2019年12月07日
雅思大作文题目
老年人住退休社区是好是坏？
Nowadays some older people choose to live in retirement communities with other older people, rather than living with their adult children. Is it a positive or negative development?
解析&审题
本周考试的话题可能与很多考生平时熟悉的话题有些出入，涉及到老年人退休去哪住这一社会问题。
有些人觉得老年人应该去老年社区，与其他老年人生活在一起，而不是与孩子住一起。这个想法其实正在变得很流行，因为我们已经看到越来越多的老年人公寓或养老院。
毫无疑问，老年人住在养老院（或所谓的退休社区）有很多优势，比如与其他老年人有更多共同的交流话题，养老院提供的服务也可能更好等。因此，我们可以用“一边倒”的方式来回应这个题目。
但是，退休社区也存在一些问题，比如价格昂贵，再如有些老年人无法适应离开孩子，离开家的生活。如果考虑到这些问题，我们就可用“双边讨论”的方式。至于老年人是否应该住退休社区这个问题，答案当然就不能一概而论，而取决于个人选择。
老师笔记
01
People are wondering about where they want to live during their last stage of life. Today’s increasing retirement homes can be a good thing for some people but bad for others. 人们在思考在生命的最后阶段他们想住在哪里。如今越来越多的养老院对一些人来说是好事，但对其他人来说却是坏事。
解析
（1） 引出话题，并提出自己的观点：老人社区对有些人来说是好的，但对其他人来说则不好，明确了本文的“双边讨论”结构。
（2） The last stage of life生命的最后阶段
02
Living in a retirement community can be an attractive idea for some old people, especially those who want to live among people of similar age. Many old people find it out of the question to live with their children because the generation gap is so big that they sometimes simply cannot communicate with each other. In the retirement home, however, the old people often find they have a better time living with those with similar interests. Besides, a retirement home provides a variety of benefits that mayappeal to the old people, such as the around-the-clock supervision, on-site medical care, and individualized help with daily needs. These benefits can make a difference in the lives of elderly people. 生活在退休社区对一些老年人来说是一个很有吸引力的想法，特别是那些想和年龄相似的人一起生活的人。许多老年人发现和孩子住在一起是不可能的，因为代沟太大，有时根本无法相互沟通。然而，在养老院里，老年人往往发现他们与志趣相投的人生活得更好。此外，养老院还提供各种可能吸引老年人的福利，如24小时监督、现场医疗和个性化的日常需求帮助。这些福利可以实质性地改变老年人的生活。
解析
（1） 本段论证退休社区的好处，这个好处是通过比较“住在家里”来论证的。
（2） People of similar age 年龄相似的人
（3） Out of the question 不可能的（=impossible）
（4） Generation gap 代沟
（5） Appeal to 吸引 （=attract）
（6） Make a difference 产生差异，产生很大影响
03
However, sending an elderly parent to a retirement community also poses severalpotential problems. In the first place, it is difficult for many families to afford a retirement home’s services which are typically very costly. It is, therefore, a great financial burden for families to have their old parents living in a retirement community. In addition, some elderly people, even without financial problem, have trouble living in a retirement home. Some of them may be so independent that they are simply not ready to accept help from others. For others, leaving their home and familyterritory may be very difficult because that involves adjusting to an entirely new environment and lifestyle. 然而，把年迈的父母送到退休社区也会带来一些潜在的问题。首先，对于许多家庭来说，很难负担起养老院通常非常昂贵的服务。因此，让老父母住在退休社区对家庭来说是一个巨大的经济负担。此外，一些老年人即使没有经济问题，也难以在养老院生活。他们中的一些人可能非常独立，根本不愿意接受别人的帮助。对其他人来说，离开他们的家庭领地可能非常困难，因为这涉及到适应一个全新的环境和生活方式。
解析
（1） 本段讨论住在退休社区可能带来的问题：价格昂贵；有些老年人不适应老人院的生活。
（2） Potential 潜在的
（3） Afford 承担；负担得起
（4） Costly 昂贵的
（5） Territory 领地
（6） Involve 涉及；包含
（7） Adjust to... （努力地）适应......
04
In conclusion, there are pros and cons regarding the idea of retirement communities. It is hard to say whether the idea is positive or negative because the answer varies from person to person. 综上所述，退休社区这个概念是有利弊的。很难说这个概念是积极的还是消极的，因为答案因人而异。
解析
（1） 本段得出结论，即退休社区各有利弊，无法明确它到底是好还是坏。
（2） Pro and cons 利和弊
（3） Vary from person to person 因人而异
7分范文
People are wondering about where they want to live during their last stage of life. Today’s increasing retirement homes can be a good thing for some people but bad for others. Living in a retirement community can be an attractive idea for some old people, especially those who want to live among people of similar age. Many old people find it out of the question to live with their children because the generation gap is so big that they sometimes simply cannot communicate with each other. In the retirement home, however, the old people often find they have a better time living with those with similar interests. Besides, a retirement home provides a variety of benefits that may appeal to the old people, such as the around-the-clock supervision, on-site medical care, and individualized help with daily needs. These benefits can make a difference in the lives of elderly people. However, sending an elderly parent to a retirement community also poses several potential problems. In the first place, it is difficult for many families to afford a retirement home’s services which are typically very costly. It is, therefore, a great financial burden for families to have their old parents living in a retirement community. In addition, some elderly people, even without financial problem, have trouble living in a retirement home. Some of them may be so independent that they are simply not ready to accept help from others. For others, leaving their home and family territory may be very difficult because that involves adjusting to an entirely new environment and lifestyle. In conclusion, there are pros and cons regarding the idea of retirement communities. It is hard to say whether the idea is positive or negative because the answer varies from person to person. (297 words)
建议背诵的句子
1. Living in a retirement community can be an attractive idea for some old people, especially those who want to live among people of similar age.
生活在退休社区对一些老年人来说是一个很有吸引力的想法，特别是那些想和年龄相似的人一起生活的人。
2. Many old people find it out of the question to live with their children because the generation gap is so big that they sometimes simply cannot communicate with each other.
许多老年人发现和孩子住在一起是不可能的，因为代沟太大，有时根本无法相互沟通。
3. Besides, a retirement home provides a variety of benefits that may appeal to the old people, such as the around-the-clock supervision, on-site medical care, and individualized help with daily needs.
此外，养老院还提供各种可能吸引老年人的福利，如24小时监督、现场医疗和个性化的日常需求帮助。
4. For others, leaving their home and family territory may be very difficult because that involves adjusting to an entirely new environment and lifestyle.
对其他人来说，离开他们的家庭领地可能非常困难，因为这涉及到适应一个全新的环境和生活方式。
5. It is hard to say whether the idea is positive or negative because the answer varies from person to person.
很难说这个概念是积极的还是消极的，因为答案因人而异。
