托福独立写作中的两种推理方法：Deduction和Induction

 本文作者：新通沈阳  答疑热线：024-31091551

 在托福独立写作中，往往给出一个话题，要求考生给出自己的观点并进行辩护，这是典型的议论文写法。然而对于大多数的中国考生来说，英文议论文写作与中文议论文写作存在一定的差异性，使得考生在考场上利用有限的时间完成写作任务，似乎是一个不小的难题。因为传统的中文议论文写作，也就是我们在高考中最常见的写作体裁，都是要求学生以事例为支撑来进行说理，在英文中叫做Induction，而在英文的学术写作中更倾向的是先给出论点然后进行分析解释的说理方法，英文表达为Deduction。

Induction的推理往往倾向于：？When I was in California, I learnt how to surf at Malibu. At first, I kept falling off, but I kept trying and soon I could do it. It was great. ？And the sights. I visited Hollywood first, Disneyland next, and Catalina Island last. There is so much to see and do. I was exhausted. ？Do I tell you about Jack? I met him at Venice Beach. He is a movie producer. He’s so handsome. As a matter of fact, we’re having dinner tonight. Tomorrow, we’re flying back to L.A. to get married! ？I had a fabulous time in California. 陈述者借助三个理由：？学会冲浪？观光胜地 ？遇见Mr. Right，最终推导出论点？在California玩儿的很开心。

而deduction的推理过程则是反向的：？California was the best trip ever. ？ I learnt how to surf at Malibu. At first, I kept falling off, but I kept trying and soon I could do it. It was great. ？ And the sights. I visited Hollywood first, Disneyland next, and Catalina Island last. There is so much to see and do. I was exhausted. ？Do I tell you about Jack? I met him at Venice Beach. He is a movie producer. He’s so handsome. As a matter of fact, we’re having dinner tonight. Tomorrow, we’re flying back to L.A. to get married! ？I had a fabulous time in California. 在这段话中，说话者先是给出了一个观点，California之旅是最棒的，然后给出了三个理由进行支持，最后做结论。

我们能够注意到在deduction的推理中，整个结构更加清晰，第一句的存在会暗示读者在接下来的文字中都会围绕best trip ever来展开。如果没有，读者根据这三个理由并不一定能够推导出最后a fabulous time in California. 因为对于大部分母语非英语的考生来讲，既要保证语法和单词正确性，又要考虑理由的条理和连贯度，很有可能出现的后果是：给出了几个并列的关联不大的理由，最后没办法推导出一个合理的论点。所以在托福考试中，更推荐大家使用deduction的推理方法，先呈现论点，即个人立场，然后围绕立场进行充分的解释说明，这样不仅提醒自己在写作中陈述理由都要围绕中心观点，同时在考官阅卷时对于文章结构的把握更加清晰。