雅思作文题目
The customs and traditional ways of behaviour are no longer relevant to the modern world. So they are not worth keeping any more. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
解析
本题问：很多传统习俗和行为方式已经与现代社会格格不入，于是有人认为这些东西没有必要保存下来了，你是否同意这个观点？这个题目中的传统习俗和行为方式实际上就是指广义的文化，因此，这个题目其实问的就是：古老的传统文化是否值得保存下来？我知道，看惯了好莱坞打打杀杀电影的新新人类，往往会认为，中国古老的传统文化有什么值得保留的嘛，我都懒得看！这其实是一代人的误区，甚至也是过往中国人的误区。一直以来，中国在保留传统文化方面都是特别不上心的，朝代更替时，都以破旧迎新为荣，对历史，对传统的东西大加鞭鞑，除之而后快。因此，我们现在说起来是上下五千年，但能够供我们瞻仰的真的不多，稍有印象的就是秦朝兵马俑了，那还是因为藏在地下才得以幸免的。幸运的是，近年来，我们已经意识到这个问题，不仅开始努力保护传统文物，也在开始保护传统习俗和行为方式了。例如，这些年很多儿童重新去阅读四书五经，很多地方恢复了庙会祭祖，汉服也重新开始流行起来了。这些在30年前几乎是不可想象的。
因此，如果唐老师来写这篇作文，我的观点一定是：虽然有些传统习俗和行为方式的确已经不值得保留，但是那些带有丰富文化特色的习俗和行为方式却应该原汁原味地保留下来。那么，为什么呢？首先，从浅层次说，这些东西是历史的产物，通过它们我们可以了解历史（比如在中国，划龙舟，吃粽子就可以让我们记住战国时期那段历史，否则，我们可能忘记）；其次，从深层次说，延续这些传统习俗和行为方式有助于形成一个国家的民族身份（听起来有点玄，请看唐老师具体如何表达）。仍以中国为例，放假度春节的习俗就保留了下来，因为每过一次春节，就强化了我们是中国人的感受（很多人建议用圣诞节来取代中国春节，我是完全反对的），在当今多种族共存时代，保留自己的身份非常重要。
7分范文
Many people, especially the young generation, often talk about discarding the customs and traditional ways of behaviour on the ground that they are no longer applicable to modern life. By contrast, I believe the traditional culture should be preserved, for it plays a pivotal role in our understanding of history and formation of identity even if it is irrelevant to our daily life.
As we know, traditional customs and rituals are reflections of historical realities. If they are completely abandoned, we may lose sight of our history. Take boat-racing in China for example. It has been an event in memory of Qu Yuan, a legendary figure in the Warring States Period. He drowned himself because his advice was ignored by the king of Chu. Today, boat-racing has nothing to do our daily living; we don’t even need boats for fishing, but Chinese people are still celebrating this event every year for the reason that it reminds them of the cruelty of politics in that period of time. If boat-racing were no longer celebrated, Qu Yuan and the history he represented might have disappeared into the dust of time.
Not only do past customs and ceremonies inform us of our history, they also dictate who we are and where we are going. To be clear about our unique identity and future is extremely important, especially in this multi-cultural world. Jewish people today are respected throughout the world partly because they are still practising the customs and rituals like their forefathers. That’s why I, a Chinese university student, do not like the idea of celebrating Christmas instead of Spring festival, or Valentine’s day instead of Double Seventh day. Indeed, it is in the traditional culture that we can always find ourselves.
To conclude, though many traditional customs and ways of behaviour may appear irrelevant to our modern world, they are not useless as some people claim. On the contrary, they are important to help us understand our history and shape our identity. In this sense, they are certainly worth keeping.
老师笔记
Many people, especially the young generation, often talk about discarding the customs and traditional ways of behaviour on the ground that they are no longer applicable to modern life. By contrast, I believe the traditional culture should be preserved, for it plays a pivotal role in our understanding of history and formation of identity even if it is irrelevant to our daily life.
雅思作文中的段的难度在于如何快速恰当地引出话题，然后提出自己的观点。在这个过程中，要注意避免完全重复题目中的词句。同时，在提出自己观点时，要尽量能够做到预告接下来段落的主要内容。比如，本文接下来要论证的就是传统文化有助于我们理解历史，形成身份，所以，本段的最后一句话就直接将这些要点提出来。
discard = abandon = throw away 抛弃，扔掉
on the ground that 以......为基础
applicable 适用的。这里用来替换relevant（相关的）
play a pivotal role 起关键作用
As we know, traditional customs and rituals are reflections of historical realities. If they are completely abandoned, we may lose sight of our history. Take boat-racing in China for example. It has been an event in memory of Qu Yuan, a legendary figure in the Warring States Period. He drowned himself because his advice was ignored by the king of Chu. Today, boat-racing has nothing to do our daily living; we don’t even need boats for fishing, but Chinese people are still celebrating this event every year for the reason that it reminds them of the cruelty of politics in that period of time. If boat-racing were no longer celebrated, Qu Yuan and the history he represented might have disappeared into the dust of time.
本段论证传统习俗和做法是历史真实的反映。本段用举例法来论证。ritual 礼节；做法 （= daily practices 日常行为）
legendary figure 传奇人物
for the reason that... = because 因为。经常阅读唐老师范文的读者应该已经注意到，唐老师喜欢在作文中使用词组。比如more often than not = frequently; all of a sudden = suddenly; for the reason that = because；等等。这是为什么呢？这不仅仅是为了凑字数，而是因为词组会让文章读起来更加地道，语气更舒缓。这是写作秘诀，你知道就可以了，不要告诉其他人！
disappear into the dust of time 消失到时间的尘埃中。这是非常个性化的表达，我相信考官在1000份试卷里也难读到这样的表达方法，好感油然而生！
Not only do past customs and ceremonies inform us of our history, they also dictate who we are and where we are going. To be clear about our unique identity and future is extremely important, especially in this multi-cultural world. Jewish people today are respected throughout the world partly because they are still practising the customs and rituals like their forefathers. That’s why I, a Chinese university student, do not like the idea of celebrating Christmas instead of Spring festival, or Valentine’s day instead of Double Seventh day. Indeed, it is in the traditional culture that we can always find ourselves.
本段讨论传统文化对我们身份形成的重要性，同样用举例方法，举了犹太人和中国人的例子。雅思是国际化考试，如果只举中国的例子可能不是特别好。
dictate = tell 是个很高规格的词汇，如果不会使用，用tell
It is in the traditional culture that we can always find ourselves. 这句是强调句型。
To conclude, though many traditional customs and ways of behaviour may appear irrelevant to our modern world, they are not useless as some people claim. On the contrary, they are important to help us understand our history and shape our identity. In this sense, they are certainly worth keeping.
结论段，换一种说法把前面讨论的重点重述一遍。
on the contrary 相反
参考译文
很多人，尤其是年轻一代，经常说要抛弃习俗和传统做法，依据是这些习俗和传统做法已经不再适应现代生活了。与此相反，我认为传统文化应该得到保留，即使它与我们的日常生活无关，它在我们理解历史，形成身份过程中却至关重要。
我们知道，传统习俗和做法反映了历史的真实，如果完全抛弃它们，我们就有可能看不见历史。比如中国的龙舟赛。这个活动一直是为了纪念屈原，战国时期的一个传奇人物。由于他的建议不被楚国国王采纳，他投河自尽了。今天，龙舟赛跟我们的日常生活毫无关系；我们甚至连打渔都不需要船了，但是中国人却年年都仍庆祝这个活动，因为它提醒中国人那个时期的残酷政治。如果没有龙舟赛，屈原以及他代表的历史就可能已经消失在时间的尘埃中了。
过去的习俗和仪式不仅告诉我们历史，而且还决定我们的现在和未来。清楚地知道自己的独特身份和未来非常重要，尤其是在这个多文化世界。今天，犹太人在全世界广受尊敬，其部分原因就是因为他们仍然施行祖先施行的那些习俗和做法。那也是为什么作为中国大学生我反对庆祝圣诞节而不是春节，反对庆祝情人节而不是七夕节。的确，我们正是从传统文化中经常发现自己的。
总之，虽然许多传统习俗和做法也许显得与我们的现代生活格格不入，但它们并不像有些人说的那样毫无用处。相反，他们很重要，帮助我们理解历史，形成身份。在这个意义上，它们是值得坚持下去的。
