SAT作文真题解析

　　09年12月刚刚考过的一道题目：

　　Prompt：Thanks to the Internet, the word friendship now has a much broader meaning. No longer are the bonds of friendship limited to telephone conversations, shared activities, or speaking face-to-face. In this day and age, very close friendships can be formed without the people ever meeting and by simply typing words on a screen.

　　Adapted from Sharon Hendricks, A Broader Definition of Friendship

　　Assignment：Is it easier now to form friendships than ever before?

　　乍一看这种题目超越了我们平时准备的范畴，但其实只要稍微转动脑子就会发现原来这就是平时我们所说的科技进步和我们的生活类题目。建立友谊比以前更容易还是更难了，都很好写，例子的话，可以紧密和Internet(科技发展利弊的典型)相结合，例如美国学生爱使用的facebook(类似校内网)方便了未曾谋面的人结为朋友。

　　08 年3月曾经考过这道题：Are organizations or groups most successful when their members pursue individual wishes and goals? 时隔一年半，类似题目又出现在SAT考场，验证了SAT作文题目的相似性。09年11月考了这道题：

　　Prompt：Some people ruin their chances of achieving success or refrain from attaining a goal because they have learned that success is selfish. But they should not feel guilty about trying to achieve their own goals. People who act on their inner desirestheir greatest wishes and ambitionsonly make their own and other peoples lives better and are more likely to benefit society. Imagine how much better the world would be if everyone could be happy and fulfilled.

　　Adapted from Sheri O. Zampelli, From Sabotage to Succes

　　Assignment：Do society and other people benefit when individuals pursue their own goals?

　　这不就是我们上课的时候经常看到的个人和集体类题目吗，换汤不换药。有关个人v.s. 和集体的利益/目标这种题目建议和竞争与合作类题目结合，互为所用。

　　09年10月一道题：

　　Prompt：Both in society and in our own lives, todays problems are serious and require serious solutions. Increasingly, however, people are taught to laugh at things that arent usually funny and to cope with difficult situations by using humor. They are even advised to surround themselves with funny people. There is strong evidence that laughter can actually improve health and help fight disease.

　　Adapted from Marshall Brain, How Laughter Works

　　Assignment：Is using humor the best way to approach difficult situations and problems?

　　思维转换下就不难发现，这不就是我们常说的Happiness题目吗?就算考场上想不起来Abraham Lincoln...的例子，相信大家都曾经历或者听说过以积极、乐观、幽默的态度面对困难、挫折的experience或story。把这个例子细节化再配备不错的语言，想拿8分一点都不难(其实如果课堂上认真准备的话，这样的个人轶事应该是有写过的)。这个题目提醒了我们审题的重要性，我们要培养的是把新题目往大类别上靠拢，尽量用准备好的例子框架套在各种新题目上。

　　有的考生在09年10月考的是这道题--

　　Prompt：Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. You need one because you are human. You didnt come from nowhere. Before you, around you, and, presumably, after you, there are others. Even if you live alone and even if your solitude is by your own choice, you still cannot do without a network or a family.

　　Adapted from Jane Howard, All Happy Clans Are Alike: In Search of the Good Family

　　Assignment：Does everyone, even people who choose to live alone, need a network or family?

　　这道题考查的是个体和群体的关系。无论群体是家庭、学校、club还是其他机构组织，都能为个体提供其生存生活所需，例如文化资本和社会资本。这个题目是较为容易的。

　　回顾上一年的SAT作文，可以说都在我们的准备范围内。自05年春季SAT考试改革以来近130道作文题目，其实只要大家把它们分门别类，分别整理思路及素材，对付今后的SAT作文考试题目就比较容易了。展望一零年的SAT作文，不出意外，个人，大众，社会的题目还会考到，此类题目辐射面广且易考。另外建议大家关注下真善美类题目。最后预祝大家1月考试成功!