Question

【题目】Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Live in the present moment

To a large degree, the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment. Irrelevant to what happened yesterday, and what may or may not happen tomorrow.

Without question, many of us have mastered the art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things. We allow past problems to dominate our present moments so much that we end up anxious, frustrated, depressed and hopeless. We have concern over events that might happen in the future—we won’ t have enough money, our children will get into trouble, we will get old and die, whatever. We also postpone our gratification, our priorities and happiness, often convincing ourselves that “someday” will be better than today. Unfortunately, that “someday” never arrives.

Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans. When we’re busy making other plans, our children are busy growing up, the people we love are moving away and dying, our bodies are getting out of shape, and our dreams are slipping away. Many people live as if life was a dress rehearsal for some later date. It isn’t. In fact, no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow. Now is the only time we have, and the only time we have any control over. When our attention is in the present moment, we push problems and fear from our minds.

The best strategy to improve our well-being is to learn to bring your attention back to the present. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened. I don’t think I can say it any better. Practice keeping your attention on the here and now. Your efforts will pay off.”

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Answer 1

【答案】Living in the present moment is important. However, we always waste precious moment worrying about what we have no control over, missing out on life by hoping for a better future which never comes. Since we can’t control the past and the future, care for those around us and focus on things at present. That improves happiness.

【解析】

这是一篇议论文。活在当下是很重要的。然而，我们总是浪费宝贵的时间去担心我们无法控制的事情，希望有一个永远不会到来的美好未来，这使得我们往往忽略生活中很美好的东西。因为我们不能控制过去和未来，所以要关心身边的人，关注现在的事情。这能提高幸福感。

第一步：阅读

1．认真阅读给定的原文材料，如果一遍不能理解，就多读两遍；阅读次数越多，你对原文的理解就越深刻。

2．划出那些能概括文章主题思想的单词、短语或短句子；决定原文中哪些部分重要，哪些部分次重要了；对重要部分的主要观点进行概括。

3．简要地记下主要观点——主题、标题、细节等你认为对概括概要写作重要的东西。

第二步：写作步骤

1. 浏览课文，找出主题：活在当下是很重要的。然而，我们总是浪费宝贵的时间去担心我们无法控制的事情，希望有一个永远不会到来的美好未来，这使得我们往往过了生活中很美好的东西。因为我们不能控制过去和未来，所以要关心身边的人，关注现在的事情。这能提高幸福感。

2. 分析文章的结构，把它分成几个部分，找出每个部分的主要思想，用你自己的文字简短地写出来。本文主要分为两部分。第一部分Living in the present moment is important。第二部分：However, we always waste precious moment worrying about what we have no control over, missing out on life by hoping for a better future which never comes. Since we can’t control the past and the future, care for those around us and focus on things at present.第三部分：That improves happiness。

3. 按照逻辑顺序组织将主要和相关的支持点用最短的连接词进行连接。如：However，Since。

4. 第三步：修改成文

草稿拟好以后，对它进行修改。

首先，与原文比较看是否把所有重要的观点都概括了，概要写作中的观点是否与原文中的完全一致。

其次，如果出现了不必要的词汇、短语或长句子，删除它们，保持语言简单明了。

最后，检查拼写、语法和标点符号的错误。