【工作类】
School leavers go travelling or work before they go directly to university， are there more advantages or disadvantage on their study? 有些高中毕业生在升入大学之前会工作旅行一段时间，是否对于学生是利大于弊?
【薛鹏点评】 本题考查间隔年的利弊。
【背景介绍】
The gap year = the Grand Tour n “间隔年”，也叫“壮游年”或者“断档年”。是指从前英国贵族子女的遍游欧洲大陆的教育旅行。
【小鹏哥11月7日预测】 (提问角度相同，工作和生活就是间隔年之工作和旅行)
An amount of people today change their career and place of residence several times during their lives. Is this positive or negative to development? 很多人在一生中不断改变自己的居住地以及工作，是好还是不好? (2013年10月19日)
【雅思题库】
In some countries some school leavers are choosing to work or travel for a period of time between finishing high school and attending university. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for school leavers' decision. Give your own opinion and reasons. Use your experience of life to explain it. 在一些国家，有些高中毕业生会工作旅行一段时间再上大学，讨论其利弊。(2009年9月26日雅思考题)
【头脑风暴导言】
一个男人要走多少路，才能真正被称作是男人?一只白鸽要翱翔多少海洋，才能安息在沙滩上? 一个人，要读万卷书，行万里路，阅人无数，才能出乱不惊，见多不怪，才有成长的底蕴。青春容易令人迷茫和浮躁，青春同样应该勇闯天涯。有谁愿躲在避风的港口，宁愿波涛汹涌的自由。我的心不在这里，我的心在高原上。风景在别处，他乡是故乡。年轻人，在应该头破血流的年纪，就应该不念过去，不畏将来，志在千里，足行天下。
【作家立场】成长中的年轻人应该被鼓励去经历间隔年，这是最佳的方式让他们拓宽视野，性格成长，尽管我们不能忽视其潜在弊端。
【思路拓展】
【间隔年之利好】
1. 兼职工作可以帮助年轻人积累工作经验，获得自我成就感，使他们对于社会有了更加深刻的洞察，为未来的择业打下坚实基础。
2. 旅行可以开拓视野、丰富知识、结交新友，锻炼独立性，这些对于未来的发展是有利好的。
3. 工作和旅行提高了人的社会意识，丰富了人生的阅历，成熟了人的心态。
【间隔年之弊端】
1. 很多孩子可能沉迷工作和旅行不再回归校园，如果这样，间隔年就失去了它的初衷。
2. 青春期是人的求知欲望最强，也是学习能力和记忆力最强的宝贵时期，高中生不应该耽误一年的时间远离校园而去打工或是闲逛，否则，学业就会被耽误。
3. 高中生没有形成核心竞争力，很难找到工作。即使是找到，也很容易被欺骗和剥削。
小鹏哥摄影作品
【范文赏析】
【首段】背景介绍 + 争议焦点 + 作家立场
Such is human nature to explore the unknown and challenge themselves，that is why
a great many high school leavers are fond of traveling or working for a period of time before attending dream universities. Conflicting ideas clash in determining whether or not it is feasible to inspire high school graduates to experience the Grand Tour. As I see it, the merits of experiencing the gap year outshine the potential demerits.
【解析】
1. Such is human nature to explore the unknown and challenge themselves 探索未知，挑战自我是人之本性
2. The merits of experiencing the gap year outshine the potential demerits 间隔年利大于弊。
【二段】 间隔年之利好展开
Virtually, numerous merits could be gained via taking a year off before going to colleges. The most glaring benefit is that teenagers could relieve their strain and stress triggered by tight academic study. After all, feasting their eyes on the stunning landscape could sweeten their lives. Imaginably, enjoying the eye-catching scenery could add spice to the dull routine of everyday life and thus makes one become more vigorous. Meanwhile, the youths could make congenial friends by communicating with peers. Another virtue deriving from working as part-timers is that earning a living has a key role to play in helping one accumulate relevant working experience and deepen one’s insight into the society, which will lay a solid foundation for one’s future career. Eventually, young people could clearly know what they are hoping to do with their lives by broadening their mental horizons and socializing with more people.
【解析】
1. feasting their eyes on the stunning landscape v尽情欣赏迷人景色
2. add spice to the dull routine of everyday life v增加枯燥生活之情趣
3. lay a solid foundation for one’s future career v为未来事业打下坚实基础
【三段】 间隔年之弊端展开
Notwithstanding all that, we can never ignore the potential downsides triggered by the gap year. First, the study will be delayed. Some school leavers are too immature to draw on their gap year, so they just waste time during that period and harvest nothing. Even worse, it is highly possible that those who are in the formative years might lose themselves and even be led astray because adult world is so complicated that those teenagers fail to read. Even worse， some youngsters might end up never returning to campus.
【解析】
1. Notwithstanding all that 尽管如此
2. end up doing sth 以……为结局
3. be led astray 被引入迷途
【尾段】再次亮明观点 + 总结理由
In closing, my stand is that to encourage young adults to earn a living or do some sightseeing for a period time before starting university life is a two-edged sword. However, youngsters should be encouraged to explore the unknown. This is one of the best ways to mature their thoughts and chasten their characters.
【解析】
1. …… is a two-edged sword……是一把双刃刀
2. This is one of the best ways to mature their thoughts and chasten their characters. 这是成熟他们的思想，磨练他们的性格的最佳方式之一。
【小鹏哥语料库】
【核心语料库】
1. to experience the gap year v体验间隔年
2. take a year off to work and travel before attending university v 经历间隔年
3. go to university = start university life = attend university v上大学
4. earn a living = work as part-timers v 谋生
5. do some sightseeing = to be well-traveled = to travel on one’s own v自己旅行
作者介绍：
薛鹏(@雅思小鹏哥)，新东方网专栏作家，高中时代出版诗文集《选择坚强》，每年创作20万字原创语料库以及范文。吉林大学外国语言学及应用语言学硕士。17年英语教学经验 (7年新东方雅思托福SAT教学经历)，前长春新东方功勋教师，多次培训出雅思和托福高分学员(雅思写作8.0分，托福写作29分)。
爱生活，爱运动，爱音乐电影，爱旅行美食，爱读书摄影，更爱英语教学。20岁登上英语讲台，主讲英语万词速记课程。熟悉GRE、TOEFL、SAT、TEM、CET等各级别词汇教学。
大一时即在报刊杂志上主持“英语学习系列谈”以及“薛鹏教你学单词”等专栏。2006年获得“外研社/朗文杯”新概念背诵大赛吉林省赛区大学成人组冠军，全国总决赛大学成人组二等奖。
对于各类写作课程有精深研究，授课方式行云流水，妙语连珠，知识底蕴深厚，对学员极具有启迪性和激励性。
教学理念：Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.(教育不是注满一桶水，而是点燃一把火)
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（编辑：秦洁）
