抽象问题具体化

抽象问题具体化

用例子将抽象问题具体化选择一个或两个好的例子是成功的关键70 74

"The arts (painting, music, literature, etc.) reveal the otherwise hidden ideas and impulses of a society."

The speaker asserts that the arts reveal society's hidden ideas and impulses. While this assertion has merit, I think it unfairly generalizes about art. Consider two particular art forms: architecture and painting. In more important architecture one consistently sees a refection of society's ideas and urges. However, in more important paintings of the most recent century one sees instead the artists' personal and idiosyncratic visions of an aesthetic ideal.

这道题是题库中闻名的难题，即使用汉语写，相信很多读者也会感到棘手。作者的处理方式可以说是十分巧妙。他避开了对艺术、社会、隐藏理念这类抽象概念的直接讨论，而是选择了艺术中的两个具体领域－建筑和绘画，通过对它们的讨论来立论。这种利用一、两个熟悉的例子来将抽象问题具体化的方法，在北美范文中经常出现，也是读者应该学习掌握的一种策略。因为只有这样，读者才能在自己的生活和知识范围内寻找合适的例子来回答一些看起来无从下手的问题。

1．指出命题过于泛化，并根据命题中的基本元素分别立论76

"The function of science is to reassure; the purpose of art is to upset. Therein lies the value of each. "

The speaker maintains that the function of art is to "upset" while the function of science is to "reassure," and that it is in these functions that the value of each lies. In my view, the speaker unfairly generalizes about the function and value of art, while completely missing the point about the function and value of science.

2．指出并分别讨论和命题相关的几个互相独立的问题这样写尽管要点之间的连续性不够强但文章的结构还是比较好把握82 84

"There are two types of laws: just and unjust. Every individual in a society has a responsibility to obey just laws and, even more importantly, to disobey and resist unjust laws."

According to this statement, each person has a duty to not only obey just laws but also disobey unjust ones. In my view this statement is too extreme, in two respects. First, it wrongly categorizes any law as either just or unjust; and secondly, it recommends an ineffective and potentially harmful means of legal reform.