英语应试类的写作方法在中国范围内的辩论已经持续了很长时间。辩论的双方一边大声疾呼句子复杂的重要性，一边也不遗余力地在呼吁文章必须言之有物。其实两者皆为英语写作的要素，并不矛盾，只不过是在不同考试中强调的重点不同罢了。如果对于这个问题看不透彻，也就无法解释为什么有的考生GRE写作可以考到5分(满分6分)而相对简单许多的IELTS写作却只能拿到一个普通的6分(满分9分)而已了。由此可见看清考试本质的重要性。

在笔者所接触的英语考试(TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, SAT)中可以感觉到非常明显的区别。GRE和SAT的考试由于是主要针对母语是英语的考生，因此其考试性质已不仅仅在语言层面，而在更大程度上考查考生的思维，要求文章在语言基础上体现思辨性，需要言之有物。而TOEFL和IELTS的考试性质不同，它们是对于母语非英语的考生的语言考试，因而从某种程度上来说更加注重语言本身的正确性和驾驭能力，对于思辩的考察几乎都没有列入正式的评分标准。

那么，是否可以说明IELTS的写作应当忽略思维的练习呢?当然不是。

在笔者接触的中国考生中，雅思写作的难点不仅仅在语法和措词，更重要的一点是思维的基本逻辑。这里笔者用了“基本逻辑”以区分前文中的“思辨性”。两者区别在于后者的程度深要求高难度大，而前者只是文章基本通顺的要求罢了。换言之，前者是logically make sense, 后者是make logical wonder. 但是令人担忧的是，有时候即使请很多中国学生用中文写作雅思作文，仍然会感觉其文章论证逻辑混乱，上下文联系不紧，甚至出现理屈词穷的尴尬场面。因此笔者认为，在国内铺天盖地的英语写作模板泛滥之际，这是研究写作，尤其是英语写作的学生和老师都应该转变思想的时候了。试想，如果拿几个作文模板就能够走遍天下都不怕， 如果这不是此种考试的悲哀，那么一定是这种语言的悲哀。况且，如果中国的雅思考生逻辑思维能力普遍薄弱，那么我们就应该跳过英语的层面去看到思维上的巨大漏洞。亡羊补牢，为时不晚。

为弥补这一弱点，教育工作者应该做的事有很多，比如说在中小学阶段就应该强调写作和日常口语中的逻辑问题，因为思维模式的形成和发展总是和大的环境和教育模式有关。这是一个长期的工作，但是意义深远。毕竟，一个民族的思考方式的提升代表着一个民族的提升。这是比英语水平提高和留学成功率更加紧迫和重要的事情。当然，这些不是本文讨论的重点。

作为普通的“烤鸭”来说，又应该如何在有限的备考时间内锻炼基本思维和逻辑呢?

首先，了解基本逻辑，避免常见错误。

其次，关注社会现象，积累基本常识。

最后，浏览往年考题，多做提纲训练。

(一)了解基本逻辑，避免常见错误

要了解基本逻辑错误一定不能错过一篇英文小品文Love Is A Fallacy(作者Max Shulman)，这里仅列举出十种最常见的逻辑错误。

1.草率前提 (Dicto Simpliciter)

例如：Women are on average not as strong as men and less able to perform well politically. Therefore, women can't pull their weight in government work.

点评：虽然女性确实在政界担任较少工作，但这不意味着女性群体中所有的人都是这样。

2.过度概化 (Hasty Generalization)

例如：McDonald's and KFC offer foods with little nutrition, and thus we cannot expect any fast food restaurant to provide us with nutritious foods.

点评：两个个例不足以推出一个真理。

3.因果颠倒 (Post Hoc)

例如：Most young criminals watch violent movies before they commit their crimes; obviously, violent movies lead to juvenile delinquency.

点评：甲事情发生在乙事情之前，这并不代表着先发生的甲事情就是后发生的乙事情的原因。

4.矛盾前提 (Contradictory Premises)

例如：If God can do everything, can he make a stone so heavy that he can't carry?

点评：前提条件中就有相互矛盾的地方，结论当然是错误的。

5.感性论证 (Ad Misericordiam)

例如：Think of all the poor, starving African children! How could rich countries be so cruel as not to help them?

点评：抒情是不能当作论证的。

6.错误类比 (False Analogy)

例如：Young children are like flowers---flowers should stay away from terrible weather to grow, so children need to get rid of everything negative.

点评：孩子和花朵的区别太大。成长的过程也太复杂。最好不要用这两者来类比。

7.虚假假设 (Hypothesis Contrary to Fact)

例如：If TV were not invented, today people would never have such wonderful entertainment brought by TV.

点评：因为电视已经被发明了，对于过去的否定假设后所得出的结论都是逻辑上的错误结论。

8.无关转移 (Red Herring)

例如：Many people say we need to exploit the outer space, a point which I believe is wrong, because there are so many poor people on Earth who hardly make ends meet.

点评：有一个问题没解决并不代表着另一个问题不值得解决。

9.从众错误 (Bandwagon)

例如：Everyone says it is justified to learn a second language so we must learn one.

点评：人人都说，或者大多数都说，这并不意味着该观点正确。

10.滑坡谬误 (Slippery slope)

例如：If we don't care about the environment, the world will die in 50 years.

点评：从环境问题到世界灭亡，中间有无数环节未提供论证。

(二)关注社会现象，积累基本常识

这里介绍一些网站给大家。通过浏览这些网站信息，大家的常识一定会慢慢被培养起来。

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

该网站以信息全面著称，可谓包罗万象。

2. www.articlesbase.com/

文章多，分类齐全。

3. www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/

针对社会热点话题的专家级看法。

4. www.answers.com/

可以搜出大量不同领域文章的网站

5. www.economist.com/debate/

《经济学家》杂志的辩论专刊

6. www.idebate.org/

议会制辩论重要数据库

7. www.quotationspage.com/

囊括众多名人名言

8. www.personal-development.com/

该私人网站文章风格清新，语言优美

(三)浏览往年考题，多做提纲训练

这里列出2008年1月到7月全部考题，以供大家参考复习。最好分别列出提纲训练组织文章结构的能力。

2008年1月10日

Some people believe that time spent on television, video and computer games can be valuable for children. Others believe this has negative effects on a child. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2008年1月12日

Some people believe that in order to reduce crime, prisoners should be given longer prison sentence while other people think there are other alternative ways. Discuss the both viewpoints and give your opinion.

2008年1月19日

Old generations often hold some traditional ideas on the correct way of life, thinking and behavior. However, some people argue that older ideas are not helpful for the younger generation in preparing for the modern life in the future.

To what extent do you agree of disagree?

2008年1月26日

In countries where there is a high rate of unemployment, most pupils should be offered only primary education. There is no point in offering secondary education to those who have no hope of finding a job. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

2008 年2月2日

Some people think it is acceptable to use animals for the benefit of the human beings. Some people think it is wrong to exploit animals for the human purposes. What is your opinion?

2008年2月14日

People living in big cities face many problems today. What are the problems? Should the government encourage people to live in regional towns?

2008年2月16日

An American film actor John Wayne said: "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life."

How important it is to thinking about the future rather than focus on the present, for individuals and for the society?

What's your opinion?

2008年2月23日

There is a possibility for any country to buy a wide variety of foods from other places all over the world. To what extent do you agree that the benefit of this development outweigh the drawback?

2008年3月1日

The government thinks that education system should be up to date. Following are a list of the subjects taught in school. Which two do you think are the most important subjects and which one is the least important to the young people?

Literature Sports

Mathematics Economics

Physics Music

Psychology History

Geography Foreign languages

2008年3月8日

Some people think that young people (children and teenagers) can easily learn foreign languages; others believe that adults are more successful in it. Discuss both and give your opinion.

As the number of cars increases, more money has to be spent on road systems. Some people think the government should pay for this. Others, however, think that the car users should cover the costs. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion

2008年3月13日

People should look after their health to the society they live in rather than only own personal benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年4月5日

Long distance flight uses more fuel than car and brings pollution to the environment. We should discourage non-essential flight rather than limit the use of car. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年4月12日

More working people are busy working and do not have enough time to spend with their family and friends. Why does this happen? What are the possible effects of these on family life and society as a whole?

2008年5月10日

Children learn things from TV easily. Some people suggest that they should be encouraged to watch TV regularly both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年5月22日

Some people think that schools should concentrate on academic classes. They think music and sports classes are not useful. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年6月14日

Cheap air travel is welcomed because some people think it will give ordinary people more freedom to travel by air. However, others suggest that air travel should be more expensive as it causes environmental problems, in order to discourage people from traveling by air.

Discuss both views and present yours.

2008年6月16日

In many countries, traditional foods are being replaced by international fast foods. This is having a negative effect on both families and societies. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年6月28日

Mobile phones and the Internet are useful for old people. However, this section of population is the least users of Mobile phones and the Internet.

What do you think mobile phones and the Internet used by old people?

How to encourage old people to use mobile phones and the internet?

2008年7月5日

Nowadays, more university students choose to study some practical subjects (such as marketing, computer programming, etc.), instead of theoretical subjects (such as economy, math, chemistry). Some people suggest that universities should focus on practical subjects, but not theoretical subjects.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2008年7月12日

Some people support development in agriculture, such as factory farming and scientific create of new type of fruits and vegetables. Some people opposite it and support other development.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

2008年7月24日

Some people think that we are more independent on each other in the world now, while others suppose that we are more dependent of each other.

Discuss both views and give your reasons.

2008年7月26日

Some people think international cooperation has brought benefits to world environment protection, while some people think more benefits has been brought to international business.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion