Two Educational Patterns
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic: Tow educational Patterns. You should write at least 120 words. And your composition should be based on the following outline (given in Chinese):
1．将两种教育模式进行对照；
2．你个人的看法。
【范文】
Two Educational Patterns
In the last decade, advances in educational reform have led to a hot debate over two educational patterns — the exam-oriented and the quality-oriented①. To answer the question — which is superior, however, we should take the following factors into account②.
In general, exam–oriented education gives priority to③ the scores of the students as well as the proportion④ of their entering schools of a higher grade. Under this pattern, cramming⑤ method of teaching has found prevalence⑥ all over the schools. Contrast to the above. The quality–oriented education system provides to all the students opportunities to share equal education and they are supposed to enjoy all–round development⑦ actively rather than passively. In a word, what the educational pattern cultivates will not be merely elites⑧ in study, but citizens fit in health, rich in knowledge and tasteful in morality⑨.
To tell the truth, as a so–called elite produced by the traditional pattern of education, I believe that the quality–orientation is much superior to the old one. We ever squeezed into⑩ a narrow passage, shouldering too heavy pressure, enjoying no childhood. Strictly speaking, the exam–oriented education in itself bears no difference from the imperial11 examination system, which is root and branch out of tune with the modern melody12. To my mind, knowledge can be sucked not only out of books but also from the lively society, to which the quality–orientation will build an expressway.
【注释】
①the exam–oriented and the quality–oriented：应试（教育）和素质（教育）
②take … into account：考虑；思考
③give priority to ：把…放在优先位置
④proportion：比例；均匀；均衡
⑤cramming：填鸭式的
⑥prevalence：流行；普通
⑦all–round development：全面发展
⑧elite：精化；杰出人物
⑨tasteful in morality：道德高尚
⑩squeeze into：挤上；挤进
11imperial：威严崇高的
12melody：美妙的音乐；和谐的旋律
【点评】
这是一篇根据汉语提纲完成的说明文。这种题型的作文在大学英语四级考试中经常出现。
全文共分三段。第一段总结会文，概括性地点明话题：素质教育和应试教育孰好孰坏是当今教育改革的热门话题。第二段开头说明应试教育的特点，然后作者使用连词短语contrast to the above转而说明素质教育，作者采取对比方法叙述，使得两种教育模式的特点鲜明突出。第三段陈述作者个人的看法，即总结上文作出结论：素质教育优于应试教育。
全文用词精确，符合说明文的语言要求，作者还善于运用各种手段写出大量的长句，把两种教育说得透彻全面。第三段多处运用比喻修辞手法，文章语言显得活泼生动，魅力无穷。
参考文献：英语作文高分必背丛书：大学英语四级写作/李华田主编，武汉大学出版社，2005
