英文寫作講義 Table of Contents

英文寫作講義
Table of Contents

1 英文寫作基本觀念 2
2 英文寫作DNA
I. Descriptive
A. Describe places/objects
B. Describe people
II. Narrative (time order)
III. Argumentative/Analytic
A. Listing
B. Cause-Effect
C. Compare-Contrast
10


15
17
18
19
20
3 Transitional Words (轉折詞) 22
1. 歷屆聯考作文題目 33
2. 大學聯考作文評分範例 84年 39
3. 大學聯考作文評分範例 87年 41
4. 歷屆推甄作文題目 43
5. 高三作文參考題目 48
6. TOEFL Test Writing Topics 50


Alice Chiu
alicechiu@tp.edu.tw


英文寫作基本觀念
Ten Reasons Why Students Should Write?
 Main reason: Students learn English by writing it.
 Other reasons:
 To strengthen a language skill
 To explore the functions and values of writing
 To clarify thinking
 To stimulate imagination
 To express ideas in different formats
 To encourage creativity
 To search for identity
 To enhance feelings of enjoyment and accomplishment
 To practice the mechanics of writing


What Students Can Write?

Lists
Diary
Logs
Journals
Classroom, newspaper
Letters
Notes
Advertisement
Instruction
Warning Signs
Plays/Skits
Poetry
Essays/ Compositions
Written Conversations
Cards
Book/ Story Reports
Observations
Commercials
Directions
Jokes
Riddles
Stories
Additional verses to Songs




Writing a Paragraph
To write a paragraph, you must follow certain basic steps. Writing a paragraph is a process you can learn if you are willing to think and plan before beginning to write, and to follow your plan when you start to write. First, you must pick a topic, or think about the topic you have been given. Next, you must jot down as many ideas as you can think of about your topic. Then you should look back over your list and pick out the main points you will use in writing your topic sentence. Now, write your topic sentence. After you’ve written your topic sentence, you’re ready to develop your paragraph by using the main points included in your topic sentence. To develop your paragraph, then, write a series of sentences which explain your topic sentence. Be sure that all these sentences give details about your topic sentence. Finally, you should bring your paragraph to an end by writing a sentence that makes the reader feel that your paragraph is complete. By following the steps explained here, your will be able to write a paragraph.

Now, you know that a paragraph has certain basic characteristics.
1. The topic sentence is a statement of the topics, or subject, of the paragraph.
2. Details in a series of sentences develop the topic sentence.
3. The ending is the last sentence of the paragraph. It should make the reader feel that the paragraph is complete.

It is also important to keep in mind that a paragraph should (1) contain only one central idea, (2) have unity, (3) have coherence and continuity, and (4) be adequately developed. Also, don’t forget that your topic sentence, and most other sentences, should (1) be complete, (2) be clear, (3) be specific, and (4) be well-worded.









The Organization of a Paragraph

I. Introduction
The topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. The writer usually expresses his/her opinions in the topic sentence so that the readers will know what the paragraph is going to talk about. In other words, the topic sentence carries the main idea of the paragraph.

II. Body
Usually the body contains the supporting sentences of the main idea in the topic sentence.

III. Conclusion
the last sentence in your paragraph is called the concluding sentence. This sentence tells the reader it is the end of the paragraph. The concluding sentence and the topic sentence are similar. They are both general sentences. You can write the concluding sentence like the topic sentence, but use different words.

Construct a Paragraph
1 Choose a topic.
2 Write a topic sentence to introduce the subject of the paragraph.
3 Provide supporting details about the subject, each in its own sentence. There should be at least three supporting sentences.
4 Write a concluding sentence. It may be like one of the following:
1) the topic sentence repeated
2) the topic sentence written in a different way
3) a sentence stating the results of the preceding sentences
4) an exclamation summarizing the emotion of the previous sentences
5) the desired results coming from the previous sentences
6) a personal opinion based upon the preceding sentences
5 Optional: Write an appropriate title.
Paragraph Form







Indent







Capitalize the first word in each sentence.










One-inch margin
David Wang Name
Number
Date


Center title
























One-inch margin


7056
Feb. 9

Left-handed People

Left-handed people have many problems living in a

world for right-handed people. First, driving a car may be

a problem. All the important things in the car are on the

right. For example, the ignition switch, the gear shift, and

the accelerator and brake are all on the right. Second,

using a typewriter may be a problem. Typewriters are again

made for right-handed people and all the keys are on the

right. This includes the on-off button, carriage return,

period, comma, and other important punctuation marks.

In conclusion, left-handed people have to work harder than

right-handed people to do simple things.







Writing Process
The writing process is a natural procedure used by professional writers. It involves preparatory writing tasks, drafting, peer response, editing, revising, and publishing. These steps can improve the quality of completed writings.

I. Pre-writing
It precedes writing; the writer activates his/her thoughts and creativity and writes an outline of these thoughts.

II. Writing First Draft
Develop information from an outline in rough draft form, narrowing pre-writing generalities to specifics.

III. Peer and self-evaluation
1 Self-evaluation and Peer-review
Besides self-evaluation, allow someone else to interpret your writing and offer suggestions.

2 Teacher’s evaluation (1)

IV. Revising: Writing the Second Draft
1 Based on self-evaluation, peer-review and teacher’s suggestions, changes and improves your works by reworking a sentence/paragraph with consideration for organization, clarity, unity, emphasis, and word selection.

2 Teacher’s evaluation (2)

V. Proofreading:
This is similar to revising. Based on teacher’s suggestion, make a final copy of revised, proofread and edited work.

VI. Publishing: Your Final copy




Self-Editing Review Sheet
Class __________ Name _________ No. __________ Date

1 About the content
Yes No
Is there a main idea or central focus in the writing?
Does the topic sentence in the paragraph support, limit, and direct the main ideas?
Are there enough supportive sentence under each idea?
Are different ideas put in different parts?
Are there any irrelevant or redundant sentences in the writing?
Does the conclusion echo to the introduction and give the reader a sense of completion?

2 About the language
Yes No
Are you satisfied with your word choice?
Are all words in the correct form?
Are words spelled correctly?
Is there basic agreement between subject and verb?
Is there basic agreement between auxiliary (助動詞) and verb?
Is verb tense correct?
Are you happy about your sentence structures?
Are there any fragment or run-on sentences?






Peer Review Sheet
Your comments will be used by the author to rewrite her paper. Be as detailed and helpful as possible. Write your comments on this sheet.

Write one thing you like about the writing.
I like/appreciate…




Find three words, phrases or sections that you feel are especially well written and effective. Put an (E) in the margin by them. (E = excellent)
Put (?) beside any redundant sentences or irrelevant ones.
Suggest additional transitional expressions that could be used in this wtiting.
Underline any problems with verb tenses, verb forms, or modal usag.
Are there any other problems with grammar, punctuation, or vocabulary choices? Please make corrections on the writing.

If there are additional words or phrases that you think would make the writing better, write the suggestion below.







Write down below any general comments and suggestions. (at least one.)












Revision Checklist
Class __________ Name _________ No. __________ Date
I. Organization
Yes No
Is there a clear introduction?
Does it catch the reader’s attention?
Is there a clear main idea of the writing?
Does the body have a clear topic sentence related to the main idea?
Does the body develop the topic sentence with details and examples?
Are there smooth transitions between ideas?
Is there a definite conclusion that wraps up the writing?

II. Content
Yes No
Does the writing clearly support the main idea?
Are the points developed completely?
Does the writing have a smooth logical flow?
Does the writing reflect original thinking and interesting ideas?

III. Style
Yes No
Is there variety in the length and type of sentence?
Are words used appropriately?
Is there an appropriate tone or mood in the writing?
Is the writing enjoyable to read?

IV. Grammar and Mechanics
Yes No
Are there any major mechanical errors? (e.g., Subject and Verb Agreement, singular/plural, spelling, punctuation)
Are there any sentence errors? (e.g., fragments, run-on sentences)
Do any errors interfere with the writer’s meaning?
Is the writer’s handwriting clear and easy to read?

英文寫作DNA
I Descriptive—描述事物或人物
1 Descriptive常用空間法，依物體景象位置的左右上下前後等來描寫物或人；並且針對主題仔細地描述時。需要用大量且具體的形容詞。
2 有關空間方向的轉折詞


1. in front of/ before
2. in the middle of
in the center of
3. at the back of
4. at the bottom of
5. on the top of
6. on the right (left) of
7. in the distance
at the distance
8. opposite to
9. close to
10. next to
11. below
12. under
13. above
14. beyond
15. around
16. on both sides of the road
on either side of the road


範例一 空間方向
I live in the suburbs with my parents and brothers. I like the surroundings very much. 1In front of my house, there is a pond full of fish. When I have free time, especially o weekends, I often sit by the pond watching many kinds of fish swimming freely. 2Behind my house, I can see mountains in the distance and clouds over them. 3On the right of my house, there is a piece of land for rice. Sometimes I work in the field to help Father harvest the crop. 4And on the left of my house, there is a stream flowing slowly. In summer, I often go fishing and swim for a long time in the stream. All these lovely surroundings make my life colorful and meaningful.


範例二 描述人物
住我家隔壁的一位鄰居，也是我的朋友，是位大學生，去年高中畢業。他又高又瘦，喜歡穿著時髦的衣服。偶而他戴著一副太陽眼鏡，使他看起來更酷。他人很帥，剛上大學就四處交女朋友。
我認識他五年了。我們共同的嗜好是打籃球，天氣許可的話，我們常在周六下午打籃球。然而，他的生或方式和我的大不相同，例如由於他每天都熬夜，所以他習慣晚睡晚起。除此之外，考試前總是開夜車。雖然如此，我們仍舊是好鄰居及好朋友。

A neighbor of mine, also a friend of mine, who lives next to me is a college student. He graduated from senior high school last year. He is both tall and thin and likes to wear fashion clothes. Sometimes, he wears a pair of sunglasses, which makes him very cool. He is so handsome that as soon as he attended college, he made girl friends here and there.
I have known him for five years. Our common hobby is playing basketball. Weather permitting, we often play basketball on Saturday afternoon. However, his way of living is greatly different from mine. For example, since he stays up almost every day, he is used to keeping late hours. Besides, he always burns the midnight oil before examinations. Even so, we are still good neighbors and friends.

3 用來描述人的個性的形容詞

hard-working
lazy
friendly
sympathetic
affectionate
cruel
well-behaved
bad-tempered
polite
rude
brave
cowardly
generous
greedy
mean
selfish
jealous mean
intelligent
clever
witty
stupid
ambitious
(im)patient
boring
self-confident
sociable
easy-going
stubborn
strict
talkative
shy
tidy
punctual
forgetful
imaginative
lively
childish
modest
proud
arrogant
bossy
materialistic
vain
optimistic
pessimistic
cheerful
miserable
self-conscious
cautious
impulsive
(in)sensitive
(un)reliable
(dis)honest
frank
straight-forward
diplomatic


4 用來描述人的外表的形容詞





























範例四 描述人物
My best friend is Maria Wang. She is twelve years old and my classmate at school. Maria lives down the street from me in a large old house on the corner. We have been best friends for over six years now ever since she first came to live here. Although Maria was born in the United States, her family decided to return to Taiwan when she was small and that’s how I came to know her.
Maria has dark brown hair and laughing black eyes and she is as tall as I am but a little thinner. Maria likes to study maths and English and she often helps me with my homework. I like History and Geography best and so I help her with these subjects because she is not very good at them. Sometimes, after we have finished our homework, we go for a walk with Maria’s dog Ringo. At other times, we ride our bicycles to the park and play on the swings or go swimming in the pool near us. Maria is always happy and smiling and is great fun to be with because she is such a generous and cheerful person.
As neither of us has a brother or sister, we are very glad to live so close. If we didn’t have each other then we might be lonely. Maria is my best friend now, and I am sure I will always like her, even when we have both grown up. I only hope that she will always feel the same about me.

 Who is your best friend?
 Where does he/she live?
 How old is your best friend?
 How long have you been friends?
 Describe your best friend. (physical appearance)
 Describe your best friend. (deposition / character / personality)
 What is the nicest thing about your best friend? (give examples)
 What does your best friend like to do?
 Who do you and your best friend do together?
 How do you and your best friend help each other?
 Do you think you will always be best friends? Why? / Why not?




5 有關舉例的轉折詞

1) most important of all / above all/ most of all
2) that is / that is to say / in other words / to put it differently
3) take…for example / take…for instance
4) for example / for instance / such as / like
範例四 描述人物
My Selfish Brother
My brother is very selfish. For one thing, he does not want to share things with other people. For example, when he buys a bar of chocolate, he puts it in a secret place. Then he eats it all, by himself. And, he never helps anyone. He says he is busy. For example, a game of tennis or Nintendo makes him very busy. What’s more, he does not care if something he does bothers other people. For instance, last night he played loud rock & roll music until four o’clock in the morning. In conclusion, I think my brother is selfish, and will always be selfish.

6. 有關讓步的轉折詞
1) despite / in spite of
2) in this way / in this manner / in so doing
3) even if / even though
4) although / though
5) even so
6) For all I know,…
As far as I know,…

7. 有關結論的轉折詞
1) in brief / in short / to be short / to summarize
2) in a word / to sum up / to conclude
3) to my mind / in my opinion / in my view
4) in general / generally speaking / all in all
5) As we know from the above,… From the above-mentioned,…
From what I have said,… From what I have mentioned above,…
6) To make a long story short
II Narrative--敘述事情
Narrative常常用時間法(time order)來敘述事情發生的先後因果。
時間法常用的轉折語
1) later / afterwards
2) in the meanwhile / in the meanwhile;
meanwhile / meantime
3) at the same time / at a time
3) now / nowadays;
presently / at the present time / at present
for the time being
4) lately / recently
5) since then / from then on
6) from now on
7) at last / finally / in the end / in the long run /eventually
8) once / formerly
in the past
once upon the time
9) in the future
10) sometime or other
sooner or later
11) at first / in the beginning / originally













敘述文範例一: time order
When I was young, I always wanted to attend school, but I was not old enough. I watched my older sister go to school every day, and I got more and more jealous. Finally the day came. I woke up early in the morning and put on my best dress. I was so excited that I didn’t want to eat breakfast. Then my mother took me to school. A lot of strange children were there. They didn’t talk to me. The teacher didn’t smile. I fell asleep at my desk. When I returned home, I cried. I decided that I didn’t like school.

敘述文範例二: time order
An Unforgettable Day
The most unforgettable day in my life happened seven years ago. I was an elementary school student at that time. It rained cats and dogs. As I wanted to walk across the street, I did not bring an umbrella. I was forced to walk through the heavy rain and run across the road. At that moment, a motorcycle rushed out and hit me. I rolled two rounds and was thrown to the roadside. My left face galled and my head got light brain concussion. I could only eat liquid food in the following days because my face was badly hurt. I could not eat what I wanted as usual. Luckily, there is no scar on my face now. I think I will remember this thrilling day forever.

敘述文範例三: time order
One day in March I went to school without my coat. At noon when I was taking a nap, the temperature dropped sharply. After school, I felt very cold on my way home. Later, I had a runny nose and sneezed violently. At the same time, I had a high fever and felt quite uncomfortable. Mother took me to see a doctor. The doctor gave me an injection and told me to take medicine every six hours. The following day I was forced to stay at home and rest. I could do nothing at all and felt bored to death. Thanks to my mother’s tender care, I recovered my health soon. Falling sick is really an unpleasantly experience. I think we should take care of ourselves at any time.

III Argumentative / Analytic—論說文

1 條例說明法—就主題分點說明清楚，提出見解用字強而有力。
常見的次序轉折詞
1) first…second…third…last(finally)
2) firstly…secondly…thirdly…lastly
3) to begin with / to start with / first of all / for starter
4) in the first place
in the second place
in the third place
4) the former… the latter
the one… the other
that…this
those…these
5) then/ besides/ moreover
6) next/ in addition/ additionally



常見的強調附加性的轉折詞
1) certainly / surely / of course
2) above / in particular
3) to be sure / indeed
4) in fact / actually / as a matter of fact
5) and so on / and so forth / and the like
6) also / besides / in addition / moreover
furthermore / what’s more
7) what’s worse / to make the matter worse
8) what’s better
9) in the similar way / likewise / similarly
10) above all / most of all

條例說明法範例一: listing
I read newspapers for several reasons. 1First, I read for general information. This includes important political news, sports events, and social happenings. 2Second, I read newspapers for reports about the baseball team, and their players. 3Third, I read newspapers for a brief moment of entertainment. The comics are humorous. 4Fourth, I read newspapers to enrich my mind. The editorials and the more cultivated writings on the papers are a good source for enriching the mind. 5Finally, I read newspapers to keep myself abreast of the times. I want myself well-informed of what if going on abound me. There are the reasons why I read newspaper.

條例說明法範例二: listing
A Robot Teacher
In my opinion, you can get some advantages if you have a robot to teach you English. First of all, you feel at ease and relaxed. hen you make a mistake, you are not embarrassed. Second, the student is in control. You can ask the robot to repeat something over and over again. But you cannot ask your teacher to do that. In addition, learning with a robot is like a game. It is fun, but learning with a teacher is usually not like a game. In conclusion, a robot teacher makes you feel at ease, in control, and you have fun.

條例說明法範例三: listing
Entering college has been my great dream ever since I was a primary school student. I have been longing to enter college for several reasons. 1First, I can gain much advanced knowledge in college, which isn’t available in senior high school. 2Second, I can take part in many extracurricular activities to learn how to deal with others. 3Last but not least, I can broaden my horizons in college and that will enable me to stand a better chance to find a job after graduating from college. I’ll make the dream come true by all means.






2. 因果說明法 (cause-effect)
常見的結果因由的轉折詞及signal words
therefore hence thus
accordingly consequently in consequence
as a result for this reason because of this
because because of due to
causes effects is a cause of
lead to result in is the result of
can make has an effect on be caused by
因果說明法範例一: cause-effect
My Answering Machine
I got an answering machine for my birthday and I soon realized what a useful machine this is. 1I am not home most of the day, so someone can leave a message and I call them back. There is no way they can say they can’t get in touch with me. 2Sometimes when I am home and have work to do, the phone never stops. Now I put the machine on. I am not disturbed; as a result, I can do more work. 3There are some people I just do not want to talk to. Therefore, I put the machine on and I don’t have to speak to them. In conclusion, I really do not know how I lived without this wonderful invention.


因果說明法範例二: cause-effect
There are many different causes of car accidents in the United States. Sometimes accidents are caused by bad weather. Ice or snow can make roads very dangerous. Accidents also can result from problems with the car. Even a small problem like a flat tire can be serious. Bad roads are another cause of accidents. Some accidents happen because the driver falls asleep. And finally, some accidents are caused by drinking too much alcohol. In fact, this is one of the most important causes of accidents.





3. 對比法—以事情的一體兩面作比較說明 (compare-contrast)
常見的比較對照轉折詞

1) on the contrary = instead
2) in contrast
in contrast with
in contrast to
3) compared with
in comparison with
4) conversely = conversely speaking
5) on the one hand…on the other hand
6) some…others…(still others)
7) while / although / yet
8) nevertheless / however / still
9) rather
10) be different from
11) more than / less than
12) unlike
13) like
14) not only…but also
15) both
16) similar
17) as
18) same
19) also
20) in the same way
22) in common



對比法範例一: comparison A House Is Not a Home (83日大)
“House” and “home” are two words people are often confused about. They have the same meaning in some way. “House” is a building for people to live. Therefore, you can say I am able to buy a house. “Home” is also a place where a whole family live together. In this way, “house” and “home” are similar.
Nevertheless, a house is not always a how. A home is a shelter for us. Every time we feel discouraged and disappointed, “Home” is the best place to comfort us. Each member in the family shared joys and sorrows with each other. Without love, a home is not a house. In short, a house can’t be a home if there is no affection.

對比法範例二: comparison
When the first baby arrives in a household, everything changes. 1While before, the mother needed an alarm clock in the morning, now the baby decides when she should wake up. 2Formerly, the parents spent their evening watching TV or reading, but not now. All their free time is spent admiring their infant. 3In contrast to pre-baby days, their life is more carefully planned. While they used to go out to see friends whenever they wanted to, that is not possible any more. If they want to go out without the baby, they must arrange for a baby-sitter. 4Unlike the neat and tidy rooms of the past, these days their apartment is full of baby things. 5Their friends have even noticed a different in the topic of conversation: it’s always about the baby!

對比法範例三
High school graduates are sometimes nervous about attending college, because they fear that everything will be different. In fact, there are some important similarities between college and high school. 1In both places, academic success depends on being a responsible student. This means attending classes regularly, doing your homework, and studying new materials carefully. 2Similarly, social success in college is like high school. If you have had friends in high school, chances are you will have friends in college, too. 3College also resembles high school in student activities. Musical groups, sports teams, special interest clubs, and other activities are found in both institutions.

























Transitional Words
有關時間的轉折詞
1. at first / originally 剛開始 起初
in the beginning
In the beginning, I didn’t like this school.
2. later / afterwards 後來
Later, I found the classmates here lovely and sincere.
3. at last / finally / eventually 最後 終於
in the end / in the long run
Eventually, I fall in love with this new school.
4. in the meantime 期間 同時
in the meanwhile
meantime / meanwhile
In the meantime, I know a lot of good teachers.
5. at the same time 同時
At the same time, I learn a lot of useful knowledge.
6. at a time 每次 依次
Don’t try to do everything at once; take it a bit at a time.
7. once / formerly 曾經 以往 以前
in the past
once upon a time
Once upon a time, the princess used to be very beautiful.
8. now / nowadays 現在 目前
presently / at present
for the time being
I’ll have to cancel the trip for the time being because of the test.
9. lately / recently 最近
How have you been recently?
10. since then 從那時起
from then on
I have become a fan of the band from then on.
11. from now on 從現在起
I am determined to study hard from now on.
12. sometime or other 遲早
sooner or later
You’ll pass the exam sooner or later.

有關次序的轉折詞
1. first…second…third… 第一 第二 第三
firstly..secondly..thirdly
There are three goals I want to achieve. First, I want to become number in my class. Second, I want to go to my ideal college. Third, I want to go abroad for further studies.
2. first of all 首先
for starter
to start with
to begin with
In the beginning of John’s speech, he said, “To begin with, I would like to thank all of you for coming here to show your support.”
3. in the first place 首先
in the second place 其次
in the third place 第三
I like reading Studio Classroom for three reasons. In the first place, this magazine can improve my listening ability. In the second place, I can also broaden my bank of words. In the third place, the articles in the magazine are not only informative but interesting. I can learn a lot knowledge, too.
4. the former…the latter 前者 後者
the one…the other
that…this
those…these
Which holiday do you enjoy more? Halloween or Christmas? Why?
I enjoy the latter more than the former because I like the merry atmosphere during the holidays.
5. then / next 然後
Go straight. Then turn right at the traffic light.

有關空間方位的轉折詞

1. before / in front of 在…之前
Tom is sitting in front of me.
2. in the middle of 在…中間
in the center of 在…中央
In the middle of the room lies a lazy fat cat.
3. in back of 在…後面
Why are you hiding in the back of the tree?
4. at the bottom of 在…底部
The dictionary is put at the bottom of the box.
5. on the top of 在…頂部
On the top of the mountain stands a castle.
6. at a distance 在遠方
from the distance 從遠方
There is an animal at a distance. From the distant, it seems to be a deer.
7. on the right of 在…右邊
on the left of 在…左邊
Tom is sitting on the right of the door while Peter is standing on the left of the chair.
8. opposite to 在…對面
The post office is right opposite to the city library.
9. close to 接近
He lives close to the school.
10. next to 緊鄰
The boy living next to me will move the America soon.
11. on both sides of the road 道路兩旁
on either side of the road
On both sides of the road are some amazing skyscrapers.
12. below 在…下面
13. under 在…直接的下面
14. above 在上面
15. beyond 越過
16. around 附近 到處

有關強調附加性的轉折詞

1. certainly / surely / of course 當然
Do you love me? Of course I do.
2. above / in particular 特別是
He likes all kinds of desserts, ice cream in particular.
3. to be sure / indeed
I will be a senior this fall. To be sure, I will be much busier and there will be more pressure.
4. in fact 事實上
actually
as a matter of fact
As a matter of fact, I haven’t decide when to leave for London.
5. and so on 等等
and so forth
and the like
Many friends came to the party, including Tom, Peter, Mary, and so on.
6. also 也 除此之外 還有
besides
in addition
moreover
furthermore
what is more
I will review all the subjects during the vacation. What’s more, I will write my diary in English every day to improve my English writing ability.
7. what is worse 更糟的是
to make matters worse
Before the test, I wasn’t really fully prepared. What’s worse, I got sick and was late for the test.
8. in the similar way 相似地
likewise / similarly
We have a family reunion on the Chinese New Year’s eve. Likewise, the American families get together on Christmas Eve.
9. what is better 更好的是
I will go to London next week. What’s better, the British Council will pay all the fees.
10. above all 尤其是
most of all 最重要的是
It takes patience to master a language. Most of all, you have to use it as often as possible.

有關結果因由的轉折詞

1. therefore 因此
I didn’t finish my assignment on time; therefore, my teacher wasn’t happy about me.
hence 因此
Tom was hurt when he was practicing playing baseball; hence, he didn’t make the team. What a shame.
thus 因此
You broke the vase; thus, you have to pay.
accordingly 因此 結果
He got lost on his way here. Accordingly, he missed the ceremony.
consequently 結果
Tom drank too much at the party; consequently, he couldn’t drive his car home.
in consequence 結果
Mary worked very hard before the test. In consequence, she passed the exam.
as a consequence 結果


as a result 結果

for this reason 因此


because of this 因此



有關舉例的轉折詞

1. most important of all 最重要的是
above all
Friendship needs to be earned. Above all, you need to show your sincerity and honesty if you want to have a long-term relationship with others.
2. that is 也就是說 換句話說
that is to say
in other words
to put it differently
If you don’t study hard enough, you may fail the exam. In other words, working hard brings success.
3. take…for example 舉…為例子
take…for instance
No pain, no gain. Take Mary for example. She concentrated on her work and seldom had fun on the weekend. And now, she is going to her ideal college.
4. for example 比方說
for instance
Tom is a selfish person. For example, he never shares his snacks with others.
5. such as 好比說
Some western holidays, such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas, are extremely popular in Taiwan.


有關比較對照的轉折詞

1. still / however 然而
nevertheless
I apologized to Mary for my rudeness many times; nevertheless, she is still angry and gives me the cold shoulder.
2. not only…but also 不但而且
Not only did he gave me a diamond ring but he proposed to me.
3. while / whereas 然而
I intended to buy a new car while my husband insisted that we have the old car fixed.
4. some…others 有些而其他
Some people like outdoor activities while others prefer staying home doing nothing on the weekend.
5. instead 取而代之
The teacher didn’t give us any compliments for achieving the project; instead, he found fault with our performance.
6. on the contrary 相反地
Tom didn’t study at all during the winter vacation. On the contrary, he spent most of his time playing computer games.
7. on the one hand 一方面而言
on the other hand 另一方面而言
On the one hand, you can’t attain your goal if you don’t work hard enough. On the other hand, life will be too boring if you only concentrate on the work.

8. in contrast 相較之下
in contrast with / to…
Tom is tall and handsome. In contrast, his brother is not so attractive.
9. compared with 與相比較
in comparison with
In comparison with his brother, Tom catches girls’ attention more easily.

有關讓步的轉折詞

1. despite 儘管
in spite of
In spite of the rain, we still went to the beach.
He bought the car despite of the price.
In spite of the fact that he actually couldn’t afford the car, he still bought it.
2. in this way 如此一來
in this manner
in so doing
He spent all his money on the car; in this way, he went into debt.
The government enforced the law strictly. In this manner, the traffic is getting better.
3. even if / even though 縱使
Even if you are against this idea, I still want to have a try.
4. although / though 雖然
Although she is not very pretty, her rich background appeals to many young men.
Poor as he appears, he had a happy life.
5. even so 即使如此
I didn’t leave the house until 8:00. Even so, I still caught the flight in time.
6. For all I know, 就我所知
As far as I know,
As far as I know, he is very good at painting.

有關結論的轉折詞

1. in brief / in short 總之
to be brief
to be short
to summarize
To summarize, we students have other responsibilities besides schoolwork.
2. in a word 總之
to sum up
to conclude
In a word, my sister is a very reliable person.
3. to my mind 依我之見
in my opinion / view
In my opinion, you shouldn’t have fallen in love with him in the first place.
4. in general 大致上
generally speaking 一般而言
all in all
Generally speaking, I am proud of myself even though I didn’t get the first prize in the contest.
5. As we know from the above,… 從上面可知
As we know from the above, Bali is an island full of natural and cultural attractions.
6. From the above-mentioned, 就我所說來看
From what I have said,
From what I have mentioned above,
From what I have mentioned above, students should have part-time job experiences before they step out of the campus.
7. Judging from the above, 從上述判斷
Judging from the above, parents should talk to their babies very often.
8. To make a long story short 常話短說
To make a long story short, Tom is heart-broken because of you.


其他常見於句首的轉折詞

1. It goes without saying, 不用說
Needless to say
It goes without saying that typhoons are frequent threats to this island.
Needless to say, they live happily ever after.
2. As far as I am concerned, 就我而言
As far as I am concerned, the trip to Europe was just like a dream.
3. When it comes to Ving, 一說到
Speaking of Ving,
As far as N is concerned,
When it comes to cooking, Nancy is all thumbs.
4. As regards N, 關於
Regarding N,
As concerns N,
Concerning N,
As regards the interview, I suggest you ask the company for more information.
5. Honestly speaking, 老實說
Frankly speaking,
To be honest,
To be frank,
To tell you the truth,
Frankly speaking, I like classical music more than rock and roll.
6. Unfortunately 不幸的是
Unluckily,
I would help if I could. Unfortunately, I am short of money now too.
7. As for me, 至於我
Tom will attend the meeting. As for me, I am not so sure about it.
8. Regardless of…, 不管 儘管
Everyone is created equal, regardless of race or sex.
9. To put it briefly, 簡而言之
To put it briefly, I had a great time at his birthday party.
10. Everyone knows that 眾所皆知
It is a well-known fact…
It is a well-known fact that high school students are faced with unbearable pressure.
11. It is said that… 據說
It is said that the house is haunted.
12. It is often said that… 據說
It is often said that the global climate is getting warmer and warmer.
13. After all, 畢竟
Don’t be too hard on him. After all, he’s still wet behind his ears.
14. As time goes by, 時光流逝
As time passes, she becomes an experienced teacher.
15. Strange to say, 說來奇怪
Sad to say, 說來難過
Strange to say, Tom didn’t even say hi to me this morning.
16. Under the circumstance, 在情況下
Under the circumstance, I had no choice but fire him.
17. Under no circumstances… 無論如何
Under no circumstances will I abandon my pets.
18. For one thing,… 一方面
For another,… 再則
Under no circumstance will I abandon my pets. For one thing, it’s my responsibility to take good care of them. For another, they are just like family to me.
19. I am of the opinion that… 我認為
I am of the opinion that those who abandon their pets should be fined heavily.
20. There is no doubt that… 毫無疑問
There is no doubt that the government is trying hard to boost the national economy.
21. There is no denying that… 不可否認
There is no denying that the students in this school are outstanding and intelligent.
22. As a rule, 通常
As a rule, I take a walk after dinner with my father in the park.
23. in a way
In a way, he is not very promising young man.
24. in the light of N, 有鑒於
in view of N,
In the light of these evidences, we can positively confirm who the killer is.
25. According to N, 根據
According to the weather report, we will have heavy rain in the afternoon.
26. At any cost / At all costs
At any rate / At any rates
Any all costs, I will help you.
27. Strictly speaking, 嚴格說來
Strictly speaking, Tom is not so much a singer as a songwriter.
28. Theoretically speaking 理論上而言
In theory,
Theoretically speaking, we should hand in our weekly journal every week.
29. As the saying goes, 常言道
As the saying is,
As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.”
30. It is taken for granted that… 當然爾
It stands to reason that…
It is taken for granted that parents should pay the tuition for their children.
31. It occurs to me that… 我突然想到
It strikes me that…
It occurred to me that I didn’t bring my wallet with my.
32. To be sure, 的確
To be sure, the scenery in the Grand Canyon is second to none.
33. As is often the case with N 常是如此
As is often the case with Tom, he is late again.
34. To do him justice, 平心而論
To do him justice, he is an honest person even though he is selfish.
35. To return to the subject, 言歸正傳
To return to the subject, when are you going to pay off the debt.
36. To one’s surprise, 令人驚訝
To one’s disappointment, 令人失望
To one’s relief, 讓人鬆一口氣
To one’s regret, 令人遺憾
To one’s contentment 令人滿意
To one’s discouragement 讓人洩氣
To one’s satisfaction 讓人滿意
To my surprise, I wasn’t offered the job.
To his disappointment, I didn’t accept his invitation.
To my relief, the exam is put off.
To her regret, she didn’t meet the movie star in person.
To my parents’ contentment, I passed the exam.
To their discouragement, they didn’t get any rewards for their bravery.
37. Chances are that… 可能
In all probability,
If you keep ignoring her, chances are that she will leave you eventually.
38. Contrary to public belief, 和大家相信的相反
Contrary to public belief, drinking some wine every day is good for our health.



















歷屆聯考作文題目
1. 76年大學聯考作文題目
一般來說，中國學生的功課負擔，無論是上課或家庭作業，都比美國學生為重。請寫一篇八十個字(words)的短文，來敘述你對功課沉重的看法。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
2. 77年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇約八十個英文字的的英文作文，說明樹木對人類的重要。第一段描述樹木對人類的益處，第二段說明如何保護樹木，每段約四十個字。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
3. 78年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇約八十個英文字的的英文作文，敘述你上學途中看什麼、聽到什麼、想到什麼。把文章分成兩段，第一段敘述你怎樣上學、在上學途中遇到那些人、看到那麼事物景像；第二段就所見聞敘述你的看法。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
4. 79年大學聯考作文題目
臺灣多山，氣候溫和，有很多珍貴的野生動物，但是有些人卻濫捕濫殺。請寫大約一百個英文字的的短文。短文分成兩段：第一段說明臺灣野生動物越來越稀少而濫捕濫殺卻不斷發生的情形；第二段討論我們應該怎樣保護野生動物。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
In Taiwan, because most people do not understand the importance of wildlife, the wildlife is in a poor situation. We Chinese are fond of eating anything delicious, so there are many animals killed by hunters. People enjoy eating tigers, bears, birds, and lions, so there are fewer and fewer birds flying in the sky and fewer bears running here and there in the forest. Instead, we often see them for sale at the market. How poor they are! And how cruel we are!
In my opinion, we should try every possible way to preserve wildlife. First, no one is allowed to hurt any wild animal. Second, the authorities concerned should punish those who kill any wild animals. Third, we should pay more attention to those endangered species to protect them from being eaten. If we can do so, nature must become very beautiful. (17)

5. 80年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇有關鐘或錶的短文，分成兩段：第一段談鐘或錶對我們生活的重要性；第二段談你最喜歡的一個鐘或錶。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上，長度以不超過100個字為原則。
My Favorite Watch
If anyone asks me what the most important equipment in modern life is, I will answer without hesitation, “a watch.” Without it, employees may be blamed by their bosses for being late. A watch is like a giant who urges people to work hard and waste no time. It enables mankind to make more progress and become more civilized. What an important role it plays!
My favorite watch is old but durable. Though having been used for five years, it always keeps good time. I’ve been wearing it every day since I bought it in junior high school. It helps me go through numerous tests by telling the right time. Though some people might think it too old-fashioned and shabby, I still cherish it as before. Today, I wear this watch again in the hope that it will help me pass this college entrance exam.

6. 81年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇約100個單字的英文作文，題目是”Time”。分成兩段：第一段第一句必須是”Lost time is never found again.”第二段第一句必須是”Now I have a new plan for using my time wisely.” 文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
Lost time is never found again. But many people often neglect time and waste it. People regard the proverb “Time is money” as a formula. In truth, we can earn the lost money again but can’t find the lost time any more. Time is much more precious than money. If we treasure money, we should treasure time more.
Now, I have a new plan for using my time wisely. I am a student, and all I have to do is read books and get knowledge from books. When I am waiting fro the bus every morning, I can read a book or memorize some English words. At night, when I go to bed but can’t fall asleep soon, I can review what I have read during the day. Although I like to watch TV, I won’t watch vulgar programs to consume my precious time. I must make the most of my time now lest I should regret in the future. (18)

6. 82年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇大約100到120個單字的英文作文，分成兩段，題目是”Near-sightedness”(近視) 。第一段第一句必須是主題句”Near-sightedness is a serious problem among the youth of our country.”。第二段的第一句必須是主題句”I have some suggestions for solving this problem.”。文章寫在非選擇題試卷。
Near-sightedness
Near-sightedness is a serious problem among the youth of our country. As we know, we use our eyes in almost everything we do—reading, working, playing games and countless other activities. Sight is our most precious sense. But statistics show that nine youngsters out of ten here are near-sighted and thus most of them wear glasses. This is a grave problem that we cannot afford to ignore.
I have some suggestions for solving this problem. First of all, the youth should be taught not to study, watch TV, or play video games for a considerable time without a break. Eyes, like any other part of our bodies, need sufficient rest before they can go on working. It is equally important for the youth to keep what they are reading or watching at a proper distance. Above all, the places where they read must be kept bright, because reading in poor light is the main cause of near-sightedness. Only if parents and teachers see to these can we check the growing of the near-sighted population.
7. 83年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇大約100到120個單字的英文作文，題目是”A House is Not a Home” 。分成兩段：第一段先解釋house和home兩個字，及使用上意思可能相同的情況。第二段說明house和home這兩個字的涵義有何不同。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
A House Is Not a Home
A house is a building for people to live in. But one’s home is more than just a house; it is also the place where one has a strong sense of belonging and feels comfortable. So the two words house and home are different, but they are often used interchangeably. For example, in the sentence “It is harder and harder to find a home and a job,” the word home actually means “house.” And when someone says to you “Come to my house for dinner,” he is inviting you to his home to enjoy a good meal.
Roughly speaking, a person’s home consists mainly of his house and family. His house gives him shelter from the weather; his family provides him with affection, economic or emotional support, and a sense of belonging. In other words, there is love in every home worthy of the name. A home without love is not a home at all; it becomes a mere house, or rather, a hotel. Many a juvenile delinquent has a joyless, unhappy home though his parents’ house may be a magnificent mansion. So, if we can work together to make all the houses sweet homes, we will have a warm, harmonious society.

A House Is Not a Home
Most people confuse “house” with “home”. In fact, they are different words and have different meanings. However, they sometimes mean the same thing. A family live in a house, so this house is the home of the family. Usually one says, “I am going home,” or tells his friends, “Come to my house!” in this case, “house” and “home” are similar.
Nevertheless, a house is not always a home. It is a home only when there is in it a family sharing their happiness and sadness together. Take my own home for example. There are five people in my family. When we get together, our house is full of joy. In a home, we can cure our pain of our hearts, but we can’t get any warmth from a house. Even though we don’t have a luxurious house, we still can live happy in our home. (18)

8. 84年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇大約120個單字左右的英文作文，分成兩段，題目是”Making Decisions”。 第一段第一句必須是主題句”The hardest decision that I ever made was ________” 同時自行在空格中填入自己所做的決定。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
Making Decisions
Growing up means making my own decisions. In my childhood, I used to turn to my parents to decide almost everything for me—when to eat, where to play, or how to dress, for instance. But with the passing of time, I have grown out of that habit; I have understood what growing up means that I can enjoy more freedom on the one hand but must take more responsibility on the other. Inevitably, I have learned to make most decisions for myself.
The hardest decision that I ever made was to choose to study social sciences instead of natural sciences after my freshman year in high school. I had been interested in and good at all the school subjects I was taking. I really wondered why I should concentrate on some subjects and give up the others. I asked my parents and several teachers for advice, but after discussion, they all said that I should make my own decisions. At that crucial moment, funnily enough, my horoscope occurred to me. I am a Cancer and a Cancer is supposed to do well as a writer, a lawyer, or a businessman. “That’s it,” I told my self and made up my mind to try to be a social scientist instead of a physical scientist.

9. 85年大學聯考作文題目
寫一篇大約120個單字左右的短文，一段或兩段皆可。文章必須以下面的英文句開頭：”You win some; you lose some. That is life.”人生中，每一個人都會有得有失。文章中必須舉出你自己有所得(win)有所失(lose)的一個實例。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
You win some; you lose some. That is life. Life is very often a strange mixture of hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, rise and fall, laughter and tears. A political leader may lose his old, good friends, a millionaire may lose his youth and health, a great general may lose his brave men, and a successful businessman may lose his home and family far away from him. Few people can fully enjoy the sweets of life without tasting the bitters of it at the same time.
I have longed hoped to become a college student. Since I made up my mind to go to college as early as three years ago, I have tried my best to prepare for the Joint Entrance Exam. I have worked hard for long periods with little sleep and recreation. As a result, I am confident that I can get admission to my ideal college and department. But when I look back on my high school days, I cannot but feel sad and confused. How much time have I spent with my family? Little. How many interesting movies, ball games, and art exhibitions have I seen? Few and far between. How many friends have I made? Few. How many girls have I taken on a date? None. What a miserable high school life I have had! It is true that one wins some, one loses some. Such is life.

10. 86年大學聯考作文題目
下面有兩個英文問題，和你的未來計畫有關，每個問題用大約六十個英文單字回答。答案寫在非選擇題試卷上，同時物務必標示題號。每題十分。
1. Why do you want to enter college?
2. What else would you do if you should fail to enter college?
I have long hoped to enter college mainly because I wish to be a doctor. If I do not go to college, where can I receive a necessary medical education and how can I be licensed to practice medicine? Of course, I want to enter college also because I am looking forward to living a more colorful life. In college, I will be able to broaden my mind by making many brilliant friends, attending many learned scholars’ lectures and taking part in many extracurricular activities.
I do wish to go to college. However, should I fail to enter college, I would follow in my father’s footsteps and learn to be a businessman. I would work hard and try to make a lot of money. One day I might get rich enough to build or buy a hospital. If I should fail to become a doctor, I would try my best to own or run a hospital.

11. 87年大學聯考作文題目
請以Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person 為起始句，寫一篇大約120個字左右的英文作文。文章寫在非選擇題試卷。
Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. Living in a modern society, we often conceal our feelings under the mask of nonchalance. That’s why we often rub others the wrong way, causing unreasonable misunderstandings. These things need to be changed, and I think these changes should start from saying “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” more frequently.
We say “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” not for notoriety or credit but simply because it needs to be done. It is very natural to show gratitude when we receive something from others, and apologize to someone when things go wrong. It kind of makes you feel warm and can melt down the walls between you and others. Yes, maybe sometimes we still have to hide our feelings to protect others or ourselves. But when it comes to saying “Thank you” or “I’m sorry”, just take off that funny mask and show them your true heart. No matter whether others accept it or not, at least you have done your best. And this action will lead you to a happier life and make our world a better place to live in. (19)
87.2
Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry ” frequently will make you a happier person. In this more and more complicated society, we must know how to get along with others. If there is no harmonious relationship between us and people around us, we will be isolated and often get into trouble; consequently, we can hardly live happy lives. And the secret of getting along with others is in showing more thought for others than ourselves; and as we all know, the easiest yet the best way to show consideration for others’ feelings is saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.” Your saying such polite expressions will surely make others feel good; as a result, you can impress others favorably, make friends easily, avoid conflicts with others, and get others’ help with less difficulty when you need it. And these in turn will make you feel wonderful and thus happier. So why not say “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently?

12. 88年大學聯考作文題目
請以A Happy Ending(快樂的結局)為題，寫一篇大約120個單字左右的英文作文。你可以從你所讀過的故事、看過的電影、或親身的體驗去找題材。描述完快樂的結局之後，並寫幾句你的感想。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
Last week, I went to see a movie, “You’ve Got Mail.” It was a very funny movie. Tom Honks, the actor, and Meg Ryan, the actress, are at odds in business so they don’t like each other. They don’t say “Good morning” to each other when they meet in the morning and scold each other when they have dinner in the same restaurant. However, they are very good friends in e-mail. Of course, they don’t know the other’s name and what the other looks like. At last Meg closes her store and Tom divorce with his wife. Both of them are discouraged so they decide to have a date with they cyber friend. Tom told Meg that he would bring his old dog to the Central Park tomorrow noon. So Meg arrives at the park on time and then Tom appears with his pet. When they see each other, both smile. At that time, they are not longer at odds; in fact, they are best friends.
A very good ending, isn’t it? I like this ending very much. Unfortunately, it just a plot of the movie so I may have no chance to have this experience. Although in this world everything doesn’t have a good ending, it brings us a lot of hopes. Surely, in order to enjoy a happy ending, we must work harder. After all, it is a real world, not a movie, and God always gives those who work hard the sweetest fruit. Everyone is the architect of his own fortune, so to have a great ending, let’s make them by ourselves. (19)


13. 89年大學聯考作文題目
請以”The Difficulties I Have whit Learning English”為題，寫一篇約一百二十個單字的英文作文，文分兩段，第一段寫出你在修習英語過程中某些學習的困難；第二段說明處理這些困難的經過及結果。答案寫在「非選擇答案卷上」〈內容5分，組織5分，文法4分，用字遣詞4分，拼字、大小寫及標點符號2分〉

14. 90年大學聯考作文題目




15. 91年指定考科作文題目

請以 “If I won two million dollars in the lottery, I would help...”開始，描述你或妳贏得台灣樂透彩新台幣兩百萬之後，最想把全數金額拿去幫助的人、機構或組織，並寫出理由。






大學聯考作文評分範例 84年
寫一篇大約120個單字左右的英文作文，分成兩段，題目是”Making Decisions”。 第一段第一句必須是主題句”Growing up means making my own decisions.”第二段的第一句必須是主題句”The hardest decision that I ever made was ________” 同時自行在空格中填入自己所做的決定。文章寫在非選擇題試卷上。
 評分注意事項
一、文不對題者，以零分記
二、兩段必須分開寫，兩段如寫成一段，扣2分
三、未寫主題句或主題句寫錯位置者，扣2分
四、文法、用字、拼字等項之評分，應考慮正確用法及錯誤用法之比例， 酌情給分
 作文抽樣
(1) Growing up means making any my own decisions. When I was a little girl, I was so dependent that I couldn’t make a decision on my own. As I grew up, I become wiser. Now that I have learned more, I can make up my mind without difficulty.
The hardest decision that I ever made was choosing a birthday present for my friend. We are so close so choosing the right gift was very important to me. I even couldn’t sleep well. I asked father to give me a hand. He reminded me that friendship is a valuable treasure. It can’t be judged by money or presents. I understood what he meant and made a decision. I gave her a home-made present. She had cherished it up to the present day.

(2) Growing up means making my own decisions. Since I have grown up, I have to be independent, not rely on my parents any more. Besides, I will leave my parents soon, so I have to learn to be stronger. If I kept on depending on my parents’ decisions, how could I live along outside.
The hardest decision that I have ever made was whether to attend senior high school or not. If I attend the senior high school, then, I must study harder, otherwise, I won’t be able to join the TCEE. And if I am not going to the senior high school, I can go out to work and earn some money for my family. Finally, I made up my mind to go to the senior high school because I need to learn a lot of things. If I was only a junior high school student, what can I do? So here I am. So far, everything is fine, and I think I have made a great decision.
(3) Growing up means making my own decisions. When we was young, our parents or teachers always decide our lives. We receive a education and enrich our knowledge little by little. When we grow up, we must make our own decisions and not depend on other people or our parents.
The hardest decision that I ever made was went abroad. I have a change to went to America in summer vacation when I was a junior high school student. But my parents hoped that I could learn playing computer and read books. That was a hardest decision for me. I didn’t want to miss this good change. I spoke my idea to my parents. I finally went to America. I learned many different things and enriched my knowledge. I am glad that I choosed went to America.


(4) Growing up means making my own decisions. If we can be our own master, we can have more pleasure in life. However, in modern society, there are many parents makeing decisions for their children in the future. It is really not a good ideal for children. Since they are knowing what they think.
The hardest decision that I ever make was to be a college student or a worker in society. But, now I realize that I had made my own decision well.


(5) Grwoing up means making my own decisions. After graduated from junior high school to now, I always making decisions. After I graduated from junior high school, I made decision is go to commercial high school. Now I made decision to join exam.
The hardest decision that I ever made was study or work.



評分標準 佔分比例 樣本(1) 樣本(2) 樣本(3) 樣本(4) 樣本(5)
內容 5
組織 5
文法 4
用字 4
體例 2
總分 20




大學聯考作文評分範例 87年
 作文抽樣
(1) Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. Living in a modern society, we often conceal our feelings under the mask of nonchalance. That’s why we often rub others the wrong way, causing unreasonable misunderstandings. These things need to be changed, and I think these changes should start from saying “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” more frequently.
We say “Thank you” or “I’m sorry” not for notoriety or credit but simply because it needs to be done. It is very natural to show gratitude when we receive something from others, and apologize to someone when things go wrong. It kind of makes you feel warm and can melt down the walls between you and others. Yes, maybe sometimes we still have to hide our feelings to protect ourselves or others. But when it comes to say “Thank you” or “I’m sorry”, just take off that funny mask and show them your true heart. No matter whether others accept it or not, at least you have done your best. And this action will lead you to a more happier life and make our would a better place to live in.


(2) Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. Good manners can reduce the conflict between people and it can also make people optimistic without often being in temper. In order to be more polite, one must learn to say “Thank you” or “I am sorry” first.
One day in my way to the school, I witnessed a car accident. One car hit the other one on the road, and the former car’s man was very polite and immediately said “I am sorry” to another driver. Because of his good manners, the conflict didn’t expanded. Another example was my own experience. Last week I stayed up late to prepare the exams, and my mother cooked hot chicken soup for me. I felt very warm and said “Thank you” to my mother. I felt that not only me but also my mother felt very happy. That was a great feeling!
Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” is very important for our society. Everybody should begin to do this and I think that our society will be less conflict and more happiness.
(3) Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. Now, in our society everyone is busy doing his own things without careing about others. On the other hand, there are more and more indefference full of our whole society. So it is helpful to change this circumstance by saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” Although they are only basic conversation words, they can shorten the distance between you and me. Andy by means of the action carried out, there are less and less crime happened. As far as I am concerned our whole society will become more warm. To sum up, saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” make everyone a happier person.


(4) Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. I used to be told to say that. Parents and teacher always told me that good boys sould say “Thank you” when someone helped you. Good boys shoud say “I’m sorry” when having done something wrong. I had never known why.
Gradully I grew up and I found if I always said that. People would be more friendly to me. And I could easily get new friends. As you treat others, so you’ll be treated. And I will remember it forever.


(5) Saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry” frequently will make you a happier person. I always say “Thank you” in my life. I always say “I’m sorry” too. They will say “You are welcome” and “That’s all right”. So these can help me make a happier person. Only say “Thank you” and “I’m sorry”, we are happy to face other people.



評分標準 佔分比例 樣本(1) 樣本(2) 樣本(3) 樣本(4) 樣本(5)
內容 5
組織 5
文法 4
用字 4
拼字等 2
總分 20



歷屆推甄作文題目
83學年度推薦甄試英文作文
說明 1. 請把作文寫在答案卷上，違者不予計分。
2. 文章可分，段也可不分段。
3. 評分標準： 內容5分，組織5分，文法4分，用字與拼字4分，體 例(格式、標點、大小寫)2分。
Topic: Things Are Not As Difficult As They Appear
在成長的過程，中有些事情在開始時你可能覺得很困難，但經過一番努力之後就不在認為困難了。請寫一篇至少120個單字的英文作文，描述一個親身的經驗。文章的開頭前兩句必須是：Things are not as difficult as they appear. I have a personal experience to prove this.

84 學年度推薦甄試英文作文
說明 依提示在答案卷上寫一封100至150字的信。評分標準： 內容5分，組 織5分，文法4分，用字與拼字4分，體例(格式、標點、大小寫)2分。
提示 1. 高中生王治平收到美國筆友George的來信，告訴治平他要隨父母 到台灣來住兩年左右，並問治平： ”Can you give me some advice and suggestions so that I know what I should do and what I should not do when I am in Taiwan?” 現在請你以治平的身分，擬出一封適當 的回信給George，歡迎他到台灣，並針對他的問題，提出一些具 體的建議。
2. 回信的上下款應依下列方式寫出。
February 20, 1995
Dear George:









Your friend,
Chih-ping

85 學年度推薦甄試英文作文
說明 1. 請一下列提示寫一篇英文作文在答案卷上，文長以120字為原則。
2. 評分標準： 內容5分，組織5分，文法4分，用字與拼字4分，體 例(格式、標點、大小寫)2分。
背景提示
西元一九三九年紐約世界博覽會前夕，主辦單位在會址的地下埋了一個時間膠囊(time capsule)，裡面放了很多最能夠當時生活方式的物品，如電話機、開罐器、手錶、香煙以及一塊煤炭等。這個密封的盒子要等到西元六九三九年才打開，以便讓五千年後的人知道一九三零年代的生活型態。
現在有一個國際性基金會也預備舉辦類似的活動，要將一個真空密閉的時間膠囊埋在地底，膠囊中的東西都不會腐敗，好讓一千年以後的人知道一九九六年世界各地區的生活方式。該基金會公開向各國人士徵求建議。
提示
請你寫一篇英文短文前往應徵，提出最能代表我國人民生活現狀的物品兩件(體積不限)，說明你選擇這兩件物品的理由，並以”The two things I would like to put in the time capsule are…”為短文的開始。

86 學年度推薦甄試英文作文
Do you know that happy folks recover from illness much more readily than people who are depressed and always complaining?
The old sages always used to say that laughter was the best medicine—indeed, better than medicine.
Someone else remarked that “a merry heart does good, like medicine”—and infectious laughter is often catching. Don’t you find it so? I like the anonymous verse which sums it all up:
When wholesome laughter fills the air,
Some ills will soon depart;
For laughter is good medicine
That helps to cheer the heart.

英文作文
說明 1. 請一下列提示寫一篇英文作文在答案卷上。
2. 文長以120字為原則，共20分。
提示 你同意”Laughter is better than medicine”這個說法嗎?以您自己或親朋好友 的經驗或你所知道的故事為例，加以說明。你的論點無論是正面或是反 面都不會影醒你的得分。

87 學年度推薦甄試英文作文
April Rain Song
By Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat you upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night____

And I love the rain.

英文作文
說明 1. 請一下列提示寫一篇英文作文在答案卷上。
2. 文長以120字為原則，共20分。

提示
每個人在不同的情況下，對雨可能有不同的感受。請寫一篇短文，敘述你在某一個下雨天的實際經歷或看到的景象，並據此描述你對與的感覺。








88學年度英文作文
英文作文
說明 1. 請一下列提示寫一篇英文作文在答案卷上。
2. 文長以120字為原則，共20分。
提示
根據下面四則求職廣告，寫一英文作文。文分兩段：第一段寫出你認為這四種工作中對你而言是最好的工作，並說明理由。第二段則寫出四種工作中你最不可能選擇的工作，也說明理由。假如這四種工作你都不喜歡，則在第一段說明不喜歡的理由，在第二段寫你喜歡什麼工作，並說明理由。

A
MARKETING PROGESSIONALS
A major US corporation in the health and nutritional industry has announced the opening of its direct selling division in Taiwan.
The company offers the most lucrative compensation plan in the industry and has paid over $3.5 billion NTD in commissions in just 6 years in the US. We are a group of top earners.
Applications should meet the requirements:
(1) Taiwan citizen
(2) Have interest or experience in marketing
(3) Aggressive, energetic, and willing to learn
If you believe you have what it takes to develop this business, please call 2742-6996

B
Service Technician
An international company requires a service technician To service and maintain electronic medical equipment

Applicants should possess degree in electronics. The selected candidates will undergo a training program to be conducted by our manufacturer’s trained technical personnel.
Interested candidates please apply immediately with resume and mail to P.O. box 594. Or telephone Ms Chang at 2945-0027 for an immediate interview.



C Wanted: Reporters & Editors

Qualifications:
% Strong command of English language
% Chinese speaking and reading ability a must
% a university degree
% Journalism education and/or experience a plus
Flexible working hours (30 hours per week)
Good work environment and great co-workers
Medical insurance, etc.
Fax resume and work samples, if any, to
The China Post at (03) 2595-7962



D
Southeastern Travel Services
OPENINGS****************
TOUR GUIDES
Duties: To conduct escorted tours for foreign visitors; to assist with travel and transportation arrangements.

Qualifications: Good appearance. High school diploma.
Good knowledge of English. Outgoing personality.
Call 2703-2127 after 3:00 PM. Ask for Gary.

89學年度英文作文




90 學年度學科能力測驗
請以”Something Interesting about a Classmate of Mine”為題，寫出有關於一位同學的一件趣事。這位同學可以是你任何一個時期的同學，例如幼稚園、小學、或中學。


91 學年度學科能力測驗
請以 “The Most Precious Thing in My Room”為題寫一篇英文作文，描述你的房間內一件你最珍愛的物品，同時並說明珍愛的理由。(這一件你珍愛的物品不一定是貴重的，但對你來說卻是最有意義或是最值得紀念的。)




高三作文參考題目
I. Descriptive
1. The Best Teacher I’ve Ever Had
2. My Father / Mother / Mentor
3. A Place I’d Like to Visit
4. The Seasons I Like Best
5. My Favorite Word/ Book / Subject
6. The Most Unforgettable Person / Gift / Character

II. Narrative / Narrative + Argumentative
1. A Mistake That I Have Made
2. The Most Unforgettable Event / Experience
3. A Traveling Experience
4. A Childhood Experience
5. A Nightmare / A Unusual Dream
6. On My Way to School
7. Seeing A Doctor / Cutting Hair / Going Shopping / Taking Mock Exams
8. Going to the Movies
9. A Joke I’ve Heard
10. What I Like to Do in My Free Time
11. If I Were A High School Student Again
12. Staying Up / Waking Up
13. When I Get Angry
14. When I Feel Bored
15. A Letter to My…
16. 今年夏天你高中畢業了，寫一封信給你的高中老師 Mr. / Mrs. Wang，訴說你對高中生活的感想。署名一律用 Jane，日期用七月三日。
17. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “How I Survive My Last Year in High School”，文章的第一段開頭必須是 “As a senior in high school, I led a busy life.”；第二段開頭必須是 “In order to survive the busy life, I….”。
18. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目 “Dinner at Home”，文章的開頭必須是 “Having dinner is __________ in my home.”。
19. 請寫一篇約150字的英文作文，題目是 “The Story That Impresses Me Most”，文章的第一段介紹這個故事的內容；第二段說明它對你的影響。 (N/A)
20. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “After the 921 Earthquake”，第一段寫你當晚的感受；第二段寫它給你的影響。 (N/A)
21. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “Making An Apology”，文章的第一段敘述生活中為何要道歉以及道歉的結果；第二段舉一實際的道歉的經驗來印證第一段。 (A/N)
III. Argumentative/Analytic
1. How I’d Like to Spend This Summer
2. My Biggest Problem in Learning
3. Cable TV and My Family
4. What I Want Most After Getting into College
5. Advertisement And I / Music And I / Computer and I
6. On Keeping a Pet / On Jealousy / On Generation Gap
7. A Sense of Humor
8. Life Is What We Make It
9. Environmental Protection
10. Cooperation and Competition
11. What Is Happiness
12. On Good Health / On TV News / On Election
13. My Strengths / Weaknesses
14. My Ambition / Interests / Hobbies
15. What Can I Do to Make My Life Meaningful
16. Three Wishes for This Year
17. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “Planning is Necessary for A Happy Student Life”，文分兩段，第一段的最後一句是 “From such experience, I have learned that planning is necessary for a happy student life.” 第二段的第一句話是 “As a result, I have made a plan.”。 (N/A)
18. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “My Pocket Money”，文分兩段，第一段說明零用錢的來源及對你的意義；第二段敘述你支配零用錢的經驗。 (A/N)
19. 習慣對我們的一生影響很大，你有什麼好習慣？它帶給你什麼好處？或者你有何壞習慣？它如何使你受害？你要如何改掉它？ (N/A)
20. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “How to Save Water”，文章的開頭必須是 “There is a shortage of water here in Taiwan, specially in summer.”。
21. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “How to Deal with the Garbage Problem”，文章的第一段開頭必須是 Garbage has always been a thorny problem in Taiwan. In dealing with the problem, we….。
22. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “Women’s Role Then and Now”，文章的第一段開頭必須是 “Women used to play a traditional role in society, as wives and mothers.”；文章的第二段開頭必須是 “Nowadays, women no longer conform to the expected social role.。
23. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “Why I Like (or Dislike) A Guided Tour”，文章的開頭必須是 “If I want to take a trip abroad, I will (not) join a guided tour. I have a few reasons for this.”。
24. 你認為高中畢業生適合出國唸書嗎？請說明你的意見﹝贊成或反對﹞。
25. 請寫一篇約120字的英文作文，題目是 “My Future”，第一段寫你認為你的未來會如何？第二說明你會喜歡這樣的生活嗎？
TOEFL Test Writing Topics
A People: Values/money
1. Is it better to enjoy your money when you earn it or is it better to save your money for some time in the future? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
2. You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
3. Awards and prizes are given for excellence in various fields. Do these awards and prizes serve a useful purpose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
4. Your school has received a gift of money. What do you think is the best way for your school to spend this money? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
5. Imagine that you have received some land to use as you wish. How would you use this land? Use specific details to explain your answer.
6. Your school has enough money to purchase either computers for students or books for the library. Which should your school choose to buy—computers or books? Use specific reasons and examples to support your recommendation.
7. A friend of yours has received some money and plans to use all of it either to go on a vacation or to buy a car. Your friend has asked you for advice. Compare your friend’s two choices and explain which one you think your friend should choose. Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
8. You have enough money to purchase either a house or a business. Which would you choose to buy? Give specific reasons to explain your choice.
B People: Success/progress
9. “When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
10. Do you agree or disagree that progress is always good? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
11. The expression “Never, never give up” means to keep trying and never stop working for your goals. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
12. What is a very important skill a person should learn in order to be successful in the world today? Choose one skill and use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
13. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Self-confidence is the most important factor for success in school or at work. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
14. Which is more important for success: the natural ability you are born with or hard work? Explain your opinion, using specific reasons and examples.
15. Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
16. In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example, honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? Use specific reasons and examples from your experience to explain your answer. When you write your answer, you are not limited to the examples listed in the prompt.
17. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Only people who earn a lot of money are successful.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
C People: Qualities/Personality
18. Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a good neighbor? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
19. What are some important qualities of a good supervisor (boss)? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.
20. We all work or will work in our jobs with many different kinds of people. In your opinion, what are some important characteristics of a co-worker (someone your work closely with)? Use specific examples to explain why these characteristics are important.
21. You must select a person to teach others to do a job. Which one of the following is the most important for you to consider in making your selection?
1. the person’s education
2. the person’s work experience
3. the quality of the person’s previous work
4. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
22. Countries, business, and schools are three areas that need good leaders. Choose one of these three areas and describe the most important qualities of a leader in that area. Explain why these are important, using specific examples and details.
23. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
A person’s childhood years (the time from birth to twelve years of age) are the most important years of a person’s life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
D People: Health/Food
24. Nowadays, food has become easier to prepare. Has this change improved the way people live? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
25. In general, people are living longer now. Discuss the causes of this phenomenon. Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
26. People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways to reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.
27. In some countries, people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office building. Do you think this is a good rule or a bad rule? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
28. People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
E People: Habits
29. Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
30. Some people prefer to get up early in the morning and start the day’s work. Others prefer to get up later in the day and work until late at night. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
31. Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
32. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
A person should never make an important decision alone.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
33. Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done. Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
34. Some people like doing work by hand. Others using machines. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
35. When people move to another country, some of them decide to follow the customs of the new country. Others prefer to keep their own customs. Compare these two choices. Which one do you prefer? Support your answer with specific details.
36. Some people enjoy change, and they look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same, and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you explain? Explain why?
37. Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful thought. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The decisions that people make quickly are always wrong. Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.
38. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
People are never satisfied with what they have; they always want something more or something different. Use specific reasons to support your answer.
39. Some people prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Other people prefer to spend their leisure time indoors. Would you prefer to be outside or would you prefer to be inside for your leisure activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
40. When people need to complain about a produce or poor service, some prefer to complain in writing and others prefer to complain in person. Which way do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
41. People remember special gifts or presents that they have received. Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
E People: Communication/Relationship
42. Do your agree or disagree with the following statement?
Sometimes it is better not to tell the truth.
Use specific reasons and details to support your essay.
43. Resolving problems between individuals or groups is important. What should be considered or kept in mind in resolving problems between individuals and groups? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
44. Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
45. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication such as letters, e-mail, or telephone call. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
46. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
One should never judge a person by external appearances
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
47. You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
48. Some people prefer to spend most of their time alone. Others like to be with friends most of the time. Do you prefer to spend your time alone or with friends? Use specific reasons to support your answer.
49. Some people prefer to spend time with one or two close friends. Others choose to spend time with a large number of friends. Compare the advantages of each choice. Which of these two ways of spending time do you prefer? Use specific reasons to support your answer.
50. Some people choose friends who are different from themselves. Others choose friends who are similar to themselves. Compare the advantages of having friends who are different from you with the advantages of having friends who are similar to you. Which kind of friend do you prefer for yourself? Why?
51. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
People behave differently when they wear different clothes. Do you agree that different clothes influence the way people behave? Use specific examples to support your answer.
52. Some people trust their first impression about a person’s character because they believe these judgments are generally correct. Other people do not judge a person’s character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong. Compared these two attitudes. Which attitude do you agree with? Support your choice with specific examples.
53. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It is better to be a member of a group than to be the leader of a group. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
54. Groups or organizations are an important part of some people’s lives. Why are groups or organizations important to people? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
55. It is sometimes said that borrowing money from a friend can harm or damage the friendship. Do you agree? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
56. Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. In your opinion, are such relationships good? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and details to support your respond.
G People: Entertainment/Recreation/Leisure Activities
57. How do movies or television influence people’s behavior? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
58. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
59. Many people visit museums when they travel to new places. Why do you think people visit museums? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
60. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
People should sometimes do things that they do not enjoy doing.
Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
61. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Television, newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal life of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.
62. Do your agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
63. Why do you think people are attracted to dangerous sports or other dangerous activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
64. Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do your prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
65. Some people prefer to plan activities for their free time very carefully. Others choose not to make any plan at all for their free time. Compare the benefits of planning free-time activities with the benefits of not making plans. Which do you prefer—planning or not planning for your leisure time? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
66. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
People should read only those books that are about real events, real people, and established facts. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.
67. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Reading fiction (such as novels and short stories) is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
68. Some young children spend a great amount of their time practicing sports. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
69. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Playing a game is fun only when you win. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
70. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
71. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Playing games teaches us about life. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
72. When famous people such as actors, athletes and rock stars give their opinions, many people listen. Do you think we should pay attention to these opinions? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
73. Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
74. People listen to music for different reasons and at different time. Why is music important to many people? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
75. Movies are popular all over the world. Explain why movies are so popular. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
76. Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
H Family
77. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18-year-old) teenaged children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
78. What are the important qualities of a good son or daughter? Have these qualities changed or remained the same over time in your culture? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
79. Some people think that the family is the most important influence on young adults. Other people think that friends are the most important influence on young adults. Which view do you agree with? Use examples to support your position.
80. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Children should be required to help with household tasks as soon as they are able to do so. Use reasons and examples to support your answer.
81. What are some of the qualities of a good parent? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
I Social
82. The twentieth century saw great change. In your opinion, what is one change that should be remembered about the twentieth century? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.
83. Every generation of people is different in important ways. How is your generation different from your parents’ generation? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
84. Holidays honor people or events. If you could create a new holiday, what person or event would it honor and how would you want people to celebrate it? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
85. The 21st century has begun. What changes do you think the new century will bring? Use specific reasons and details in your answer.
J Social: Government
86. Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and examples to develop your essay.
87. Some people think government should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
88. Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Others disagree and think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
K Social: Transportation
89. Choose one of the following transportation vehicles and explain why you think it has changed people’s lives. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
1. automobiles
2. bicycles
3. airplanes
90. You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.
L Social: Business/jobs/work
91. In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.
92. Business should hire employees for their entire lives. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
93. Some people prefer to work for a large company. Others prefer to work for a small company. Which would you prefer? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
94. People work because they need money to live. What are some other reasons that people work? Discuss one or more of these reasons. Use specific examples and details to support your answer.
95. Do your agree or disagree with the following statement?
The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
96. A company is going to give some money to either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
97. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Businesses should do anything they can do to make a profit.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
98. It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members. Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.
M Social: Education
99. People attend college or university for many different reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparations, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
100. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
101. It has been said, “Not everything is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?
102. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
University schools give the same amount of money to their students’ sports activities as they give to their university libraries. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
103. Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
104. Some people think that they can learn better by themselves than with a teacher. Others think that it is always better to have a teacher. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
105. Learning about the past has no value for those of us living in the present. Do agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
106. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
With the help of technology, students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
107. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn.
Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
108. Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
109. Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.
110. Some people believe that the best way of learning about life is by listening to the advice of family and friends. Other people believe that the best way of learning about life is through personal experience. Compare the advantages of these two different ways of learning about life. Which do you think is preferable? Use specific examples to support your preference.
111. Some people think that children should begin their formal education at a very early age and should spend most of their time on school studies. Others believe that young children should spend most of their time playing. Compare these two views. Which view do you agree with? Why?
112. The government has announced that it plans to build a new university. Some people think that your community would be a good place to locate the university. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of establishing a new university in your community. Use specific details in your discussion.
113. People learn in different ways. Some people learn by doing things; others learn by reading about things; others learn by listening to people talk about things. Which of these methods is best for you? Use specific examples to support your choice.
114. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and details to support your opinion.
115. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
All students should be required to study art and music in secondary school. Use specific reasons to support your answer.
116. Do you agree or disagree wit the following statement?
There is nothing that young people can teacher older people.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
117. Some people say that physical exercise should be a required part of every school day. Other people believe that students should spend the whole school day on academic studies. Which opinion do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
118. A university plans to develop a new research center in your country. Some people want a center for business research. Other people want a center for research in agriculture (farming). Which of these two kinds of research centers do you recommend for your country? Use specific reasons in our recommendation.
119. Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other highs schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of the two school policies do you think is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
120. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
High schools should allow students to study the courses that students want to study. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
121. A gift (such as a camera, a soccer ball, or an animal) can contribute to a child’s development. What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
122. Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
123. In the future, students may have the choice of studying at home by using technology such as computers or television or of studying at traditional schools. Which would you prefer? Use reasons and specific details to explain your choice.
124. Is the ability to read and write more important today than in the past? Why or why not? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
125. Many students choose to attend schools or universities outside their home countries. Why do some students study abroad? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
126. When students move to a new school, they sometimes face problems. How can school help these students with their problems? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
127. Some students like classes where teachers lecture (do all of the talking) in class. Other students prefer classes where the students do some of the talking. Which type of class do you prefer? Give specific reasons and details to support your choice.
N Environment
128. Which do you consider to be the most important room in a house? Why is this room more important to you than any other room? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
129. Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
130. It is better for children to grow up in the countryside than in a big city. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
131. Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
132. Some people spend their entire lives in one place. Others move a number of times throughout their lives, looking for a better job, house, community, or even climate. Which do you prefer, staying in one place or moving in search of another place? Use reasons and specific examples to support your opinion.
133. Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons for your preference.
134. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
A zoo has no useful purpose. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
135. A person you know is planning to move to your town or city. What do you think this person would like to dislike about living in your town or city? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
136. What change would make your hometown more appealing to people your age? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
137. If you could make one important change in a school that you attended, what change would you make? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
138. If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
139. You have decided to give several hours of your time each month to improve the community where you live. What is one thing you will do to improve your community? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
140. It has recently been announced that a new high school may be built in your community. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details in your answer.
141. It has recently announced that a new restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
142. It has recently announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
143. It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
144. A company has announced that it wishes to build a large factory near your community. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this new influence on your community. Do you support or oppose the factory? Explain your position.
145. You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you like to visit? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.
146. In your country, is there more need for land to be left in its natural condition or is there more need for land to be developed for housing and industry? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
147. Plants can provide food, shelter, clothing or medicine. What is one kind of plant that is important to you or the people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your choice.
148. What is the most important animal in your country? Why is the animal important? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
149. Some people think that human needs for farmland, housing, and industry are more important than saving land for endangered animals. Do you agree or disagree with this point of view? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
150. Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
151. Many parts of the world are losing important resources, such as forests, animals, or clean water. Choose one resource that is disappearing and explain why it needs to be saved. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
O Others
152. Imagine that you are preparing for a trip. You plan to be away from your home for a year. In addition to clothing and personal care items, you can take one additional thing. What would you take and why? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.
153. If you could invent something new, what product would you develop? Use specific details to explain why this invention is needed.
154. If you were asked to send one thing representing your country to an international exhibition, what would you choose? Why? Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.