GRE作文范文 Issue-28

"The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the discipline, we see the same world as before, but with different eyes."

嘉文博译Sample Essay

One of the primary aims of an educational system is to change the way that its students behave and interact with the rest of the world, even at the elementary school level. As one moves further up through school, perhaps even moving on to the graduate level of studying a particular academic discipline, there is no doubt that the world itself has not changed, but the way that the educated person views the world has become vastly different. If this were not so, there would be little reason for a person to pursue higher learning.

To begin with, let's take the example of the study of a relatively simple academic discipline such as marketing. The scholar studies all aspects of marketing, such as marketing research, marketing communications and marketing management. Over a period of three to four years or more, the student learns all about how people, organizations, corporations and governments all use marketing to persuade the general public to believe in a particular idea, campaign, product or political belief. From the very first marketing class, the student becomes aware that marketing is engaged in the process of manipulating people. The world will never look the same to that individual as he sees the tremendous amount of information available to the world in an entirely different (and most likely more cynical) light. For instance, as a specific example, the student learns that most products and brands featured in television and movies are placed there deliberately, with a large fee paid to the producers by the company that sells the product. It will be difficult for the marketing scholar to watch almost any movie or program without looking through his or her new frame of reference, noticing practically every brand name and product that is featured in a television program or theatrical release.

Furthermore, the more intensive the education, the more that person's view of the world will change. Nuclear physicists cannot look at an object without noting on some level its subatomic components and construction. Astronomers with a PhD cannot be expected to simply gaze at a starlit sky in the same manner as a pair of young lovers out on a date. Physicians cannot help but see the human body in a much more clinical manner than most other people - after all, they have most likely thoroughly analyzed a human body before, both inside and out. A lawyer will never be able to perceive the world in the same way again after law school or especially after practicing law for several years. The study of law will instill in the law student a critical method of analyzing facts and situations. It is only natural that this training will spill over into other aspects of the lawyer's life, not just when dealing with legal facts. It is not possible to "think" in more than one way once your mind has been trained at critical analysis. Additionally, after the lawyer has practiced for several years, he or she will likely have seen both the good sides and the bad sides of humanity in a society. Even when meeting new people, the experienced lawyer will have a predisposed opinion of how he or she perceives this person based on their own paradigm, looking through the biased lenses of legal training.

The study of an academic discipline does not in and of itself make the world different, although the application of those studies can certainly change the course of human events. But the perceptions of the world and the way that it works are forever altered for the individual that pursues a higher education, as his or her "eyes" will never "look" the same way again.

参考译文

对一个学科之研习，可以改变我们认识世界的方式。在研习一个学科之后，我们所看到的仍是一个和以前相同的世界，但观察的角度已全然不同。

　　一种教育体制的首要目的，是改变其学生的行为以及与世界交流的方式，甚至在初等教育的水平上亦复如此。随着一个人继续上学，甚至在研究生阶段研习某一学科，世界本身无疑是没有什么变化的，但是受教育者观察世界的方式已经是很大地不同了。倘若不是这样的话，就没有什么理由让一个人接受高等教育了。 首先，让我们以研习一个相对简单的学科（例如市场营销）为例。学习者研习市场营销的各个方面，诸如市场调查，市场流通，市场管理等。通过三、四年或更长时间的学习，学生学习到个人、机构、公司和政府是如何运用营销这门学问劝诱公众相信某种观念、运动、产品或政治信仰的。从最初的市场课堂，学生意识到市场营销所关涉的就是一个操纵人的过程。随着一个人用完全不同的（而且很可能是更加愤世嫉俗的）目光看到大量的信息涌入这个世界，这个世界将永远不会对这个人是同样的。例如，作为一个具体的例子，学生会了解到，在电视和电影中所宣传的大多数产品和商品都是故意地安排在那儿的，销售那些产品的厂家给制片人支付了巨额费用。对于市场营销的学者来说，去观看任何电影或电视节目而不加进他/ 她自己新的参照框架是很困难的。他会注意到电视节目或电影上播放的几乎每一种品牌和产品。

　　进而言之，教育俞精深，一个人看待世界的角度就会变化愈大。核物理学家不可能观察一个事物而不在一定程度上注意其亚原子成份和结构。具有博士学位的天文学家不可能与一对在露天约会的年轻情侣以同样的方式注视星光明亮的天空。内科医生会情不自禁地比多数常人更易于从临床的角度观察一个人体。一个律师在读完法学院或从业数年之后，决不会再以同样的方式认识世界。对法律的研习会给法律专业的学生灌输一种分析事实和情况的判断方法。很自然，这种训练将扩展到这位律师生活的其它方面，而不仅仅限于处理法律事务。一旦你的脑子受到批判性分析的训练，你就不可能用两种或两种以上的方法"思维"。而且，在一位律师从业若干年之后，他/她很可能会看到一个社会群体中人类美好的方面和丑陋的方面。甚至在遇见陌生人时，有经验的律师对他/她认识该人的方式也会具有基于他们自己范式的先入之见，因为他/她是在透过法律训练的偏颇之镜来审视他人的。

　　对某一学科进行研习，这一做法本身不会改变世界，尽管对于所学学科的应用肯定会改变人类事件的过程。但是对世界的感知认识以及感知认识世界的方式，对于那些受高等教育之人来说却是永远地改变了，因为受过高等教育之人的"目光"决不会再以同样的方式"看"待他周围的一切。

 

GRE作文范文 Argument-28

"A new discovery warrants a drastic change in the diets of people living in the United States. Two scientists have recently suggested that omega -3 fatty acids (found in some fish and fish oils) play a key role in mental health. Our ancestors, who ate less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat, including omega -3 fatty acids, were much less likely to suffer from depression than we are today. Moreover, modern societies---such as those in Japan and Taiwan---that consume large quantities of fish report depression rates lower than that in the United States. Given this link between omega -3 fatty acids and depression, it is important for all people in the United States to increase their consumption of fish in order to prevent depression."

嘉文博译Sample Essay

In this argument, the arguer states that because of a new discovery, there should be a drastic change in the diets of people in the United States - an increase in their consumption of fish to prevent depression. To support the argument, the arguer cites two scientists who have suggested that omega - 3 fatty acids, found in some fish and fish oils, play a key role in mental health. The arguer further claims that our ancestors ate less saturated fat, more polyunsaturated fat, and were much less likely to suffer from depression than people today. He or she also states that modern societies such as Japan and Taiwan consume large quantities of fish and report depression rates lower than the United States. This argument is based on problematic reasoning and therefore must be rejected.

First of all, the arguer cites as evidence two scientists who have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids play a key role in mental health. This is problematic for two reasons - only two scientists are mentioned, and they have only suggested a link, which is far from having proved it. There are no studies cited other than that two unnamed scientists have merely suggested a link, which is far from strong evidence that all people in the United States should drastically change their diets.

Secondly, the arguer states that our ancestors ate less saturated fat and more polyunsaturated fat, including omega-3 fatty acids, and that they were much less likely to suffer from depression than people today. There is no proof of this given in the argument, merely the arguer's statement or opinion. Furthermore, assuming the truth of these statements, there are many other contributing factors to an increased rate of depression today over that of our ancestors. For one thing, depression is much better diagnosed now whereas in the past it was likely to be just written off as simply "a case of the blues". Advances in medical knowledge have enabled people to not only be diagnosed as being depressed but also treated for the problem. In the past it was likely that cases of depression were underreported due to ignorance of the problem or the stigma associated with any type of mental illness. Additionally, lifestyle factors other than diet have contributed to problems with depression today. Excessive debt, increased social pressures and pressure at work are all contributing factors to depression that are bigger problems for people today than for their ancestors. Diet alone probably has nothing or very little to do with the increase in cases of depression.

Finally, the arguer cites Japan and Taiwan as modern societies that eat large quantities of fish who report lower rates of depression than the United States. Once again, there are many other factors to consider besides diet for the discrepancy. Cultural differences, lifestyle differences and the stigma of admitting that one is suffering from depression could all alter the reporting rates of depression in these other countries. There is no direct causal link demonstrated between the consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids and a lower rate of cases of depression in these societies outside of the United States. Additionally, the arguer states that all people in the United States should increase their consumption of fish to prevent depression, but it is possible that many people already eat enough fish or do not need to prevent depression as they have no problems in that regard.

In summary, the argument is based on some very tenuous reasoning including the mere suggestion of a link between omega-3 fatty acids and mental health by only two scientists and some anecdotal evidence of lower depression rates in countries that consume large quantities of fish. Without strong evidence of a direct causal link between eating fish, omega-3 fatty acids and depression, the argument fails to convince.

参考译文
下文是一份健康杂志上某篇文章的一部分：

　　"一项新的发现证明，生活在美国的民众有必要在饮食上进行巨大的改变。最近有两位科学家暗示，Ω-3脂肪酸（发现于某些鱼类和鱼油中）对于大脑的健康有着重要作用。我们的祖先吃较少的饱和脂肪和较多的多不饱和脂肪，包括Ω-3脂肪酸，所以与我们今天相比，不易患忧郁症。再者，某些现代社会--例如食用大量鱼类的日本和台湾--据说比美国患忧郁症的比率低。考虑到Ω-3脂肪酸与忧郁症之间的这种联系，很有必要让所有的美国人增加食用鱼类，以便防止忧郁症。"

　　在这一论证中，论证者说到，由于一项新的发现，应该大大地改变美国人的饮食：增加鱼类的食用量以防止忧郁症。为了支持其论点，论证者引用了两位科学家的研究，他们指出鱼和鱼油中所含的Ω-3脂肪酸对于大脑的健康具有重要的作用。论证者进而声称，我们的祖先吃饱和脂肪较少，多不饱和脂肪较多，所以与我们相比少患忧郁症。他/她还说到，诸如日本和台湾这类现代社会大量食用鱼类，而且据说比美国患忧郁症的比率低。这一论证的推论是有问题的，因此不能接受。 首先，论证者援引两位科学家的研究，他们暗示Ω-3脂肪酸对大脑的健康起着重要作用。这句话在两方面存在问题：仅仅只有两位科学家，而且他们只是暗示某种联系，而这种联系远未得到证明。除了两位没有署名的科学家只是提到这一联系之外，作者没能援引其他任何研究，远不能构成强有力的证据来说明美国的所有人都应该大大地改变饮食习惯。

　　 其次，论证者说到，我们的祖先较少食用饱和脂肪而较多食用多不饱和脂肪，包括Ω-3脂肪酸，而且，他们比今天的人们较少患有忧郁症。但是，论证中没有提出证据来证明这一点。它只不过是论证者的一种说法或看法。再者，即使假定这些都是真实无疑的，仍有许多其他因素致使我们今天患忧郁症的比率比我们祖先的高。其一是现在忧郁症更易被诊断出来，而过去很可能只把它看作"不高兴"而一笔勾销。医学的进步，使人们不但可以诊断忧郁症而且还可以医疗。在过去，很可能由于对忧郁症的无知或者与神经病相关的论点而没有将它们充分报告出来。此外，除了饮食外，生活方式的因素也会导致今天的忧郁症。债务过重，渐增的社会压力，工作中的压力等，这些都是导致忧郁症成为一个我们今天比我们的祖先更为严重的问题。饮食自身可能与忧郁症的增多无关或者关系甚微。 最后，论证者列举了日本和台湾作为实例来证明，象这样一些大量食用鱼类的现代社会，其忧郁症发病率低于美国。再一次，除了饮食导致这一差别之外，还有许多其他因素需要考虑。文化的不同，生活方式的不同，以及承认自己患忧郁症所会带来的耻辱，可能都会改变这些国家或地区报告忧郁症的比率。在食用鱼类和Ω-3脂肪酸与美国之外的那些社会里忧郁症发病率低之间，作者并没有证明某种直接的因果联系。此外，论证者声称，在美国的所有人都应该增加鱼类的食用量以防止忧郁症。然而，很有可能已有许多人吃了足够的鱼类，或者根本就不需要防止忧郁症，因为他们根本就不存在此类问题。 总之，该项论证基于非常脆弱的推理，包括两位科学家仅仅在Ω-3脂肪酸与大脑健康之间所暗示的联系，以及一些轶闻趣事式的证据来说明食用大量鱼类的国家和地区忧郁症发病率低。因为没有有力的证据表明吃鱼、Ω-3脂肪酸与忧郁症之间的因果关系，这篇论证不能令人信服。

嘉文博译郑重声明：