大家好，聖誕夜快樂！
我是SK2的Rosa，
常有學生覺得寫作不知從何下筆，想到要寫一篇完整作文就覺得頭痛、想睡覺，甚至會覺得乾脆放棄吧！Let it go!
其實，寫作算是最容易進步的一科喔！只要瞭解ETS的口味，知道什麼叫高分的作文，要想要靠寫作拉分不是難事。
前陣子偶然聽板友提起我的主題句練習對於托福寫作很有幫助。
因此，今天決定用J2 TOEFL機經的小範圍寫作紅字題（共24題），帶大家練習寫主題句。
為何主題句重要？
主題句是評分官對你作文的第一印象，寫得好，例子不要太差，拿25以上是不難的。
反之，寫得不好，很可能就進入低分區（20初）了，因為評分官往往沒有讀第二遍的耐心。
主題句是什麼？
主題句(Topic Sentence)是中間段落的第一句話，顧名思義，主題句功能要讓讀者清楚瞭解接下來例子圍繞的概念。
主題句有什麼原則？
主題句必須要簡單、清楚且相關。
所謂“簡單”是指包含一個訊息。
所謂“清楚”是指讀一遍即懂。
所謂“相關”是指必須跟題目相關，題目裡面包含態度或目的，主題句就必須包含態度/目的。
之前曾經分享過，考試時離題的同學高達90%。
而離題的同學裡面，有一半都是因為主題句沒寫清楚而離題。另一半則是因為例子與主題句不相關而離題。
假如你作文離題，不論你寫得再好，文情並茂，通常成績都會落在20初頭，因為答非所問。
不知道你是否常離題嗎？請看“你知道90%的同學，寫作都會離題嗎？”測試一下你的功力！
既然離題是如此嚴重的問題，那到底要怎麼做才能夠避免離題的問題呢？
只要學會審題，學習寫出清楚的主題句，就能夠避免這個問題。
我把托福會考的寫作題目分成三個等級，Level 1最簡單，Level 3最難。
由於考試常考Level 2以及Level 3的題目，同學往往光是看懂題目就要花個五分鐘了，導致來不及打完或是嚴重離題。
因此，考前請同學務必熟悉Level 1~3的審題想點方法。
首先，讓我們來看Level 1的題目：
Level 1的題目很單純，只要找出WHO(對象、決策者)以及WHAT（選擇、事件），就能夠寫出主題句了。第一句話先定義WHO，思考WHO的特性、注重什麼層面，第二句話再看WHAT跟WHO的關聯性，視邏輯不同，兩句中間再放入and/but。
以下練習建議同學準備紙筆，先自己寫過主題句後，再看我的擬答。
＊注意！用看的和用寫的，效果差非常多喔！
1. Students should take many classes or just three to four classes in one
semester.
WHO: students
WHAT: take many classes vs three to four classes in one semester
定義WHO: busy, lazy, poor => three to four classes in one semester
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義WHO的特性，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, students are busy, and taking just three to four classes in one semester can allow them to save a lot of time.
Secondly, students are lazy, and taking fewer classes per semester saves a lot of effort.
Last, students are poor, and choosing fewer classes saves money.
2. Agree or disagree: Students should study music and art.
WHO: students
WHAT: studying music and art
定義students: creative, express themselves, have fun=>agree
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義WHO的特性，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, students should be creative, and studying music and art allows them to learn creativity.
Secondly, students want to express themselves, and music can give them chances to express themselves.
Last, students care about having fun, and studying art gives them opportunities to have fun.
3. People should spend more time on communicating by technologies such
as social media or text messages.
WHO: People
WHAT: Communicating by technologies or not
定義WHO: busy, lazy, poor => Communicating by technologies
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義WHO的特性，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, people are busy, and spending more time on communicating by technologies can save a lot of time.
Secondly, people are lazy, and communicating by technologies can save a lot of effort.
Last, people are poor, and choosing to communicate by technologies can save a lot of money.
4. Most parents sometimes find disapproval of the ways teachers are teaching their children. It's not suggested for the parents to express their disapproval to the teachers. Do you agree or disagree?
這題題目很長，所以同學會覺得很難，其實只要看懂題目便不會覺得困難。
請把題目想成Should parents express their disapproval to the teachers?便會簡單得多。
WHO: parents
WHAT: express disapproval to teachers
定義parents: care about children, reputation, lazy
->should not express disapproval
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義WHO的特性，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, parents care about their children, but expressing their disapproval cannot benefit their children.
Secondly, parents focus on reputation, but expressing disapproval to teachers might harm their reputation.
Last, parents are generally lazy, but expressing disapproval requires a lot of efforts.
接下來，我們看Level 2的題目。
Level 2的題目除了WHO和WHAT之外，還會有態度或目的。
只要有態度或是目的，要先定義態度或目的，第二句話再從WHAT出發，連回你的理由。
*注意！只要題目包含態度或目的，建議主題句裡面要包含態度或目的，否則很可能會離題。
5. Children can benefit in important ways from taking care of a pet animal.
WHO: children
ATTITUDE: important benefits
WHAT: taking care of a pet animal
定義children-important benefits: time management, take care of others, communication
=>同意
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, it is important for children to learn how to manage their time, and taking care of a pet animal can help them learn time management.
Secondly, children should learn how to take care of others, and looking after pets can give them opportunities to take care of others.
Last, communication is also crucial to children, and taking care of pets can provide chances to communicate.
6. It is happier to live in the city or live in the villages?
WHO: people
ATTITUDE: happiness
WHAT: living in the city or villages
定義people-happier:convenience, social network, entertainment
=>選living in the city
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, people are happier when they lead a convenient life, and living in the city is more convenient.
Second, for people, happiness means having a broader social network, and living in the city gives people a broader social network.
Third, people’s happiness is generally related to entertainment, and the city provides much more entertainment than the villages.
7. teachers cannot be both popular (well liked) and effective in helping students learn.
WHO: teachers
ATTITUDE: popular, effective
WHAT: both popular and effective
這題我會定義effective teachers（因為題目裡面已經定義了popular即well-liked）: student concentrate more, students understand the concept more, make students more active in learning,
disagree: Teachers can indeed be both popular and effective in helping students learn since popular teachers are often the most effective ones.
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, effective means making students concentrate more in class, and popular teachers have ways of making students concentrate more in class.
Secondly, effective equals allowing students to have a better understanding, and popular teachers can generally do so.
Third, effective education requires students to be more active in learning, and popular teachers often have the charm to make students become more active.
當然你也可以把題目想成Can popular teachers be effective?
然後定義popular teachers，再看popular teachers的特質是否effective in education也可以。
如下：
First, popular teachers often tell jokes in class, and telling jokes can make students concentrate more.
Secondly, popular teachers often use technology to illustrate the concept, and the use of technology helps students understand the concept more.
Third, well-liked teachers generally ask more questions in class, and asking questions prompt students to become an active learner outside class.
8. What is the most important action for the government to take to protect the environment?
a. fund researchers on new energy sources such as solar and wind power
b. protect forests and wildlife species.
c. Pass and enforce laws to reduce the pollution.
WHO: government
ATTITUDE: important
PURPOSE: protect the environment
定義important for government: budget, efficiency, citizen’s health
=> pass and enforce laws
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE/PURPOSE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, budget control is important to the government in protecting the environment, and passing and enforcing laws can save more budget.
Second, it is most vital for the government to put emphasis on efficiency, and passing and enforcing laws to reduce the pollution can help the government protect the environment efficiently.
Third, the government deems citizen’s health as essential, and enforcing such laws to protect the environment can take care of citizen’s health.
9. Nowadays, it is much easier to achieve success with help from one’s family than what is like before.
WHO: people nowadays
ATTITUDE: easier
PURPOSE: achieve success
WHAT: help from one’s family
定義people nowadays need…to achieve success: money, knowledge, social network
=> agree
=> agree
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE/PURPOSE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, nowadays people need money in order to succeed, and help from their family can provide them the money.
Secondly, to succeed, people today need knowledge, and family members possess much more knowledge nowadays.
Third, social network is crucial to people’s success nowadays, and help from family can provide broader social network.
10. Which is better for children's education: 9-month study and 3-month break or 3-month study and 1-month break?
WHO: children’s education
ATTITUDE: better
WHAT: 9m study and 3m break or 3m study and 1m break?
定義better children education: concentrate more in class, better understanding, absorb more knowledge outside class
=> 3m study and 1m break
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, children receive better education when they concentrate more in class, and 3-month study and 1-month break can allow students to concentrate more in class.
Secondly, it is better for children to have a better understanding in class, and a 3-month study schedule can make children do so.
Last, children should absorb more knowledge outside class in order to learn better, and having 1-month break every 3 months can encourage children to absorb more knowledge outside class.
11. It is better to give students grades based on many small assignments or one or two big assignments.
WHO: students/teachers
ATTITUDE: better
WHAT: giving grades based on small assignments or big ones?
定義better for students/teachers: students understand more, check students’ progress, teachers save more efforts,
=> small assignments
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, it is better when students have a better understanding, and giving students grades based on many small assignments can achieve the goal.
Secondly, it is better for teachers to regularly check students’ progress, and grading students on many small assignments can allow teachers to do so.
Last, it is better for teachers to save efforts, and grading students on many small projects lets teachers save more efforts.
12. Agree or disagree: Teachers were more appreciated and valued by the society in the past than today.
WHO: society nowadays
ATTITUDE: appreciating and valuing teachers
WHAT: more or less
定義society nowadays-appreciate, value of teachers: social status, salary, respect
=>disagree
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, value is generally determined by social status, and nowadays teachers enjoy higher social status.
Secondly, value is related to salary, and teachers today gain higher salary.
Last, appreciation comes from people’s respect, and teachers today are more respected by students than those in the past.
13. Workers would be more satisfied if they have various kinds of work to do during workday instead of doing the same job all day long.
WHO: workers
ATTITUDE: satisfied
WHAT: various kinds of work to do vs doing the same job all day long定義workers satisfied-save efforts, time with family, money
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, workers are more satisfied when they can save more efforts, and doing the same job all day long can allow them to save more efforts.
Secondly, workers are satisfied when they can spend more time with their family, and doing the same job makes them do so.
Last, workers are happier if they earn more money, and doing the same job provides them with more money.
14. The more money people have, the more they should give it to the charity to help more people.
WHO: people
PURPOSE: earn money
WHAT: giving it to charity
定義why people earn money-prove themselves, care about others, reputation
agree:
agree:
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義PURPOSE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, people earn money in order to prove themselves, and giving money to charity can allow them to do so.
Secondly, people should care about other human beings, and giving money to charity can make people express their concern.
Last, people should place emphasis on reputation, and donating more money provides them with higher reputation.
15. Agree or disagree: Athletes and entertainers can be good politicians.
WHO: politicians
ATTITUDE: good
WHAT: athletes and entertainers
定義good politicians: good reputation, understand citizens well, work hard
=> agree
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, good politicians should have good reputation, and athletes and entertainers generally have good reputation.
Secondly, good politicians should understand the citizens, and
entertainers usually understand the citizens.
Last, good politicians work hard, and athletes work extremely hard.
16. Do you agree or disagree: In the past, people were more interested in improving their neighborhood than they do now.
WHO: people in the past
ATTITUDE: interested
WHAT: improving their neighborhood
定義people in the past-interested: safety, neighbors, entertainment
=> agree
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, people in the past were interested in safety, and improving their neighborhood can ensure their safety.
Secondly, people in the past were concerned about their neighbors, and improving the neighborhood can allow them to interact with their neighbors.
Last, people before were interested in entertainment, and improving the community can provide them with more entertainment.
17. The government is not educating people enough about the importance of living a balanced and healthy life style.
WHO: government
ATTITUDE: importance
ATTITUDE: importance
WHAT: educating people about the importance of living a balanced and healthy life style
disagree:
立場：The government educates people a lot about the importance of living a balanced and healthy life style through the means of workshops, laws, and media.
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First, people are usually not aware of the importance of a balanced and healthy lifestyle and the government often holds workshops to make people more conscious.
Secondly, people usually lead unhealthy habits, and the government makes laws to change the detrimental habits of the people.
Third, people generally have unbalanced lifestyles, and the government often educate people about the importance of balanced lifestyles through media.
18. The most important investment that can be made to the education of children aged four to seven is giving them a computer
WHO: children’s education
ATTITUDE: important
WHAT: giving them a computer
定義education of children aged four to seven-important:
creative, relax, and achieve good academic performance.
agree:
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, creativity is a vital part of children’s education, and giving them a computer can make them become more creative.
Secondly, it is important for children at such age to relax, and computers can allow them to fully relax.
Last but not least, achieving good academic performance is significant for children aged four to seven, and a computer can help children develop good studying skills.
19. The best way to improve quality of education is to increase the
teachers’ salaries.
WHO: education
ATTITUDE: best way
PURPOSE: improve quality of education
WHAT: increase teacher’s salaries
定義quality of education: students have better understanding, more interaction in class, gain better grades
disagree: increasing students’ interest
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, the quality of education raises when students have better understanding, and increasing students’ interest can allow them to have better understanding.
Secondly, the quality of education is related to interaction in class, and raising students’ interest can provide better interaction in class.
Last, grades are also relevant to the quality of education, and making students more interested can produce better grades.
20. The most important thing people learnt is from families.
WHO: people
ATTITUDE: important
WHAT: families
定義important for people: love
=> spend long time together, imitate, influence unconsciously
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, people need a long time to learn love, and families members spend a long time together.
Secondly, people usually imitate others’ behavior to learn love, and they imitate their family members.
Last, people are generally influenced unconsciously when it comes to learning the most important thing, and they are usually influenced unconsciously by their family members.
21. The most important goal of education is to teach people how to educate themselves.
WHO: goal of people’s education
ATTITUDE: important
WHAT: teaching people how to educate themselves
定義people’s education-important: solve problems, critical thinking, develop interest
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, one important goal of education is to develop the ability to solve problems, and teaching people how to educate themselves can achieve the aim.
Secondly, another vital goal in education is to develop critical thinking skills, and knowing how to educate themselves can allow people to do so.
Last, it is important for people to develop interest, and learning how to educate themselves can make them more interested in learning.
22. Is it as important for older people to study or learn new things as it is for younger people?
WHO: older people
ATTITUDE: important
WHAT: study and learn new things
定義older people-important: stay healthy, develop interests, maintain social network
agree:
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, it is important for older people to stay healthy, and studying new things can allow them to stay healthy.
Secondly, it is vital for the elders to develop interests, and learning new things can provide them with a variety of interests.
Last, the old ones should maintain social network, and studying new things can give them a wider social network.
23. The government has an open field. Do you think it’s better to build a garden for the community or to build a sports field for a high school?
WHO: government
ATTITUDE: better
WHAT: building a garden or sports field
定義better for government: reputation, citizens, profit
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義ATTITUDE，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, the government cares about reputation, and building a garden for the community can raise its reputation.
Secondly, the government focuses on its citizens, and building a garden can benefit its citizens.
Last, the government places emphasis on profit, and building a garden in the community can create more profit.
接下來，讓我們來看Level 3。
Level 3的題目，除了WHO, WHAT之外，一樣可能包含ATTITUDE/PURPOSE，還會有情境。請用情境去想理由。主題句裡面可以省略情境，但是例子一定要以情境為前提。
* 注意！Level 3的題目，舉例時要提到情境，否則便離題。
請抓WHO, WHAT, 情境。
24. During the times of economic crisis, which of the following should the government spend less money on?
-Education
-Health Care
-Support for unemployed
WHO: government
情境：during times of economic crisis
WHAT: spend less money on education, health care or support for unemployed
定義government: budget, citizens, reputation,
=> reduce support for unemployed
請自己試試看，第一句話先定義在這種情境下，WHO會注重什麼，第二句話再說出WHAT的關聯性。
1.
2.
3.
First of all, the government places emphasis on budget control, and reducing the support for the unemployed can save a lot of money during this time.
Secondly, the government focuses on its citizens, but support for the unemployed is not relevant to the citizens.
Last, the government cares about its reputation during this period, and reducing the support for the unemployed will increase its reputation.
如何檢驗主題句是否夠清楚？
練習完了24題之後，是否清楚Level 1-3的差別呢？
此時，同學可能會有疑問，我寫的句子和老師的不一樣，那我怎麼知道寫得對不對呢？
只要你可以將主題句畫線，即代表寫得清楚。
所謂“畫線”是指看到相同概念就畫線，檢驗主題句是否只談一個訊息。
以第一題為例：
First of all, students are busy, and taking just three to four classes in one semester can allow them to save a lot of time.
Secondly, students are lazy, and taking fewer classes per semester saves a lot of effort.
Last, students are poor, and choosing fewer classes saves money.
同學不妨拿剛寫的主題句畫線，看是否寫得夠簡單、夠清楚。
畫線不只能夠運用在主題句，更能夠看出例子是否跟主題句相關。
不會畫線嗎？
請看這篇文章學怎麼畫線：“寫作滿分的關鍵祕密：學會辨識低分例子”
http://sk2toefl.blogspot.tw/2013/11/blog-post_25.html
最後，給同學幾點考前建議：
- 考前用機經練習寫主題句：只要會寫主題句，考試時會增加很多信心，也會節省許多時間。由於考試時可能會出現一模一樣的題目，建議同學定期下載J2 TOEFL針對每次考試所整理的免費機經（臉書搜尋J2 TOEFL即可找到），用寫作小範圍的題目來練習寫主題句。
- Level 1, 2, 3各練習一篇作文：練習寫作文時，請從Level 1開始練習。簡單的文章會寫了之後，再挑戰Level 2,以及Level 3的文章。一樣可以從J2 TOEFL小範圍裡面挑出難的題目，試試看！由於考試通常都考比較難的題目，考前務必練習寫Level 2以及Level 3。
- 考前練習寫這兩類作文：考試時很可能會考以下這兩類作文，剛好也是同學比較不會寫的。因此，考前請挑出來特別練習：
1) 以前跟現在的比較：建議同學平常先想五個以前跟現在不同的層面，如：少子化、網路、社群網站、等。只要遇到以前跟現在比較類的題目，就可以固定寫你想過的理由。
2)三選一的題目：三選一也很常考，建議同學碰到這類的題目，三者都要在文章中提到，會比較有說服力。
其實，寫作的原則很簡單，We write in order to be understood.
在這樣的前提下，我們只要學會以下三個步驟，就能夠越來越接近28分。
STEP 1: 寫清楚的主題句
STEP 2: 寫有說服力的例子
STEP 3: 學畫線
今天與同學分享STEP 1：主題句，下次再分享如何寫出有說服力的例子。
寫作其實是最好拿分的一科，希望各位都能夠獲得28分喔！
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聖誕夜快樂！;D
Cheers,
Rosa
