新托福口語三大備考關鍵詞
2014-12-25 16:16:43留學網整理
新托福的口語考試大約30分鐘，共有6道題目，一般稱作Speaking Tasks 1-6。如果把它們進行分組的話，正好兩兩每組：Speaking Task 1 and Speaking Task 2為一組，解題關鍵詞是characteristics（特性、特質）；Speaking Task 3 and Speaking Task 5為一組，解題關鍵詞是campus（校園）；而Speaking Task 4 and Speaking Task 6歸入最后一組，解題關鍵詞是class（課堂）。
Characteristics: Speaking Task 1
第一題和第二題除了都是關于一些familiar topics以外，它們另一個共通之處就是涉及到人或事物的characteristics。比如在Speaking Task 1里面，you will be asked to describe an important book. 具體題目見下：
Talk about a book you have read that was important to you for some reason.
Explain why the book was important to you. Give specific details and examples to explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________________
Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
針對這樣的題目，你談什么樣的書其實并不重要。關鍵在于你說出了這本書之后，給出怎樣的合理解釋，即題目要求中的specific details and examples，而這些東西就是我們所說的characteristics。換言之，你把這本書的三大特性描述出來，就等于給出了相應的細節和例證。請看下面的列表：
The reasons why the book was important
Reason 1 = Characteristic 1: It gave me a lot of practical guidance
Reason 2 = Characteristic 2: It had a lot of illustrations to help me understand
Reason 3 = Characteristic 3: There was an interesting theoretical framework in the book
在三大理由（或三大特性）中，我們分別給其中的核心要點加了斜體和下劃線，這就是考生們必須在15秒鐘的準備時間內記下的最簡單的筆記。沒有這三點，想要在后面的45秒鐘回答時間內進行良好的發揮，是一件異常困難的事情。
09年中國大陸地區的第一場考試發生在2009年1月10日。其中第一題的大意是：When it comes to choosing friends, which characteristic do you think is the most important: honesty, loyalty or sense of humor? 回答這個問題有兩種策略：一個是老實人的辦法，一個是聰明人的招數。我們先看題目在問什么，很明顯，題目要求我們從三種特性中選出一種，是在擇友過程中最重要的。老實人的辦法就是老老實實地選一個，比如honesty（誠實），然后根據honesty再來展開三個論據（或舉例或抽象描述）：
Plan A
Honesty is the most important characteristic in choosing friends
Reason 1: True friends should never lie to each other
Reason 2: Being honest to your friends is the best way to maintain a long-term relationship
Reason 3: A dishonest person will eventually hurt you and your family
顯然，此類針對honesty而擴展的抽象論證并非每一個考生力所能及的事情，因為這種老實人的辦法往往難度較高，只適合那些語言功底扎實和思路敏捷的人。雖然這種策略比較容易拿高分，其風險也是較大的。
那么聰明人的招數是什么呢？聰明人通常不按常理出牌，他們會尋覓一種捷徑，以非常討巧的方式來滿足題目的要求。聰明人看到題目本身就含有三大特性，他們一見機遇就趕緊抓�。�
Plan B
These three characteristics are equally important when choosing friends
Characteristic 1: Honesty – Only people who are honest to one another can become real friends.
Characteristic 2: Loyalty – A faithful friend can lend you a helping hand when you are in trouble.
Characteristic 3: Humor – A person with a great sense of humor is often friendly and easy-going.
明眼人一看就知道，后一種策略的難度大大地降低了，因為每一個特性只要展開一個論據就行了，是一種取巧的方法�？赡苡腥藭䥺枺@算不算off topic呢？考官會不會認為你沒有回答到位呢？答案是否定的，因為三大特性同樣重要的情況當然會存在，所以依次展開也無可厚非。其實從另一個角度看，聰明人有時也會碰到麻煩，比如其中講某個特性的單詞不認識（比如loyalty），導致無法在這上面展開，這時候只有退而求其次，講其中的兩大特性很重要（honesty and sense of humor are both very important）。
綜上所述，Speaking Task 1的特性描述是極為關鍵的一種訓練方法。朗閣海外考試研究中心建議大家備考時，特別針對Person, Place, Thing, Event這四種出題的可能性來列出一些常見的characteristics，其中關于人的特性尤其重要，因為在新托福口語考試中不止一次地考到Describe a good parent, Describe a good leader, Describe a good teacher之類的題目，要求都是描述人物的各種特性，希望考生們多多準備。
最后我給出三道Speaking Task 1的模擬題，大家可以列一個簡要的回答提綱。
Choose one of your favorite methods of relaxing and explain why you like it best.
Please include specific details in your explanation.
________________________________________________________________________
Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
What is the most important quality that a good neighbor should have?
Please give specific reasons to support your idea.
________________________________________________________________________
Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
What is the best way for you to make friends?
Please give specific reasons to support your idea.
________________________________________________________________________
Preparation Time: 15 seconds
Response Time: 45 seconds
