Подготовка к GRE

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Для TOEFL essay достаточно сделать простейшую заготовку в стиле KISS (keep it simple stupid), что означает, "держите их за дураков": в первом абзаце расскажите, о чем вы будете расказывать, 2 - 3 абзаца излагайте им последовательно тему, и в последнем абзаце вкратце повторите, о чем вы им рассказывали. Это классическая структура экзаменационного эссе. Для себя я добавила в этот метод переписывание топика в первый абзац с незначительными исправлениями, что эффективно высвобождает время на остальную часть эссе.

Например такой топик: 184. Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Сразу напрашивается начало: All students have different ways of studying. Some people prefer to study alone and others prefer to study with a group of students. I myself prefer to study alone because ... и дальше всякое blah-blah-blah с изложением обьяснений. Не очень изящно и без фантазии? Конечно! Но если вы уверены, что можете написать развернутое сочинение на десять абзацев, то вам вряд ли нужна моя рассылка, и вообще вы уже наверное учитесь за границей. Я же в то время сочиняла еще очень плохо, потому для меня была хороша любая выдумка, спасающая время.

Во втором абзаце вы уже занимаетесь непосредственно развитием темы, можно рассказать какой-то эпизод из своей жизни с размышлениями почему одному заниматься лучше. О том почему в компании хуже, вы лучше расскажете в четвертом абзаце. Не в третьем, а именно в четвертом, потому что в третьем вы лучше добавите еще один аргумент в поддержку своего заявления. Таким образом получается классическая структура:

1) введение - заявление темы, общие слова
2) тело сочинения, аспект первый, рассуждения на тему первого аспекта, поддерживающие идеи
3) аспект второй, поддержка идеи с точки зрения этого второго аспекта
4) аспект третий или противопоставление первым двум плюс опровержение этого противопоставления
5) заключение, что есть просто повторение введения иными словами.

И как полагается пример сочинения с сайта

http://www.wayabroad.com/twe/bytopic_t_all.cfm

написанный не мною, а каким-то студентом. Правильность не гарантирую - это только пример. Сразу можно заметить, что человек повторяется, имеет небогатый словарный запас, не выдерживает 5-ти абзацной структуры, а дает только 4, но все же эссе вполне на рабочем уровне. Мое было хуже, и я тоже не успела написать 5 абзацев.

All students have different styles of studying. Some people prefer to study alone and others prefer to study with a group of students. I myself prefer to study alone because I can concentrate more in my study. So let me give some reasons about why I think is better to study alone than to study with a group.

I can concentrate in my study better when I am alone. It is more quiet and I do not have to care about other people. If I study with a group, I am sure that I would start talking with my friends and also I would think other things than studying. It would interrupt my concentration. Another advantage of study alone is the obligation of solving the problem by myself. If I study with other students, I would quickly ask question to my friends and avoid thinking deeply to try to solve the problem by my self.

It is true that however, sometimes I began lazy and do not even want to start studying. In this case, I think that study with friends and have some good stimulations would be a cue to start studying. However, it is occasionally, not all the time. It is said that by teaching each other, we can understand the content of the study more effectively than to be satisfied to understand only by myself. My high school teacher used to say that if we can teach to our colleague, that means we completely understood the class. However we can do this process at school when we are in the class. The most important thing in studying is to concentrate, which I think the most difficult if I am in a group.

Because of the reasons above, I prefer to study alone and concentrate in my study. In this way I will study actively and try to solve the problem by my self, which is the most important thing in studying.

14 "It is necessary for everyone to read poetry, novels, mythology and other types of imaginative literature."

http://www.wayabroad.com/twe


In the course of human events imaginative literature plays an important role in individual, family and social life. However, is it necessary it read poetry, novels, mythology and other types of imaginative literature?

Imaginative literature can affect individual attitude to daily life since most imaginative literature is positive. Take my father as a case of point, when he retired from his position, he was so negative that he drank, smoked, and overslept, and that he was always angry with my mother for some trifles. That is because he was not a person who enjoys leisure time but a man enjoying the happiness of work. My mother gave him a novel named “The Old Man and The Sea” in order to let him have something to kill time. After having read the novel, my father accepted the fact that he had already retired and began to find some other things to have a happy life. From a sense, human know little about real significance of life. They are nothing different from a vessel that lost its longitude and latitude when they do not have imaginative literature to read.

Family life will also because drab without reading imaginative literature. To some extent, imaginative is an effective approach that can prevent divorce. When a husband have to come back late in that he a lot of task to accomplish in his company, the wife, alone at home, can read some imaginative literature to wait her love who is coming back. If the wife has no books to read, she may turn to TV to kill time. But, nowadays, the TV program is always boring and the woman may feel upset, quarrel with his husband when reach home, and divorce with him. Therefore, it is possible that imaginative is a reassurance of the social stability.

In addition, the quality of life may have different definitions depending on different circumstance. But any definitions should include at least three elements: happiness, leisure time enjoying and the liberty of using material resources. Fortunately, imaginative literature at the least can meet two of the three elements. Hence, because of imaginative literature, the quality of life may be improved much.

However, it is not necessary for everyone to read imaginative literature. If a man is always hungry, or even illiterate, it is not realistic for him to read imaginative literature. And, also, if a country involving a war with another one, is it necessary for its civilian to read imaginative literature? The answer is so obvious that I would even bother to pose such a question. The most crucial thing to do is to win the war in that case.

Therefore, although imaginative literature is important in human life, it is still not necessary for everyone to read imaginative literature. If a man who lives in a peaceful country has money and time to read imaginative literature, it is quite an excellent way to enjoy life.

И в заключении ваши вопросы:

ruth09, добрый день! спасибо Вам за рассылку! все, что Вы пишете, оказывается не только полезно "в общем и целом" и очень эффективно! у меня есть один вопрос, так сказать, личного характера: по какой специальности у Вас phD? если это не секрет, конечно... заранее спасибо!

Ответ: Два с лишним года назад начинала в одном из университетов на факультете Computer Engineering, но возникли сложности со стороны документов, а в другом университете эти сложности вдруг решились без проблем. Потому я поменяла ВУЗ и факультет - и заветная мечта об американском дипломе вдруг отодвинулась на неопределенное время... Но уже все ближе и ближе... :) Теперь я на Computer Science Department'e

Всего хорошего! Жду ваших вопросов.

ruth09@yandex.ru