In some cultures the old age is highly valued, while in some cultures youth is highly valued. Discuss both and give your opinion.(2019/11/7)
解析
本题是2012年3月31日的原题重现。几乎是10年前的旧题，相信各大所谓预测机构都很难预测到这个题目！
本题是典型的双边讨论题目，因为我们很难锚定一边进行讨论：无论我们论证应该更看重老年人还是年轻人，都无法完全自圆其说，因为很明显，老年人和年轻人各有价值，都应该看重。因此，这样的题目，是不适合采用一边倒的论证结构的。
但是，这是否意味着，我们就必须采用用如下结构呢？
1. 引入段
2. 老年人的价值
3. 年轻人的价值
4. 结论：老年人和年轻人都有价值
这不仅是很多同学可能采用的结构，老雅甚至在几个著名的范文机构提供的思路里看到的也是这个结构。不得不说，这个结构是可以的，
但这个结构可以让你得6分，却不足以让你得7分。为什么？因为这个结构没有体现出你的观点!那么，在本题中，我们如何来构建自己的观点呢？回到题目，我们发现题目是这样说的：“在有些文化中，老年是被更看重的，而在另外一些文化中，年轻是被更看重的”。请注意，这里要求你论证的是“更看重”（more valued），也就是要求你讨论为什么在不同文化里，老年或年轻“被更看重”。老雅提出的原因是：传统和现实需求。不同文化对待老年和年轻的传统不同；不同文化的现实情况不同，也需求对老年和年轻区别对待。于是，老雅范文的结构如下：
1. 引入
2. 老年人和年轻人的各自的价值
3. 区别对待的原因一：传统影响
4. 区别对待的原因二：现实考量
5. 结论
以下请看老雅的高分范文。
7分范文
When the 32-year-old Emmanuel Macron and the 72-year-old Ronald Trump were elected the President of France and the U.S. respectively, we can feel the difference in attitude of the two countries towards the age: Young people are probably more valued in France than in the U.S.
1. 本段通过例子引入要讨论的话题：不同文化对老年人和年 轻人的态度不同。
2. respectively 各自地；分别地
Of course, the youth have every reason to be valued in any culture. They are the most creative and energetic population. It is no exaggeration to say that young people are what keeps the world going. Yet, with their experience and knowledge, old people are also a valuable asset for any nation. If young people keep the world going, then it is the old who keep the young people going.
1. 本段讨论年轻人和老年人各自的优势。
2. to have every reason to do... 有充足的理由做......
3. exaggeration 夸张
4. asset 财富
However, it is often found that, in some cultures, the youth are more valued, while in others, the old are more respected. The difference, I believe, mainly arises fromthe traditional values of a given culture. In East Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Korea, for example, people of the old age are often looked up to andhave the final say over many important issues, while in many European countries such as France, Germany, and Swede, the important government positions are often held by young people, because people in these countries traditionally trust young people more than they do the old.
1. 本段讨论为什么不同文化对年轻人和老年人态度有别的第一个原因：传统影响。
2. arise from... 起源于......
3. look up to... 尊敬
4. to have the final say over... 对......有最终发言权
The difference in attitude towards the old age and the youth also reflects the immediate needs of a particular culture. If a community suffers from the seriousaging problem, young people will be more valued to keep the community competitive. By contrast, in a community overwhelmed with young people, the old age will be more valued to keep the community harmonious.
1. 本段讨论第二个原因：现实因素。
2. aging problem 老年化问题
3. be overwhelmed with...充满了......
4. harmonioius 和谐的
To sum up, both the old age and the youth should be valued, yet whether any one of them should be more valued depends upon the traditional values and the immediate status quo of the culture under discussion.
1. 本段是结论。
2. depend upon... 取决于......
3. status quo 现状
4. under discussion 在讨论中的
（318 words)
