写好第一段是整篇issue成功的关键。这里我讨论一下写好第一段的方法，然后大家可以跟帖，把自己写的第一段发上来，我来批改。由于我周日要离开武汉一段时间，可能只有这两天改一下，然后回来再继续。

第一段主要完成几个任务：
一、复述issue。这里的复述有几个档次的。最低档的就是抄原题，这个很危险，也很无趣。好一点的就是同义转换paraphrase，大家应该多练习一下。可以用问句，也可以陈述。再高档一点的就是在陈述中突出issue的重点和难点，为后面的分析做准备和铺垫。
二、分析issue。有很多同学把这一步略过，也有人称这一步为“讲废话”，可以凑字数。我觉得适当分析一下，可以舒缓紧张情绪，减少后面的字数压力，算是一种练笔。
三、提出观点。这一步非常关键。有很多人处理得很草率，只是说agree或者disagree，这样就注定写不出高水平的文章。一个好的观点句，应该紧扣原题，或者说对原题的复杂性提出充分的回应。同时观点句应该具有一定的层次和逻辑，这个层次和逻辑基本上就是后文的大纲。印象中有一本武侠小说讲到一首诗里蕴含了一套武功，然后某人仅凭诗的第一句就体会了全部武功，估计就是这个道理。（有没有人记得是哪一本小说？）

下面我做一个示范

请抄题，方便我们批改：
3. It is more important to allocate money for immediate, existing social problems than to spend it on long-term research that might help future generations.

第一步：复述issue：
One of the most controversial issues confronting contemporary society is how to allocate the financial resources to address both the short-term and long-term problems.  On the one hand, we have so many current problems crying for our attention, such as the lack of education for children from poor families and the high crime rates in inner cities; on the other hand, research activities that require funding might benefit future generations by developing solutions for global energy crisis and environmental problems.  
这一段复述其实也没有什么insight，但是它胜在够长，让考官觉得我能写。而且写了这么一段之后，也做了热身，后面会更有信心。


第二步：分析issue
有人说这一步就是写废话，或者瞎写两句上去。我则建议写之前先确定自己的观点，然后来为这个观点做铺垫。当然如果自己感觉状态很好，也可以扯两句，或许能扯出一些灵感。

以我对这类题目的一贯处理手法，我会在分析这一步指出，两者之间并不矛盾，毋需取舍。
The speaker seems to assume that the efforts on short-term problems and those on future problems are mutually exclusively and we have to choose between the two when we spend our money.  This dichotomy implied by the speaker is not consistent to the real world.  

第三步：提出观点
When we address a problem concerning human society, we should realize the fact that there are both short-term and long-term aspects to the concern and take an integrated approach accordingly.  Our modern transportation system is an instructive case in which we have to take into account both current problems (traffic jam, road safety, air pollution) and future problems (energy crisis, urban development).  As a matter of fact, resources can only be used efficiently through a balanced program of sustainable development.   

有了这个观点，我们可以顺势写出提纲，基本和观点吻合

第二段：介绍本文的唯一例子transportation system
第三段：讨论交通系统的短线问题
第四段：讨论交通系统的长线研究
第五段：解释长线研究和断线问题之间的关联以及如何协作


请大家回帖写第一段及大纲，头10篇会在我走之前批改。

我有个问题啊。LZ讲的第一步，第二步，第三布，那么长三大段合并起来就是你所谓的文章的开头第一段吗？
未免也太长了吧？虽然很显示你的水平（的确写的不错），但我觉得未免过了点。。。
不是冒犯LZ的意思，发表点看法大家讨论学习而已。。

不知道LZ看过ISSUE5.5吗？我看来，李建林说的开头不超过三句，超过四句已经是无法忍受了，他的话虽然有点偏激，但有一定道理。。。

LZ怎么看？

我提出的三步就是三句啊。如果想进阶就在每一步里多写一点。

不是楼主这个主题可以吗？
我昨天写的一篇，感觉挺万能的一个开头，恩，在GRE阅读上抄下来的句式。

TOPIC: ISSUE43 - "To be an effective leader, a public official must maintain the highest ethical and moral standards."

In large part as a consequence of how to become effective leaders, the public have focused a great deal of attention in recent years on their ethical and moral standards, which is only one side of a coin.

我写的，麻烦看一下

ISSUE223 - "If a society is to thrive, it must put its own overall success before the well-being of its individual citizens."

The statement itself, in this issue, is a bit misleading in that how can a society claim itself is prosperous without the satisfaction of the necessaries of its citizens. The advancement of a society is important, whereas it must be the same step with its members’ requirement. And only the comprehensive progress of the whole and the individual, the society is really overall success. So the development of the society can not unconditionally sacrifice the benefit of its individual citizens.

先问一下写ISSUE是30min还是45min？我这篇用了30min
我作文水平很烂，第一次写，就写这些了，恳请同行多指正，谢谢
The speaker asserts that a person can best understand the most important characteristics of a society by way of studying its major cities.I agree with the speaker's point insofar in some case a society's characteristics is revealed by some of its representative cities.However,this point is unconvincing when cities of a society can not be representative of the major characteristics of the society.
In the realm of archaeology ,a great number of archaeologists do some research in some cities' characteristics in order to study societies' characteristics.The reason for this is that characteristics of a society's major cities can be preserved and inherited,which reflects some characteristers of a society.Otherwise,it makes no sense that these researchers study cities.
This point is also underscored by the ways by which some experts study social problems in the realm of social sciences.For example,some socialists such as economists,historians,anthropologists, and so forth do their research by means of studying the representative cities for the very reason that they can collect some accurate information about the cities which is related to the characteristics of the society owning these cities. By investigating the civilians’ degree of spending money ,economists can make conclusions about the society’s level of consuming money.Likewise,historians and anthropologists understand the major characteristics of a society according to their surveys of typical cities of the society.
Although studying major cities's characteristics of a society help experts to understand the important characteristics of it,we can not conclude that it is the only and the best way of understanding the most important characteristics of a society. The reasons can be attributed as follows.First of all,the most important characteristics of a society should contain content in varied aspects,and thus it is difficult to obtain the most important characteristics through doing research only in cities.Secondly, ways other than studying a society’s major cities exist for understanding the crucial characteristics of the society.For instance,anthropologists and archaeologists study ancient people and civilization by way of investigating not only cities but also villages,tribes,which is relevant with the characteristics of the society.Finally,the availability of the information of a society’s cities is open to doubt if the cities’ characteristics has been unable to be  representative of the society.
To sum up, from what has been discussed above,the most important characteristics of a society can be revealed by its major cities.Nevertheless,there is little relationship between doing research in major cities and the understanding of a society’s important characteristics.To best understand the most important characteristics of a society,it is not enough to study its major cities.

接上面：这是ISSUE 72题
"One can best understand the most important characteristics of a society by studying its major cities."

issue55"Competition for high grades seriously limits the quality of learning at all levels of education."

There is a universally accepted opinion that the competition among high grades limits all levels of education, which is accordance with what the author asserted. As far as I agree that beneficial and moderate competition will promote education dramatically, my view will be substantiated by following discussion.