作者：北美考试院托福口语组 刘思元

今年最后一个月一共六场考试，题目话题具有一定的规律。话题内容除了12月5日这场考试的题目话题为交流方式的选择，其他场次均在讨论教育和学习话题而且是有关“课程选择”类的题目，均在近三年的真题库中重复出现。其中2020年12月2日重复2017年11月15日考题，2020年12月5日重复2017年10月29日考题，2020年12月19日类似2020年11月7日，2020年12月20日重复2015年11月8日，以上题型均为教育类的常规高频话题，这个类别的题目基本上可以在同学们按话题备考的过程中覆盖到并且总结出一定的答题规律，相信大家在考场上再见这些熟悉的题目时，都可以快速流畅作答。只有2020年12月6日和2020年12月12日这两道是近几年未出现过的新题，我们将在后面的真题解析中做详细讲解。

2020年12月2日

Some people think that those children who do not want to keep learning a musical instrument course should be required to keep learning the course; while others think that those children should be allowed to make decisions by themselves (they can still do exercises by themselves without continuing with the class). What is your opinion and why? Please give specific details to support your opinion. 

题目解析：

有些人认为孩子应该被要求坚持学习一门乐器，即便他们自己不想坚持学习，另一些人则认为孩子可以自己决定是否继续学习这门课程。

本题为典型的“教育类”话题下面的“课程选择类”题型，托福口语题目当中经常会问到“孩子是否应该学习某个科目或课程”，比如世界历史，艺术，写作等等，这取决于同学们对于自己选择科目或课程的依据是什么，是自己的兴趣爱好，还是就业前景，抑或其他。另外，这道题目使用的是被动语态“children should be required to…”，所以其实暗含了一个隐藏的对象，就是父母或家长，所以除了课程选择的角度，还可以从家庭教育方式的角度来回答，比如如果父母是否应该帮孩子做所有的选择或决定，父母的干预对孩子的未来成长是否有利。

范文A

I think children who do not want to keep learning a musical instrument course should be required to keep learning the course, because interests do not arise naturally in children. But school plays an important role in developing their interest by making the course compulsory. Parents can also encourage them to pick up a never-give attitude in learning by making things interesting or giving them external rewards as incentive. For example, maybe kids are not interested in playing piano in the first place, but every time they accomplish a certain goal, they’ll be given a small amount of money. After they’ve been doing it for a while, and had some achievement, they will gain a sense of fulfillment and discover that playing piano is actually pretty fun. People may wish they had been “forced” to continue things, but they were unable to force themselves.

范文B

I think there is no need to force children to learn what they refuse to keep learning. I mean, shouldn’t students have more say in what they are taught at school? First of all, if they are forced to learn what they have no interest in, they won’t be able to stay focused and motivated, it’s definitely not making them happier or more successful in this field. Secondly, it’s a waste of time practicing instrument all the time especially when they have no interest in or any talent for it, because they should be spending most of their time on their academic learning. All in all, I think we should give them an option to decide for themselves whether or not to learn certain courses. If they have a strong opinion of not doing something, even if we think they may like it, we accept their wishes.

2020年12月5日

Some people prefer to solve problems with their friends by talking face to face, while others prefer to solve problems with friends by sending text messages or emails. Which way do you think is better? 

题目解析：

有些人喜欢和朋友通过面对面的方式解决问题，另一些人则倾向于通过发信息或邮件的方式来解决问题。你更喜欢哪种方式？

本题为“人际关系”话题下“交流方式的选择”，在之前的真题中频繁出现。比如2017年3月25日问到发信息和打电话你更喜欢哪种方式，还有老师反馈作业时是应该通过线上交流还是面对面的方式（2017.11.4/2018.7.8），其他考到过的场景还有面试（2018.11.24)和开会（2018.5.6）等等，都可以根据同学们自己的亲身经历和个人喜欢来进行总结和回答。

如同意前者，可以说效率更高，可以避免线上方式引起不必要的误会或信息的遗漏，另外有的人喜欢面对面交流的方式原因是线上交流略显冰冷，线下可以拉近人与人的距离；如同意后者，可以说发信息或邮件比较礼貌和正式，而且避免了线下通勤的麻烦，对于解决问题来说更加及时。

范文A

I think problem-solving is better done face-to-face, because firstly face-to-face discussion allows people to communicate their ideas more clearly and more accurately. When you raise a question that need an immediate response, people can help instantaneously in person, but through texting you may not be able to receive a reply in a timely manner. Secondly, face-to-face interaction leads to a stronger relationship while when texting, there are often misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Because of some non-verbal cues, people won’t misunderstand each other. It’s not what you said, but your facial expressions and gestures deliver more message and bring you closer to each other.

范文B

One of the main reason why I prefer texting is that I’m afraid to say the wrong thing and texting gives me more time to think about what to say and phrase it in a way that will not hurt the other person. While on phone you have to say the first thing that comes to mind, which might not be the best of replies for that particular situation. By planning out what I say, I can avoid creating a bigger issue. Also, face to face is great if you happen to be in the same geography. But in my company, people literally work all over the world, getting the whole team all in one room can be a hassle, so we use emails to communicate our problems. It allows us to answer at the most convenient time for them, and also saves the trouble of coordinating our schedules and travelling for a long distance.

2020年12月6日

Some college students choose a course of study that will give them specific professional training, such as teaching or engineering. Others choose a broader course of study, such as philosophy or history that will give them more general knowledge. Which do you think is better.  

题目解析：

有些大学生选择学习一些专门的职业技能课程，比如教书和工程。另一些人选择更宽泛的理论知识课程比如哲学或历史。你更喜欢哪种课程，为什么？

本题较新，在近几年的考题中都没有出现过，但归根到底，还是在讲课程选择和个人偏好的问题。我们一起来分析一下这两种课程主要的差别是什么。首先，职业技能主要注重具体某个领域的实际运用，而理论知识更注重对于这个学科的深刻理解。如选择前者，那么学生的兴趣点可能主要在于其对于找工作的帮助；如选择后者，则可能是兴趣使然，而且看似宽泛的理论课也有开阔视野启迪思维的功效，站在这个角度上，还可以反驳对方关于“大学就是培养工作技能”, 从而提出“大学应该是开阔视野，培养思维方式和建立世界观为首要任务”的观点。

范文A

Personally, I prefer to choose a course of study that will give me specific professional training, such as teaching or engineering. This type of course is aimed to arm graduates with applicable skills which makes it easier for them to enter any industry and step into employment. For example, an aerospace engineer may know a lot about avionics and flight theory, but this alone does not make him an aircraft pilot. Similarly, if a person simply wants to work as a repairman in the future, his aim is to understand how a machine works and apply it to the real situations, in this case, learning physics, chemistry and mathematics, all these general knowledge may be a waste of time since they are all unrelated to his future career and fail to motivate him to devote his time to.

范文B

I prefer to choose a broader course of study, such as philosophy or history that will give me more general knowledge. Firstly, it’s necessary to be equipped with specific skills for a person in order to be employed, but it’s not the university’s role to do it. In fact, even with specific skills developed in school it is difficult for a graduate to simply step into a job and be good at it if without accumulated experience. Moreover, I think university study is much more than just preparing students to be future workers, more importantly, students should receive education that develops their ways of thinking, and ultimately helps them to become a better person. Philosophy, for example, may seem abstract, but it teaches critical thinking and logical analysis, which also helps improve students’ problem-solving abilities in the long term.

2020年12月12日

Nowadays, many people communicate through text messages, do you think we should reply to friends messages right away or reply to them later?

题目解析：

如今人们都习惯通过线上交流。你觉得我们是否应该立刻回复朋友的消息？

本题也是一道新题，属于“人际关系”分类下的“交流方式”话题。本题如果应该及时回复，可以说及时回复信息可以让朋友们感受到我们在乎他们，尊重他们；另外，有时朋友发信息给我们可能因为急需我们的帮忙或者建议，及时回复消息可以确保及时帮助他们。如果选择不需要及时回复，可以说人们在上班上课的时候很难及时回复消息，朋友也可以理解；另外，朋友用发消息的方式一般代表这件事并不紧急，也不会期待对方立马回复。如果真的是急事，会打电话。

范文A

I definitely prefer to reply to text messages right away because I’m a fast text messager. I usually respond to my friends’ message within like five minutes. Like most twenty-somethings, my cell phone is all but glued to my hand. When you don’t respond timely, they’ll feel you’re ignoring them because people know that you have your phone on you all the time. Even if I was too busy to respond, I would send a text saying that I’m too busy so my friends know I’m not blowing them off. In other cases, friends text us because they are desperately in need of our help or advice, a quick response will help us offer a helping hand and solve their problems faster.

范文B

Well I think it’s ok not to reply to text messages right away. First of all, if someone takes long to reply, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re purposely ignoring you or that they’re not that into you. Sometimes people are at work or driving or just walking right across the street, it is dangerous to look down at their phone. Imagine if you’re in the meetings all day, there is nothing wrong with texting back a few hours after you received their message. Second, texting itself indicates things they want to tell us is not very urgent, and they don't expect us to respond immediately, otherwise they would choose to give us a phone call. So it won’t hurt their feelings at all.

2020年12月19日

Your university is planning to require all first-year students to take a class in which they would learn how to use the resources available at the university library and apply those skills in writing a long research paper. Do you think this is a good idea? 

题目解析：

你的学校计划让所有大一新生上一趟必修课，课程内容包括如何使用图书馆资源并进行论文撰写。你是否同意这项学校政策？

本题又是一道经典的“课程选择”类题目。如果选择不同意，可以说很多大一新生不会对这门课感兴趣，而学习一门不感兴趣的课会让学生缺乏动力。另外，为了适应大学新生活，大一的学生时间和精力都是有限的，所以挤出时间来上这门课，完成相应作业会影响他们在别的学科和活动上的表现。如果选择同意，则可以说说掌握这些技能的好处，比如高效地搜集信息和完成任务等等。

范文A

I don’t think it is a good idea to make this course compulsory. Firstly, many students are not interested in writing because writing skills are probably not needed in their future, like music or art majors never write an essay after they graduate, so when they’re forced to learn things that they don’t like at all, they won’t take it serious, and won’t be able to stay motivated and be productive. Secondly, I think time and energy are limited for students especially freshmen, they already have a hard time adapting to their new life in college, so taking writing course may occupy too much time and affect their performance at other important courses and activities.

范文B

I think it is quite a good idea to require all first-year students to take this course. Firstly, many of them haven’t learnt these skills back in high school, while in college, all students, no matter what their majors are, are required to write research paper in many advance courses in order to graduate, so learning to search information efficiently is a must for college student. Secondly, it is also a good way for freshmen to get to meet new people. Some of them have trouble expanding their social circle when first entering the college, but if all first-year students have to take the same course sitting in the same classroom, they would have the opportunity to reach out to others and socialize with people from different background.

2020年12月20日

Some professors let students choose topics that interest them on research papers. Others assign topics on research papers. Which one do you prefer?题目解析：

有些教授让学生自己选择感兴趣的论文主题，有些教授会给学生指定好课题，你怎么看？

本题如果选择让学生自己选课题，可以说老师给学生指定的课题学生不一定感兴趣，没有兴趣学生在做的时候就没有动力，他们会把相关任务，比如查找资料，分析资料等当成一个苦差和恼人的事情。另外，学生能够自由选择课题会让他们觉得教授信任并缺尊重他们的判断。而给学生指定课题会引发学生的不满和反叛。

如果选择教授指定主题, 可以说教授指定的主题和课程重要内容更加相关，可以帮助学生更好地巩固课程知识。而且，不同学生选的主题可能难度不一样，这样对一些学生不公平。

范文A

Well I prefer to have my topic assigned by professor. Since I myself had no idea for research topic back in college, having a topic assigned by professor will definitely make it easier for me to start. In addition, professor has an overview of the subjects, what he proposes the students to study on may be more related to the content of their class, which in turn helps consolidate the knowledge student learned in class. Besides, professor must know the topic pretty well, so he or she can give proper advice and guidance on students’ work. On the other hand, if students are allowed to choose their own topic based on their own interests, it might add up to the professor’s work, and it sounds a little bit unfair to those who choose a topic of higher level of difficulty.

范文B

In my opinion, professors shouldn’t propose research topics for students. Only if they’re writing on stuffs that interest them a lot, they will be more motivated to do more research and keep going when encountering difficulties. Let alone it requires a lot of motivation and takes away the prof’s time in advising. Instead, they should guide their students in the right direction, and let them decide for themselves. Having the freedom to choose whatever they’re interested in gives them a feeling that they’re trusted and respected. However, if they’re given a topic that they know nothing about and take little interest in, they might become unpleasant and unsatisfied. So I guess it is better for students to take the initiative and put forward their own research interest.