首先我們來看一下國家類問題的提問方式:
1. How do people celebrate birthday in your country?
2. Is crime a problem in your country?
3. Do many people work on farms in your country?
同學們應該看出來了,問題問的全都是“in your country”。
下面我們再來看一位中國考生的答案:
1. How do people celebrate birthday in your country?
Usually they will invite friends to their home and have a big dinner, then they will eat a birthday cake and play some games.
相信同學們都能看出來這個答案不是太好,比較短,而且像流水賬,但是我們平常過生日確實就是這個樣,也說不出什么花活來,那么我們到底應該怎么回答呢?
同學們來看下面這個答案樣本:
Well, I would have to say it really depends.
I mean, as for young people, they would probably go to a club or a karaoke bar with their friends. You know, they are full of energy and want to go crazy once in a while.
However, as for the old, they are more likely to have a big dinner at home and chat with their family. Normally they will have noodles because in Chinese culture, long noodles are the symbol of a long life.
有心的同學應該看出來了,上面這個答案樣本采用的就是“分情況討論’的方法,因為”國家“這個范圍實在是太大了,所以不能全部一概而論,”分情況討論“是一個不錯的選擇。但是同學們要注意,”國家類“分的情況往往是比較宏觀的,經(jīng)常從三個角度切入:
人群:old / young, rich / poor, men / women …
地區(qū):city / countryside, south / north …
時代:past / now …
下面我再給同學們舉兩個具體的例子,供同學們參考:
Is crime a problem in your country?
Well, I guess my answer would be determined by different conditions.
I mean, in big cities, the crime rate is relatively high. I guess this is probably because there’s just too much temptation in big cities and many people cannot control themselves.
But in the countryside, seldom can you witness a crime. The reason may have something to do with the fact that in the countryside, people’s mind is not that complicated. Most of them are satisfied with the way they are living and they don’t want too much.
Do many people work on farms in your country?
Well, in the past, the number of farmers in China was quite large. Decades ago, not so many people could get the opportunity to go to school. Consequently, most of them ended up working as a farmer.
However, nowadays fewer and fewer people choose to work on farms. The explanation for this is that the money a farmer earns is no longer enough to cover the whole family’s needs. As a consequence, lots of people decide to find a job in the city where they can get a better payment.