The Value of Pop Culture

　　In this age of global massmedia and information explosion, there is a common perception of popularculture as the opposite of "traditional" or "classical"culture. With this comes the unfortunate implication that the former is somehowless valuable than the latter, that it is merely “distraction”. Some of the moreradical opponents against pop culture would even argue that it is of littlevalue at all - that our lives would have been better if we could just stick tothe classics and pretend that pop culture does not exist. I couldn't disagreemore with this unhappy line of thought. I am of the opinion that pop culture isof great value, both at present and in the future.

　　分析：开头段结合背景交代和反方观点，暗示反方观点对pop culture的定义错误，引出观点的方式简单自然。

　　Anyone who dismisses popculture wholesale is ignorant of the way culture grows and develops. Everycultural phenomenon has a beginning. When it first started, it was the popculture of its time. It is only later, with the passage of centuries that “pop“becomes ”classic”.

　　点评：此处重新定义pop culture

　　Is there any better exampleof "classical" culture than that of the Bard upon Avon, the greatWilliam Shakespeare? How many people adore and revere Shakespeare today as themaster observer of all aspects of the human condition? Yet the Bard was anextremely popular entertainer during his time - his works were greatly enjoyedand celebrated by not just the upper-class elite of England but the commonpeople as well. Ordinary Englishmen flocked in the thousands to watch theperformance of his plays. Most of his works, even the most famed ones such asHamlet, include bawdy jokes and double-entendres. His dramas displayed ashocking amount of violence for their time, which scandalized many of hiscontemporary critics. If the people of his time had dismissed him as “adistraction” because he was too "pop", we today would know of no Shakespeare,which would be a tragic loss.

　　点评：引出莎士比亚，细节处理到位，通过Hamlet这部作品中一样有’ bawdy jokes and double-entendres来进一步阐明’我们所认为的经典在当时一样是流行文化’。可圈可点的是，此段通过虚拟语气进行对比论证，丰富了文章的论证方式，值得借鉴。

　　Another example is FranzLiszt, now considered a master of classical music. But Liszt was a rock star ofhis time - his performance was dramatic and captivating and he had hordes ofscreaming fans that crowded his concerts. A new word was even invented todescribe the frenzy he generated: Lisztomania. The same can be said of NiccoloPaganini, Liszt's inspiration and predecessor and another giant of classicalmusic.

　　分析：能增强文章说服力的最佳方式就是有足够多的细节支撑，所以例子还是尽量丰富些。

　　Therefore it is extremelyunwise for us to dismiss culture today simply because it is "pop", asfew can predict which of the "pop" would become "classic"in the future. Much more recently than Liszt, the Beatles are now considered agreat classic of music, and yet they were "pop" some 50 years ago.

　　又一个例子。

　　But the value of pop culturelies in far more than its possible future conditions. Pop culture is valuableright here and now, because it is a powerful form of media and therefore canconvey useful and important information to its audience. Consider for exampleLady Gaga, the reigning queen of pop music as of 2014. Many take offense to herstyle and image because it’s too "pop". And yet many influentialcritics and the music scene in general recognize the immense social andcultural values of her works. She addresses important issues in many of hersongs, for example that of same sex marriage ("Americano"), feminism("Scheiss"), and the impact and effect of the global mass mediaitself ("Paparazzi", "Applause"). Countless listeners havefound courage and personal inspiration from Lady Gaga's songs, and she is fullyaware of and vigorously promotes her leadership in social change and progress.

　　点评：引出第二个分论点，加以递进：流行文化一样可以影响深远，Lady Gaga的作品及其涉及的社会意义足见作者对细节把握的准确，到位。

　　Therefore, I think popculture is of great value, both in terms of potential value in the future inthe sense that some of our "pop" culture will inevitably live on tobecome "classic" for future generations, and in terms of currentvalue in the sense that pop culture is a powerful form of media to instigatesocial progress. Anyone who rejects pop culture's value without second thoughthas surely missed what is truly wonderful and magnificent.

　　点评：结尾段用不同表达方式再次呈现两个分论点，重新阐明总观点，一样是不同的表达方式。

　　总体看来，文章结构清晰，遵循议论文总分总的结构框架;同时例证论证双管齐下，细节扣题，毫无赘述;最重要的是，作者的例子选择足见日常的积累广度和思考的深度，也令这篇文章处处可圈可点，这些优点都是考生们应该学习的地方。