题目: Some people believe that children can learn effectively by watching TV and they should be encouraged to watch TV both at home and at school. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?
中心句: Watching TV is harmful to children’s eyesight. 你有没有看出这个观点的中心句为什么跑题呢? 阅读题目之后,我们可以找到题目探讨的话题是孩子们看电视的行为,并且认为这种行为可以帮助孩子们有效地学习,那么题目的范围就被限制在了看电视对孩子们学习效果的影响上。显然上面中心句中的eyesight和学习效果并没有直接的关系。况且,视力好就意味着学习效果好吗? 这个中心句就没有提到关键词“learn”,改变了题目的意思,也扩大题目探讨的范围。
题目: As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars. Do you think the advantages of this trend for individuals outweigh its disadvantages for the environment?
中心句: More cars on roads will lead to more serious traffic congestion. 仔细读题之后会发现题目需要我们探讨是私家车增多对个人的好处以及对环境的坏处。也就是说,讨论车多对个人的坏处或者对环境的好处都是答非所问。traffic congestion [堵车]是不是影响的是我们人,而不是环境呢? 再来尝试思考下面题目给定的话题范围是什么,或者说关键词有哪些?
题目: Some people argue that the spending of money on the development of technology of space exploration is not justifiable. They believe that the money should be spent on other things. To what extent do you agree or disagree? 很多同学在写这篇作文的时候,都能意识到the development of technology of space exploration 是关键信息,然后在作文中讨论投资太空技术发展的合理性或者不合理性。但是,题目中第二句话是不是被你忽略了呢?第二句话是不是也是”some people”的观点呢? 所以,除了探讨space exploration之外,我们也应该回应第二句话中的 “other things”,并且具体化这些”things”是指哪些方面的发展。如果不在作文中提到other things, 也属于跑题。