理由之一：

Expand one's horizons

 

作为理由的条，expand one's horizons 是不二之选。究其本意，单数的horizon 是“地平线、海平线”的意思，但复数的horizons 却指人们的“眼界、视野”，其英文注释为：The limit of your ideas, knowledge and experience. 略举一例：World history is a course of study that will broaden your horizons.

 

先看一个具体话题：

Should the government help to build more museums and theaters?

 

Yes, I think the government should help to build more recreational facilities.

 

Enrich citizens' cultural life

• expand young people's horizons

• have a place to go for fun on weekends

• art exhibitions can improve public taste

 

再来看一个抽象话题：Describe the most important decision in your life. 面对此类抽象话题，策略是将其具体化，变成一个日常生活话题，然后套用 我们的理由。

 

请看思路：

 

I think I made the most important decision in my life by choosing to go to an overseas university after graduation from high school in China. 

 

而其中的一条主干理由就是：

 

It would broaden my horizons. 比如: Broaden my horizons

• made friends with people from different backgrounds

• travelled a lot around Europe and North America

• visited various museums and historical places

 

作为主干理由的 broaden my horizons，之下又 made friends, travelled a lot, visited various museums 等三条分支理由，思路极易展开。

 

理由之二： Learn

 

我们可以 learn skills, 也可以 learn lessons 或从某个experience 里面去learn，成为某种learning experience.

 

很多情况下，knowledge 和 skills 是不分家的：比如Which of the following has more influence on you: newspaper, TV or teacher? 媒体类的newspaper 或TV 固然好讲，但teacher 无疑是的选择，因为teacher 直接跟learning 挂钩：

Teachers have more influence on me. 

 

Pass on me knowledge and skills:

• attending class is the only effective way of learning

• knowledge not found in textbooks can be acquired

• learn practical skills in addition to academic knowledge

 

类似的解题思路还体现在：

People who attend college will be more successful in career than those who don't.

 

显然，这是必须同意的命题：

 

Yes, it is generally true that attending college can increase the chance of career success.

 

Learn a lot of vital skills and gain knowledge:

• academic knowledge helps to lay a solid foundation

• reading and writing skills are vital to career success

• having good presentation skills ensures promotion

 

三条分支理由中比较好的表达有：

lay a solid foundation, be vital to career success, ensure promotion. 分支理由越详细越好。Learn 作为理由我们可以正反面的充分论述观点，十分实用的论点。

 

理由之三：

Money, finance & economy

 

很多话题都可以从经济的角度入手来回答。先来一道经典例题：The most important decision in your life.

 

思路如下：

 

Going to an overseas university

 

Achieve my independence

• started to live on my own

• learned a lot of practical skills such as cooking

• became financially independent through a part-time job

 

如果我们选择 going to an overseas university作为答案， 其中的一条主干理由就是 achieve my independence， 而在所有的independence 之中，financial independence 无疑是最直接、最现成、最有说服力的一种。简单说，就是通过在国外打工，earn money and make a living.

 

有些题目属于一眼就看穿思路的，如：Living alone vs. sharing rooms with other people.

 

Sharing rooms with other people is a better choice.

 

Sharing rooms is more affordable:

• rental fee is relatively high for an average student

• sharing rooms can ease their financial burden

• other living expenses can also be shared

 

在这个回答中，我们可以学习到很多跟钱相关的表达方式：affordable, rental fee, ease financial burden. 说穿了就是save money, reduce costs 的意思。

 

理由之四：

Relax, enjoy & have fun!

 

第四条理由，主要是跟“快乐”、“幸福”、“休闲”、“放松”有关，关键词除了标题中的 relax, enjoy, have fun 之外，还有happy, pleasure, joy, satisfaction, recreation 等等。

 

中国考生比较容易忽视这个理由，可能是与我们平时缺乏“快乐教育”有关，但在西方人眼里，没什么东西比快乐更重要的了。因此，如果我们在口语拓展中经常运用这一“快乐”思路，就跟英文思维不谋而合啦！

 

我们从一道简单的题目开始：What do you do in your spare time?

 

业余时间当然是快乐时光咯，请看详细的答题思路，如下：

 

Well, I'd like to do various sports and recreational activities in my spare time.

 

I enjoy a lot of sports:

• doing sports regularly is good for my health

• sports games such as basketball are fun

• I can make a lot of new friends this way

 

Recreation is important for me:

• outdoor activities such as hiking are very relaxing

• I can have a better balance between work and leisure

• it is one of the best ways to improve my quality of life

 

If you have a chance to choose your job freely, what kind of job will you choose? 我们选择一个job satisfaction 比较高的职业吧：

 

I will choose a teaching job, probably teaching in a university.

 

Teaching gives me a lot of satisfaction:

• sharing knowledge with students is very enjoyable

• happy to see students grow academically and personally

• students often express their gratitude

 

 

理由之五：

Let's get emotional …

 

从同义词和词性延伸的角度来说，我们还可以用feeling, mood, emotional 等关键词进行替换，而如果构成词组，则一般会用emotional support, emotional need, emotional bond, emotional problems 等。

 

其实生活、工作、学习中的很多问题都跟emotion有直接或间接的关系，如果我们把这些理由点挖掘出来，可以形成一个强大的答题体系。而其中最基本的一个维度是把所有的emotion 分成positive 和negative 两大类。举个简单的例子，pride, enthusiasm, calmness是积极情感，而loneliness, isolation, depression则为消极情感。

 

先看一个积极情绪：Describe a social celebration or political event in your culture.

 

National Holiday celebrations

 

A time to celebrate across the country:

• there are parties, fireworks shows and gala performances

• the purpose is to celebrate the birth of a new country

• nationwide celebrations boost our national pride

 

该回答选择了National Holiday（ 国庆） 作为话题，通过celebrations来boost our nationalpride，而该思路还可以运用在international sports competitions 中：某国的运动员获胜了，该国民众的national pride 就提升了。

 

相比之下，消极情绪会占的比例更多：Do you prefer to live alone or share rooms with other people?

 

Sharing rooms with other people is a better choice.

 

Having a roommate is fun:

• share personal stories and secrets

• a good companion can relieve loneliness

• a great opportunity to develop interpersonal skills