the need to choose what to wear every day.

（2）They allow students to better concentrate on their studies.

（3）They are popular with parents and administrators.

（4）They are inexpensive.

（5）They are attractive and neat.

Against

（1）They are disliked by students (students like to primp).

（2）They eliminate class differences.

（3）They are an infringement on our freedom (different strokes for different folks).

（4）They are ugly and childish.

3. Legalised Gambling

For

（1）It is a source of government revenue.

（2）It is an old practice dating back thousands of years.

（3）It is pleasurable (e.g. horse racing, casinos).

（4）Many people play poker and mahjong.

Against

（1）It can become addictive.

（2）It can destroy happy families.

（3）It can lead to suicide.

（4）It is easily controlled by the Mafia (e.g. bookmakers ).

4. City Life

For

（1）It is exciting.

（2）It offers the best schools, hospitals, and stores.

（3）It offers many entertainments (e.g. swimming pools, bowling alleys, and sports stadiums ).

（4）It offers many chances of employment.

（5）Cities have an efficient public transportation system.

Against

（1）It is unhealthy (e.g. water and air pollution in industry ).

（2）It is not a good environment for children.

（3）It is noisy and dangerous.

（4）It makes people nervous.

（5）Cities are overcrowded and the costs of living there are expensive.

5. Informing Patients Of Cancer

For

（1）It is patients' right to know.

（2）It is wrong to hide the truth.

（3）It gives the patient a chance to plan his last days.

（4）Doctors must do it (in some country like the U. S.).

Against

（1）It is heartless and cruel.

（2）It may make the patient give up.

（3）It causes depression.

（4）It can lead to suicide.

6. Social Security

For

（1）The state should help the poor, aged, unemployed, and sick.

（2）The state should provide good health care for its citizens.

（3）There will always be social misfits that need help.

（4）All religions focus on charity.

（5）All advanced countries have some form of social security.

Against

（1）It costs too much.

（2）It encourages laziness and destroys the work ethic.

（3）People should look after themselves.

（4）It results in heavy taxes.

7. Coeducation

For

（1）It is natural (i.e. adult society is not segregated ).

（2）It gives boys and girls a chance to better understand one another.

（3）It gives boys and girls a chance to compete with one another.

（4）It has many practical advantages (e.g. school plays, music groups).

Against

（1）Girls do better academically in their own colleges.

（2）Girls are in college to get an education, not a husband.

（3）It is still rare in some countries.

（4）It robs girls of their self-confidence.

8. Corporal Punishment

For

（1）It works to control juvenile delinquency.

（2）It makes children respect discipline.

（3）It is a form of training.

（4）It builds real character.

Against

（1）It is not a civilised way.

（2）Love is better than physical punishment.

（3）It can cause psychological problems.

（4）There is the saying: Violence begets violence.

9. Organ Transplants

For

（1）They prolong life.

（2）They are supported by the medical profession.

（3）Critically ill people want transplants in order to live.

Against

（1）They are too expensive.

（2）They are unnatural as seen by the body's rejection.

（3）They are often unsuccessful.

10. Compulsory Military Service

For

（1）It aims to strengthen national defense.

（2）It teaches young men discipline.

（3）It builds character and physical fitness.

（4）It teaches valuable skills.

（5）It nurtures a spirit of comradeship and equality.

（6）It offers opportunities for overseas travel.

（7）It exists in many countries (e.g. Switzerland, Singapore).

（8）It reduces unemployment.

（9）It instills a sense of patriotism.

Against

（1）It is unnecessary in view of today's professional armies.

（2）It is a step away from peace.

（3）It is useless in today's peaceful world.

（4）Today's armies do not need unskilled manpower.

11. Voluntary Euthanasia

For

（1）It is a basic right—the right to die.

（2）It allows one to die with dignity.

（3）It allows one to choose the time and place of death.

（4）It is painless.

（5）It is the solution to a terminal illness with suffering.

Against

（1）It is murder or suicide.

（2）It is illegal in most countries.

（3）Most doctors oppose it.

12. Books

For

（1）It is an traditional medium.

（2）It is easy to carry.

（3）It is convenient to read.

Against

（1）It is not durable.

（2）It has a low rate of updating.

（3）It can't be shared by people widely.