两种基本结构

3.1　两种基本结构

对比和比较型结构的论说文是英语考试作文中一种常见的命题方式。即要求对两个或两个以上的事物、事件、观点作比较，通过它们之间相同或相异之处的比较，看出它们各自的特点或优缺点。由于目的不同，写法也不同。一种是纯介绍性的，即通过比较或对比来客观地提供有关两事物的信息，并不表明自己的看法和态度。

另一种是论述性的，即通过比较或对比来表明对两个事物的态度和看法。目前考试中的命题作文都属于这一种，托福把这种作文结构称为Comparison and Taking Positions。五段作文都用这种结构，所以，我们对此将作重点介绍。这种论述性比较有如下两种写法。

3.1.1　倾向性比较

通过两事物( A，B)之间的不同特点和优缺点的比较，进行较深入的论述。它的基本结构如下:

Introduction

ThesisPrefer A to B

B's advantages and disadvantages

A's disadvantages and advantages

A's advantages

Conclusion

第一段先引出要比较的两个事物或事件。若能表明自己的倾向，也可在此段里表达。第二至第四段主要通过对比和比较，进一步说明或阐明自己的看法。由于这种比较是有倾向性的比较，因此对两事物的特点及优缺点的叙述不能“一视同仁” ，而要有区别。

一般说来，对要否定的事物其优点要少写、略写，一笔带过，在句子结构里，把优点置于从句位置。而其缺点要充分暴露，甚至不惜夸大。相反，对要肯定的事物其优点应多写、详写，充分显示，而对其缺点应轻描淡写，甚至不写。这种有侧重的叙述，较能保证观点鲜明。

在段落安排上，为体现这种主次轻重，可以这样安排:

第二段要写否定的事物，先肯定其优点，然后指出其致命的缺点。第三段写要肯定的事物，先承认有一定的缺点，后分析其优点。第四段继续写肯定的事物，分析其他的优点。如比较两个朋友:

Friend A and Friend B

I.Instead of the one who has similar personality as mine，I prefer to have a friend whose personality is different.

II.A person of the similar personality is more easy to get along with.But you can learn few things from each other.

III.A person having a different personality may be difficult to deal with，but you can learn more new things from him/her.

IV.Through a friend with different personality，you can have new experiences and see yourself more clearly.

V.To learn to get along with the persons with different personality will benefit for your career and personal life.

让我们看几篇范文:

Task 22

You are allowed 40 minutes to write an essay about 250 words on the following topic.

There are two popular modes of travelling.One is to join the package tour，another is to travel individually.

Which one do you prefer? Give reasons to illustrate your choice.

Sample Answer

Modes of Travelling

1)With the increased standard of living and the declining working weeks，more and more city-dwellers are taking their holidays in scenic spots and places of interest.Most of them like to join package tours as this mode of travel is said to be most convenient.But I prefer to travel individually for freedom.(引出两种不同的旅游方式，并表明倾向于自助旅游，因为自由)

2)It is true that joining a package tour can bring great convenience.You don't have to worry about room and board during the travel， nor about your transportation.The guide will take care of everything.What you do is to follow the guide and enjoy the scenery.But you lose your freedom for this.At the sight of his/her flag waving，you have to take yourself away from the scenes you are marveling at and follow the guide whose sole interest is to cover all spots according to his schedule，regardless of the weather or your health condition.(先肯定旅行社旅游的优点，接着就分析其缺点)

3)Individual travel，however，gives you a great degree of freedom.(主题句)In climbing mountains，you can choose to drive up in cable cars，or take pleasure in the process of climbing.You can decide when to start your way，where to linger a little longer and which spot to be skipped over to save time for another spot.You can always adjust your plan.(然后转到自助旅游上，详细阐述其优点，如可以自由安排日程等)

4)Travelling alone，you may encounter inconvenience such as getting accommodation for the night and a place for meals.But you can choose the hotel and restaurant to your liking，and avoid the embarrassment of being forced to share a table or a room with a stranger.(用一句话承认自助旅游有食宿困难，但在这一点上继续分析其优点，如可以找自己喜欢的饭店和旅馆等)

5)To have a holiday tour is to enjoy and relax yourself，and to relax thoroughly， freedom is of essence.If you lose the freedom of action，it is no longer a holiday in anything but name.For this reason I like travelling alone with several friends.(归纳自助旅游的优点)

闪光点:

1.首尾呼应: But I prefer to travel individually for freedom.—For this reason I like travelling alone with several friends.

2.具体描写: At the sight of his/her flag waving， you have to take yourself away from the scenes you are marveling at，choose to drive up in cable cars，or take pleasure in the process of climbing

3.用词变化: travel alone—travel individually—travel independently，room and board—accommodation

4.句型变化: You can decide when to start your way， where to linger a little longer and which spot to be skipped over to save time for another spot.You can always adjust your plan.(长短句)

Task 23

You are allowed 40 minutes to write an essay about 250 words on the following topic.

The graph below shows that the number of people going to movies is declining while the number of TV movie viewers keep climbing.

What do you prefer: seeing films through TV at home or going to the movie houses?

Percentage of Movie Goers and TV Movie Viewers

Sample Answer

Movie Goers and TV Viewers

1)With more and more families owing the most modern TV sets，the number of film goers has declined sharply.According to the chart，in 2000 it decreased 22% compared with 10 years ago.While the number of TV movie viewers continue climbing，reaching the highest in history.Although the majority choose to watch TV programs，I like going to movies.(通过对图表的描写，不仅反映出问题，而且表明自己的看法:喜欢到电影院看电影)

2)Admittedly，watching movies on TV is a comfortable and enjoyable thing.(主题句)You don't have to travel to the cinema，risking traffic jams or terrible weather.Moreover，watching TV programs at home you can talk with family members，eat food and even sprawl out in the sofa without worrying about your manner.(首先承认在家里通过电视看电影的优点)

3)But to most TV viewers， a movie can't be enjoyed thoroughly.(主题句)For one thing， advertisements are frequently inserted in the program，especially at a crucial plot，making the viewers very disappointed.For another，the number of movies is limited.What shows on TV is often old and out-of-date.You have very few choices.(然后分析其缺点。一是广告的不断插入，二是电影数量有限，且多为过时的)

4)Seeing films，however，you can avoid nearly all these drawbacks.(主题句)Although films are expensive and going to the cinema is not convenient enough，the movie goers can enjoy the film as a real treat.You don't have to worry about the insertion of ads in the film.You can select the most suitable time and your most favorite film.Most importantly，the modern cinema offers the best sound effect and most wonderful atmosphere，which TV can't produce.(然后转到讨论去电影院看电影，列举其优点)

5)A few days ago I invited one of my friends to see a film， a friend who haven't gone to the cinema for nearly 10 years.After reaching home from the cinema，he telephoned to me : “I have never expected the modern cinema has such wonderful effect on me.I'm intoxicated.”(最后用一个故事结束，进一步肯定了上电影院看电影的优点)

闪光点:

1.用反映文章主题思想的故事结尾，有加深印象的作用。这是写作中常用的一种修辞手段。

2.句型妙用:第三段基本上以被动句为主，例如: a movie can't be enjoyed thoroughly， advertisements are frequently inserted，the number of movies is limited(通过电视机看电影不仅在时间上，在电影片子上都没有选择的主动性，这些句型把内容和形式结合了起来)

以上两篇文章作者都运用了“不平等”的比较方式而写成。文章一开始就表明作者自己的观点:支持什么，反对什么，这就确保了文章的论述是有倾向性的。作者对支持的事物(自助旅游，看电影)，尽量突出其好处，少讲其缺点，而对反对的事物(包团旅游，看电视)，优点讲得很少。

3.1.2　平衡性比较

有些文章作者既不完全赞成一事物，也不完全赞成另一事物，因而在依次分析了两个事物的优缺点后，可作出平衡的结论。其基本模式是:

Introduction

Thesis: Both A and B have advantages

and disadvantages

A's advantages

A's disadvantages

B's advantages ( and disadvantages)

Balanced Conclusion

第一段引出要比较的两个事物，然后表明看法，它们各有优缺点;第二段写A事物的优点;第三段写A事物的缺点;第四段写B事物的优缺点;第五段写平衡的看法。

举例:比较两个教师。

Teacher A and Teacher B

I.A serious teacher and a fun teacher have both strengths and weaknesses.

II.Students like a fun teacher for his teaching style is interesting and colorful.

III.But his weakness is that sometime his class is not efficient，and students don't learn many things.

IV.Although a serious teacher is not popular with students for his lecture is a little boring，the teacher is responsible and strict with students.One can expect to learn more things from them.

V.What we need is the strengths of both teachers.

以下是一篇完整的范文:

Task 24

You are allowed 40 minutes to write an essay about 250 words on the following topic.

Some emphasize book knowledge; others stress practical experience.

Which one is more important? Give your reasons to illustrate your opinion.

Sample Answer

Knowledge or Experience

1)Which is more important in life，knowledge from the books you read，or personal experience you gain in reality? The answer may vary from person to person.The young，educated may emphasize the former，and the old may stress the latter.But in my opinion，they are of the same importance.(引出要比较的知识和经验，并表明两者都重要)

2)Experience is priceless.How to become an efficient secretary? How to prepare for your first child to come into the world? There is so much experience we need in careers，in life and even in academic studies.It helps one deal with the problems with ease and confidence.Especially for students who grow up in the ivory tower，to get involved in practical activities and to accumulate experience of different kinds is more crucial.(首先强调经验的重要)

3)Experience，however，is limited in terms of time and space.(主题句)For one thing，it is impossible for anyone to experience all the important events and meet all the famous people.For another，as the speed with which skills are obsolete and new problems crop up is unprecedented because of the fast development of society，experience is far less adequate.Depending too much on it only leads to narrow-mindedness and prejudice.(分析单靠经验的缺点)

4)One way to compensate for it is to read books.(主题句)Books of various kinds can bring us almost unlimited additional experience.From books you can not only trace back to the wisdom of our antecedents，but keep up with the latest developments of science and technology.To be sure，it's secondhand experience.But it is the ideal supplement to our own limited experience.Few of us can travel around the world，or live long beyond one hundred years，but all of us can live many lives by reading books.(接着指出书本知识的重要性)

5)Both book knowledge and personal experience are essential.While experience makes one more resourceful，book knowledge makes one more learned.(归纳总结，作出平衡性结论)

闪光点:

1.首尾呼应: But in my opinion，they are of the same importance.—Both book knowledge and personal experience are essential.

2.开头独特:以反映主题思想的问题开头: Which is more important in life，knowledge from the books you read，or personal experience you gain in reality? (开门见山，直截了当，又发人深省)

3.用词变化: emphasize—stress，important—essential—crucial，get involved in practical activities—experience all the important events

4.词汇亮点: get involved in， accumulate experience of different kinds， in terms of time，crop up，compensate for，trace back to，keep up with

5.句子修辞: Few of us can travel around the world，or live long beyond one hundred years，but all of us can live many lives by reading books.(对偶)While experience makes one more resourceful，book knowledge makes one more learned.(平行)

再如:

Task 25

You are allowed 40 minutes to write an essay about 250 words on the following topic.

In colleges and universities，some students spend more time after class on individual studies，while others like to attend lectures of different kinds.

What do you think of two kinds of studies? Which one do you prefer? Give your reasons.

Sample Answer

Ways of Studies

1)In colleges and universities，there are two other ways to gain knowledge apart from regular classes.One is to pursue individual studies and the other is to attend lectures.While I attach much importance to self-studies，I won't give up any opportunity to attend a good lecture.(开头就突出主题:个人学习和听讲座两者都重要)

2)Obviously，independent work is vital to college studies.(主题句)

It is inconceivable that one can gain any knowledge without spending solitary hours on reading and writing，nor is conceivable that one can achieve any success without applying an independent thought to the problem you want to solve.Often a good solution， or a great truth grows out of one's personal arduous studies in the library.(首先阐明个人学习的重要性)

3)But nothing is so foolish as to refuse to expose yourself to liberating lectures if you want to make your studies more efficient and effective.(主题句)True，library literature can offer you a great treasury，and thinking is essential to getting creative ideas.But as science in every field develops quickly，new ideas and theories can't be immediately recorded and published.You often have to wait for a long time before a brilliant person can write down his ideas and form a book.(说明仅仅靠个人学习有缺陷)

4)Yet one hour of a lecture will help solve the problem which may puzzle you for months.Why has it never occurred to me that planned economy and free enterprise really go very well together? How stupid of me not to realize that climate and geography exert a great influence on human behavior! Opinions we have long held are promptly modified; puzzles we have been seeking to explain are thrown a profound light on.(阐明讲座的启迪和开阔眼界的作用)

5)We need both individual studies and attending lectures.The former helps sharpen our awareness，and the latter contributes to broadening our minds.The secrets of academic success lie in the combination of both.(最后作出平衡的结论，大学学习离不开个人学习和聆听讲座)

闪光点:

1.用词变化: individual studies—independent work—self-studies

—personal studies—spending solitary hours on reading and writing，vital—essential

2.修辞手段: Why has it never occurred to me that planned economy and free enterprise really go very well together? (设问)Opinions we have long held are promptly modified; puzzles we have been seeking to explain are thrown a profound light on.(平行排比)

3.词汇亮点: pursue studies， attach much importance to， hold opinions，thrown a light on，sharpen awareness，broadening minds， apply thought to the problem，exert a great influence on

请再看一篇作文。

Task 26

You are allowed 40 minutes to write an essay about 250 word based on the following outline and picture.

1)describe the two pictures

2)compare two ways of teaching

3)suggestion

Sample Answer

A Drawing Lesson

1)There are two kinds of a drawing lesson.One is held in the class

room.The teacher draws a big circle on the blackboard，and children copies it on their paper; the teacher draws a smaller circle on top of the first and the children draw in exactly the same way until twenty identical cats occur in the classroom.But in another class，the children sit on the grass outside the classroom，watching cats playing before them and drawing their own cats according to what they see.The result on their paper is a series of unique cats，each completely different from others.(分别对两张图画的描写，引出两种不同的教学方法)

2)The two teaching methods offer us a good comparison of Chinese education system and western education system.The first method characterizes the Chinese way of teaching.Undoubtedly，It helps children learn basic skills quickly，yet its disadvantage is that children have few opportunities to think for themselves.There is little personal imagination and discussion: the teacher lectures and the children listen and recite rules.(第一种方法的优缺点)

3)The second method is often seen in American schools.Their children don't have to memorize what the teacher or the text says.Instead they work individually and learn to form their own ideas and opinions.Though their foundation of knowledge in this method may not be as good as that of Chinese counterparts， American children are more creative.And it is the ability of creativity that leads to their future inventions.(第二种方法的优缺点)

4)Teaching methods also influence personal development.As the Chinese method values discipline and self-control，children tend to be dependent and obedient in every way.While the western way emphasizes creative ideas and individual responsibility，and their children are more independent，taking action without someone telling them what to do.(两种方法的进一步不同)

5)It seems that the two methods have both advantages and disadvantages.Therefore a combination of their advantages in education is most recommended.(结尾亮出作者的观点)

闪光点:

1.词汇变化: draw—copy，same—identical，form own ideas—think for themselves， children—their counterparts， basic skills—foundation，value—emphasize，

2.近义词叠用: their own ideas and opinions， discipline and selfcontrol， dependent and obedient

上面这三篇文章对讨论的两个事物都不予否定。为此两位作者在第一段里就表明了这个看法，但在具体的比较中，他们都注意到了两事物的优缺点。