1.遣詞造句常態(tài)化
對于新托福獨立寫作的用詞要求，一個很明顯的傾向就是“準(zhǔn)確常見”。因為只有常見的詞匯，才能最直觀地讓讀者了解作者的思路，才能最直白地表達(dá)作者的所思所想。以官方指南第三版中一篇滿分作文的開頭段為例：There are certain considerations or factors that everyone takes into account in a relationship. People may look for honesty, altruism, understanding, loyalty, being thoughtful etc! Everyone would more or less wish that the person shehe is dealing with has some of these virtues above. Putting them in an order according to their importance, however, can be very subjective and relative.
上段并沒有任何生僻詞和句式磅礴的句子，但每個單句的意思都清晰直白，整段的行文也通順流暢。其實，用詞的準(zhǔn)確性很大程度上就看這個詞的常見度，因為正是某個詞能夠準(zhǔn)確直白地表明某個意思，這個詞才會常用。試想在現(xiàn)代中文寫作中, 一個心智正常的中國人不會把“去洗手間”寫成“出宮”，不會把“吃飯”換成“用膳”，因為“出宮”和“用膳”已經(jīng)脫離了現(xiàn)代中國人的常態(tài)詞匯表，因此就不能給人直白清晰的印象了。
這種用詞的常態(tài)性還體現(xiàn)在新托福題目本身的用詞上，請看一道2007.08.25的新托福教育類考題用詞：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement Schools should not pay much attention to general subjects. Instead, they should help students prepare for specific careers and jobs.而雅思劍橋7 P102中同一考題的出題用詞是：Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer. What in your opinion should be the main function of a university
又來2009.05.30的新托?？碱}：Young school children (age five to ten) should be required to study art and music, in addition to math, language, science and history; 類似的一道雅思考題：Schools should teach children the academic subjects which have a relationship with their future careers, so other subjects like music and sports are not important. To what extent do you agree or disagree 雅思考題只是籠統(tǒng)地說“subjects which have a relationship with their future careers”, 有些烤鴨們可能還會花時間去糾結(jié)到底哪些科目跟以后就業(yè)相關(guān)，而豁達(dá)的新托福考題不僅直接列出了科目的明細(xì)，還劃定了children年齡的范圍！
再看一道糾結(jié)的廣告類雅思考題：The high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising but not the real need of the society where such products are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree 本道題大部分孩子估計都得讀不下三遍才有頭緒?？纯葱峦懈Ｔ趺纯?ldquo;廣告的作用VS消費者的決定權(quán)”這個點的： Advertisement is a waste of time and money, because customers already know what they want.(20071208) 由上可見，無論從對寫作詞匯的評判還是出題的詞句選取，新托福寫作無不體現(xiàn)出老美率真直白的語言個性。
2.話題范圍生活化
大打?qū)W術(shù)旗號的雅思考試會冷不丁地冒出“犯罪類”，“動物類”甚至“國際援助”相關(guān)的考題。這些腳踩蓮花頭戴光環(huán)的“道義文明類”考題著實過于文藝范了點。而IBT Writing出題范圍卻主要集中在探討生活問題上。有關(guān)于是否“子承父業(yè)”的：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement It is better for children to choose the jobs similar to their parents (20100106);糾結(jié)是做“普通青年還是文藝青年”的：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement In order to succeed, you should be more like others than be different from everyone else (20100207); 探討“要錢還是要命”的：A job with more vacation time is better than a job with high salary but less vacation time (20090227); 是“保守還是奔放”的：People should take a secure job immediately when finding one instead of waiting for the job that they find more satisfying (20100612); 八卦“富人高不高興”的：People who do not have to work because they have enough money are barely happy(20071103).甚至還有更雞零狗碎的新托福題目：“布置作業(yè)”的：Teacher should assign homework for students every day (20080427).這些考題看似非?，嵥?， 但的確是地球人都會拉的家常，非常符合美國人重視在實踐中求知，而不喜歡探究高深理論的個性。顯然，以生活實踐作為分析對象，是新托福作文的一大特點，也折射出新托福作文重在考查學(xué)生論述實際生活問題能力的側(cè)重點。那些在平時習(xí)慣于關(guān)注生活,思考生活現(xiàn)象的考生，一定能在新托福作文中占據(jù)優(yōu)勢。此外，生活化的新托福寫作也提高了同學(xué)們的寫作幸福指數(shù)，就算沒有親身經(jīng)歷體驗過，考生也可適當(dāng)結(jié)合周邊情況，作為思考論據(jù)的來源。
3.例證要求具體化
來看ETS滿分范文集中一篇作文的節(jié)選：However, job security tends to lead to decreased productivity. In general, employees who are certain that they can never lose their jobs tend to work less efficiently, thereby contributing to an overall reduction of productivity in the company. A common example all over the world is that of civil servants. In Thailand, for example, many government workers are so indolent that it can take days or months for something to be finished that should only take a few days. It is not uncommon to walk into a government office and see employees filing their nails, making personal calls on the telephone, taking three-hour lunches, or surfing the Internet for fun.
上段只是抽象的泛泛而談，缺乏說服力。而后面所附關(guān)于泰國的例子有效地細(xì)化了前面的因果推理，增加了文章的可信度。
翻閱很多滿分或者高分范文不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，新托福作文的論證更加偏重生活實際，而不太喜歡撇開事實去空洞地抽象說理。想拿托福獨立寫作高分的同學(xué)，建議多結(jié)合自己生活中經(jīng)歷的事情作為事實論據(jù)(當(dāng)然，如果能以被美國公眾所熟知的名人和社會潮流為例，就更好了)，這樣容易使作文有真情實感，也容易寫具體。下面看一個具體化的實例：
Going abroad for study can cultivate the independence of students. To be specific, students who study abroad have to deal with a wide range of difficulties all by themselves, which will put them at a big advantage in solving problems in future lives. 在這個論述中，顯然是過于空洞的大談道理：“a wide range of difficulties” 到底是哪個困難？ “a big advantage in solving problems”具體是什么優(yōu)勢？ 這些概念都應(yīng)該再具體化?？梢栽黾永訉懗桑篎or example, by overcoming cultural difference between the east and the west, a students is expected to be more capable of adapting new environments when he or she steps into the working lives. 為了更具真情實感，還可以為例子加入主人公， 如：one of my university classmates; 再指明去 留學(xué)的大學(xué)，用括號注明校名縮寫；甚至再說說克服了一個什么樣的文化差異以及日后參加工作適應(yīng)了怎樣慘絕人寰的新環(huán)境等等?？傊?，你的例子越具體，說服力越強(qiáng)。但千萬注意：例子必須要扣題，并加入適當(dāng)因果連接詞，防止寫成瑣事的機(jī)械堆砌。
4.評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)寬容化
新托福的獨立寫作并不算嚴(yán)格意義上的學(xué)術(shù)寫作。ETS允許在不影響閱讀的前提下有拼寫打字和標(biāo)點錯誤，甚至部分語法錯誤(滿分范文也如此)；不少滿分作文中出現(xiàn)don’t和shouldn’t等縮寫形式，還使用了疑問句、反問句和感嘆句這類口語中抒發(fā)情感的句型，甚至還可以使用與題目相關(guān)的諺語。關(guān)于人稱的使用，官方滿分作文也經(jīng)常在意義表達(dá)正確的前提之下使用I, we, 甚至you這些比較主觀的人稱代詞?？梢?，新托福獨立寫作只側(cè)重把生活常理表達(dá)論證出來，達(dá)到交流理解的目的。在不影響篇章理解的前提下，完全允許犯一些無關(guān)痛癢的語言錯誤?？忌谄綍r練習(xí)和考試的時候應(yīng)該把側(cè)重點移至“如何用常見詞匯準(zhǔn)確地表達(dá)單句話的意思”，“如何實現(xiàn)句子與句子之間思路上的聯(lián)系”以及“如何具體化空洞的概念”三個層面上，而不應(yīng)該花時間機(jī)械的堆砌華麗的辭藻和浮華的長句。
對于新托福獨立寫作的用詞要求，一個很明顯的傾向就是“準(zhǔn)確常見”。因為只有常見的詞匯，才能最直觀地讓讀者了解作者的思路，才能最直白地表達(dá)作者的所思所想。以官方指南第三版中一篇滿分作文的開頭段為例：There are certain considerations or factors that everyone takes into account in a relationship. People may look for honesty, altruism, understanding, loyalty, being thoughtful etc! Everyone would more or less wish that the person shehe is dealing with has some of these virtues above. Putting them in an order according to their importance, however, can be very subjective and relative.
上段并沒有任何生僻詞和句式磅礴的句子，但每個單句的意思都清晰直白，整段的行文也通順流暢。其實，用詞的準(zhǔn)確性很大程度上就看這個詞的常見度，因為正是某個詞能夠準(zhǔn)確直白地表明某個意思，這個詞才會常用。試想在現(xiàn)代中文寫作中, 一個心智正常的中國人不會把“去洗手間”寫成“出宮”，不會把“吃飯”換成“用膳”，因為“出宮”和“用膳”已經(jīng)脫離了現(xiàn)代中國人的常態(tài)詞匯表，因此就不能給人直白清晰的印象了。
這種用詞的常態(tài)性還體現(xiàn)在新托福題目本身的用詞上，請看一道2007.08.25的新托福教育類考題用詞：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement Schools should not pay much attention to general subjects. Instead, they should help students prepare for specific careers and jobs.而雅思劍橋7 P102中同一考題的出題用詞是：Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer. What in your opinion should be the main function of a university
又來2009.05.30的新托?？碱}：Young school children (age five to ten) should be required to study art and music, in addition to math, language, science and history; 類似的一道雅思考題：Schools should teach children the academic subjects which have a relationship with their future careers, so other subjects like music and sports are not important. To what extent do you agree or disagree 雅思考題只是籠統(tǒng)地說“subjects which have a relationship with their future careers”, 有些烤鴨們可能還會花時間去糾結(jié)到底哪些科目跟以后就業(yè)相關(guān)，而豁達(dá)的新托福考題不僅直接列出了科目的明細(xì)，還劃定了children年齡的范圍！
再看一道糾結(jié)的廣告類雅思考題：The high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising but not the real need of the society where such products are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree 本道題大部分孩子估計都得讀不下三遍才有頭緒?？纯葱峦懈Ｔ趺纯?ldquo;廣告的作用VS消費者的決定權(quán)”這個點的： Advertisement is a waste of time and money, because customers already know what they want.(20071208) 由上可見，無論從對寫作詞匯的評判還是出題的詞句選取，新托福寫作無不體現(xiàn)出老美率真直白的語言個性。
2.話題范圍生活化
大打?qū)W術(shù)旗號的雅思考試會冷不丁地冒出“犯罪類”，“動物類”甚至“國際援助”相關(guān)的考題。這些腳踩蓮花頭戴光環(huán)的“道義文明類”考題著實過于文藝范了點。而IBT Writing出題范圍卻主要集中在探討生活問題上。有關(guān)于是否“子承父業(yè)”的：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement It is better for children to choose the jobs similar to their parents (20100106);糾結(jié)是做“普通青年還是文藝青年”的：Do you agree or disagree with the following statement In order to succeed, you should be more like others than be different from everyone else (20100207); 探討“要錢還是要命”的：A job with more vacation time is better than a job with high salary but less vacation time (20090227); 是“保守還是奔放”的：People should take a secure job immediately when finding one instead of waiting for the job that they find more satisfying (20100612); 八卦“富人高不高興”的：People who do not have to work because they have enough money are barely happy(20071103).甚至還有更雞零狗碎的新托福題目：“布置作業(yè)”的：Teacher should assign homework for students every day (20080427).這些考題看似非?，嵥?， 但的確是地球人都會拉的家常，非常符合美國人重視在實踐中求知，而不喜歡探究高深理論的個性。顯然，以生活實踐作為分析對象，是新托福作文的一大特點，也折射出新托福作文重在考查學(xué)生論述實際生活問題能力的側(cè)重點。那些在平時習(xí)慣于關(guān)注生活,思考生活現(xiàn)象的考生，一定能在新托福作文中占據(jù)優(yōu)勢。此外，生活化的新托福寫作也提高了同學(xué)們的寫作幸福指數(shù)，就算沒有親身經(jīng)歷體驗過，考生也可適當(dāng)結(jié)合周邊情況，作為思考論據(jù)的來源。
3.例證要求具體化
來看ETS滿分范文集中一篇作文的節(jié)選：However, job security tends to lead to decreased productivity. In general, employees who are certain that they can never lose their jobs tend to work less efficiently, thereby contributing to an overall reduction of productivity in the company. A common example all over the world is that of civil servants. In Thailand, for example, many government workers are so indolent that it can take days or months for something to be finished that should only take a few days. It is not uncommon to walk into a government office and see employees filing their nails, making personal calls on the telephone, taking three-hour lunches, or surfing the Internet for fun.
上段只是抽象的泛泛而談，缺乏說服力。而后面所附關(guān)于泰國的例子有效地細(xì)化了前面的因果推理，增加了文章的可信度。
翻閱很多滿分或者高分范文不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，新托福作文的論證更加偏重生活實際，而不太喜歡撇開事實去空洞地抽象說理。想拿托福獨立寫作高分的同學(xué)，建議多結(jié)合自己生活中經(jīng)歷的事情作為事實論據(jù)(當(dāng)然，如果能以被美國公眾所熟知的名人和社會潮流為例，就更好了)，這樣容易使作文有真情實感，也容易寫具體。下面看一個具體化的實例：
Going abroad for study can cultivate the independence of students. To be specific, students who study abroad have to deal with a wide range of difficulties all by themselves, which will put them at a big advantage in solving problems in future lives. 在這個論述中，顯然是過于空洞的大談道理：“a wide range of difficulties” 到底是哪個困難？ “a big advantage in solving problems”具體是什么優(yōu)勢？ 這些概念都應(yīng)該再具體化?？梢栽黾永訉懗桑篎or example, by overcoming cultural difference between the east and the west, a students is expected to be more capable of adapting new environments when he or she steps into the working lives. 為了更具真情實感，還可以為例子加入主人公， 如：one of my university classmates; 再指明去 留學(xué)的大學(xué)，用括號注明校名縮寫；甚至再說說克服了一個什么樣的文化差異以及日后參加工作適應(yīng)了怎樣慘絕人寰的新環(huán)境等等?？傊?，你的例子越具體，說服力越強(qiáng)。但千萬注意：例子必須要扣題，并加入適當(dāng)因果連接詞，防止寫成瑣事的機(jī)械堆砌。
4.評分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)寬容化
新托福的獨立寫作并不算嚴(yán)格意義上的學(xué)術(shù)寫作。ETS允許在不影響閱讀的前提下有拼寫打字和標(biāo)點錯誤，甚至部分語法錯誤(滿分范文也如此)；不少滿分作文中出現(xiàn)don’t和shouldn’t等縮寫形式，還使用了疑問句、反問句和感嘆句這類口語中抒發(fā)情感的句型，甚至還可以使用與題目相關(guān)的諺語。關(guān)于人稱的使用，官方滿分作文也經(jīng)常在意義表達(dá)正確的前提之下使用I, we, 甚至you這些比較主觀的人稱代詞?？梢?，新托福獨立寫作只側(cè)重把生活常理表達(dá)論證出來，達(dá)到交流理解的目的。在不影響篇章理解的前提下，完全允許犯一些無關(guān)痛癢的語言錯誤?？忌谄綍r練習(xí)和考試的時候應(yīng)該把側(cè)重點移至“如何用常見詞匯準(zhǔn)確地表達(dá)單句話的意思”，“如何實現(xiàn)句子與句子之間思路上的聯(lián)系”以及“如何具體化空洞的概念”三個層面上，而不應(yīng)該花時間機(jī)械的堆砌華麗的辭藻和浮華的長句。