2019年11月07日雅思大作文题目:年轻和年纪的价值In some cultures the old age is highly valued, while in some cultures youth is highly valued. Discuss both and give your opinion.
解析&审题
本题是2012年3月31日的原题重现。几乎是10年前的旧题，相信各大所谓预测机构都很难预测到这个题目！
本题是典型的双边讨论题目，因为我们很难锚定一边进行讨论：无论我们论证应该更看重老年人还是年轻人，都无法完全自圆其说，因为很明显，老年人和年轻人各有价值，都应该看重。因此，这样的题目，是不适合采用一边倒的论证结构的。
但是，这是否意味着，我们就必须采用如下结构呢？
1. 引入段
2. 老年人的价值
3. 年轻人的价值
4. 结论：老年人和年轻人都有价值
这不仅是很多同学可能采用的结构，托福老师甚至在几个的范文机构提供的思路里看到的也是这个结构。不得不说，这个结构是可以的，但这个结构可以让你得6分，却不足以让你得7分。为什么？因为这个结构没有体现出你的观点!
那么，在本题中，我们如何来构建自己的观点呢？回到题目，我们发现题目是这样说的：“在有些文化中，老年是被更看重的，而在另外一些文化中，年轻是被更看重的”。请注意，这里要求你论证的是“更看重”（more valued），也就是要求你讨论为什么在不同文化里，老年或年轻“被更看重”。老雅提出的原因是：传统和现实需求。不同文化对待老年和年轻的传统不同；不同文化的现实情况不同，也需求对老年和年轻区别对待。于是，托福老师范文的结构如下：
1. 引入
2. 老年人和年轻人的各自的价值
3. 区别对待的原因一：传统影响
4. 区别对待的原因二：现实考量
5. 结论
以下请看托福老师的高分范文。
老师笔记
When the 32-year-old Emmanuel Macron and the 72-year-old Donald Trump were elected the President of France and the U.S. respectively, we can feel the difference in attitude of the two countries towards the age: Young people are probably more valued in France than in the U.S..
当32岁的伊曼纽尔·马克龙和72岁的唐纳德·特朗普分别当选为法国总统和美国总统时，我们可以感受到两国对待年龄态度上的差异：在法国年轻人可能比在美国更受重视。
解析
（1） 本段通过事例引入拟讨论的话题：不同文化对待年龄有不同的态度。
（2） Respectively 各自地
Of course, the youth have every reason to be valued in any culture. They are the most creative and energetic population. It is no exaggeration to say that young people are what keeps the world going. Yet, with their experience and knowledge, old people are also a valuable asset for any nation. If young people keep the world going, then it is the old who keep the young people going.
当然，年轻人在任何文化中都有被重视的理由。他们是最有创造力和活力的群体。毫不夸张地说，年轻人是维持世界运转的力量。然而，以他们的经验和知识，老年人也是任何国家的宝贵财富。如果年轻人让世界运转，那么正是老年人让年轻人运转。
解析
（1） 本段讨论年轻人和老年人各自的优势。
（2） Have every reason to do...有充足的理由做......
（3） Creative 有创造力的
（4） It is no exaggeration to say...毫不夸张地说......
（5） Asset 财富
However, it is often found that, in some cultures, the youth are more valued, while in others, the old are more respected. The difference, I believe, mainly arises from the traditional values of a given culture. In East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, for example, people of the old age are often looked up to and have the final say over many important issues, while in many European countries such as France, Germany, and Swede, the important government positions are often held by young people, because people in these countries traditionally trust young people more than they do the old.
然而，人们常常发现，在一些文化中，年轻人更受重视，而在另一些文化中，老年人则更受尊重。我相信，这种差异主要来自于特定文化里的传统价值观。例如，在中国、日本和韩国等东亚国家，老年人往往受到尊敬并在许多重要问题上拥有最终发言权，而在许多欧洲国家如法国、德国和瑞典，重要的政府职位往往是由年轻人担任的，因为这些国家的人们传统上对年轻人的信任多于对老年人的信任。
解析
（1） 本段讨论不同文化区别对待不用年龄的原因之一：传统影响。
（2） Arise from... 来自于，产生于
（3） Look up to... 尊敬
（4） To have the final say over... 对......有最终发言权
The difference in attitude towards the old age and the youth also reflects the immediate needs of a particular culture. If a community suffers from the serious aging problem, young people will be more valued to keep the community competitive. By contrast, in a community overwhelmed with young people, the old age will be more valued to keep the community harmonious.
对老年人和青年的态度不同，也反映了一种特定文化的直接需要。如果一个群体遭遇严重的老龄化问题，年轻人就会被重视以保持群体的竞争力。相反，在一个充斥着年轻人的群体里，老年人则会被更看重以保持群体的和谐。
解析
（1） 本段讨论区别对待年龄的另一个原因：现实需求。
（2） Reflect 反映；映射
（3） Particular 特定的
（4） Ageing problem 人口老化问题
（5） Be overwhelmed with... 充满了......; 泛滥了......
（6） Harmonious 和谐的
To sum up, both the old age and the youth should be valued, yet whether any one of them is more valued depends upon the traditional values and the immediate status quo of the culture under discussion.
总之，老年人和青年都应该受到重视，但是他们中的任何一个是否得到更多的重视，取决于特定文化的传统价值观和眼下的现状。
解析
（1）本段为结论
（2）Depend upon 取决于
（3）Status quo 现状
（4）Under discussion 讨论中的
When the 32-year-old Emmanuel Macron and the 72-year-old Donald Trump were elected the President of France and the U.S. respectively, we can feel the difference in attitude of the two countries towards the age: Young people are probably more valued in France than in the U.S..
Of course, the youth have every reason to be valued in any culture. They are the most creative and energetic population. It is no exaggeration to say that young people are what keeps the world going. Yet, with their experience and knowledge, old people are also a valuable asset for any nation. If young people keep the world going, then it is the old who keep the young people going.
However, it is often found that, in some cultures, the youth are more valued, while in others, the old are more respected. The difference, I believe, mainly arises from the traditional values of a given culture. In East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, for example, people of the old age are often looked up to and have the final say over many important issues, while in many European countries such as France, Germany, and Swede, the important government positions are often held by young people, because people in these countries traditionally trust young people more than they do the old.
The difference in attitude towards the old age and the youth also reflects the immediate needs of a particular culture. If a community suffers from the serious aging problem, young people will be more valued to keep the community competitive. By contrast, in a community overwhelmed with young people, the old age will be more valued to keep the community harmonious.
To sum up, both the old age and the youth should be valued, yet whether any one of them is more valued depends upon the traditional values and the immediate status quo of the culture under discussion.
（318 words)
建议背诵的句子
1. When the 32-year-old Emmanuel Macron and the 72-year-old Donald Trump were elected the President of France and the U.S. respectively, we can feel the difference in attitude of the two countries towards the age
当32岁的伊曼纽尔·马克龙和72岁的唐纳德·特朗普分别当选为法国总统和美国总统时，我们可以感受到两国对待年龄态度上的差异
2. If young people keep the world going, then it is the old who keep the young people going.
如果年轻人让世界运转，那么正是老年人让年轻人运转。
3. In East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, for example, people of the old age are often looked up to and have the final say over many important issues,
例如，在中国、日本和韩国等东亚国家，老年人往往受到尊敬并在许多重要问题上拥有最终发言权，
4. By contrast, in a community overwhelmed with young people, the old age will be more valued to keep the community harmonious.
相反，在一个充斥着年轻人的群体里，老年人则会被更看重以保持群体的和谐。
5. To sum up, both the old age and the youth should be valued, yet whether any one of them is more valued depends upon the traditional values and the immediate status quo of the culture under discussion.
总之，老年人和青年都应该受到重视，但是他们中的任何一个是否得到更多的重视，取决于特定文化的传统价值观和眼下的现状。
