Assignment: Is it better to get all the information before taking action or is it better to take action first and then analyze the process of the whole action? （来源于学生回忆，可能略有出入）　　

　　由于5月和10月考试的人数比较多，所以这两个月的作文题目确实会比较难。大家可以参考笔者对于5月作文（Are we defined by what we do？）的点评。　　

　　解惑：这是个选择式的题目，问各位是先行动好，还是得到全部信息然后行动更好。 　　

　　比较好写的方法自然是选择先得到全部信息，然后行动。因为广大考生可以把早就准备好的个人例子拿上去套题目。

　　方法：将成功失败类中的例子稍加改变，第一次做什么事情失败，因为先决定了然后之后的分析非常匆忙，想法不完整导致失败；相反第二次吸取了经验，获得全部信息然后决定，最后成功。通过前后对比，体现出题干中的better。 　　

　　具体操作：

　　首段要体现出比较，指出take action first 的缺点。

　　1 第一步：观点I prefer getting well prepared before taking action to analyzing the whole process after carrying out a decision.

　　2 第二步：为什么。相对最难写，可以先思考例子，然后再提炼逻辑关系。这篇文章就是

　　Hasty decisions may result in incomplete plans and thus possible failures while full preparation may optimize your decisions.

　　3 第三步：举什么例子。

　　The example of my aunt Helen could serve as a compelling one. 　　

　　中间段如何写：

　　这篇文章比较难，因为是选择式的，所以最好的写法是把例子拆成两个部分，第一部分是否定的内容，即仓促行动导致全盘皆输；第二部分是全面准备后下决定然后成功的例子。　　

　　我用一个最简单的素材给大家展示。　　

　　First, she started a restaurant, Helen’s Place. Though it was popular and did a steady business. Aunt Helen knew little about managing money, so her restaurant went out of business.

　　Then she tried to open a coffeehouse, but there were already many popular coffeehouses in her town, so her coffeehouse never managed to attract many customers.

　　Finally, using knowledge she had gained from earlier businesses, she started her own catering service. It has been a success for ten years now. 　　

　　接下来笔者结合这个素材进行一些营造，写出思路链。但是笔者还是衷心建议各位考生依据真实经历进行写作，会更有真情实感。　　

　　第一步：

　　不做计划---失败

　　阿姨为人打工多年，小有积蓄（save up for many years）---希望自己创业（start up her own business）---因为觉得自己厨艺不错，没有进行实地考察，就仓促决定选择餐馆,（without a moment’ hesitation，make a decision/action 点题）--- 但是后来发现餐馆没有什么客户(fail to attract many customers)---原因是所处的地段是中学附近，竞争对手实力过分强大（fierce competition）---可以把对手细化成两类加强真实感，一类是small profit, large sales revenue; 还有一类是good at creating romantic atmosphere, aimed at rich customers--- 之后阿姨不得不关门(close down营造失败的细节). 　

　　第二部 过渡

　　阿姨的父亲是个老企业家，他指出问题阿姨这次失败的原因所在, 即要做计划然后再行动---阿姨学习了经验---下定决心重新起航，并且会先做好全面准备工作再决定。 　　

　　注：通常满分作文都会出现一个“智者”指出主人公问题的所在而不是由主人公自己讲出。　　

　　Despite great disappointment, my optimistic aunt soon recovered from this failure with her father’s encouragement (an experienced and successful entrepreneur in Suzhou), who pointed out her biggest problem after knowing the whole process. He told my aunt, ‘More haste, less speed. You had better make full preparation before each decision.’ 　

　　Having gained experience from her failure, my aunt tried to restart her business three months later. But this time she gave priority to having a deeper understanding of the demands of the local market.　

　　第三步 充分准备--决定进行catering service---成功 （这是关键段落，点题）

　　具体就是doing marketing research(这里需要考生去细化一些怎么做市场调研的细节，对应题目的get all the information)--- 然后data enabled my aunt to reach a final decision(对应题目的take action)--- 决定进行catering service considering its large marketing potential----最后是成功（这里的细节大家可以自己去营造，比如年利润the annual profit increased by 10%, with a market share of… in this field）　　

　　第四步 总结例子，重述观点。

　　Had it not been for the full preparation before my aunt’s second try, she would not have regained her self confidence and established herself as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Suzhou.

　　Therefore, from my personal experience, we can draw the conclusion that it is more effective to try after careful arrangements.　　

　　以上是对于10月份考题的点评。写作没有捷径，只有通过例子的积累，思维的练习和勤加动笔才能获得较好的成绩。预祝考生11月考试顺利。