（本文内容出自维夕教育团队原创，未经允许不得引用转载，不得用于其他商业用途）
哈哈哈，看完今天这篇文章你还不会写 GRE Argument 作文，你来打我，我把手寄给你帮你去考试算了！看标题就知道，7天速成作文，咱们一天来一篇学习好了，进度不要那么赶，主要是得好好消化！不然会一团浆糊，噎死啦！
GRE考试中会遇到两道写作题，Argument+Issue，要求考生在30分钟之内各自完成一篇。
于国内考GRE的童鞋来说，GRE写作是所有科目里表现最差的，据ETS官方发布的最新GRE年度报告显示，咱们国内考生GRE写作的平均分是3.1，只超过了全球18%的考生，作文拿满分的概率非常低（当然作文拿6分的大神确实有，但是对于普通考生来说真的是难于上青天）。
于是，很多童鞋在备考GRE作文的时候都会非常迷茫，
不复习吧，写作分数就很有可能成为自己申请的绊脚石；
复习吧，又会消耗大量的时间，还不如多花点时间在Verbal上。
这就导致很多童鞋，在整个GRE备考期间，都在忙着搞阅读词汇，写作几乎是裸考的，结果到了要上“战场”时，都依然不懂得如何快速搞定GRE作文。
最后V和Q都考了325+，但是一看作文gg了：2.5分卧槽？？！!
然后又不得不再考一场GRE，多花一次考试报名费...
最要命的是还要继续来一次要命的GRE复习，还不一定考得比之前好...害，说多了都是泪奔。这样的例子真的屡见不鲜了。
其实，GRE作文的复习是有技巧的，可不是单纯地背单词、背模板就能得高分的哦！！
你想想：
因为如果Argument考6分满分的话，Issue你就是瞎写，也有2分吧？2+6=8，取平均分，那你的GRE作文至少都有4分了！所以Argument一定要争取满分6分！
更何况，搞定了GRE作文，你才有更多的时间去搞阅读和填空！
之前已经给大家发过第一、二、三、四篇啦，学习一定要有一个完整的系统，今天是第五篇的训练哦：
The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a scientific journal.
"A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring."
Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.
要求：
1）完整写首段+主体段每段首句；
2）首段需要和主体段每段首句内容对应（尽量即可）；
3） 结尾段不做要求。
参考答案：
第一步：找到结论和支持结论的论据。
"A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring."
Instruction 类型：Alternative Explanations
第二步：确定写作切入点。
第三步：根据 instructions，依照模板，写首段和主体段第一句。本题较难。第一胎恒河猴和人的例子较 类似，可以放一起写；母猴单独写一段；由样本量可能太小导致偶然效应写一段。
In this letter to the editor, the author claims that birth order has direct effects on the stimulation levels of infants and pregnant mothers as manifested in the levels of cortisol. While being firstborn is correlated with high stimulation levels, there are a number of alternative explanations for the higher cortisol level of
first-born monkeys, first child in the family, and mother monkeys in their first pregnancy we need to consider when evaluating the soundness of the argument.First of all, we may explain the high stimulation levels of firstborn infants in terms of their relatively older ages. In both studies of monkeys and human infants, firstborn infants have to be compared with their younger siblings when being exposed to certain stimulating situations. Maybe the firstborn babies responded to the stimulation more actively simply because they were older, and with better cognitive abilities they were more sensitive to potential danger of an unfamiliar monkey or the excitement of a returning parent. The higher level of cortisol could be the result of the intense emotional changes rather than being firstborn. Related to age is the relatively larger body sizes of the firstborn babies which may lead to higher levels of cortisol being released. Assuming the amount of cortisol produced is proportional to the body size, the larger the babies are the more cortisol would be produced given the same level of stimulation. Therefore, we need to control the body size if we want to better understand the effects of birth order on stimulation level.
Although the siblings usually share similar genes, firstborn babies are not genetically identical to their younger brothers or sisters. Therefore, the different levels of stimulation could result from the different genes of the infants. Since the sample size was relatively small, it is possible that infants that are genetically geared towards releasing more cortisol happen to be firstborn. Studies of larger random samples are necessary to tease out the effects of genes from the effects of birth order. Without a thorough investigation of the rival explanation, it is difficult ensure that the argument is tenable.
As for the first-time expecting mothers, birth order may not be the direct cause of high level of stimulation. Maybe the first-time mothers were more excited or nervous about being pregnant, which lead to higher level of cortisol being released. Or the pregnant mothers with children were too busy taking care of their children to feel excited or nervous. If any of these explanations hold true, then birth order may not be the true cause of the level of simulation. Rather, the level of excitement or stress could be a better explanation for the level of stimulation. Therefore, it isessential for us to examine these explanations before we determine the soundness of the argument.
In conclusion, a number of alternative explanations may be advanced for the high level of stimulation observed. Unless we could find concrete information to rule out such explanations, the argument is not very strong.
