在新托福口語考試中很重要的一點是要時刻保持邏輯思維的敏銳性,在醞釀出豐富內容的同時運用邏輯的力量合理安排內容的發展才能征服考官,取得高分。西方人說話喜歡開門見山,表達時更是會事先在頭腦中形成大致的邏輯框架,對開頭、中間和結尾進行規劃再脫口而出,因此顯得條理清晰。考生只有以這種思維方式為基礎,應用有邏輯性的開頭來陳述立場,進而發展論點,得出結論,才會讓考官形成思想認同。而在短短45秒到1分鐘之內毫無計劃性的回答只會嚴重影響考官的理解。那麼邏輯性具體分幾個方面來體現,這裡就Task 5從頭說起。
一、框架邏輯
口語考試共分為6個Task,前兩個是Independent Task,直接根據指令回答問題,後四個為Integrated Task,要綜合聽力和閱讀的內容作答。 Task 5加入的是聽力的內容,先聽對話,然後根據對話內容回答問題,準備時間20秒,答題時間60秒。對話的內容是兩個人先討論一個問題,然後找出可能的兩個解決問題的方法。題目指令要求考生敘述這個問題,說明選擇哪一種方法,並解釋原因。
作為四個Integrated Task中唯一一個詢問考生觀點的題目,對自己觀點的闡述相比對內容的概括要簡單。指令的要求也非常的明晰,只要按照“複述問題-複述方案-選擇方案-闡明理由”的步驟來進行,回答本身就已經有了一定的邏輯性。這就是文章開頭所說的邏輯框架,也就是從結構或形式上來講回答問題的邏輯性,朗閣海外考試研究中心將其大致概括為四步走:
1. General Description of Main Problem
2. Two Possible Solutions
3. Personal Opinion / Choice
4. Supporting Reasons
二、內容邏輯
確定了Task 5的邏輯框架以後,接下來便是對內容的有效組織。對問題本身和兩種方案進行複述;選擇對話中給出的一個解決方法;對於同意的方案可以用對話中出現的內容作為原因進行說明,對於不同意的方案清楚地說出個人反對的理由-所有的這些內容,除了要能用一些普遍的連接詞來做好過渡銜接以外,狀語從句的使用也是串聯內容時必不可少的紐帶。在Task 5中以原因、讓步、條件狀語從句體現尤為突出。
下面以一道真題為例來分析其對邏輯體現的作用。題目如下:
Man: Hey Lisa, how’s it going?
Woman: Hi Mark. Uh, I’m OK, I guess, but my schoolwork is really stressing me out.
Man: [sympathetically] Yeah? What’s wrong?
Woman: Well, I’ve got a paper to write and two exams to study for. And a bunch of math problems to finish. It’s just so much that I can’t concentrate on any of it. I start concentrating on studying for one of my exams, and then I’m like, how long’s it gonna take to finish that problem set?
Man: Wow. Sounds like you’ve got a lot more work than you can handle right now. [Not wanting to sound too pushy] Look, have you talked to some of your professors . . . mean, you know, try to explain the problem. Look, you could probably get an extension on your paper, or on the math assignment . . .
Woman: You think? It would give me a little more time to prepare for my exams right now.
Man: Well, I mean another thing that you might do . . . I mean have you tried making yourself a schedule? I mean that’s what I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed.
Woman: What does that do for you?
Man: Well, I mean it helps you to focus your energies. You know, you make yourself a chart that shows the next few days and the time till your stuff is due and . . .
Woman: Uh-huh . . . [meaning “I'm listening”]
Man: I mean think about what you need to do and when you have to do it by. You know then start filling in your schedule—like, all right 9:00 [nine] to 11:30 [eleven-thirty] AM, study for exam. 12:00 [twelve] to 3:00 [three], work on problem set. But I mean don’t make the time periods too long. Like, don’t put in eight hours of studying—you know , you’ll get tired, or start worrying about your other work again. But if you keep to your schedule, you know you’ll just have to worry about one thing at a time.
Woman: Yeah, that might work. [somewhat noncommittally]
聽完對話以後,考生會聽到考題的要求如下:
The students discuss two possible solutions to the woman’s problem. Describe the problem and state which solution you prefer and explain why.
1 Note-taking
在聽力的過程中根據邏輯框架我們所做的Note-taking可以是以下一些零星的內容:
l Main Problem
too much schoolwork but no enough time - a paper, two exams, math problems
l Suggested Solutions
talk to professors: get an extension for paper or problems
l make a schedule: focus energy
l The Woman’s Choice: schedule
My Choice: schedule
Supporting Ideas: long-lasting idea, good habit for the future
2 Organizing Response
而在回答之前的20秒鐘時間裡怎樣把以上內容有邏輯地組織成文則是關鍵。在這個過程中就需要有效地使用各種連接詞及狀語從句。來看下面的回答:
①The discussion is about a woman worrying about her heavy schoolwork including a paper, two exams and a lot of math problems. ②She doesn’t have sufficient time to finish it because she can’t help thinking the others while start to focus on any of it. ③Therefore the man offers up two possible solutions to alleviate her strains. ④One is that she can talk about the situation with her professors in order to get an extension on her paper or math problems and leave time for her exams. ⑤The other is to make a schedule to arrange the stuff reasonably. ⑥If she can keep the schedule strictly, she can also keep her concentration. ⑦In my opinion, it would be better if the woman prepared a schedule. ⑧The problem of too much work to do is something that the woman is going to confront in the future as well, and if she learns how to organize a schedule now, this will help her throughout her academic career. ⑨On the other hand, even though her professors might be willing to give her an extension, they might somehow penalize her for it by grading her assignments more severely.
在上面的回答共8個句子,很好地把握了狀語從句以及銜接詞的使用,讓整個回答行雲流水,非常的順暢。
A 銜接詞
文中的銜接詞很好地連接了框架的各個部分如Therefore, One…, The other…, In my opinion, On the other hand等等。
B 原因狀語從句
在Task 5中有兩個可以用到原因狀語從句的點:一是在說明問題產生的原因時如文中第②句;二是在概述自己選擇的原因時。
C 條件狀語從句
因為存在方案本身以及對方案作出選擇的假設性,所以條件狀語從句在Task 5中的使用相對更頻繁。文中在陳述方案,表明自己觀點,正面論述原因時都採用了if引導的條件狀語從句,也就是第⑥⑦⑧句。
D 讓步狀語從句
讓步狀語從句可以用於沒有被選到的方案,用假設的語氣陳述選擇此方案的不足之處,如文中第⑨句。
由此可見,恰當的使用連接詞以及狀語從句可以使內容的安排更有條理,邏輯更為清晰。
綜上所述,建議考生保證自己說話時的邏輯性是口語考試中不可忽略的一環,除了針對每一部分的回答要有既定的邏輯框架外,在內容的銜接上也要充分利用詞彙以及狀語從句等來完善其邏輯性。是否能有效利用時間清晰合理地組織好觀點並提供了完整的回答便是考試制勝的關鍵。