专四作文样题 (2016年发布)
第一部分：原题
PART VI
[45 MIN]
Should we review traditional Chinese characters or continue using simplified characters? This has been an intensely discussed question for years. The following are the supporters' and opponents' opinions. Read carefully the opinions from both sides and write your response in about 200 words, in which you should first summarize briefly the opinions from both sides and give your view on the issue.
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Yes
Traditional characters, which date back to more than 2000 years ago, have a more beautiful appearance and a more reasonable structure. As indicated by the 親 and 愛 examples, traditional characters make more sense, convey traditional values and can therefore represent traditional culture. For two millennia, Chinese historical records and classic works were written in traditional characters. To be able to read them and inherit traditional cultures, we need to bring traditional characters back. Politically, it is also necessary to restore traditional Chinese characters. Currently, traditional characters are still in use in Hong Kong, Taiwan and many Chinese communities around the world. Restoring them can contribute to cross-Strait exchanges and national reunifications and unite Chinese people around the world.
No
In today’s world, efficiency matters most. Traditional characters, which usually have more strokes than simplified ones, are more difficult to learn. By contrast, simplified characters are much easier to learn and use. Over the past 50 years, lots of classic texts have been turned into simplified-character versions, which means simplified characters can also promote and preserve traditional culture. Constant simplification has been a trend in the evolution of Chinese characters. From the oracle bones script of 3000 years ago to traditional characters, the Chinese writing system has always been slimming down for better communication.
WRITING
第二部分：参考答案（1）
写作指南
考生在下笔之前应先审题，明确写作要求：针对“我们究竟是该恢复中文繁体字还是继续使用简体汉字”这一热议话题，首先总结正反方的意见，然后给出个人观点。文章结构可安排如下：
第一段：简要概括赞同和反对恢复繁体字方和提倡使用简体字方的观点， 第二段： 表明自己的观点：复兴繁体字是不明智的。直击正方观点漏洞，分三点铺陈论证。繁体字在沟通交流上效率不及简体字；繁体字可读性和可接受性不强；保存传统文化和价值并不是只有恢复繁体字这一种方式。
第三段：重申观点——恢复中文繁体字不是明智之举。
The necessity to revive traditional Chinese characters has aroused an increasingly heated discussion for decades. Some in favor of it hold that traditional Chinese characters, with a more vivid and descriptive appearance, is a perfect embodiment of traditional culture and a bond for cross-Straits exchanges and national reunification (复兴). Some are against it for its complexity to write and inefficiency to communicate, which can be otherwise avoided by simplified characters. Besides, simplified characters can also serve the purpose of promoting traditional culture and this simplified writing system is an irreversible (不可逆的) trend.
From my perspective, it's not wise to deliberately / intentionally initiate a renaissance of traditional Chinese characters for following reasons:
First and foremost, words and language are tools created for better communication. In this sense, efficiency is of utmost importance if simplified Chinese characters can perform the same function of the traditional ones.
Secondly, readability (可读性) and acceptability are potential barriers / hindrance to the restoration (恢复) of traditional characters. Most of mainland Chinese learn simplified characters from their infancy / childhood. So it will be hard for them to accept a totally unfamiliar word system.
Last, traditional Chinese characters do help cultural inheritance (传承), but it doesn't mean reviving it is the sole (唯一的) way to preserve traditional culture and values.
Taking the above factors into consideration, I think it is unwise to revive traditional Chinese characters.
(252 words)
2016年专四真题作文
第一部分：原题
PART VI WRITING
[45 MIN]
Read carefully the following excerpt on term-time holiday arguments in the Uk, and then write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 words, in which you should:
? Summarize the main message of the excerpt, and then
? Comment on whether parents should take children out of school for holiday during term time in order to save money.
You should support yourself with information from the excerpt.
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficinecy, organization and language quality, failure to follow the above instruction may result in a loss of marks.
Term-time holidays will be banned
Parents are to be banned by Michael Gove, UK’s Education Secretary, from taking their children out of school to save money on holidays.
He is to abolish the right of head teachers to “authorise absense” from the classroom, which has been used to let families take term-time breaks, and will warn them they face fines for their children not being at school.
“Any time out of school has the potential to damage a child’s education,” a senior source at the Department for Education said this weekend. “That is why the government will end the distinction between authorized and unauthorized absence.”
“This is part of the government’s wider commitment to bring down truancy (['tru??ns?]旷课) levels in our schools. There will also be stricter penalties (['pen?lt?] 处罚) for parents and schools.”
The tough measures on truancy are part of a wider attempt by Mr Gove to make education more academically rigorous and to tackle a culture in the educational establishment which he believes has accepted “excuses for failure”.
Russell Hobby, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the measure would discourage parents from trying to put pressure on heads to section term time holidays. “ The high cost of holidays outside of term time is still an issue but ultimately a child’s is more important than a holiday, he said.