英語GRE作文：GRE作文范例16

    As people grow older, an enzyme known as PEP increasingly breaks down the neuropeptide chemicals involved in learning and memory. But now, researchers have found compounds that prevent PEP from breaking neuropeptides apart. In tests, these compounds almost completely restored lost memory in rats. The use of these compounds should be extended to students who have poor memory and difficulty in concentrating-and therefore serious problems in school performance. Science finally has a solution for problems neither parents nor teachers could solve.

eg：

    In this argument, the arguer states that researchers have found compounds that keep an enzyme known as PEP from breaking neuropeptides apart, which are known to be involved in learning and memory. The arguer states that tests have shown that these compounds almost completely restored lost memory in rats, and that therefore, these compounds should be administered to students with poor memory and difficulty in concentrating. This argument is unconvincing because it contains several critical flaws in logic.

    First of all, the arguer states that as people grow older, PEP breaks down the neuropeptide chemicals that are involved in learning and memory. It is true that generally, as people get older, they tend to have more problems with learning and memory. However, there is no direct link mentioned between the breaking down of the neuropeptide chemicals and the loss of learning ability or memory. Additionally, the arguer mentions neuropeptide chemicals that are broken down by PEP. What the researchers have found is a compound that prevents neuropeptides from breaking apart. These are two different physical actions: the breaking down of neuropeptide chemicals as opposed to the breaking apart of the neuropeptides themselves. Furthermore, it is not stated which of these physical actions is involved with the loss of learning ability and memory. It is not explicitly stated that the breaking down of chemicals causes a loss in learning ability and memory, only that this happens as people grow older. It is also not expressly stated whether the breaking apart of the neuropeptides themselves causes memory loss or a lessened learning ability. Without showing a direct link between the effect of keeping the neuropeptides from breaking apart and a reduction in the loss of memory and learning ability, the efficacy of the compounds is called into question.

    Secondly and most obviously, the compounds were only tested on rats. Rats may have a similar genetic structure to humans, but they are most certainly not the same as humans. There may be different causes for the learning and memory problems in rats as opposed to that of humans. The effect of the compounds on rats may also be very different from their effect on human beings. It is absurd in the extreme to advocate giving these compounds to students, even assuming that they would help the students with their studies, without conducting further studies assessing the compounds' overall effects on humans. The argument fails on this particular fact if for no other reason.

    Additionally, the arguer begins his or her argument by stating that "as people grow older", PEP breaks down the neuropeptide chemicals involved in learning and memory. At the end of the argument, the arguer advocates extending the compounds that prevent PEP from breaking neuropeptides apart to students who have poor memory and difficulty in concentrating. Students are generally young, not older people. There is no evidence presented that shows what actually causes students to have a poor memory or difficulty in concentrating. Indeed, it is more likely that it is extracurricular activities or a lack of sleep that causes such problems in students, not a problem associated with aging. It is highly unlikely that even if the stated compounds could help prevent the memory loss and decreased learning ability associated with aging that it would have any benefits for students.

    In summary, the arguer fails to convince with the argument as presented. To strengthen the argument, the arguer must show a direct link between the breaking apart of neuropeptides and loss of memory and learning ability. Additionally, he or she must show that students' poor memory and difficulty in concentrating is a result of the same process, and that the researcher's compounds would have as beneficial an effect on humans as it seems to have on rats.

    參考譯文

    ［題目］

    隨著人們日漸衰老，一種被稱為PEP的酶會不斷地分解學習與記憶過程中所涉及到的神經肽化學物。但現(xiàn)在，研究人員已發(fā)現(xiàn)了可阻止PEP致使神經肽分裂的化合物。在測試中，這些化合物幾乎在老鼠身上能完全恢復缺失的記憶。這些化合物的運用應該也推廣到記憶力衰弱或專注力有困難的學生身上，不然將會造成學業(yè)表現(xiàn)上的嚴重問題。科學終于解決了那些令家長和老師束手無策的問題。

    [范文正文]

    在本段論述中，論述者指出，研究人員已發(fā)現(xiàn)了某些化合物，可以阻止一種被稱為PEP的酶的物質將神經肽予以分解，而神經肽則是學習和記憶過程中所需涉及到的物質。論述者還宣稱，檢測結果表明，這些化合物幾乎完全恢復了老鼠身上缺失的記憶。因此這些化合物應該讓那些記憶力差和難于集中注意力的學生服用。這段論述缺乏說服力，因為它包含著某些邏輯推理方面甚為嚴重的缺陷。

    首先，論述者稱，隨著人們漸趨衰老，PEP 會分解學習和記憶過程中所涉及的神經肽化學物。確實，隨人們漸趨衰老，他們往往會在學習和記憶方面遭遇諸多問題。但是，在神經肽化學物的分解以及學習能力與記憶力喪失之間，卻沒有提到任何直接的聯(lián)系。除此之外，論述者提及被PEP所分解的幾種神經肽化學物。但研究人員所發(fā)現(xiàn)的只是一種可阻止神經肽不致于分裂的化合物。這是兩種不同性質的物理作用：神經肽化學物的分解有別于神經肽自身的分裂。此外，原論述并未陳述這兩種物理作用中的那一種與學習能力和記憶能力的喪失相涉。論述者沒有明確陳述化學物的分解導致了學習能力和記憶能力的喪失，而只是陳述這種情形只是隨著人們日趨年邁而發(fā)生。原論述中也沒有確切地陳述神經肽自身的分裂是否會導致記憶缺失或學習能力下降。如果無法在阻止神經肽分裂所能產生的作用與減少記憶能力和學習能力喪失之間證明某種直接的聯(lián)系，那么，化合物的效用將令人質疑。 第二，也是極為明顯地，化合物只是在老鼠身上進行了測試。雖然老鼠與人類具有類似的基因結構，但它們無論如何并不等同于人類。對于學習和記憶問題，老鼠所遇到的原因很可能全然不同于人類所遇到的原因。在沒有作進一步的研究來估評化合物對人類所產生的總體效果的情況下，就去提倡將這些化合物供學生服用，甚至假設它們有助于學生提高其學習效果，這實乃荒唐至極。即使不是出于其他原因的話，就這一特定事實本身，該段論述根本就站不住腳。 進一步而言，論述者在其論述的開始陳述道，"隨著人們漸趨衰老"，PEP會將學習和記憶過程中所涉及的神經肽化學物進行分解。在論述的結尾之處，論述者倡導將那些可阻止PEP致使神經肽分裂的化合物推廣至那些記憶力和專注力差的學生身上。學生普遍而言都是年輕人，而不是老年人。論述者沒有拿出任何證據來證明究竟是什么原因實際導至學生們記憶力和專注力下降。較有可能的是，是那些課外活動，或缺少充足的睡眠，導致了學生身上的這些問題。即使所提及的那些化合物真的有助于防止與衰老相關的記憶缺失問題和學習能力下降問題，它們也極不可能也能為學生帶來任何的裨益。 總而言之，論述者沒能用其提出的論據來說服我們。若要使其論述在邏輯上成立，論述者必須在神經肽的分裂與記憶能力和學習能力的缺失之間證明某種直接的聯(lián)系。此外，論述者必須證明學生記憶能力差和注意力難以集中均是同一過程造成的，并且研究人員所發(fā)現(xiàn)的化合物對人類所產生的效果會對老鼠似乎所產生的效果同樣的好。