Some people think getting old is entirely bad. However, others think that life of the elderly in modern world is much easier than in the past. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

　　2016年雅思收官之战的作文来了一道新题，问当今社会老年人的生活是不是很糟糕?说是新题，因为本题以前从未原题出现过，但关于年龄的话题却不缺少。比如2010年7月10日“年轻人是否适合担任政府要职”，2012年3月10日“老龄化现象的原因及解决方法”，2012年3月31日“年轻人和老年人谁的价值更高?”，2013年6月8日“政府是否应该对老年人养老提供财政支持?”，2015年1月1日“年轻人当领导，行不行?”，2015年4月11日“老年人与年轻人争夺工作职位，怎么办?”等等。

　　本题需要论证的对立观点是：年老很糟糕 vs. 当今社会年老没有那么糟糕。那么，变老有哪些坏处呢?首先，当然是身体条件没有以前好了，甚至可能出现多种疾病(物质层面);其次，不工作了，与人的联系少了，心里可能会感觉孤单，甚至感觉没有价值了(精神层面);最后，变老后对社会的依赖程度更高，给社会增加了压力(社会层面)。那么，这些问题在当今社会是不是得到了解决呢?首先，医疗条件的改善有助于保持老年人的身体状况;互联网的出现有助于缓解老年人的心理孤单问题;物质水平的提高也降低了老年人给社会造成的压力。如此观之，现代社会老年人的生活的确容易多了，但我的观点是：外部条件只是改善老年人生活的一个方面，最重要的还是老年人自己要积极调整心态，努力适应退休后的生活，从而过一个更幸福更祥和的晚年。

　　7分范文

　　Getting old is a natural process that nobody really likes. When you reach a certain age, your physical conditions will inevitably deteriorate, and you may suffer from various kinds of diseases. When you retire, you will feel isolated because your previous work contacts may be all gone, then you may feel useless to the world. Furthermore, when you get too old, you’ll have to rely heavily on the support from others, either physically or emotionally, and your life will become a great pressure to your family and the whole society as well.

　　For all these bad things about getting old, many people argue that the life of the elderly today is much easier than in the past. In the first place, medical advances nowadays have made it possible for the old people to stay sound and healthy for quite a long while even after they retire. Diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart attack which might have inflicted pain on the old people are no longer serious problems for them. Then, with the widespread use of modern communication technology, old people today are no longer isolated from the world. Instead, by using their personal social media, they can always stay in touch with their families and friends, and share with them whatever they find interesting in their life. In this way, they do not really feel lonely or abandoned. Finally, the improved social wealth and pension system have also significantly reduced the pressure the old people pose to their families and communities.

　　So, I do agree that the old people today are enjoying a much more comfortable life than, say, thirty years ago (not to mention 100). That is why, instead of being worried about their retired life, many people even begin to expect their retirement to come, because they see this as a new beginning of their life. I think, as long as the old people have the right attitude, the modern world has indeed much to offer for their happy, enjoyable and rewarding retired life.

　　(338 words)

　　老师笔记

　　01

　　Getting old is a natural process that nobody really likes. When you reach a certain age, your physical conditions will inevitably deteriorate, and you may suffer from various kinds of diseases. When you retire, you will feel isolated because your previous work contacts may be all gone, then you may feel useless to the world. Furthermore, when you get too old, you’ll have to rely heavily on the support from others, either physically or emotionally, and your life will become a great pressure to your family and the whole society as well.

　　变老是没有任何人喜欢的自然过程。当你达到一定年龄，你的身体状况会不可避免地变糟，你可能遭受各种疾病。当你退休后，我会感到孤独，因为你之前所有的工作联系人也许都会离你而去，然后你就会感到自己对这个世界没有用处。此外，当你变老，你会不得不极大地依靠其他人的支持(也许身体上，也许情感上)，这样你的生活对家人和整个社会都是一种压力。

　　解析

　　(1) 本次作文，唐老师打破常规，不按套路在段提出双方观点，而是直接进入正题，从三个方面对个观点进行论述：即，getting old is entirely bad. 其实，雅思作文本来就没有什么套路，套路只是为了规范你的思想，不至于混乱，但只要你能保持逻辑，不按套路也并非不可以。

　　(2) Deteriorate 恶化 (=become worse; worsen)

　　(3) Isolated 被隔离的;孤独的 (=lonely)

　　02

　　For all these bad things about getting old, many people argue that the life of the elderly today is much easier than in the past. In the first place, medical advances nowadays have made it possible for the old people to stay sound and healthy for quite a long while even after they retire. Diseases such asdiabetes, hypertension and heart attack which might have inflicted pain on the old people are no longer serious problems for them. Then, with the widespread use of modern communication technology, old people today are no longer isolated from the world. Instead, by using their personal social media, they can always stay in touch with their families and friends, and share with them whatever they find interesting in their life. In this way, they do not really feel lonely or abandoned. Finally, the improved social wealth and pension system have also significantly reduced the pressure the old people pose to their families and communities.

　　虽然变老有这些糟糕的事情，但许多人认为，今天的老年人生活比以前要容易得多。首先，医疗的进展使老年人退休后很长时间都保持身体良好健康。诸如糖尿病、高血压和心脏病等疾病过去会使老年人遭受痛苦，如今不再是严重的问题。而且，随着现代通讯工具的广泛使用，今天的老年人也不再与世界隔绝。相反，通过使用个人社交媒体，他们可以与家人和朋友一直保持联系，与他们分享生活中一切有意思的事情。这样，他们就不再真正感到孤独和被人抛弃。最后，社会财富和退休金制度的提升，也极大降低了老年人给其家人和社区带来的压力。

　　解析

　　(1)本段论述为什么老年人在当今社会生活会变得容易一些，分别针对段中的三个问题进行论述：医学技术发展改善身体;通讯工具解决孤独问题;社会财富和养老金制度降低生活压力。烤鸭在阅读的时候，请注重模仿唐老师是如何具体论述每一个点的。

　　(2)For all... 尽管(= in spite of)

　　(3)Diabetes 糖尿病

　　(4)Hypertension 高血压

　　(5)Inflict...on... 使某人遭受......

　　(6)Abandon 遗弃

　　03

　　So, I do agree that the old people today are enjoying a much more comfortable life than, say, thirty years ago (not to mention 100). That is why, instead of being worried about their retired life, many people even begin to expect their retirement to come, because they see this as a new beginning of their life. I think,as long as the old people have the right attitude, the modern world has indeed much to offer for their happy, enjoyable and rewarding retired life.

　　因此，我赞同这个观点：和30年前相比(更不用说100年前了)，今天的老年人正在享受更舒适的生活。这也是为什么很多人不再担忧退休后的生活，反而开始期待退休了，因为他们把退休看作生命的新开端。我认为，只要老年人有正确的态度，当今世界的确提供了很多条件，让他们过上幸福、开心、充实的退休生活。

　　解析

　　(1) 本段写自己的观点。烤鸭注意唐老师如何在结尾段总结前文观点，同时对前文进行一定程度的深化和延伸。同时，请注意唐老师如何进行句式变化的。

　　(2) As long as 只要

　　(3) Have much to offer for... 为......提供很多条件

　　(4) Rewarding 值得的                                                                (唐伟胜)

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