Q：备考雅思写作中如何开阔思路，积累写作素材如相关论点论据等？

A：面对茫茫作文题海，不少考生不知所措：全部话题都准备不切实际；不全面准备，心中又没底。充分准备了其中某个话题，比方说，妇女犯罪问题，并不意味着考生有把握写好另一个话题，例如垃圾问题，毕竟不同的话题要求考生具备不同的观点、词汇。怎么解决这棘手的问题呢？关键在于开阔思路，积累相关写作素材，善于从不同话题中找“共性”。我们只要对已出现的作文考题稍作分析，就可以发现，虽然雅思作文话题多达数百题，不少话题其实是类似，相近或者是相通的，例如，“远程教育的利弊”=“电脑取代老师的利弊”，“谁该为我们的老人负责”=“老人住老人院还是家里”，“动物园有没有必要”=“该不该保护濒危动物”，“政府该不该资助艺术家”=“政府该不该投资艺术项目如音乐厅、博物馆等”。笔者开玩笑说，在写作老师的眼中，动物园跟博物馆差不多，奥运会跟旅游业没啥不同，甚至养宠物跟出国留学也能扯上边！在写作过程中，我们很容易发现，支持建动物园的论据跟支持建博物馆的论据差不多，所需的词汇也相差无几；奥运会的好处跟发展旅游业的好处95%相同！下面简单列出动物园和旅游业的PROS，希望读者有所启发，发现其中奥妙。

Arguments for zoos:

1. Preserve the rare species/endangered animals/wildlife. The habitats of some animals are being destroyed and therefore they are in real danger of dying out. Provide better conditions and professional care and treatment.

2. Act as an ideal scientific research center. Conduct experiments.

3. Play an educational role. Enrich our knowledge and widen our horizon.

4. As a tourist attraction, zoos boost the local tourism and generate tourist dollars by attracting people for a visit.

5. As a place of entertainment and recreation.

Arguments for tourism:

1. Boost the local economy, increase the government revenue, earn foreign currency and improve the living standard of the locals. Relieve the pressure of unemployment.

2. Enhance mutual understanding, remove hostility and prejudice, promote good will and strengthen ties. Maintain world peace.

3. Showcase the brilliant culture and glorious history. Promote cross-cultural communication. Improve the image of a place. Increase reputation and upgrade the status in the international community.

4. Improve the living environment and better the basic facilities. Increase investment in infrastructure.

Improve the quality of the locals. Expose them to the outside world. Widen their vision and develop a broader mind.