題目: Some people believe that children can learn effectively by watching TV and they should be encouraged to watch TV both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?
中心句: Watching TV is harmful to children’s eyesight. 你有沒有看出這個觀點的中心句為什么跑題呢? 閱讀題目之后,我們可以找到題目探討的話題是孩子們看電視的行為,并且認為這種行為可以幫助孩子們有效地學習,那么題目的范圍就被限制在了看電視對孩子們學習效果的影響上。顯然上面中心句中的eyesight和學習效果并沒有直接的關系。況且,視力好就意味著學習效果好嗎? 這個中心句就沒有提到關鍵詞“learn”,改變了題目的意思,也擴大題目探討的范圍。
題目: As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars. Do you think the advantages of this trend for individuals outweigh its disadvantages for the environment?
中心句: More cars on roads will lead to more serious traffic congestion. 仔細讀題之后會發現題目需要我們探討是私家車增多對個人的好處以及對環境的壞處。也就是說,討論車多對個人的壞處或者對環境的好處都是答非所問。traffic congestion [堵車]是不是影響的是我們人,而不是環境呢? 再來嘗試思考下面題目給定的話題范圍是什么,或者說關鍵詞有哪些?
題目: Some people argue that the spending of money on the development of technology of space exploration is not justifiable. They believe that the money should be spent on other things. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 很多同學在寫這篇作文的時候,都能意識到the development of technology of space exploration 是關鍵信息,然后在作文中討論投資太空技術發展的合理性或者不合理性。但是,題目中第二句話是不是被你忽略了呢?第二句話是不是也是”some people”的觀點呢? 所以,除了探討space exploration之外,我們也應該回應第二句話中的 “other things”,并且具體化這些”things”是指哪些方面的發展。如果不在作文中提到other things, 也屬于跑題。