雅思写作真题解析

2024-12-15

雅思写作真题解析（精选9篇）

1.雅思写作真题解析篇一

雅思写作大作文真题的类型非常丰富，主要有以下几个方面：

(1) argument ---- to what extent do you agree or disagree; do you agree or disagree

(2) discussion ---- discuss both these views and give your own opinion

(3) pros and cons ---- do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages; do you think the positive effects outweigh the negative effects

(4) development ---- do you think it is a positive or negative development

(5) report ---- causes, effects, solutions

(6) mixed ---- argumentation & report

2.雅思写作真题解析篇二

“给定资料5”画线部分写道:“我们觉得她是最好的‘中国制造’。”请结合你对给定资料的思考和对这句话的领悟,以《我所理解的“中国制造”》为题,写一篇文章。要求:(1)自选角度,立意明确;(2)联系实际,不拘泥于“给定资料”;(3)思路清晰,语言流畅;(4)总字数1000—1200字。

【思路点拨】

此题虽然给出了标题,但是过于宽泛,需要在标题框架下选择一个角度,确定一个中心观点。角度选择可以不必局限于“给定资料5”,不必受文化交流的内容局限,但是必须围绕“中国制造”这一核心。作答要突出“理解”,在理解上下功夫,要写说理类文章,不要写成对策类文章,还要全面、深刻地阐明自己的认识。作答一定要联系实际,要结合给定资料,不能空泛地议论,也不能离题、离给定资料太远。

【高分作答】

我所理解的“中国制造”

中国制造,曾经享誉全球,令多少国人为之骄傲。但今天却面临着这样的尴尬:中国是世界上羊毛使用量最多的国家,但中国羊毛产业在国际上却没有话语权;中国制造遍布世界各个角落,但相当多中国制造的产品却没有定价权。究其原因,就是中国制造缺乏文化内涵。重振中国制造雄风,就必须增加中国制造的文化内涵。

一直以来,为了提高国内产值、出口创汇、占领市场的目的,中国制造注重的都是产量,关注的是产品的使用价值,大部分是贴牌生产的代工产品。长期忽视产品的内在文化,导致中国制造普遍缺乏文化和精神内核。产品缺乏文化内涵,就无法形成有竞争力的品牌,也增加不了附加值,表面看销量可观,但却挣不到钱。长此以往,榨干的只是中国廉价的劳动力,损害的却是中国的整个工业体系。要知道,当今世界的所有竞争背后其实都是文化的角力,缺乏中国文化支撑的中国制造,注定是走不远的。

中国制造,需要有文化内涵。文化内涵是中国制造的生命支撑。文化是内生于心、外化于形的,人类社会的林林总总要想有生命力就必须以文化作为立足根基和发展动力,脱离文化的事物必然是无法长期存在的,更谈不上发展。工业的发展是建立在文明的基础之上的,产品制造也必须融入文化,把文化当作支撑产品的精神支柱。当前,我国制造业缺乏核心竞争力,产品在国际市场上售价低,屡受歧视,提高中国制造的核心竞争力已成当务之急。增加竞争力,必须依靠文化支持。中国制造要实现涅槃重生,需要借助文化之手。德国、日本、韩国等制造业发达国家的成功经验,无一不是在制造中融入文化,将其传统的文化内化到企业的竞争力当中,从而生产出有高度竞争力的产品。反观中国制造,表面上是品牌意识与竞争力的缺失,深层的原因则是我国制造业缺乏文化的精神支持。要使中国制造走向世界,就必须让中国文化走进中国制造,在制造产品的同时更加注重文化和精神。

中国制造,需要优秀的中国文化内涵。优秀的中国文化才是中国制造所需要的。中国制造不能什么文化都吸收,要吸收中国文化体系中优秀的、精髓的部分,产品能够体现出中国的经典文化,要能够代表社会主义核心价值观的文化。中华民族有5000多年的历史,文化渊源流传,底蕴深厚,孕育出了深厚的文化内涵。我们在制造产品时,既不能搞“劣销”,制造销售不合格的产品,更不能搞“残销”,制造销售融入肤浅的甚至是腐朽文化的产品,我们要搞“文销”“精销”,制造销售能够代表中国优秀文化,体现中华五千年文明的精品。

路漫漫其修远兮。增加文化内涵,是未来中国制造的必由之路。只有把文化内化到中国制造中去,才能使中国制造有更深厚的竞争力,在国际舞台上站稳脚跟。

【简要点评】

3.2015年6月四级写作真题解析篇三

命题趋势分析

2015年1月，四、六级考委会顺利完成换届工作，本次考试成为新一届考委会暨命题委员会成立后的首考，具有风向标般的指导意义。综合本次三套真题，我们可以看出四级作文的命题表现出两大特点：一是上面提到的“新瓶装旧酒”，二是“反押题”。

“新瓶装旧酒”这一点将在下面的“真题解析”部分详述，这里首先说说“反押题”的趋势。2012年6月之前的四级作文大部分以“英文提示+汉语提纲”的组合形式出现；2012年12月四级作文出人意料地考查全英文形式的图表作文；2013年6月和12月两次考查全英文形式的图画作文；2014年6月和12月两次考查全英文形式的情景作文；2015年6月再次出现全英文形式的图画作文。可以说，自2012年6月起，四级作文的命题形式一直在变，具有强烈的“反押题”趋势。

真题解析

以往的考试中也曾出现过与本次考试类似的写作话题，只是本次考试的形式和要求有所改变，也就是所谓的“新瓶装旧酒”。具体分析如下。

真题一

Directions： For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and comment on parents’ role in their children’s growth. You should write at least 120 but no more than 180 words.

简析：这道题的写作话题与2010年12月四级写作的话题“How Should Parents Help Kids to Be Independent？”十分类似，都是关于家长在孩子成长中扮演的角色问题。不过2010年12月的考题给了三个汉语提纲，本次考试则没有给出提纲，且整道题以全英文的形式出现。

考生首先要注意审题，全英文形式的作文审题应关注三个方面：①体裁—essay （议论文）；②话题—parents’ role in their children’s growth （父母在孩子成长中扮演的角色）；③内容要求—a brief description of the picture and comment （对图片进行简单描述并评论）。值得一提的是，本次考试的题目不要求写作文标题，因此考生没写标题也不会被扣分。针对“父母在孩子成长中的作用”这个话题，考生需要结合图画的信息来做出正面或负面的评论。

笔者在阅卷过程中发现不少考生出现偏题、跑题的现象，这说明这些考生的写作思路比较混乱。笔者建议考生围绕“主题—相关人/物—社会群体—素质意识”这条线展开写作，确保所写的内容切题。以这道真题为例，在首段进行图画描述时，考生应写到主题涉及的相关人，即“父母”与“孩子”，然后写到相关物，具体可为“消息内容”“母女心态”等；在第二、三两段进行评论时，考生则可以根据图画的内容联系现实，写社会群体中存在此类现象并论述其利或弊，最后再指出培养孩子独立性这一素质或意识的重要性并提出相应的建议。

范文：This is a simple but enlightening cartoon： A youngster informs her mother of a good piece of news， “Good news mom！ I was accepted by the college of your choice.” Apparently， the girl’s mother is exceedingly delighted to hear this piece of news.

Though parents can offer support to their kids for their success， it is not advisable for parents to be overprotective. In contemporary society， it has become a trend for a host of young people to excessively depend on their parents. Meanwhile， an increasing number of teenagers find it quite comfortable to be indulged by their parents. A case in point is the girl in the picture. However， it is the parents’ protection that does not enable kids to build up adequate independence and competence to face society on their own.

As a college student， I am convinced that it is of great necessity for youngsters to grow by learning to make choices independently. Do bear this in mind： Parents cannot make choices for kids for the rest of their lives.

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点评：范文的首段首句摒弃阅卷中多数考生所写的“As is vividly described/depicted … ”或“From the picture， we can see … ”这两种结构，以简单清晰的介绍开篇，然后再结合图画内容进行描述。第二段首句则直接点明主题，指出父母不应该过分保护自己的孩子；第二至四句则重在从描述现象、孩子对这种保护的反应以及举例等角度来进一步将图画与现实结合；第五句则使用强调句式指出这种现象的危害。而尾段则联系自身提出建议并发起号召。

此外，这个范文多处选用书面表达来替换口头表达或考生作文中反复用到的陈旧表达。比如，用it is not advisable for parents to替换parents should not，用an increasing number of替换more and more，用a case in point替换for example，用I am convinced that替换I think that，用it is of great necessity替换it is very necessary等。

真题二

Directions： For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the picture. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and comment on this kind of modern life. You should write at least 120 but no more than 180 words.

简析：图片描述的是人们“工作、生活、娱乐都玩电脑，连睡觉时都梦到电脑”的现象，考生应该主要从计算机对生活的消极影响这个角度展开写作。2013年12月四级考到过“手机、网络对人们交流方式的影响”，与本次考试的这个话题十分相似。

这篇作文的图画主题比较明确，然而笔者在阅卷时仍然发现部分考生的作文跑题，原因是考生在审题时没有注意到四个场景中均有计算机，因而只写了“现代生活的单调”。阅卷组认为，作文要是没有写到“计算机的消极影响”这个大方向，就是跑题，其得分不会超过总分的30%。大量跑题作文警示考生，审题时务必关注细节。这道题的写作依然可以按照“主题—相关人/物—社会群体—素质意识”的思路展开。

范文：This is a simple but thought-provoking cartoon： A man uses his computer during work time， at home and when he plays； what’s more， when he is sleeping， he even dreams that he is sitting in front of the computer.

This picture can be naturally associated with people’s addiction to this invention. In contemporary society， it has become a trend for a host of people to spend most of their time on PCs and tablets， either in life， at work or study hours. A case in point is the person in the picture. On the one hand， an increasing number of individuals find it convenient to work， entertain or kill time with computers. On the other hand， large numbers of intelligent people have come to realize the negative impacts of this trend—some people have become slaves to computers. It is computers that do not enable people to spend adequate time caring for friends， family members and other significant issues.

Do bear this in mind： Computers are just our tools. Thus， we should remind our classmates and friends to be sensible when using computers.

点评：比较真题一与真题二的范文，考生会发现里面有很多重复的句型和表达，这说明考生在写作其他话题时可以灵活使用这些句型和表达。就写作思路而言，这篇作文与真题一的写作如出一辙，仅在二、三段略有调整，使用了on the one hand和on the other hand的逻辑关系来比较计算机的利弊，然后使用“it is … that”强调句式的否定形式指出具体危害。第三段首句提出号召，随后提出建议。

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真题三

Directions： For this part， you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay based on the picture. You should start your essay with a brief description of the picture and comment on kids’ understanding of going to school. You should write at least 120 but no more than 180 words.

简析：2013年12月四级作文考到了话题为“网络对教育的影响”的图画作文，本次考试这道真题的话题与那道题类似。笔者阅卷时发现，在三道考题中，这道题的跑题率最高，原因依然是考生审题不周。不少考生只写了手机对学生的影响，但忽略了Directions对话题的限定，即kids’ understanding of going to school （孩子对上学的理解），考生应围绕孩子对教育意义的片面看法展开讨论。就写作思路而言，考生仍然可以延续前两个范文的思路来展开写作。

范文：This is a simple and funny but enlightening cartoon， in which a mother is telling her son to go to school. To her surprise， however， the youngster responds， “Why am I going to school if my phone knows everything？”

Apparently， this picture can be naturally associated with kids’ incorrect understanding of going to school. Many teenagers are convinced that it is of no value to them to go to school， because it has become a trend for a host of students to acquire useful information using cell phones or computers. Furthermore， an increasing number of teenagers find it convenient and efficient to learn with the help of phones. A case in point is the kid in the picture. But， it is also cell phones that do not enable many students to understand the essence of education.

If youngsters intend to acquire talents， it is advisable for them to not only acquire knowledge， but also cultivate their own spirits of cooperation and diligence as well as communication skills. Thus， parents and teachers should educate and encourage their kids to cultivate these qualities. Do bear this in mind： Education does not merely mean “knowing everything.”

点评：这篇范文的语言表达和写作思路与前两篇范文大同小异，在这里不再点评赘述。

综上所述，三道真题命题形式相同，话题类似，考生均可以从描述现象、分析原因和利弊以及提出建议的思路展开写作。

备考建议

四级写作“新瓶装旧酒”的命题趋势表明，真题复习十分重要。笔者建议考生从“实战”“背写”和“翻译”三个角度来复习真题。

第一，“实战”指的是限时训练。基础稍差的考生应开始加强备考，按照考试要求在30分钟内完成写作，以此提前适应考场写作。练习完之后，考生一定要找老师或英语基础扎实的同学修改作文，以完善自己的表达。当然考生也可以将自己的作文与范文进行比较，找到差距并想办法提升。

第二，“背写”指的是背诵和仿写范文。首先，考生应背诵范文中优美的表达、经典的句式和地道的用词等，然后再找来类似的话题作文题目，利用自己从范文中积累的表达来写作，达到仿写范文的效果。

第三，“翻译”指的是选取好的四级范文，按照“英译汉—汉译英—对比—背诵”的步骤进行练习。首先，考生将范文翻译成汉语，以加深对英文的理解。其次，考生将汉语回译成英文，并将自己的翻译与范文进行对比，找出自己表达的错误及表达不地道的地方。然后，考生再针对自己的弱点背诵相关表达。

4.雅思写作真题解析篇四

2.主体段时态：一般现在时

3.题目要求：结合图表信息，描述Ashdown Museum翻新前后访客数量的变化以及新前后同时期各自的访客满意度调查情况。

4.描述重点：

①翻新后，游客总人数增长至92,000。

②翻新后游客的满意度有明显上升，satisfied和very satisfied的人数比例累计达到75%，翻新前这一数据只有45%。

③翻新前，dissatisfied和very dissatisfied的人数比例达到了50%;翻新后这一数据降至20%。

5.雅思写作真题解析篇五

WRITING TASK 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows the percentage of households in owned and rented accommodation in England and Wales between 1918 and .

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Households owning and renting accommodation in England and Wales 1918 to 2011

解题思路：

1. 图表类型：柱状图

2. 主体段时态：一般过去时

3. 题目要求：该柱状图描述了19至英格兰和威尔士买房或租房的比例。选择一些主要的特点来描述并作出一些相关的对比。

4. 描述重点：

1)1918年的自有住房比例最低，是22%左右，但是租赁房比例却最高，大约在78%左右。

2)1939和1953这两年的自有住房比例一致，且租房比例也是基本相同的，自有住房比例大约是32%，租房比例大约是68%。

3)从1918年到，自有住房的家庭比例显著增加，在此期间租赁住房家庭比例相应减少，而在1971年两者

范文：

SAMPLE ANSWER

This is an answer written by a candidate who achieved a Band 6.0 score. Here is the examiner’s comment:

The candidate has identified all the main features and trends, including the fact that in 1971 the number of households in owned and rented households was the same. Comments are supported by dates and percentages of households and there is a short overview at the end of the script. Organisation is clear as the writer deals with each category in turn. The range of vocabulary is adequate but there are frequent spelling errors [comprssion /comparison | dramaticly droped/dramatically dropped | stated/stayed | yeas/year | leveled/levelled | Genarally /Generally | prectarge /percentage]. These do not noticeably impede communication, however. There is a mix of grammatical structures and some complex sentence forms, though these are not always accurate: the meaning is still clear, however.

The provided bar chart depicts the comprssion of buying or renting houses in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.

1918 the rented households was raised about 78 percentage. Then it leveled of between 1939 to 1953. From 1961 to 1981 it dramaticly droped to 35 percentage. This accommodation stated the same until 2001. In 2011 there was a slight increase in rented households and it was up to 38%.

The same yeas the owned ones has raise from 21% to 32% in 1918 to 1953. In 1939 to 1953 the was a graduate stade in the percentage. Then it starts to leveled up to 69% In 1991. At 2001 to 2011 there was a decline in the owned accommodation and it was 62.%.

6.雅思g类阅读真题回忆解析篇六

参考解析：

SECTION 3

篇章结构

体裁：说明文

主要内容：介绍了艾恩布里奇铁桥的历史及其建造历程。关于铁桥的建造方法存在不同意见，瑞典的一幅水彩画展示出了铁桥的建造方法，经过调查研究证明该方法是可行的。

文章结构：

A段：简单介绍了艾恩布里奇铁桥的地理位置及历史意义。

B段：塞文河曾经的盛况，欧洲最为繁忙的河道之一。

C段：巴兹尔·布鲁克和亚伯拉罕·达比一世的贡献。

D段：亚伯拉罕·达比二世有在塞文河上建造大桥的想法，而最终由亚伯拉罕·达比三世将此想法付诸实施。

E段：铁桥的修建过程：1778-1779年冬铸造完成构件，1781年正式使用。

F段：铁桥的修建之谜，一幅水彩画的出现为铁桥的建造提供了新的解释。

G段：瑞典水彩画中对铁桥建造过程的描绘颠覆了所有历史学家先前的假设，针对水彩画中描绘的方法很多人进行了调查研究来验证其适用与否。

H段：研究结果告诉我们更多有关这座桥是如何被建造的信息。

I段：有关铁桥的故事仍有一个未解之谜。

试题解析

Questions 28-31

·题型：SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS 简答题

·题目解析：

题号题目定位词答案位置题解

28 when, the furnace, constructed C段

第1行注意题目要求ONE NUMBER ONLY只能是1个数字。题目均是由特殊疑问词when提问的，所以首先确定答案形式全都是数字，表时间或年代。建议考生可以把全文中所有表时间、年代的数字都画出来，这样就会一目了然，缩小了寻找答案的范围。然后利用顺序原则，细致比较原文中时间点附近的单词是否与题目中的关键词有同义替换表达，进而确定最佳答案。

题目问熔炉的建造时间。题目中the furnace...originally... constructed与原文中C段第1行中的…and built a furnace对应：In 1638, Basil Brooke patented a steel-making process and built a furnace at Coalbrookdale. This later became the property of Abraham Darby.原文表明达比所买的那个熔炉是在1638年被修建的，所以年份1638是答案。

29 when, roads, leading to the bridge, completed E段

第5、6行题目问通往桥的路何时修建完成。题目中定位词roads leading to the bridge completed 对应原文E段第5行的...approach roads continued for another two years, and the bridge was opened to traffic in 1781.本句中的another two years(又两年)是建立在前文所说的1779年的基础之上的，所以年份1781是答案。

30 when, bridge closed to traffic E段

倒数第3行题目问桥何时停止运输。题目中定位词bridge closed to traffic对应原文E段倒数第3行的Since 1934 the bridge has been open only to pedestrians.(自1934年以来，大桥一直只对行人开放。)只对行人开放，就表明停止了运输功能，所以年份1934是答案。

31 when, model of the bridge, built G段

第6行、7行题目问桥的模型何时建成。根据定位词model of the bridge built找到原文G段第6至7行的So in a half-scale model of the bridge was built...(因此在，1:2比例的铁桥模型被建造。)很明显，年份2001是答案。

题号题目定位词答案位置题解

32 no written evidence, how, bridge was constructed F段

第1行题目：没有书面证据来证明最初的铁桥是怎样被建造的。

原文：It has always been a mystery how the bridge was built.铁桥到底是如何建造的始终是一个谜。

必要分析：原文中的It has always been a mystery与题目中的no written evidence都指没有证据的未解之进，两者陈述明显一致，互相符合，所以选TRUE。

33 Elias Martin, only F段

倒数1-4行题目：伊莱亚斯·马丁的画是唯一一幅展现铁桥初建成的新貌的画作。

原文：In a small watercolour sketch by Elias Martin came to light in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Although there is a wealth of early views of the bridge by numerous artists, this is the only one which actually shows it under construction. 瑞典人伊莱亚斯·马丁的一小幅水彩画现身瑞典首都斯德哥尔摩。虽然已有众多的艺术家描绘了桥梁初建成的情况，但却只有这件作品描绘了铁桥正在建设中的情景。

必要分析：题目中说此画展示了大桥新建成时的风貌，原文中说此画展示了大桥正在建设时的风貌。题目与文中事实陈述明显抵触，所以选FALSE。

34 painting, constructed, two banks C段

第1-5行题目：图画展示了铁桥是从两岸建造起来的。

原文：Up until recently it had been assumed that the bridge had been built from both banks...But the picture clearly shows sections of the bridge being raised from a barge in the river. It contradicted everything historians had assumed about the bridge... 一直到最近始终有一种推测，桥梁建造工程可能是从河两岸同时开始……但这幅水彩画清晰地显示出，桥梁构件被河上的一艘驳船托起。这颠覆了所有历史学家先前的假设。

必要分析：原文中说水彩画中的信息颠覆了历史学家先前的假设，(包含了历史学家们所假设的铁桥是从两岸开始建造的观点)，题目与原文内容相抵触，所以答案为FALSE。

35 original bridge, model G段

第6-8行题目：最初的铁桥及其模型花费了同样的时间去建造。

原文：So in 2001 a half-scale model of the bridge was built, in order to see if it could have been constructed in the way depicted in the watercolour.因此在20，1:2比例的铁桥模型被建造，用来验证铁桥是否真的可以用水彩画中描绘的方式建成。

必要分析：题目是在比较最初的铁桥和桥的模型所花费的建造时间。原文提到了模型开始建造的时间，却没有提到建成的时间，所以无法比较是否花费了等量的时间去建造。就此话题，原文中没有任何信息，所以答案为NOT GIVEN。

36 Elias Martin, other paintings I段

第3-5行题目：人们认为伊莱亚斯·马丁还有其他关于大桥的图画。

原文：It had been drawn by a Swedish artist who lived in London for 12 years and … but perhaps the other sketches still exist somewhere.这幅水彩画由一位旅居伦敦的瑞典画家所绘……有可能其他的草图仍然流藏在某个地方。

必要分析：题目中have made other paintings of the bridge与原文中perhaps the other sketches still exist somewhere都指可能还有其他有关该桥的图画，两者陈述明显一致，互相符合，所以答案为TRUE。剑桥雅思G类真题

参考解析：

Questions 37-40

·题型：MATCHING段落与相关信息的搭配题

·题目解析：

题号题目定位词答案位置题解

37 why, bridge, across the River Severn D段

第1、2行题目：大桥需要横跨塞文河的原因

原文：...and had the idea of building a bridge over the Severn, as ferrying stores of all kinds across the river...他的儿子，亚伯拉罕·达比二世，作为铸铁业的先锋人物，早就有在塞文河上建造一座大桥的想法，以便把各种货物运过河对岸。

必要分析：原文讲述了亚伯拉罕·达比二世建造大桥的原因在于运送货物，很明显这就是题目中所指的原因。所以37题的信息来自于D段，答案为D。

38 a method used to raise money E段

第6、7行题目：用来筹集资金建造铁桥的方法

原文：Abraham Darby III funded the bridge by commissioning paintings and engravings...亚伯拉罕·达比三世利用绘画和雕刻的佣金来资助桥梁修建……

必要分析：题目中money与原文中fund对应;原文讲了建桥资金的来源，所以38题的信息来自于E段，答案为E。

39 why Coalbrookdale, attractive, iron makers C段

第5-8行题目：科尔布鲁克代尔地区对铁制造者有吸引力的原因

原文：This led to cheaper, more efficient ironmaking from the abundant supplies of coal, iron and limestone in the area.当地有丰富的煤矿、铁矿和石灰石资源，这使得炼铁的成本降低了，而且效率更高。

必要分析：此题较难。没有非常明显的同义替换。通过上下文我们了解到，亚伯拉罕·达比搬家的原因就在于他发现来源于煤的焦炭可以替代木炭成为更经济的炼铁燃料。而科尔布魯克代尔地区还有着很多的资源优势可以使炼铁变得成本更低而效率更髙。很明显，这些都是该地区吸引制铁者的原因。文中ironmaking对应题目中的iron makers;the area指的便是Coalbrookdale。39题的信息来自于C段，答案为C。

40 how, sections, were connected H段

第3、4行题目：铁桥的各部分是如何相互连接的?

原文：Instead it was fitted together using a complex system of joints normally used for wood...与当今的铁制桥梁不同，这座桥的各构件之间既不是焊接而成也不是用螺栓固定，而是运用了一种通常用于搭建木质结构的复杂连接工艺。

7.雅思写作真题解析篇七

1. 加强中职应用文写作教学的重要性

1.1 价值的实用性。

无论国家党政机关、企事业单位还是个人, 要表述思想、传递信息、交流思想、介绍经验、进行协作、解决问题等, 都离不开应用文写作, 它是大家学习、生活、工作中不可缺少的工具, 是为社会现实服务的。应用文写作贴近高中生的日常生活, 关系学生解决实际问题的能力及踏入社会后的生存能力。因而, 提高中职生应用文写作水平具有非常重要的意义。

1.2 应用的广泛性。

应用文是为日常工作、学习、生活服务的, 应用文写作能力是一个人在生活中必须具备的能力, 这种实用性文体于国家、会、个人都是有益的。应用文写作在工作、生活各个领域都有应用, 因而, 在当前的中职语文教学中, 每个学生都应该具备这种能力与素质。

2. 中职应用文写作教学困境解析

2.1 应用文写作未受到应有的重视

大部分中职学校应用文写作课时普遍较少, 课时有限, 只能讲重之重, 很多较重要的内容只能是蜻蜓点水, 点到为止。学生写作水平的提高并非一日之功, 很难在短期内见效。大部分中职院校过分强调技能训练和应用技术的掌握, 加之现有应用文写作教材内容陈旧, 使得生活和工作中最实用的文章不被看重, 中职生普遍能熟练操作机器, 但写不好实验报告, 甚至在求职时写不好求职信。

2.2 学生基础比较差, 教师缺乏有效培训

首先, 不少中职学生基础差, 经常写错别字, 标符号书写不规范, 写作格式混乱。应用文的语言要求明确简洁, 格式规范, 很多学生感到写好应用文比较困难, 对应用文写作不太感兴趣, 缺乏应有的热情, 积极性不高。很重要的原因是他们缺少社会阅历, 没能在现实生活中体会应用文的实用价值。其次, 我国还没有专门的应用文写作教师的人才培养体系及培训体系, 大分教师来自汉语言文学专业, 缺乏相关的理论与实践经验。

2.3 教材比较陈旧、教学方法单一

教材缺乏规范性, 例文过时, 与学生的生活实际相去甚远。课后练习题设计不精, 缺少有实用价值的题目。教学方法陈旧、单一, 以灌输为主, 注重讲授写作理论知识, 教师“满堂灌”, 学生被动接受知识。大部分教师只是照本宣科, 讲讲写作格式和注意事项, 给学生归纳几个条条框框, 然后提供几篇范文, 让学生生搬硬套。还有部分老师有求稳定、厌改革的心态, 对教改持冷漠保守态度, 课堂教学单调且枯燥, 不能充分调动学生的学习积极性。

2.4 考试方式单一

目前检验教学效果及学生应用文写作水平的手段仍是传统的期末考试, 这种方式不能真实反映学生的综合素质, 无法鞭策学生积极学习。因此, 中职生满足于短期的死记硬背, 应付考试的心态普遍存在。

3. 中职应用文写作教学走出困境的对策

3.1 加大教材改革力度

应用文与社会生活联系紧密, 现代社会的日新月异, 必然为应用文带来内涵的更新和扩展。要使应用文教学紧跟社会的发展, 首先就应该不断调整与丰富应用文的内容, 使应用文文案体现时代精神。但是, 由于教材具有一定的滞后性, 因此, 为了弥补教材之不足, 教师应为学生创设广阔的思维所需的情境, 使学生能体验应用文写作所需的工作内容和事件背景, 应尽量选用学生感兴趣或者熟悉的环境的范文案例增强学生感官上的认识, 以弥补其社会阅历浅的不足。另外, 教师要善于从互联网上查找一些与学生生活贴近, 学生易理解的案例, 并加强自身学习, 不断更新应用文写作参考例文, 从众多案例中寻求适合学生的范文。

3.2 学校要确立应用文写作学科的重要地位

应用文写作课是教师指导学生在学习应用写作的实践中体现自己的良好的文化、思想素质, 以及胜任本职工作的课程。可以说应用文写作课是对学生思想文化素质、业务素质更高层次上的要求。现在有很多资料表明应用文写作能力差已经成了学生就业的绊脚石。因此, 学校一定要真正认识应用文写作课程在学科教学中的重要地位, 在排课时注意科学合理性, 充分安排好应用写作的教学课时。只有教学学时得到保证, 学生才能真正掌握相关知识。只有从思想上重视了, 应用文写作的教学才能更为有效地进行下去。

3.3 提高教师的专业素养

首先, 教师要有学习精神, 树立终身学习的意识, 不断进行知识更新。其次, 教师要多写多作。“纸上得来终觉浅, 觉知此事要躬行”。教师在讲授前要多写下水文, 这样在布置练习题目时才能更好地把握尺度。再次, 教师要充分利用网络资源。国家、省级应用文写作精品课授课录像是非常好的学习资源, 教师要多学习、多研究、多思考, 集百家所长于一身, 努力形成自己的授课风格。最后, 教师要注意多交流。向同行学习, 积极开展教研活动, 搞好听课评课工作, 相互切磋, 共同提高。

参考文献

[1]王作成.论案例教学法在高职管理学教学中的应用[J].吉林教育, 2009, (7) .

[2]袁振国.教育新理念[M].教育科学出版社, 2007:17.

8.2011年6月四级听力真题解析篇八

短对话

短对话在历年的四级听力考试中都属于难度适中的题目。此次考试的短对话同样延续了这一特点，但这并不意味着短对话的每道题目都很简单，考生可以轻松应对。在四、六级听力考试中，命题者通常会遵守一个基本的出题原则：保持题文难度的平衡。“题”指的是听力题目，“文”指的是听力录音材料。也就是说，如果听力录音材料的内容比较简单，那么题目的难度就会加大；如果听力录音材料的内容比较难，那么题目就相对简单。由于短对话的录音材料篇幅短、语速慢，较容易理解，所以针对其设置的题目会稍有难度，经常会考查考生对整个对话主旨的理解。这就要求考生不但要理解材料中的细节内容，还要能通过细节概括出其想表达的主旨。下面我们一起来分析此次听力考试短对话的第11题。

11.What do we learn about Sean?

A.He is careless about his appearance.

B.He is ashamed of his present condition.

C.He changes jobs frequently.

D.He shaves every other day.

解析：在这道题的录音材料中，第一个说话人两次提到了job一词(分别为find a job和get a job)，由此可知该对话主要是探讨与工作相关的话题。对话的关键点是第一个说话人的第二句话：“… but I wonder how he (指Sean) could get a job when he looks like that.”考生可以根据转折词but后面的内容判断出Sean可能求职不顺利，而不顺利的原因就是“he looks like that”，即他的形象看起来不太好。接下来，第二个说话人更为具体地描述了Sean的形象问题：“… he should shave (刮胡子) himself …, and put on something clean.”通过第二个人的细节描述，考生可知这两个人主要是想说Sean看起来比较邋遢，不太注意外表。由此可判断出这道题的正确答案为选项A。选项C和D中虽然出现了录音材料中的job、shave等关键词，但这两项都曲解了原对话的意思，属于干扰项。

短对话中与第11题类似的题目很多，这要求考生在做短对话题目时，不要听到什么就选什么，而是多体会说话人的弦外之音。我们再一起来看短对话的第14题。

14.What do we learn about John?

A.He had a narrow escape in a car accident.

B. He is hospitalized for a serious injury.

C.He lost his mother two weeks ago.

D.He has been having a hard time.

解析：这是一道典型的“所听非所选”题目，解题的关键是掌握对话的中心意思。选项A、B、C中都出现了录音材料中出现的词(组)，比如A选项中的in a car accident、B选项中的injury (录音材料中为injured)和C选项中的two weeks ago。但这三项都曲解了原对话的意思。选项A和B中所叙述的事都发生在John的母亲身上，而不是John自己身上。选项C的正确说法应该是“He (指John) lost his father last year”。选项D中的词汇虽然在录音材料中未出现，但它却概括了这一对话的中心意思：正因为John在一年前失去了父亲，现又在医院照顾因车祸住院的母亲，所以他正在经历一段艰难的时期。由此可确定选项D为正确答案。

Tips：

听力短对话中经常考查主旨题。考生在解答此类题目时，要多揣摩说话人的意图，总结其想表达的隐含信息。考生不要被选项中与录音材料内容重复的个别词(组)所迷惑，主旨题的正确答案往往以概括性的文字出现。

长对话

相比短对话来说，长对话的录音材料篇幅长、信息量大，不太容易理解，但这部分所设置的题目难度相对较低。因此，只要考生能够静下心来听对话，快速记录一些重要信息，解答这部分题目并不难。下面我们一起来解析两篇长对话中的典型例题。

第一篇长对话主要是讲学生向教授请教如何写论文。在对话的开头部分，学生首先提出了他想写的论文主题(cross-country skiing)；在中间部分，学生提出了写作中遇到的问题；在最后部分，教授给出了一个合理建议。这篇长对话中所采用的“提出问题-解决问题”的对话方式对考生来说并不陌生。遇到此类长对话时，考生可以运用这样一条规律解题，即“凡遇到问题，必出考题”。这篇长对话的第20题就针对学生遇到的问题设置了题目。

20.What problem does the man have while working on his paper?

A.He can’t find good examples to illustrate his point.

B.He can’t find a peaceful place to do his assignment.

C.He doesn’t know how to describe the beautiful country scenery.

D.He can’t decide whether to include the effort part of skiing.

解析：这道题就学生在论文写作中遇到的问题进行提问。在长对话的录音材料中，教授问了学生这样一个问题：“So why is that a problem?”在回答这一问题时，学生首先说 “I keep mentioning how much effort it (指cross-country skiing) takes to keep going”，紧接着又说 “but that’s not heart of my paper, so I guess I should leave it out”。通过这一回答，考生可以初步判断出该学生在写作中遇到的问题是要不要写“how much effort it takes to keep going”这一部分内容。教授最后说“Then you have to include that in your point”，考生由此可以确定自己最初的判断是正确的。因此这道题的正确答案为选项D。

上述这道题是第一篇长对话三道题目中的中间一题，这道题的答案信息也位于长对话录音材料的中间部分。这一特点反映出了听力考试的又一出题原则：在听力长对话和短文理解题目中，题目的顺序与其答案信息在录音材料中出现的顺序通常是一致的。这一原则可称为“题文同序原则”，即第一题和最后一题对应录音材料的开头和结尾部分，中间的题目对应录音材料的中间部分。这一原则可帮助考生更为敏锐地捕获答题信息。我们一起来看第二篇长对话的第22题。

22.What is the woman’s occupation?

A.Journalist of a local newspaper.

B.Director of evening radio program.

C.Producer of television commercials.

D.Hostess of the weekly “Business World”.

解析：这道题为第二篇长对话的第一道题目，考生可将答案信息定位在该对话录音材料的开头部分。在对话的开头部分，一位女士说道：“… welcome to this week’s ‘Business World’. It programs for and about business people. Tonight we have ...”通过这一比较典型的主持人开场白，考生可以确定该女士是“Business World”的主持人，所以这道题的正确答案为选项D。

Tips：

听力长对话中通常遵循“题文同序原则”，考生应利用这一原则，定位好答案信息在录音材料中的位置，更为敏锐地捕获答题信息。

短文理解题

短文理解题可以说是此次四级听力考试中难度最大的题型。三篇短文的录音材料篇幅都较长，内容都比较专业，考生若想快速捕获答题信息，难度较大。那考生该如何攻克这一难点呢？下面我们来分析该题型的解题方法。

既然短文理解题的录音材料较难，那么依据上文中提到的“题文难度平衡原则”，该部分所设置的题目就不会太难。通过对历年短文理解题的分析，笔者发现这样一个规律：短文理解题目的正确答案与录音材料中的内容非常接近。因此，考生可以在解题时运用“视听基本一致原则”，在录音中听到什么，就选什么。下面我们就依据这一原则来解答第一篇短文理解的第27题。

27.What do studies about wearing the wrong glasses show?

A．It makes the wearer feel tired.

B.It will gradually weaken the eyes of adults.

C.It can lead to the loss of vision in children.

D.It can permanently change the eye structure.

解析：这道题为第一篇短文理解的第二道题目(共三道题)，根据“题文同序原则”，考生可将这道题的答案信息定位至录音材料的中间部分。在材料的中间部分有这样一句话：“…, but children can develop loss of vision if they have glasses inappropriate for their eyes. ”这句话中的后半部分(if引导的条件句)对应题干中的“wearing the wrong glasses show”，而前半部分“children can develop loss of vision”与选项C中的内容高度吻合。根据“视听基本一致原则”，考生可以判断选项C为正确答案。

除了“视听基本一致原则”外，考生还可以利用录音材料中出现的一些极具标识性的信号词来解题。这些信号词包括表达转折关系的词汇(but、however、actually等)、表示因果关系的词汇(because、thus等)、表示建议的词汇(“it is better to ...” “why not ...”等)以及表示强调的词汇(especially、particularly等)等。这些信号词的后面通常都是考点所在，应引起考生的特别重视。我们一起来看第二篇短文理解的第29题。

29. Why are adult children more likely to use community services to help care for elderly parents?

A.They think they should follow the current trend.

B.Nursing homes are well-equipped and convenient.

C.Adult day-care centers are easily accessible.

D.They have jobs and other commitments.

解析：这道题为第二篇短文理解的第一道题目，因此考生可将答案信息定位至录音材料的开头部分。考生从开篇的第二句话中找到答案信息：“If the caregivers are adult children, they are more likely to use such services (指community services), especially because they often have jobs and other responsibilities.”考生听到这句话中的两个信号词especially和because时，就应该对其后面要表述的内容给予重视。这两个关键词后面的内容(they often have jobs and other responsibilities)阐述了adult children选择community services的原因，也正是这道题的答案所在。根据“视听基本一致原则”，考生可知，选项D与录音材料中的内容吻合度最高，因此为正确答案。

Tips：

短文理解题的录音材料通常较难，因此其题目的设置一般较为简单。考生在解答这部分题目时，一般都可遵循“视听基本一致原则”来解题。此外，考生也要对录音材料中出现的具有标识性的信号词给予重视，这些信号词的后面通常是考点集中地带。

复合式听写

此次四级听力考试的复合式听写材料属于科技类题材，涉及“speed of light” (光速)、“relativity” (相对论)等专业性内容，但听写部分的难度并不大，主要考查比较常见的动词、形容词和名词等。考生在做复合式听写题目时，可遵循如下三个步骤。

步骤一：听第一遍录音时，考生先不要急于补全题目中空格处的内容，而是要注意听懂录音材料的大意，把握材料的逻辑结构，记录关键的信息词。

步骤二：听第二遍录音时，考生应尽量将题目中空格处的内容补全。考生不一定要填写录音材料中的原文，只要能表达出材料中的意思即可。

步骤三：听第三遍录音时，考生要边听边检查自己填写的内容是否准确，语法是否规范，及时改正填写内容中出现的错误。

Tips：

9.雅思写作真题解析篇九

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Attitudes to language

It is not easy to be systematic and objective about language study. Popular linguistic debate regularly deteriorates into invective and polemic. Language belongs to everyone, so most people feel they have a right to hold an opinion about it. And when opinions differ, emotions can run high. Arguments can start as easily over minor points of usage as over major policies of linguistic education.

Language, moreover, is a very public behaviour, so it is easy for different usages to be noted and criticised. No part of society or social behaviour is exempt: linguistic factors influence how we judge personality, intelligence, social status, educational standards, job aptitude, and many other areas of identity and social survival. As a result, it is easy to hurt, and to be hurt, when language use is unfeelingly attacked.

In its most general sense, prescriptivism is the view that one variety of language has an inherently higher value than others, and that this ought to be imposed on the whole of the speech community. The view is propounded especially in relation to grammar and vocabulary, and frequently with reference to pronunciation. The variety which is favoured, in this account, is usually a version of the ‘standard’ written language, especially as encountered in literature, or in the formal spoken language which most closely reflects this style. Adherents to this variety are said to speak or write ‘correctly’; deviations from it are said to be ‘incorrect’.

All the main languages have been studied prescriptively, especially in the 18th century approach to the writing of grammars and dictionaries. The aims of these early grammarians were threefold: (a) they wanted to codify the principles of their languages, to show that there was a system beneath the apparent chaos of usage, (b) they wanted a means of settling disputes over usage, and (c) they wanted to point out what they felt to be common errors, in order to ‘improve’ the language. The authoritarian nature of the approach is best characterized by its reliance on ‘rules’ of grammar. Some usages are ‘prescribed’, to be learnt and followed accurately; others are ‘proscribed’, to be avoided. In this early period, there were no half-measures: usage was either right or wrong, and it was the task of the grammarian not simply to record alternatives, but to pronounce judgement upon them.

These attitudes are still with us, and they motivate a widespread concern that linguistic standards should be maintained. Nevertheless, there is an alternative point of view that is concerned less with standards than with the facts of linguistic usage. This approach is summarized in the statement that it is the task of the grammarian to describe, not prescribe — to record the facts of linguistic diversity, and not to attempt the impossible tasks of evaluating language variation or halting language change. In the second half of the 18th century, we already find advocates of this view, such as Joseph Priestley, whose Rudiments of English Grammar (1761) insists that ‘the custom of speaking is the original and only just standard of any language’. Linguistic issue, it is argued, cannot be solved by logic and legislation. And this view has become the tenet of the modern linguistic approach to grammatical analysis.

In our own time, the opposition between ‘descriptivists’ and ‘prescriptivists’ has often become extreme, with both sides painting unreal pictures of the other. Descriptive grammarians have been presented as people who do not care about standards, because of the way they see all forms of usage as equally valid. Prescriptive grammarians have been presented as blind adherents to a historical tradition. The opposition has even been presented in quasi-political terms — of radical liberalism vs elitist conservatism.

Questions 1-8

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

1 There are understandable reasons why arguments occur about language.

2 People feel more strongly about language education than about small differences in language usage.

3 Our assessment of a person’s intelligence is affected by the way he or she uses language.

4 Prescriptive grammar books cost a lot of money to buy in the 18th century.

5 Prescriptivism still exists today.

6 According to descriptivists it is pointless to try to stop language change.

7 Descriptivism only appeared after the 18th century.

8 Both descriptivists and prescriptivists have been misrepresented.

Questions 9-12

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-I, below.

Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 9-12 on your answer sheet.

The language debate

According to 9______, there is only one correct form of language. Linguists who take this approach to language place great importance on grammatical 10 ______.

Conversely, the view of 11 ______, such as Joseph Priestly, is that grammar should be based on 12 ______.

A descriptivists B language experts C popular speech

D formal language E evaluation F rules

G modern linguists H prescriptivists I change

Question 13

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in box 13 on your answer sheet.

What is the writer’s purpose in Reading Passage 1?

A. to argue in favour of a particular approach to writing dictionaries and grammar books

B. to present a historical account of differing views of language

C. to describe the differences between spoken and written language

D. to show how a certain view of language has been discredited

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.

Tidal Power

Undersea turbines which produce electricity from the tides are set to become an important source of renewable energy for Britain. It is still too early to predict the extent of the impact they may have, but all the signs are that they will play a significant role in the future

A. Operating on the same principle as wind turbines, the power in sea turbines comes from tidal currents which turn blades similar to ships’ propellers, but, unlike wind, the tides are predictable and the power input is constant. The technology raises the prospect of Britain becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy and drastically reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. If tide, wind and wave power are all developed, Britain would be able to close gas, coal and nuclear power plants and export renewable power to other parts of Europe. Unlike wind power, which Britain originally developed and then abandoned for 20 years allowing the Dutch to make it a major industry, undersea turbines could become a big export earner to island nations such as Japan and New Zealand.

B. Tidal sites have already been identified that will produce one sixth or more of the UK’s power — and at prices competitive with modern gas turbines and undercutting those of the already ailing nuclear industry. One site alone, the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and mainland Scotland, could produce 10% of the country’s electricity with banks of turbines under the sea, and another at Alderney in the Channel Islands three times the 1,200 megawatts of Britain’s largest and newest nuclear plant, Sizewell B, in Suffolk. Other sites identified include the Bristol Channel and the west coast of Scotland, particularly the channel between Campbeltown and Northern Ireland.

C. Work on designs for the new turbine blades and sites are well advanced at the University of Southampton’s sustainable energy research group. The first station is expected to be installed off Lynmouth in Devon shortly to test the technology in a venture jointly funded by the department of Trade and Industry and the European Union. AbuBakr Bahaj, in charge of the Southampton research, said: ‘The prospects for energy from tidal currents are far better than from wind because the flows of water are predictable and constant. The technology for dealing with the hostile saline environment under the sea has been developed in the North Sea oil industry and much is already known about turbine blade design, because of wind power and ship propellers. There are a few technical difficulties, but I believe in the next five to ten years we will be installing commercial marine turbine farms.’ Southampton has been awarded ￡215,000 over three years to develop the turbines and is working with Marine Current Turbines, a subsidiary of IT power, on the Lynmouth project. EU research has now identified 106 potential sites for tidal power, 80% round the coasts of Britain. The best sites are between islands or around heavily indented coasts where there are strong tidal currents.

D. A marine turbine blade needs to be only one third of the size of wind generator to produce three times as much power. The blades will be about 20 metres in diameter, so around 30 metres of water is required. Unlike wind power, there are unlikely to be environmental objections. Fish and other creatures are thought unlikely to be at risk from the relatively slow-turning blades. Each turbine will be mounted on a tower which will connect to the national power supply grid via underwater cables. The towers will stick out of the water and be lit, to warn shipping, and also be designed to be lifted out of the water for maintenance and to clean seaweed from the blades.

E. Dr Bahaj has done most work on the Alderney site, where there are powerful currents. The single undersea turbine farm would produce far more power than needed for the Channel Islands and most would be fed into the French Grid and be re-imported into Britain via the cable under the Channel.

F. One technical difficulty is cavitation, where low pressure behind a turning blade causes air bubbles. These can cause vibration and damage the blades of the turbines. Dr Bahaj said: ‘We have to test a number of blade types to avoid this happening or at least make sure it does not damage the turbines or reduce performance. Another slight concern is submerged debris floating into the blades. So far we do not know how much of a problem it might be. We will have to make the turbines robust because the sea is a hostile environment, but all the signs that we can do it are good.’

Questions 14-17

Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

14 the location of the first test site

15 a way of bringing the power produced on one site back into Britain

16 a reference to a previous attempt by Britain to find an alternative source of energy

17 mention of the possibility of applying technology from another industry

Questions 18-22

Choose FIVE letters, A-J.

Write the correct letters in boxes 18-22 on your answer sheet.

Which FIVE of the following claims about tidal power are made by the writer?

A It is a more reliable source of energy than wind power.

B It would replace all other forms of energy in Britain.

C Its introduction has come as a result of public pressure.

D It would cut down on air pollution.

E It could contribute to the closure of many existing power stations in Britain.

F It could be a means of increasing national income.

G It could face a lot of resistance from other fuel industries.

H It could be sold more cheaply than any other type of fuel.

I It could compensate for the shortage of inland sites for energy production.

J It is best produced in the vicinity of coastlines with particular features.

Questions 23-26

Label the diagram below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet.

An Undersea Turbine

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

Information theory-the big idea

Information theory lies at the heart of everything — from DVD players and the genetic code of DNA to the physics of the universe at its most fundamental. It has been central to the development of the science of communication, which enables data to be sent electronically and has therefore had a major impact on our lives

A. In April an event took place which demonstrated one of the many applications of information theory. The space probe, Voyager I, launched in , had sent back spectacular images of Jupiter and Saturn and then soared out of the Solar System on a one-way mission to the stars. After 25 years of exposure to the freezing temperatures of deep space, the probe was beginning to show its age. Sensors and circuits were on the brink of failing and NASA experts realized that they had to do something or lose contact with their probe forever. The solution was to get a message to Voyager I to instruct it to use spares to change the failing parts. With the probe 12 billion kilometers from Earth, this was not an easy task. By means of a radio dish belonging to NASA’s Deep Space Network, the message was sent out into the depths of space. Even travelling at the speed of light, it took over 11 hours to reach its target, far beyond the orbit of Pluto. Yet, incredibly, the little probe managed to hear the faint call from its home planet, and successfully made the switchover.

B. It was the longest-distance repair job in history, and a triumph for the NASA engineers. But it also highlighted the astonishing power of the techniques developed by American communications engineer Claude Shannon, who had died just a year earlier. Born in 1916 in Petoskey, Michigan, Shannon showed an early talent for maths and for building gadgets, and made breakthroughs in the foundations of computer technology when still a student. While at Bell Laboratories, Shannon developed information theory, but shunned the resulting acclaim. In the 1940s, he single-handedly created an entire science of communication which has since inveigled its way into a host of applications, from DVDs to satellite communications to bar codes — any area, in short, where data has to be conveyed rapidly yet accurately.

C. This all seems light years away from the down-to-earth uses Shannon originally had for his work, which began when he was a 22-year-old graduate engineering student at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1939. He set out with an apparently simple aim: to pin down the precise meaning of the concept of ‘information’. The most basic form of information, Shannon argued, is whether something is true or false — which can be captured in the binary unit, or ‘bit’, of the form 1 or 0. Having identified this fundamental unit, Shannon set about defining otherwise vague ideas about information and how to transmit it from place to place. In the process he discovered something surprising: it is always possible to guarantee information will get through random interference — ‘noise’ — intact.

D. Noise usually means unwanted sounds which interfere with genuine information. Information theory generalses this idea via theorems that capture the effects of noise with mathematical precision. In particular, Shannon showed that noise sets a limit on the rate at which information can pass along communication channels while remaining error-free. This rate depends on the relative strengths of the signal and noise travelling down the communication channel, and on its capacity (its ‘bandwidth’). The resulting limit, given in units of bits per second, is the absolute maximum rate of error-free communication given singal strength and noise leve. The trick, Shannon showed, is to find ways of packaging up —‘coding’ — information to cope with the ravages of noise, while staying within the information-carrying capacity —‘bandwidth’ — of the communication system being used.

E. Over the years scientists have devised many such coding methods, and they have proved crucial in many technological feats. The Voyager spacecraft transmitted data using codes which added one extra bit for every single bit of information; the result was an error rate of just one bit in 10,000 — and stunningly clear pictures of the planets. Other codes have become part of everyday life — such as the Universal Product Code, or bar code, which uses a simple error-detecting system that ensures supermarket check-out lasers can read the price even on, say, a crumpled bag of crisps. As recently as 1993, engineers made a major breakthrough by discovering so-called turbo codes —which come very close to Shannon’s ultimate limit for the maximum rate that data can be transmitted reliably, and now play a key role in the mobile videophone revolution.

F. Shannon also laid the foundations of more efficient ways of storing information, by stripping out superfluous (‘redundant’) bits from data which contributed little real information. As mobile phone text messages like ‘I CN C U’ show, it is often possible to leave out a lot of data without losing much meaning. As with error correction, however, there’s a limit beyond which messages become too ambiguous. Shannon showed how to calculate this limit, opening the way to the design of compression methods that cram maximum information into the minimum space.

Questions 27-32

Reading Passage 3 has six paragraphs, A-F.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 27-32 on your answer sheet.

27 an explanation of the factors affecting the transmission of information

28 an example of how unnecessary information can be omitted

29 a reference to Shannon’s attitude to fame

30 details of a machine capable of interpreting incomplete information

31 a detailed account of an incident involving information theory

32 a reference to what Shannon initially intended to achieve in his research

Questions 33-37

Complete the notes below.