GRE作文范文 Issue-18

"Students should bring a certain skepticism to whatever they study. They should question what they are taught instead of accepting it passively."

嘉文博译Sample Essay

The unquestioned role of a student is to learn as much as possible through whatever means it takes to ingrain that knowledge in the individual student. Teachers and professors are human beings and are therefore not perfect. No one knows the correct answer to every question even when you limit the questions to a certain field of study. Having a certain skepticism about what they are being taught can help students to make the teachers and professors even better by clarifying correct answers or correcting mistakes and misinformation.

Students certainly have a huge role in their own abilities to learn. Teaching faculty should act more as guides along the way rather than trying to force each student to learn whatever it is that they are studying. The best teachers in the world cannot teach an unmotivated student. If the teacher, for whatever reason, cannot motivate the student, then the student must somehow find a way to motivate him or herself. One method of doing this is by become an active rather than a passive student. The more the student involves him or herself in the act of studying, the better he or she can learn. One of the best ways to become more active is simply to ask the teacher or professor questions. Students who passively sit in a classroom and take everything that the teacher says for granted are not fully using their mental capacities to learn. Better education comes from teachers who are able to get their students to think about a subject rather than merely absorb a certain amount of information. Having a healthy skepticism can improve a student's ability to both think and absorb knowledge in a learning situation.

Students should practice a certain amount of skepticism in the classroom as a means of fostering better communication between the teacher and the students. To sit passively receiving and digesting information from a teacher or professor would be to assume that everything that the teacher says is absolutely correct. Teachers are human beings and no one is one hundred percent right all of the time, even in a classroom situation. No professor or teacher is infallible. Perhaps a teacher would simply unconsciously say the wrong word or pass on some misinformation that the teacher truly believed was correct. Simply asking a question by the student could prevent an entire classroom from becoming confused or misinformed.

In my own education, I have had at least two experiences that showed me the value of being somewhat of a skeptic at times in a classroom situation. In my younger years, a grade school teacher told the class that it was wrong for people of different races to intermarry because the children would grow up confused about their "real" identity. Although it seemed wrong at the time, because I was so young and impressionable, I thought that the teacher must be right because he was the teacher. Looking back now, I realize just how wrong he was and that a healthy skepticism even at a young age can be a valuable tool in education. In another example of the value of questioning a teacher, we had an inexperienced first-time teacher teaching our second language class. Although she tried very hard, it became obvious that she was making many mistakes. I began asking questions (in a helpful manner) and found out that the book that she was using was full of mistakes. She appreciated the feedback and we all had a better learning experience by watching for mistakes from the book. Without a little skepticism, we would have been pronouncing and using many words incorrectly.
There is of course a fine balance between a student having a healthy skepticism and just being a downright cynic. But with the proper attitude toward learning and a little skepticism, both the student and the professors or teacher can improve upon the learning process and maximize learning efficiency.

参考译文

学生应该对他所学的一切东西持怀疑态度。他们对教给他们的东西应该进行质询而不是被动地接受

　　毫无疑问，学生就是应该通过一切手段尽可能地多学习，牢牢掌握所学到的知识。老师和教授毕竟也是人，因此不可能尽善尽美。即使将问题限制在特定的研究领域内，也不可能有人会知道所有问题的正确答案。对别人教给他的东西持有一种怀疑态度能够帮助学生督促老师和教授改正错误，进一步讲清正确答案，纠正错误的表达，从而使他们做得更好。

　　学生自身确实具有很强的学习能力。老师应该在学生学习的过程中多引导他们取得进步而不应该强迫他们学习。如果一个学生自己没有学习的动力，那么就算是全世界最好的老师也对他无能为力。如果老师出于某种原因不能激发学生学习的动力，那么学生自己必须要找到激励、启发自己的方法。方法之一就是要成为一个积极的而不是消极的学习者。学生积极参与学习过程的程度越深，他就能学得越好。变得积极起来的最好方法之一就是去问老师或教授问题。那些被动地坐在课堂上理所当然地将老师说的话奉为真理的学生并没有充分运用自己的智能。能在学习中启发学生思考而不仅仅是让学生单向吸收知识的老师才能进行更好的、卓有成效的教育。

　　学生在课堂上应该抱有一些怀疑态度，以期达到学生与老师之间更好的交流。被动地坐在课堂上接收、消化老师或教授所传授的信息无异于认为老师说的就是绝对正确的。老师也是人，没有人总是百分之百正确，即使是在课堂这个小小的领域内也是如此。没有哪一个老师或教授是绝不犯错的。有时老师可能会无意识地说错词或者传达一些自己认为是正确但实际上却是错误的信息。这时，学生只要问一个问题就能防止全班产生迷惑或被误导。

　　在我受教育的过程中，至少有两次经历告诉我在课堂上有时有一点怀疑态度的重要性。我小时候，一个小学老师上课时说不同种族的人通婚是错误的，因为他们生下的孩子长大后会搞不清自己"真正"的身份。尽管这种说法当时就是错误的，但是由于我那时还很小很单纯，我认为因为他是老师他肯定就是正确的。现在回想起来，我意识到老师的错误有多么严重，意识到即使是在很小的年纪，有益的质疑态度也会是受教育过程中的宝贵工具。另一个例子发生在一个初次教学毫无经验的老师给我们上第二外语课的时候。尽管她很努力，但显然她犯了很多错误。因此我就开始对她提问（是以一种帮助的口吻），结果发现是她用的那本书错误百出。她非常感激我的提问，我们也在给书找出错误的同时达到了更好的学习效果。如果当时我没有一点怀疑态度的话，我们现在对许多词语的读音和用法可能都会是错误的。

　　当然，一个学生应该找到一个好的平衡点，使自己具有一种有益的质询态度而不是成为一个彻底的愤世嫉俗、好嘲笑挖苦的人。有了对学习的正确态度和一点质疑精神，学生和老师、教授都能够完善学习过程，最大限度地提高学习效率。

 

GRE作文范文 Argument-18

One year ago we introduced our first product, "Bargain Brand" breakfast cereal. Our very low prices quickly drew many customers away from the top-selling cereal companies. Although the companies producing the top brands have since tried to compete with us by lowering their prices, and although several plan to introduce their own budget brands, not once have we needed to raise our prices to continue making a profit. Given our success selling cereal, Bargain Brand should now expand its business and begin marketing other low-priced food products as quickly as possible.

嘉文博译Sample Essay

Obviously, the marketing director is enthusiastic about Bargain Brand Cereals' success in selling low-priced breakfast cereal. The marketing director states that over one year, the very low prices of the cereal took many customers away from the top-selling cereal companies and that despite the top brand cereal companies reducing their prices and planning to introduce budget brands, Bargain Brand has never had to raise its prices to continue making a profit. The marketing director then comes to the conclusion that the company should expand the business and start selling other low-priced foods as soon as possible. At first glance, the marketing director would appear to have a good idea, but upon closer inspection one can see that more research should be done before such products are launched in the marketplace.

In the first place, Bargain Brand Cereals' low-priced breakfast cereals have only been on the market for one year - a very short time in terms of analyzing the overall success or failure of a product. With such a short history, it is impossible to evaluate the long-term viability of the product in the marketplace, particularly with respect to the actions and reactions of competitors. The marketing director even mentions in his or her memo that the top brands have already tried to compete by lowering prices. It is likely still too early to tell what effect that will have on the future sales of Bargain Brands cereal. Additionally, the marketing director states that several of the companies producing the top-selling brands plan to introduce their own budget brands, indicating that they have not yet done so. He or she also states that Bargain Brands has never had to raise its prices to continue making a profit. Although that may be true because the competition has not yet fully reacted, the other companies are organizing a direct attack on the Bargain Brands cereal - companies which likely have tremendous funds available for launching these new bargain products, possibly even selling them at or below cost to try to drive Bargain Brands cereal out of the market. Faced with these current and upcoming battles, the marketing director's conclusion that they should launch other low-priced food products as quickly as possible might be foolish rather than wise. The company may need to save its funds to try to survive in their current market rather than extending itself out into more fields of competition.

Secondly, the marketing director assumes that low prices are what attracted consumers to Bargain Brands cereal. It is possible that it was not price that attracted customers - rather the package, promotion or the fact that the other cereals were not as good as Bargain Brands cereal. The company may have some special advantage with its cereal that others do not have - and that it cannot duplicate in any other types of foods. Success in selling low-priced cereal does not indicate the chances for success with other low-priced foods. Indeed, there may be some industry-specific factors in cereal marketing that have allowed Bargain Brands to succeed in the short-term. Bargain Brands may have some special expertise with cereal that they cannot duplicate with other types of food products. The marketing director presents no direct evidence or market research to indicate that Bargain Brands can successfully expand its business into other food areas. Without such information, the marketing director's argument is unconvincing.

In summary, without detailed market research showing the true reason why Bargain Brands cereal has been successful, without knowing the likelihood of its continued success, and without showing how it can translate that success to other areas, the marketing director's argument is based on speculation and faulty logic. To strengthen his or her argument, market research should be conducted to determine how the marketplace is reacting to the competition's strategies in the cereal market, and whether there is a demand in any other particular areas for low-priced food products. Additionally, the marketing director must show that Bargain Brands has some type of competitive advantage that it can successfully apply to its strategies in the low-priced food product market.

参考译文

　　下文出自"特价谷类食品"公司销售部经理的备忘录：

　　一年前，我们推出了我们的第一个产品："特价谷类食品"早餐系列。我们非常低的价位很快就从销量最好的食品公司吸引了众多顾客。尽管那些生产优质食品的公司继而降低产品价格试图与我们竞争，而且有几次计划推广他们自己的廉价产品，但是我们从未需要靠提高价格来维持赢利。考虑到我们销售食品的成功，"特价谷类食品"公司现在应该扩大它的业务，开始尽快地把其他低价食品推向市场。

　　 显然，销售部经理对"特价谷类食品"公司成功地销售低价位早餐系列极富热情。销售部经理说，仅仅一年多，非常低廉的食品就把销量最好的公司的顾客吸引过来，而且尽管优质食品公司降低价格并计划推出廉价产品，"特价谷类食品"公司却没有提高价格来维持赢利。销售部经理接着得出结论，公司应该扩大生产业务并开始尽早把其它低价食品推向市场。乍看起来，销售部经理似乎出了一个好主意，但仔细推敲我们就能发现，在这类产品推向市场之前应该做更多的调查研究。

　 首先，"特价谷类食品"公司推出的低价早餐系列仅投放市场一年--时间太短不足以分析一种产品的完全成功或失败。在这样短的时间内，不可能评价产品在市场上的长期发展，尤其针对竞争者的行动和反应更是如此。销售部经理在其备忘录中提到，优质产品已经试图通过降低价格与其竞争。断言对"特价谷类食品"未来将有什么影响现在尚为时过早。此外，销售部经理声称，几家生产销量优质产品的公司已经计划推出他们自己的廉价产品，暗示他们尚未做。他/她还说，"特价谷类食品"从未提高价格以维持赢利。虽然他/她的说明可能是真的，因为竞争尚未完全展开，但是其他公司已在组织对"特价谷类食品"的反击，而且这些公司很可能拥有巨额资金来推出这些廉价产品，甚至以成本价或低于成本价销售他们的产品以便把"特价谷类食品"挤出市场。面对这些目前的及即将出现的战斗，销售部经理的结论--他们应该尽快地把其他低价食品推向市场--与其说是明智的不如说是愚蠢的。公司需要积蓄资金以便在目前的市场上生存，而不是扩展到其他竞争领域。

　　第二，销售部经理假定价格低是吸引顾客购买"特价谷类食品"系列的因素。可能并非是价格吸引了顾客--而是包装、促销或因为其他种类的谷类食品不如"特价谷类食品"的好。公司的产品可能具有其他公司的产品所没有的某种特殊长处--而这个长处是在其他种类食品中不能仿效的。低价谷类食品的销售成果，并不意味着其他低价食品也有成功的机会。的确，可能是因为某些企业占有市场的因素使"低价谷类食品"在短期内获得了成功。"特价谷类食品"公司可能有一些专门技巧，而这些技巧是可能不能在其他种类食品中复制的。销售部经理没有提供直接证据或市场调查证明"特价谷类食品"公司可能成功地把其业务扩展到其他食品领域。没有这类的资料，销售部经理的论点是不能令人信服的。

　　总之，没有提供详细的市场调查来证明"特价谷类食品"成功的真正原因。不了解其继续成功的可能性，也没有说明它如何把成功移植到其他领域，只能说销售部经理的论点是基于空想和错误的逻辑。为了加强他/她的论点，应该进行市场调查以便确定市场对食品销售的竞争战略是如何反应的。此外，销售部经理必须说明"特价谷类食品"公司具有某种竞争优势足以使其成功地将其战略应用于廉价食品市场。

嘉文博译郑重声明：