【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?
　　【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。
　　【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。

雅思写作语料库：年轻人是否应先游历再上大学
　　【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。
　　【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
　　【间隔年之利好】
　　1. broaden one's mental horizons v拓宽视野
　　2. enrich one's life and social experience v丰富人生以及社会阅历
　　3. temper one's sense of independence v锻炼独立性
　　【解析】 temper = train = chasten v.磨炼
　　4. relieve the tension and pressure caused by senior academic study v缓解学习压力
　　5. brighten one's spirit v使人快乐
　　6. add spice to one's life v增加人生的乐趣
　　【解析】spice n香料，情趣
　　7. feast one's eyes on the beautiful landscape 欣赏美丽景色
　　【解析】feast one's eyes on v大饱眼福
　　8. enlarge one's circle of friends 广交朋友
　　9. deepen one's insight into different customs, cultures and lifestyles v加深对于不同的风俗，文化以及生活方式的理解;
　　【解析】insight into 对于……的洞察
　　10. mature one's mentality 成熟心态
　　【解析】mature adj成熟的;v.使成熟
　　11. strengthen one's sense of achievement v增强自我成就感
　　12. reduce the pressure triggered by tight academic study v缓解学习生活的压力
　　【间隔年之弊端】
　　1. The study will be delayed and disadvantaged. 耽误学习
　　【解析】disadvantage v使得处于不利状态
　　2. So immature and inexperienced are some youngsters that they are more likely to go astray. 一些年轻人是如此的不成熟和经验不足以至于会误入歧途。
　　3. Young adults may end up never returning to their studies. 年轻人可能不再回归校园。
　　【解析】end up doing sth v最终以……为结局(写作亮点)
　　4. As for those poverty-stricken children, travel might impose much pressure upon their families economically. 对于家庭贫困的孩子而言，旅行是一种巨大的家庭经济负担。
　　【解析】poverty-stricken = needy = straitened adj贫困的
　　5. The main task of students is to update their knowledge and acquire competitive skills. They mighty regret it for the rest of their life provided that they fail to draw on the golden time.学生的主要任务是学习知识，掌握技能。如果他们错过了宝贵的机会，也许会遗憾终生。
　　【解析】provided that = if 假如(地道英语为主句在先，条件置后)
　　6. The competence of students is not enough for them to cope with work requirements. 学生的能力不足以让他们满足工作的要求。
　　【解析】：competence = capability = ability n 能力
　　7. Students' mentality is not mature enough to understand complex adult world. 学生的心智不足以理解复杂的成人世界。
　　8. The adult world is too perilous and unreadable to students who don't have strong ability of analysis. 成人世界很危险，年轻人无法读懂，因为他们没有明辨是非的能力。
　　【解析】perilous = dangerous =risky adj危险的