Overview for GRE Argument Questions

8/13/2019 Overview for GRE Argument Questions

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Overview for GRE AnalyticalWriting

<<Argument Questions>>

• Sections

• I. Introduction to Argument Questions

•

(I. 介紹 Argument Questions)• II. How to Answer Argument Questions

-- the Pool of Argument Questions

(II. 答題技巧及ETS提供的例題)• III. Other Useful Tips (III. 更多答題技巧)

• IV. Related Links and References

• (IV.相關連結與參考資料)



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I. Introduction to ArgumentQuestionsThere are two kinds of essay questions in the GRE

test

1) Present Your Perspective on an Issue

1 question, 45 minutes

2) Analyze an Argument

1 question, 30 minutes

GRE分析寫作共有兩種題型-- issue question &

argument question,各為一題,前者有45分鐘可作

答,後者30分鐘。



This file focuses on the second kind – argumentquestion. 此檔案主要介紹argument question

*you analyze a paragraph-length argument,pointing out and discussing problems with its

line of reasoning, adequacy and use of evidence,and internal logic.

首先,考生先閱讀一段申論,答題時必須指出並分析這段申論的問題，邏輯，流暢度等等。 ETS在

www.gre.com已公布題庫。 • ETS has released its official pool of GRE

Analytical Writing questions on www.gre.org

http://www.gre.org/

http://www.gre.org/

http://www.gre.org/



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II. How to Answer ArgumentQuestions

Directions for the Argument Writing Task

Argument Task 作答指示如下:

Analyze a paragraph-length argument, pointingout and discussing problems with its line ofreasoning, adequacy and use of evidence, andinternal logic.

(此處之sample argument topic and essay取材自ETS網站

An Introduction to the Analytical Writing Section ofthe GRE General Test.

http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/GRE/pdf/awintro.pdf )



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Argument Task 作答指示如下:

* Analyze a paragraph-length argument, pointingout and discussing problems with its line ofreasoning, adequacy and use of evidence, andinternal logic.

*分析約一個段落長度的申論，針對此申論的論述脈絡、使用之證據是否充足合適，以及此段落內涵的邏輯等指出相關問題並討論之。



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Specific guidelines:

• You are not asked to agree or disagree with anyof the statement in the argument.

• You should analyze the argument’s line of

reasoning.

• You should consider questional assumptions

underlying the argument.• You may discuss what additional evidence

would help strengthen or refute the argument.



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• 作答時需要特別注意:

•

考生不需要表達同意或不同意段落的論點。 • 考生應該分析題目段落中辯證的流暢度。

• 也要考慮指出段落裡可被質疑的一些預設立場。

• 考生可以就是否有更多證據可以增強或駁斥段落的

論點進行討論。





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Sample Essay (範例回答)Introductory part

The notion that protective gear reduces the injuries

suffered in accidents seems at first glance to be an obvious conclusion. After all, it is the intent of theseproducts to either provent accidents from occuring in the first place or to reduce the injuries suffered bythe wearer should an accident occur. However, the

conclusion that investing in high quality protectivegear greatly reduces the risk of being severelyinjured in an accident may mask other (andpotentially more significant) causes of injuries andmay inspire people to over invest financially and

psychologically in protective gear.



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Outline of the Main Body (答案大綱)(1) First of all, as mentioned in the argument, there are

two distinct kinds of gear - preventative gear (such as

light reflecting material) and protective gear (such ashelmets).

(2) The argument above is weakened by the fact that itdoes not take into account the inherent differencesbetween skaters who wear gear and those who do not.

(3) The statistic also goes without differentiating betweenseverity of injuries.

(4) Finally, there is absolutely no evidence provided thathigh quality (and presumably more expensive) gear isany more beneficial than other kinds of gear.



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Conclusion

The argument for safety gear based on emergency

room statistics could provide important information and

potentially saves lives. Before conclusions about theamount and kinds of investments that should be made

in gear are reached, however, a more complete

understanding of the benefits are needed. After all, a

falseconfidence in ineffective gear could be just as

dangerous as no gear at all.



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Before you write:

‧ carefully read the argument—you might want toread it over more than once

‧ identify as many of its claims, conclusions, andunderlying assumptions as possible

‧ think of as many alternative explanations andcounterexamples as you can

‧ think of what additional evidence might weakenor lend support to the claims

‧ ask yourself what changes in the argumentwould make the reasoning more sound



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• 開始作答前須考慮的事項

• 仔細閱讀題目段落，最好多讀幾次

• 盡量辨別出段落提出的主張論點結論及隱藏的預設立場

• 關於段落提出的論點，是否有不同的解釋或者能反證的例子？盡量構思不同的解釋及反證

• 考慮有哪些證據或例子能支持或弱化段落的論點

• 設想看看改變段落的哪些部分能讓其辯證更流暢



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8 Steps to the Argument Writing Task

(1) Read the argument and identify its conclusion.(2) Identify and examine the argument’s evidence

to determine how strongly it supports itsconclusion.

(3) Organize and prioritize your points of critique.(4) Compose a brief introductory paragraph

(5) Compose the main body.

(6) Compose your conclusion

(7) Review and revise for coherence

(8) Proofread for significant mechanical problems.

取材自 Stewart, Mark Alan. Writing Skills for theGRE/GMAT . Lawrenceville: Peterson’s, 2002.



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作答的8個步驟

(1) 仔細閱讀申論題目並辨識結論。 (2) 辨認及檢查申論文中使用的證據，思考這些證據如何支持結論。

(3) 組織你的評論並將評論重點排列優先次序。 (4) 寫簡短的引言(introductory paragraph) 。

(5) 寫主文(main body)。

(6)寫結論

(conclusion)。

(7) 檢查並修飾答案，尤其是答案的流暢度。

(8) 再次檢查答案，注意是否有技巧方面的問題，例如文法錯誤，拼字錯誤，標點符號等。



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More questions from the pool ofargument topics 更多例題

(請參考www.gre.com)• The following appeared in a health newsletter.

Eating a heavy meal may increase the risk ofheart attack. A recent survey of 2,000 people

who had had a heart attack revealed that 158 ofthem said they had eaten a heavy meal within24 hours before their heart attack, and 25 ofthem said they had eaten a heavy meal within 2hours before their heart attack. Eating and

digesting food releases hormones into thebloodstream and temporarily increases heartrate and blood pressure slightly. Both of thesethings put stress on the heart. Therefore,

people who are at risk of having a heart attackcan lower that risk b not overeatin .



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•The following is a memo from the business managerof National Daily News.

To expand the home delivery service of our nationalnewspaper, we should concentrate on the state ofUrba rather than on the state of Sylva. First, the

population of Sylva is more widely dispersed, whichwould require us to spend more money to deliverour papers in that area, resulting in less profit percustomer. Second, a long-term study of televisionviewing habits suggests that Sylvans prefer local tonational news, since they spend twice as much timeviewing local news programs as they do viewingnational programs. Finally, because events in Urbareceive more coverage in our newspaper than doevents in Sylva, we can expect Urbans to be moreinterested in reading our newspaper.



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•The following is a recommendation from thepresident of Appleby College.

Whereas Appleby College holds class reunionsevery five years, Edelston College holds annual

reunions for all classes, during which Edelston'salumni are treated to banquets, lectures, andstudent performances, enhancing their loyalty tothe college and their willingness to donate

money. Edelston College receives most of itsalumni donations during or shortly after thesereunions. Therefore, the best way for Applebyto increase its alumni donations is to offer

similar reunion activities and to have each



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III. Other Useful Tips更多答題技巧

Phrases you can use in your essay 實用片語 Acknowledge different sides of argument

用來引用或介紹不同論點的片語

• Some people think that…

• Although many people feel that…

• It is claimed that…

• Some people feel that…

•While it is true that… I believe…

• Despite the fact that …, many people think...

• Although many people think that…., I feel that

• Although it is often said that…, in fact the

opposite is true



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Acknowledge different sides of argument用來引用或介紹不同論點的片語

• It is undoubtedly truethat… …However…

•It is often argued that… However, it is

• Some people say that… They claim… Nevertheless, …

• Supporters of this viewpoint say that… Nevertheless, it is …



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To Signal Examples

舉例的片語

•for example, for instance

• consider, take the case of …

• To demonstrate, to illustrate

•

As an illustration, in this case, on thisoccasion

• One possible scenario is that …



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To singal conclusion

表達結論的片語

• In sum, in brief, in conclusion

• In essence, in a nutshell

• Summing up, to recapitulate



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transitional phrases or words

轉折語

after all / as a result at any rate / at the same time

in other words / in the second place

on the contrary / on the other hand

in turn, subsequently, consequently,

previously, beforehand

simultaneously, concurrently



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IV. Related Links andReferences 相關連結與參考資料

<<GRE Writing Skills>>

http://www.novapress.net/gre/writing.html

http://www.west.net/~stewart/ws/

http://www.west.net/~stewart/grewa/wa101.htm#Whoscores

<<ETS introduction to GRE AnalyticalWriting>>

http://web.mit.edu/gso/mymsrp/handouts/internpdfs/awintro.pdf

http://www.ets.org

http://thedoublee.blogspot.com/2007/04/argument.html


http://www.west.net/~stewart/grewa/wa101.htm


http://www.ets.org/





http://www.ets.org/

http://www.ets.org/








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<<free GRE general test materials, includingscoring details, sample tests and answers>>

• http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem

.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=302b66f22c6a5010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=d687e3b5f64f 4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

<<參考書目>>Stewart, Mark Alan. Writing Skills for the

GRE/GMAT . Lawrenceville: Peterson’s, 2002.



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Overview for GRE Argument Questions

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