Issue-80. Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed.

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满分范文赏析

The speaker asserts that nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed and I strongly agree with the speaker. If basic levels of subsistence cannot be met, the government has absolutely no place directing money to pay for trivialities.

【此段结构】  

第一句话作者对题目进行了转述并且对此提出了自己的观点，即同意题中所说。第二句话简单解释了作此观点的原因。  

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概述题目，提出观点。  

Firstly, we would be prudent to acknowledge that the arts can make great impact on society. The arts are usually most developed in countries where other more basic needs have already been met. Art, in many cases, has a very enriching effect on the minds of the people.

【此段结构】  

第一句话承认了艺术对社会的重要性；第二句谈到艺术通常在基本需求以满足的国家蓬勃发展；第三句又指出艺术可以丰富人的思想。  

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作者的观点是当一国有很多国民失业或饥饿的情况下，国家应该暂停对艺术的资助。本段首先退一步承认艺术的重要性，和对人们的益处。为下文论述做好准备。  

However, the benefit of art in developed culture is predicated by the affluence of that culture. It is difficult to imagine a society that was both constantly threatened with starvation and perpetually making handicrafts.  However, as stated above, we need to acknowledge the importance of art in the development of society. That being said, economic conditions are ever changing. If the economic conditions in a country changed such that the very well-being of the people was threatened, it would be sensible to divert funding away from art and towards relief of the people.

【此段结构】  

前两句提出发达国家的艺术发展是在拥有足够财富的情况下进行的，一直被饥饿和失业困扰的国家很难发展艺术。第三句重申作者并不认为艺术是一无是处的，而是，接第四句内容，如果国民福祉受威胁，将对艺术的资助用于解救国民才是明智的。  

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论点一，解释艺术的发展是在国民的基本福祉都保证的情况下进行的，也可以说是物质文明是精神文明发展的保证。  

Government funding is limited and priorities need to be set forth. This requires governments to make it clear what problems should be addressed and in which order. The problem of subsistence certainly takes precedent over arts. That being said, while arts are important, the people are even more important. Only when people have the opportunity live comfortably with their basic needs being met can the government divert resources back to other matters.

【此段结构】  

第一句提出本段中心句，政府资金有限，应当阐明各项事务的优先级。第二句补充说应规划好那些问题应当按何顺序处理。第三句拉回到本题讨论，指出艺术虽然重要，但人的需求更重要。最后一句重申政府需要先解决过敏的基本需要，再将注意力转移至赞助艺术。  

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论点二，论述政府的战略规划应当清晰，搞清优先顺序。  

To sum up, I totally agree with the speaker. The well being of citizens is the first and the most important task that the government is responsible for meeting. The development of arts or other fields should be based on it having first met basic needs.

【此段结构】  

首句再次重申作者的立场；第二句指出国民的福祉是第一要务；第三句继续说艺术的发展应建立在国民福祉已得到保障的基础上。  

【此段功能】  

总结论述，重申观点。

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满分要素剖析

一、 语言表达
这篇作文在语言使用方面有很多可圈可点之处，很多词汇和短语的使用可以作为范例，给其他备考者带来启发。

1、Firstly, we would be prudent to acknowledge that the arts can make great impact on society. 考生们对prudent一词不应感到陌生，因为在GRE的写作中经常会有机会用到它。它的意思是“审慎的，三思而后行的”，经常在“be prudent to”的搭配下出现，表示“做…是审慎的”。考生在想令论述显得严谨的时候可以用这个搭配在提出论点。

2、However, the benefit of art in developed culture is predicated by the affluence of that culture. 这句话中用到了predicate一词的一个表示“使基于、取决于”的意思。它常使用的搭配还有be predicated on/upon，意为“依据…,取决于…”。

3、That being said, economic conditions are ever changing. 本剧开头的that being said是固定搭配，意思是“话虽如此”，接下来通常接转折的内容，在这种写作中会经常用得到。

4、Government funding is limited and priorities need to be set forth. 这句话里的priority是指优先考虑的事务，用一个比较洋气的词来说就是“优先级”。Set forth在这里的意思是陈述，阐明。

二、 逻辑结构
本文的论述简介严谨。作者采用了总分总的结构，除去首尾段提出和总结观点，中间三段各自代表了一条论点。首先要说明的是，基于作者的观点，本文应当解释在国民大面积饥饿和失业的情况下，政府暂停扶植艺术发展的理由，但论点一着重说明了艺术的重要性，体现了作者逻辑的完整和严谨，这种先退让再说理的方式也很常见。此后的两端分别阐述了物质文明是精神文明（艺术）发展的保障，以及国家对各项事物发展的优先级规划。三点相结合，构成了本文的全部论述。