但是,当电影类话题变成托福独立写作题目的时候,很多同学都会面临两个问题。
1、首先,大家平时聊到电影主要都是讨论剧情和角色,并不会探究一些更深层次的问题,所以如果题目需要考生讨论电影背后的意义,很多同学并没有足够的语料素材。
2、同时,在进行举例论证时也需要同学们能够用英文准确地描述一些电影场景、角色以及主题。对于一部分同学来说这也是一个不小的挑战。很多内容大家用中文都能侃侃而谈,但是翻译成英文却又是另外一回事了。
那么究竟应该怎样应对电影类话题呢?
首先,南瓜君建议同学们要提准备好一些电影类话题的常用素材,包括单词短语,以及一些电影的名字(title)、剧情梗概(main plot)、主角(main character)和主题(theme)。
这些语料素材在同类话题的不同题目中能够重复使用的概率非常高,同学们只需要根据题目的具体内容进行增添或者删减就可以了。
例如,同学们可以先准备好两类不同的电影作为举例的素材(每一类可以准备1-2部电影),一类是根据真实事件改编的电影(movies based on true facts and events),另一类是虚构电影(fictional movies)。
然后根据题目要讨论的内容或者是个人观点来选择在不同的文章中选择具体的哪部电影来举例。
电影类话题的常见题目有:
1、Some people prefer to see movies based on true facts and events, rather than completely fictional movies about imaginary people and places. One reason for this preference is that movies based on actual events allow viewers to learn from other people’s real-life experience. Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint? Why?
2、Many film makers made movies based on books. When a movie is produced based on books, some people prefer to read books before watching films, other people choose to watch movie first. What do you think?
3、Do you agree that in movies and/or TV programs good men should be rewarded and bad men should be punished?
4、Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer?
5、Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is better to relax by watching a movie or reading a book than by doing physical exercise.
6、Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Movies are only worth watching when they can teach something in real life.
7、Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People can learn as much by watching movies as they can learn by reading books.
8、Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Movies and TV made in your country are more interesting compared with movies and programs made in another country.
案例 · 分析
下面我们就以其中一道电影类话题的独立写作真题为例,给同学们做一个具体示范。
解析
“有一些人喜欢看根据真实事件改编的电影,而不是完全虚构的电影。其中一个原因是观众可以从他人的真实经历中学到什么。你是否同意这个观点?为什么?”
通常,电影类话题会与娱乐和放松的主题相关连,但是本题探讨了电影的教育意义。
同学们在审题时不妨将题目看成是二选一,在“movies based on true facts and events”和“fictional movies about imaginary people and places”之间进行衡量并作出选择。
本道题目如果选择agree,那么就将“movies based on true facts and events”作为论述主体,强调为什么有人更喜欢看此类电影。
例如题目中提到的“real-life experience”可以直接作为其中一个原因。
另外,此类电影往往都能反应社会的热点话题,引发大众的思考,推动事件的解决,例如《我不是药神》。反之如果disagree,就重点论述“fictional movies”。
例如science fiction可以满足人们对未知的好奇心,激发想象力。再比如漫威系列电影的巨大成功和不俗的票房表现均体现了此类电影仍然受到很多观众的欢迎和追捧。
段落示范
下面我们来看老师完整的段落示范
Movies inspired by true life stories can drive social change. Movies have the ability to teach audiences about experiences outside their own perspective, inspire empathy, and raise socially, even politically charged questions and issues. For example, The Day After Tomorrow, which was released in 2004, helped increase awareness on climate change. In the movie, the world is about to enter a new Ice Age with a series of weather-related disasters, and the world population begins trying to evacuate to the warmer climates of the south. The main character Jack, a paleoclimatologist who discovers this massive climate shift, makes a daring attempt to rescue his son and his friends who are stuck in New York City. This movie has put a great effort to raise public awareness of global warming as a serious environmental threat. People started to debate critically online and promoted many campaigns for a low-carbon lifestyle. Therefore, It is better to watch movies based on true stores.