Overview for GRE Analytical Writing <<Argument Questions>>

Overview for GRE Analytical Writing<<Argument Questions>> • Sections • I. Introduction to Argument Questions • (I. 介紹Argument Questions) • II. How to Answer Argument Questions -- the Pool of Argument Questions (II. 答題技巧及ETS提供的例題) • III. Other Useful Tips (III. 更多答題技巧) • IV. Related Links and References • (IV.相關連結與參考資料)

I. Introduction to Argument Questions There are two kinds of essay questions in the GRE test 1) Present Your Perspective on an Issue 1 question, 45 minutes 2) Analyze an Argument 1 question, 30 minutes GRE分析寫作共有兩種題型-- issue question & argument question,各為一題,前者有45分鐘可作答,後者30分鐘。

This file focuses on the second kind – argument question. 此檔案主要介紹argument question *you analyze a paragraph-length argument, pointing out and discussing problems with its line of reasoning, adequacy and use of evidence, and internal logic. 首先,考生先閱讀一段申論,答題時必須指出並分析這段申論的問題，邏輯，流暢度等等。 ETS在www.gre.com已公布題庫。 • ETS has released its official pool of GRE Analytical Writing questions on www.gre.org

II. How to Answer Argument Questions Directions for the Argument Writing Task Argument Task作答指示如下: Analyze a paragraph-length argument, pointing out and discussing problems with its line of reasoning, adequacy and use of evidence, and internal logic. (此處之sample argument topic and essay取材自ETS網站 An Introduction to the Analytical Writing Section of the GRE General Test. http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/awintro.pdf )

Argument Task作答指示如下: * Analyze a paragraph-length argument, pointing out and discussing problems with its line of reasoning, adequacy and use of evidence, and internal logic. *分析約一個段落長度的申論，針對此申論的論述脈絡、使用之證據是否充足合適，以及此段落內涵的邏輯等指出相關問題並討論之。

Specific guidelines: • You are not asked to agree or disagree with any of the statement in the argument. • You should analyze the argument’s line of reasoning. • You should consider questional assumptions underlying the argument. • You may discuss what additional evidence would help strengthen or refute the argument.

作答時需要特別注意: • 考生不需要表達同意或不同意段落的論點。 • 考生應該分析題目段落中辯證的流暢度。 • 也要考慮指出段落裡可被質疑的一些預設立場。 • 考生可以就是否有更多證據可以增強或駁斥段落的論點進行討論。

請參考www.gre.com • Sample Question (ETS提供之例題) Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. Hospital statistics regarding people who go to the emergency room after roller skating accidents indicate the need for more protective equipment. Within this group of people, 75 percent of those who had accidents in streets or parking lots were not wearing any protective clothing (helmets, knee pads, etc.) or any light-reflecting material (clip-on lights, glow-in-the-dark wrist pads, etc.). Clearly, these statistics indicate that by investing in high-quality protective gear and reflective equipment, roller skaters will greatly reduce their risk of being severely injured in an accident.

Sample Essay (範例回答) Introductory part The notion that protective gear reduces the injuries suffered in accidents seems at first glance to be anobvious conclusion. After all, it is the intent of these products to either provent accidents from occuring inthe first place or to reduce the injuries suffered by the wearer should an accident occur. However, theconclusion that investing in high quality protective gear greatly reduces the risk of being severely injured in an accident may mask other (and potentially more significant) causes of injuries and may inspire people to over invest financially and psychologically in protective gear.

Outline of the Main Body (答案大綱) (1) First of all, as mentioned in the argument, there are two distinct kinds of gear - preventative gear (such as light reflecting material) and protective gear (such as helmets). (2) The argument above is weakened by the fact that it does not take into account the inherent differences between skaters who wear gear and those who do not. (3) The statistic also goes without differentiating between severity of injuries. (4) Finally, there is absolutely no evidence provided that high quality (and presumably more expensive) gear is any more beneficial than other kinds of gear.

Conclusion The argument for safety gear based on emergency room statistics could provide important information and potentially saves lives. Before conclusions about the amount and kinds of investments that should be made in gear are reached, however, a more complete understanding of the benefits are needed. After all, a false confidence in ineffective gear could be just as dangerous as no gear at all.

Before you write: ‧carefully read the argument—you might want to read it over more than once ‧identify as many of its claims, conclusions, and underlying assumptions as possible ‧think of as many alternative explanations and counterexamples as you can ‧think of what additional evidence might weaken or lend support to the claims ‧ask yourself what changes in the argument would make the reasoning more sound

開始作答前須考慮的事項 • 仔細閱讀題目段落，最好多讀幾次。 • 盡量辨別出段落提出的主張、論點、結論及隱藏的預設立場。 • 關於段落提出的論點，是否有不同的解釋或者能反證的例子？盡量構思不同的解釋及反證。 • 考慮有哪些證據或例子能支持或弱化段落的論點。 • 設想看看改變段落的哪些部分能讓其辯證更流暢。

8 Steps to the Argument Writing Task (1) Read the argument and identify its conclusion. (2) Identify and examine the argument’s evidence to determine how strongly it supports its conclusion. (3) Organize and prioritize your points of critique. (4) Compose a brief introductory paragraph (5) Compose the main body. (6) Compose your conclusion (7) Review and revise for coherence (8) Proofread for significant mechanical problems. 取材自 Stewart, Mark Alan. Writing Skills for the GRE/GMAT. Lawrenceville: Peterson’s, 2002.

作答的8個步驟 (1) 仔細閱讀申論題目並辨識結論。 (2) 辨認及檢查申論文中使用的證據，思考這些證據如何支持結論。 (3) 組織你的評論並將評論重點排列優先次序。 (4) 寫簡短的引言(introductory paragraph) 。 (5) 寫主文(main body)。 (6) 寫結論(conclusion) 。 (7) 檢查並修飾答案，尤其是答案的流暢度。 (8) 再次檢查答案，注意是否有技巧方面的問題，例如文法錯誤，拼字錯誤，標點符號等。

More questions from the pool of argument topics更多例題(請參考www.gre.com) • The following appeared in a health newsletter. Eating a heavy meal may increase the risk of heart attack. A recent survey of 2,000 people who had had a heart attack revealed that 158 of them said they had eaten a heavy meal within 24 hours before their heart attack, and 25 of them said they had eaten a heavy meal within 2 hours before their heart attack. Eating and digesting food releases hormones into the bloodstream and temporarily increases heart rate and blood pressure slightly. Both of these things put stress on the heart. Therefore, people who are at risk of having a heart attack can lower that risk by not overeating.

The following is a memo from the business manager of National Daily News. To expand the home delivery service of our national newspaper, we should concentrate on the state of Urba rather than on the state of Sylva. First, the population of Sylva is more widely dispersed, which would require us to spend more money to deliver our papers in that area, resulting in less profit per customer. Second, a long-term study of television viewing habits suggests that Sylvans prefer local to national news, since they spend twice as much time viewing local news programs as they do viewing national programs. Finally, because events in Urba receive more coverage in our newspaper than do events in Sylva, we can expect Urbans to be more interested in reading our newspaper.

The following is a recommendation from the president of Appleby College. Whereas Appleby College holds class reunions every five years, Edelston College holds annual reunions for all classes, during which Edelston's alumni are treated to banquets, lectures, and student performances, enhancing their loyalty to the college and their willingness to donate money. Edelston College receives most of its alumni donations during or shortly after these reunions. Therefore, the best way for Appleby to increase its alumni donations is to offer similar reunion activities and to have each graduating class hold annual reunions.

III. Other Useful Tips 更多答題技巧 Phrases you can use in your essay 實用片語 Acknowledge different sides of argument 用來引用或介紹不同論點的片語 • Some people think that… • Although many people feel that… • It is claimed that… • Some people feel that… • While it is true that… I believe… • Despite the fact that …, many people think... • Although many people think that…., I feel that • Although it is often said that…, in fact the opposite is true

Acknowledge different sides of argument用來引用或介紹不同論點的片語 • It is undoubtedly true that……However… • It is often argued that… However, it is • Some people say that… They claim… Nevertheless, … • Supporters of this viewpoint say that… Nevertheless, it is …

To Signal Examples 舉例的片語 • for example, for instance • consider, take the case of … • To demonstrate, to illustrate • As an illustration, in this case, on this occasion • One possible scenario is that …

To singal conclusion 表達結論的片語 • In sum, in brief, in conclusion • In essence, in a nutshell • Summing up, to recapitulate

transitional phrases or words 轉折語 after all/ as a result at any rate / at the same time in other words / in the second place on the contrary/ on the other hand in turn, subsequently, consequently, previously, beforehand simultaneously, concurrently

IV. Related Links and References 相關連結與參考資料 <<GRE Writing Skills>> http://www.novapress.net/gre/writing.html http://www.west.net/~stewart/ws/ http://www.west.net/~stewart/grewa/wa101.htm#Whoscores <<ETS introduction to GRE Analytical Writing>> http://web.mit.edu/gso/mymsrp/handouts/internpdfs/awintro.pdf http://www.ets.org http://thedoublee.blogspot.com/2007/04/argument.html

<<free GRE general test materials, including scoring details, sample tests and answers>> • http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=302b66f22c6a5010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=d687e3b5f64f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD <<參考書目>> Stewart, Mark Alan. Writing Skills for the GRE/GMAT. Lawrenceville: Peterson’s, 2002.

<<writing suggestions on issue, opinion & argument essays>> • http://www.writefix.com/argument/ • http://www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owl&writingcenter/OWL/Argument.html • http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/argument.html • http://www.studygs.net/wrtstr4.htm

Overview for GRE Analytical Writing <<Argument Questions>>