历年
2008.1 美西
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and assignment below: (2008.1)
Often we see people who persist in trying to achieve a particular goal, even when all the evidence indicates that they will be unlikely to achieve it. When they succeed, we consider them courageous for having overcome impossible obstacles. But when they fail, we think of them as headstrong, foolhardy, and bent on self-destruction. To many people, great effort is only worthwhile when it results in success.
Adapted from Gilbert Brim, “Ambition”
Assignment: Is the effort involved in pursuing any goal valuable, even if the goal is not reached? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
1. 题目翻译：
我们总是看到有人坚持努力实现某个目标，甚至在所有的证据都表明这个目标难以实现的时候。当他们成功时，我们因为他们跨越了不可能的障碍而认为他们有勇气。但是当他们失败时，我们觉得他们刚愎自用、自我毁灭。对很多人而言，努力只有取得成功时才是有价值的。
题目：在追求目标时所做的努力，即使目标没有实现，也是有价值的吗?
2. 审题关键词：effort, goal, valuable
3. 论证分析-各段核心提纲：
正：Nobody can reach his goal without continuous effort. Thus, we should respect all the effort one makes to achieve his goal, since it shows his absolute commitment.
反：Sometimes, we fail to achieve the goal because it is unrealistic for us. However hard we try, it is impossible for us to reach the goal.
补：As long as you can learn valuable lesson from the process, all the efforts you make is worthwhile.
2008.5 美西
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.(2008.5)
From talent contests to the Olympics to the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes, we constantly seek to reward those who are “number one.” This emphasis on recognizing the winner creates the impression that other competitors, despite working hard and well, have lost. In many cases, however, the difference between the winner and thee losers is slight. The wrong person may even be selected as the winner. Awards and prizes merely distract us from valuable qualities possessed by others besides the winners.
Assignment: Do people place too much emphasis on winning? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
1. 题目翻译：
从才艺比赛到奥运会，再到诺贝尔奖和普利策奖，我们总是寻求奖励那些最好的人。这种对胜者的肯定形成了这样的印象，就是别的竞争者，尽管他们同样工作努力，成果很好，都是输家。然而在很多的情况下，赢家和输家的区别非常微小。错误的人甚至也可能被选为赢家。奖励只会让我们对除胜者之外的其他参与者的优秀品质视而不见。
题目：人们过于强调胜利了吗?
2. 审题关键词：winning
3. 论证分析-各段核心提纲：
正：We only reward the best contestants but ignore the others.
反：We also encourage people to keep trying and participate.
补：Winning should not be the ultimate goal of our lives.
2008.10 美西
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below. (2008.10)
People usually assume that the quality of a decision is directly related to the time and effort that went into making it. We believe that we are always better off gathering as much information as possible and then spending as much time as possible analyzing that information. But there are times when making a quick judgment is the thing to do. Decisions made quickly can be as good as decisions made slowly and cautiously.
Adapted from Malcolm Gladwell, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Assignment: Are decisions made quickly just as good as decisions made slowly and cautiously? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
1. 题目翻译：
人们总是假设，决定的质量和他们做决定是所付出的时间和努力直接相关。我们相信，尽可能多地收集信息，分析信息，我们就能过的更好。但是有时候，快速做出决定才是正确的。快速做出的决定有可能和缓慢谨慎地做出的决定一样好。
题目：快速做出的决定和缓慢谨慎地做出的决定一样好吗?
2. 审题关键词：decision, quickly, slowly, cautiously
3. 论证分析-各段核心提纲：
正：We know what our heart wants when making quick decisions./ We often do not have the time to gather or analyze information as we want, but we can make the right decision based on our experience.
反：Important decisions need to be made with caution.
补：Knowledge and experience are just as important as information when making a decision.