IELTS Speaking Part 2

A Competition You Would Like to Take Part In

最近一次出现于 2026年5–8月

题卡

Describe a competition, for example music, cooking, or sport, you would like to take part in

You should say:

  • what the competition is
  • where and when it happens
  • what you have to do to win the competition
  • and explain why you would like to take part in this competition

范文:6.5、7.0、7.5 三档

同一题目的三个版本,分别写到对应分数的真实水平——对比着看,能清楚看到分数之间到底差在哪里。

6.5 分

The 6.5 answer moves through the cue card with plain, factual sentences ('There are different distances, from five kilometers up to a full marathon') and one straightforward reason for wanting to take part, typical of clear but unembellished Band 6.5 fluency.Band 6.5 的答案用朴素、陈述事实的句子讲完提示卡内容(比如'有不同的距离,从五公里到全程马拉松都有'),再给出一个想参加的直白理由,是 Band 6.5 清楚但不加修饰的典型流利表现。

The competition I would like to take part in is the Da Nang International Marathon. It happens every year in September, along the coast road near My Khe Beach, not far from where I usually run at weekends.

There are different distances, from five kilometers up to a full marathon, so people of different levels can join. To do well, you obviously need to train regularly for a few months before the race, build up your distance slowly, and also get enough sleep and eat properly, especially in the final week.

I would probably choose the half marathon distance, since I already run sometimes on weekends with my friend Huy, but never more than eight kilometers. I have watched the race twice as a spectator, standing near Dragon Bridge with a bottle of water, cheering for the runners, and every time I feel like I want to be one of them next year.

I want to take part mainly to challenge myself, because I have never finished a long race before, and I think it would give me a real sense of achievement. Also, running along the beach and the bridge with thousands of other people sounds like a really exciting experience, much better than running alone every weekend.

查看中文翻译

我想参加的比赛是岘港国际马拉松。它每年九月举行,赛道沿着靠近美溪海滩的海岸路,离我平时周末跑步的地方不远。

比赛有不同的距离,从五公里到全程马拉松都有,所以不同水平的人都能参加。想要跑得好,显然需要在比赛前几个月坚持训练,慢慢增加跑步距离,还要保证充足的睡眠、合理饮食,尤其是最后一周。

我可能会选半程马拉松,因为我平时周末已经会和朋友阿辉(Huy)一起跑步,但从来没超过八公里。我作为观众看过两次比赛,站在龙桥附近,手里拿着一瓶水,给跑步的人加油,每次我都觉得明年自己也想成为其中一员。

我想参加主要是想挑战自己,因为我从来没跑完过一场长距离比赛,我觉得完成它会给我真正的成就感。而且,和成千上万的人一起沿着海滩和大桥跑步,听起来是一次非常令人兴奋的体验,比每周末一个人跑步要好玩得多。

209 词 · 约 2 分钟

为什么是这个分数

  • LRa real sense of achievementThe plain, common phrase 'a real sense of achievement' expresses the motivation simply, without reaching for more precise or idiomatic language, fitting Band 6.5.'a real sense of achievement'(一种真正的成就感)这种简单常见的说法朴素地表达了动机,没有去追求更精准或更地道的语言,符合 Band 6.5。
  • FCI have watched the race twice as a spectatorThis sentence states a concrete supporting fact — past spectator experience — in one plain, direct clause, without elaborating on what that experience was like beyond the following sentence's detail about standing at Dragon Bridge. A 7.0 answer would likely fold a brief reaction into this same sentence; a 7.5 answer might use the detail to build toward a more explicit insight. Here the fact is delivered clearly and simply, giving modest but relevant support to the claim of wanting to join the race, the 'clear but modest development' standard for Band 6.5.这句话用一个平实、直接的从句陈述了一个具体的佐证事实——过去作为观众的经历,没有进一步说明那段经历究竟是怎样的,除了下一句提到站在龙桥边这一细节。Band 7.0的答案很可能会在同一句话中融入一句简短的反应;Band 7.5的答案则可能利用这个细节进一步构建出更明确的洞见。这里这个事实被清楚、简洁地交代出来,为想要参加这场比赛的说法提供了适度但相关的支持,正是Band 6.5“清晰但适度的展开”这一标准。
  • GRAsince I already run sometimes on weekends with my friend Huy, but never more than eight kilometersA 'since'-clause giving the reason for the chosen distance is followed by a 'but'-clause that immediately qualifies it with a limitation — never more than eight kilometres — combining reason and contrast in one sentence without further subordination. A 7.0 answer would likely vary this into a more integrated structure, perhaps with a participial phrase; the plainer 6.5 pattern keeps the reason and the qualifying 'but' as two clearly separated, easily produced clauses. This is accurate, functional complexity typical of 6.5, correct but not particularly varied, while still conveying a realistic detail about current running habits.一个 'since' 从句给出了选择这一跑步距离的理由,紧接着一个 'but' 从句立刻加以限定——从未超过八公里——在一句话里结合了理由与对比,却没有更多从属结构。Band 7.0的答案很可能会把这个内容变化为更整合的结构,或许会用一个分词短语;而更朴素的Band 6.5模式,把理由与限定性的 'but' 从句保持为两个清楚分开、容易组织的分句。这是Band 6.5典型的那种准确、实用的复杂度,正确却算不上特别多样,同时依然传达出关于当前跑步习惯的一个真实细节。
7.0 分

The 7.0 answer adds a bit more development to each point, such as explaining why the day job 'feels quite safe in comparison', and uses natural spoken connectors like 'mostly because' and 'honestly' without reaching for idiomatic language.Band 7.0 的答案在每个要点上都多展开了一点,比如解释为什么本职工作'相比之下感觉挺安稳的',并使用'主要是因为''说实话'这类自然的口语连接词,没有刻意使用习语。

The competition I'd like to take part in is a design hackathon called the Vietnam Design Jam. It runs every November in Ho Chi Minh City, usually inside a co-working space in District 1, and teams of three get a brief on Friday evening - last year's was something like 'help street vendors manage their money' - then have until Sunday afternoon to turn it into a working app prototype.

To do well, you need more than just nice-looking screens. The judges are a mix of product people and investors, and they mainly look at whether the idea would actually work for real users, how easy the prototype is to use, and how well you present it in a short pitch at the end. Teams that usually win go out on Saturday morning to actually talk to vendors, and then build their idea around what they hear, which I think is the most interesting part.

I've followed the competition for a couple of years without entering, mostly because my day job feels quite safe in comparison. I design screens for clients who already know what they want, so I don't often get the chance to make the bigger decisions about what a product should actually be. Spending forty-eight hours doing exactly that, under time pressure, with strangers judging the result - that sounds like a real test, and one I'd genuinely like to take.

There's also a slightly selfish reason. The winning teams get introduced to a few start-ups in Saigon, and even reaching the final can get you noticed. But honestly, what I want most is to find out whether I'm as good as I think I am once there's no client brief telling me what to design.

查看中文翻译

我想参加的比赛是一个叫做 Vietnam Design Jam 的设计黑客松。它每年十一月在胡志明市举行,通常在第一郡的一个联合办公空间里进行,三人一组的团队在周五晚上拿到题目——去年的题目大概是'帮助街头小贩管理他们的钱'——然后要在周日下午之前把它做成一个能跑起来的 App 原型。

想要做得好,光是界面好看是不够的。评委由产品人和投资人混合组成,他们主要看这个想法是否真的能解决真实用户的问题、原型用起来是否顺手,以及最后的简短路演讲得怎么样。通常获胜的团队会在周六早上真的出去跟小贩们聊天,再根据听到的内容来搭建自己的想法,我觉得这才是最有意思的部分。

我关注这个比赛已经好几年了,但一直没有报名,主要是因为相比之下我现在的本职工作感觉挺安稳的。我给那些已经很清楚自己想要什么的客户设计界面,所以很少有机会去做关于一个产品到底应该是什么这种更大的决定。花四十八个小时专门做这件事,还要顶着时间压力,让一群陌生人来评判结果——这听起来才像是真正的考验,而且是我真心想去接受的考验。

另外还有一个稍微有点私心的理由。获胜的团队会被引荐给西贡的几家创业公司,哪怕只是进入决赛也可能让人注意到你。但说实话,我最想知道的是,当没有客户简报告诉我该设计什么的时候,我是不是真的像自己以为的那么厉害。

289 词 · 约 2 分钟

为什么是这个分数

  • FCwhich I think is the most interesting partThis relative clause is attached to a factual description of what winning teams do — talk to vendors, build around what they hear — turning the plain description into a personal, evaluative aside without breaking the flow of the sentence. A 6.5 answer would likely state the fact and stop, or add the evaluation as a separate sentence; a 7.5 answer might integrate this judgment even more centrally as the sentence's main point. This kind of brief, appended evaluation on top of factual detail is exactly the fuller development 7.0 rewards, distinguishing genuine engagement from simple reporting.这个定语从句被附加在一个关于获胜团队做什么的事实性描述之上——与商贩交谈、根据听到的内容来构建方案——把平淡的描述变成了一处个人的评价性插笔,而没有打断句子的流畅性。6.5分的答案很可能只是陈述事实就此打住,或者把评价另起一句;7.5分的答案则可能把这种判断更核心地融入句子的主要论点中。这种在事实细节之上附加简短评价的做法,正是7.0分所奖励的那种更充分的展开,把真正的投入与单纯的陈述区分开来。
  • LRunder time pressureThe natural collocation 'under time pressure' is a flexible, topic-appropriate phrase slightly beyond the plainest vocabulary, matching the Band 7.0 target.'under time pressure'(承受时间压力)这个自然搭配是一种贴合话题、略微超出最基础词汇的灵活表达,符合 Band 7.0 的目标。
  • GRAso I don't often get the chance to make the bigger decisions about what a product should actually beA result clause introduced by 'so' follows directly after an already-complex relative clause ('clients who already know what they want'), stacking two levels of subordination — cause via the relative clause, effect via 'so' — inside a single accurate sentence. A 6.5 answer would likely present the client description and the missed opportunity as two separate plain sentences; a 7.5 answer might restructure this into a more marked construction, like a cleft emphasising what's missing. This layered but accurate structure is the comfortable complexity 7.0 targets, capturing exactly why the hackathon appeals.一个由'so'引导的结果从句紧跟在一个本已复杂的定语从句('clients who already know what they want')之后,在一个准确的句子里叠加了两层从属结构——通过定语从句表达原因,通过'so'表达结果。6.5分的答案很可能会把客户描述和错失的机会分成两个独立的简单句来呈现;7.5分的答案则可能把这重新组织成一种更显著的结构,比如用强调句来突出缺失的部分。这种层叠却准确的结构,正是7.0分所追求的那种运用自如的复杂度,精确地捕捉到了黑客马拉松吸引人的原因。
7.5 分

The 7.5 answer ends with the confident, understated line 'that's a test I'd like to pass', a reflective payoff built on a wider range of complex structures earlier in the answer, characteristic of Band 7.5.Band 7.5 的答案以'那是一场我想通过的考验'这句自信而克制的话收尾,这是建立在前文更丰富的复杂句式基础上的反思性点睛之笔,是 Band 7.5 的特点。

The competition I'd really like to enter is a 48-hour design hackathon called the Vietnam Design Jam. It's held every November in Ho Chi Minh City, usually in a co-working space in District 1, and teams of three get a brief on Friday evening — last year it was something like "help street vendors manage their money" — and have until Sunday afternoon to turn it into a working app prototype.

To win, you don't just need pretty screens. The judges are a mix of product people and investors, and they score you on whether the idea would survive contact with real users, how usable the prototype is, and how well you present it in a five-minute pitch. Teams that win usually go out on Saturday morning and actually talk to vendors, then build around what they hear. That's the part I find exciting.

I've followed it for three years without entering, and to be honest the reason is that my day job is quite safe. I design screens for clients who already know what they want, so I rarely get to make the big decisions about what a product should be. Forty-eight hours of doing exactly that, under pressure, with strangers judging it — that's a test I'd like to pass.

There's also a slightly selfish motive. The winning teams get introduced to a couple of Saigon start-ups, and even the finalists get noticed. But mostly I want to find out whether I'm as good as I think I am when there's no client brief to hide behind.

查看中文翻译

我真正想参加的比赛,是一个为期48小时、名叫“越南设计马拉松”的设计黑客松。这项赛事每年十一月在胡志明市举行,通常在第一郡的一个共享办公空间,三人一组的团队会在周五晚上拿到题目——去年的题目大概是“帮助街头小贩管理他们的资金”——然后到周日下午之前,要把它变成一个能跑起来的应用原型。

要赢得比赛,光有好看的界面是不够的。评委由产品经理和投资人混合组成,他们会根据这个想法能否经得住真实用户的检验、原型的可用性,以及你在五分钟路演中的展示效果来打分。获胜的团队通常会在周六早上真的出去和小贩们聊天,然后根据听到的内容来搭建方案。这正是我觉得兴奋的部分。

我关注这个比赛已经三年了,却一直没有报名,说实话原因是我的本职工作相当安稳。我为那些早就知道自己想要什么的客户设计界面,所以我很少有机会去决定一个产品到底应该是什么样子。在压力之下、在陌生人的评判下,用四十八个小时去做那件事——那正是我想通过的一场考验。

也有一点私心。获胜的团队会被引荐给几家西贡的初创公司,就算只是入围决赛也会被人注意到。但我最主要还是想知道,当没有客户简报可以躲在后面的时候,我是不是真的像自己以为的那样厉害。

259 词 · 约 2 分钟

为什么是这个分数

  • LRsurvive contact with real usersThe phrase borrows the military idiom 'doesn't survive contact with the enemy' and repurposes it for product design, replacing 'enemy' with 'real users,' a precise, slightly witty collocation rather than a plain statement like 'the idea needs to actually work for users.' Using an adapted idiom this way, naturally and without over-explaining the reference, is the 'figurative or idiomatic touch if it fits the moment' the Band 7.5 lexical target rewards, well beyond the safer, more literal vocabulary a 7.0 answer would choose. It also signals the speaker's professional fluency in design and product thinking, reinforcing the credibility of the argument that follows.这个短语借用了军事习语"doesn't survive contact with the enemy",并将其改造用于产品设计领域,把"enemy"换成"real users",形成一个精准而略带俏皮的搭配,而不是像"the idea needs to actually work for users."这样平铺直叙的表述。以这种方式自然地化用一个习语,且不过度解释其出处,正是7.5分词汇标准所看重的"在合适时机使用的比喻或习语色彩",远超7.0水平答案通常会选择的更保险、更贴近字面的措辞。这也显示出说话者在设计与产品思维方面具备专业层面的流利度,为后续论证增添了可信度。
  • GRATeams that win usually go out on Saturday morning and actually talk to vendors, then build around what they hear.The relative clause 'that win' narrows the subject before a chain of three coordinated verb phrases — 'go out,' 'talk to vendors,' 'build around what they hear' — describing their process in sequence, packing a full mini-narrative of the winning strategy into one sentence. That combination of a defining relative clause with a chained action sequence is the varied grammatical range the Band 7.5 target rewards, compared to the simpler listed sentences a 7.0 answer might use for the same content. The specificity of the sequence also makes an abstract claim about what makes teams successful concrete and actionable.定语从句"that win"先限定了主语的范围,随后引出三个并列的动词短语——"go out"、"talk to vendors"、"build around what they hear"——按顺序描述他们的做法,把获胜策略的完整微型叙事浓缩进一句话里。这种限定性定语从句与连贯动作链相结合的写法,正是7.5分所看重的多样化语法范围,相比之下7.0水平的答案可能会用几个较简单的并列句来表达同样的内容。这种具体的顺序描写,也让"团队成功的关键因素"这一抽象论断变得具体、可操作。
  • FCthat's a test I'd like to passThe metaphor of the hackathon as a personal 'test' reframes the whole preceding explanation — about judging criteria and winning strategies — as ultimately being about the speaker's own self-assessment rather than the competition itself. That kind of short, confident closing line, converting factual description into a personal stake, is the reflective payoff the Band 7.5 coherence target rewards over a flatter ending like 'I would like to enter this competition.' Its brevity after a longer explanatory paragraph also gives the ending real punch, echoing the earlier admission that the speaker's day job rarely lets them 'make the big decisions.'把黑客马拉松比作个人的"test"这一隐喻,把前面关于评分标准和获胜策略的整段说明,重新定位为归根结底是说话者对自身的一种自我评估,而不是关于比赛本身。这种简短而自信的收尾句,把事实性描述转化为与个人切身相关的东西,正是7.5分连贯性标准所看重的反思性收获,胜过像"I would like to enter this competition."这样平淡的结尾。在一段较长的说明性段落之后用如此简短的一句收尾,也让结尾显得格外有力,呼应了前文提到说话者日常工作里很少能"make the big decisions"的那份自嘲。

各考试时段出题记录

  • Describe a competition, for example music, cooking, or sport, you would like to take part in2026年5–8月

Part 3 追问

这些是考官在该题卡之后提出的讨论题,已编写范文的题目附有参考答案。

  1. 1. Can new ideas that allow a society to move forward only be generated in a competitive atmosphere?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain listing of pros and cons and the simple closing sentence 'Only using competition often creates many similar versions of the same thing'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它平实地罗列了利弊,并以简单的结尾句"Only using competition often creates many similar versions of the same thing"收尾。

    No, I do not think competition is the only way to create new ideas. For example, many tools I use every day, like open-source icon libraries and plugins in my design software, were made by people working together for free, just because they wanted it to exist. Competition can be good because it makes things faster and pushes people to finish their work, but it can also make teams hide their ideas from each other. I think the best situation is a mix of both, people compete to find the best idea, then share it once it works. Only using competition often creates many similar versions of the same thing.

    查看中文翻译

    不,我不认为竞争是产生新想法的唯一途径。比如说,我每天用的很多工具,比如开源图标库、还有我设计软件里的插件,都是人们免费合作做出来的,纯粹是因为他们希望这些东西存在。竞争可以是好事,因为它能让事情推进得更快,也能推动人们完成自己的工作,但它也会让团队之间互相隐藏想法。我觉得最理想的情况是两者结合:人们竞争着找出最好的想法,一旦成功了再分享出来。只靠竞争,往往只会产生一大堆大同小异的版本。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCI think the best situation is a mix of bothThis sentence states the balanced view plainly using the basic phrase 'a mix of both', with no more figurative framing. A 7.0 answer would restate this as 'The best environments I've seen combine the two', a slightly more natural collocation, and a 7.5 answer would use the verb 'blend' for extra variety.这句话用基本短语"a mix of both"平实地陈述了这个平衡的观点,没有更具比喻性的构建。7.0分的回答会改述为"The best environments I've seen combine the two",这是一个稍微更自然的搭配,而7.5分的回答则会用动词"blend"增加变化。
    • LRhide their ideasThis is a plain, basic verb phrase describing secrecy. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise 'hide their work and duplicate effort', and a 7.5 answer would use the stronger word 'breeds secrecy' for extra vividness.这是一个描述保密行为的平实、基本的动词短语。7.0分的回答会用更精准的"hide their work and duplicate effort",而7.5分的回答则会用更有力的词"breeds secrecy"来增加生动感。
    • GRAmany tools I use every day, like open-source icon libraries and plugins in my design software, were made by people working together for freeThis sentence uses a passive construction with a fairly plain participial phrase, 'people working together for free'. A 7.0 answer would replace this with the more natural 'built by people cooperating for nothing', and a 7.5 answer would add the reflective purpose clause 'purely because they wanted the thing to exist'.这句话用了一个被动结构,搭配一个相当平实的分词短语"people working together for free"。7.0分的回答会用更自然的"built by people cooperating for nothing"来替换,而7.5分的回答则会加上反思性的目的从句"purely because they wanted the thing to exist"。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the vivid opening metaphor 'competition is the only engine' and the balanced 'but' contrast within a single sentence, 'Competition is good at speed... but it also makes teams hide their work'.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它开篇用了生动的隐喻"competition is the only engine",并在同一句话内用"but"构建了平衡的对比,"Competition is good at speed... but it also makes teams hide their work"。

    No, I don't think competition is the only engine, though it's a powerful one, I'd say. A lot of the tools I use every day, like the open-source icon libraries and plugins in my design software, were built by people cooperating for nothing, simply because they wanted the thing to exist. Competition is good at speed and at forcing people to commit, but it also makes teams hide their work and duplicate effort. The best environments I've seen combine the two, people compete to have the best idea, then share it once it's proven. Pure competition tends to produce a lot of slightly different versions of the same thing.

    查看中文翻译

    不,我不认为竞争是唯一的引擎,不过我得说,它确实是个强大的引擎。我每天用的很多工具,比如开源图标库和我设计软件里的插件,都是人们免费合作做出来的,纯粹是因为他们希望这些东西存在。竞争在"速度"和"逼着人们做出承诺"这两方面表现不错,但它也会让团队隐藏自己的工作成果、造成重复劳动。我见过的最理想的环境是把两者结合起来:人们竞争着提出最好的想法,一旦被证明可行就分享出来。纯粹的竞争往往只会产生一大堆大同小异的版本。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCThe best environments I've seen combine the twoThis sentence uses the more precise verb 'combine' and the noun 'environments' rather than the plainer 'situation' and 'mix' used at 6.5, showing slightly wider vocabulary control.这句话用了更精准的动词"combine"和名词"environments",而不是6.5分更平实的"situation"和"mix",展现出稍微更宽的词汇掌控力。
    • LRduplicate effortThis is a more precise, moderately formal collocation than the plain 'hide their ideas' used at 6.5, naming a second specific consequence rather than repeating the same idea.这是一个比6.5分平实的"hide their ideas"更精准、相当正式的搭配,点明了第二个具体的后果,而不是重复同一个想法。
    • GRACompetition is good at speed and at forcing people to commit, but it also makes teams hide their work and duplicate effort.This sentence uses two parallel prepositional phrases ('at speed and at forcing people to commit') before the 'but' contrast, a more balanced and controlled structure than the plain listing sentence at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would state the two benefits and two drawbacks as separate loosely joined ideas.这句话在"but"转折之前用了两个平行的介词短语("at speed and at forcing people to commit"),比6.5分平铺直叙的列举句更平衡、更有控制力。6.5分的回答会把两个好处和两个坏处分别作为松散连接的独立想法陈述出来。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the vivid verb 'breeds secrecy' and the closing idiomatic image 'the same wheel', an allusion that replaces the plainer 'the same thing' used at lower bands.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是生动的动词"breeds secrecy",以及结尾处地道的意象"the same wheel"(暗指"重新发明轮子"),这一典故替换了低分段版本更平实的"the same thing"。

    No, competition isn't the only engine of progress, though it's undeniably a powerful one. A great many tools I rely on daily, the open-source icon libraries and plugins built into my design software, were assembled by people cooperating for nothing, purely because they wanted the thing to exist. Competition excels at generating speed and forcing commitment, but it also breeds secrecy, teams hoarding their work and duplicating each other's effort. The best environments I've encountered blend the two, people compete to land the strongest idea, then share it once it's proven itself. Pure competition, left unchecked, tends to churn out a dozen slightly different versions of the same wheel.

    查看中文翻译

    不,竞争并不是推动进步的唯一引擎,尽管它无疑是一个强大的引擎。我每天依赖的很多工具——那些内置在我设计软件里的开源图标库和插件——都是人们免费合作拼凑出来的,纯粹是因为他们希望这些东西存在。竞争擅长制造速度、逼出承诺,但它也会滋生保密之风,让团队囤积自己的成果、重复彼此的劳动。我遇到过的最理想的环境是把两者融合起来:人们竞争着争取最有力的想法,一旦证明了自己就分享出来。纯粹的竞争,如果不加约束,往往会"批量生产"出一堆大同小异的"重新发明的轮子"。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCbut it also breeds secrecy, teams hoarding their work and duplicating each other's effortThis sentence personifies competition as something that 'breeds' an outcome, followed by an absolute construction ('teams hoarding...') instead of a second finite verb, a more literary and compact structure than the plain coordinated clause at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would state this idea with the simplest coordinated verb phrase, 'hide their ideas from each other'.这句话把竞争拟人化为会"滋生"某种结果的东西,后面接了一个独立主格结构("teams hoarding..."),而不是第二个限定动词,比7.0分平实的并列从句更具文学性、更紧凑。6.5分的回答会用最简单的并列动词短语"hide their ideas from each other"来陈述这个想法。
    • LRbreeds secrecyThis is a vivid, personifying verb choice describing an abstract consequence, considerably more distinctive than the plainer 'makes teams hide their work' used at 7.0.这是一个生动的、拟人化的动词选择,用来描述一个抽象的后果,比7.0分更平实的"makes teams hide their work"要独特得多。
    • GRAleft unchecked, tends to churn out a dozen slightly different versions of the same wheelThis sentence opens with a participial phrase ('left unchecked') and ends with the idiomatic allusion 'the same wheel' (echoing 'reinventing the wheel'), a compact and idiomatic construction. A 7.0 answer would use the plainer 'tends to produce a lot of slightly different versions of the same thing', and a 6.5 answer would state this with the simplest possible wording.这句话以分词短语("left unchecked")开篇,并以地道的典故"the same wheel"(呼应"重新发明轮子")收尾,是一种紧凑、地道的构造。7.0分的回答会用更平实的"tends to produce a lot of slightly different versions of the same thing",而6.5分的回答则会用最简单的措辞来陈述这一点。
  2. 2. Can people learn to be competitive?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain narrative structure and the simple closing contrast 'Some people find this easy, and others never do'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它的叙述结构平实,并以简单的结尾对比句"Some people find this easy, and others never do"收尾。

    Yes, I think people can learn to be competitive, but only up to a point. The trigger is usually finding something you really care about winning. For example, I used to run alone on My Khe Beach for years and never cared about my speed. Then I joined a small running group where everyone compared their times, and within a month, I was checking my watch every kilometre. My personality did not really change, but the situation did. I think it is harder to learn how to enjoy losing, which is actually what keeps competitive people going. Some people find this easy, and others never do.

    查看中文翻译

    是的,我觉得人可以学会变得有竞争心,但只能到一定程度。触发点通常是找到了一件你真正在乎输赢的事情。比如说,我以前一个人在美溪海滩跑步跑了好几年,从来不在乎自己的速度。后来我加入了一个小型跑步团体,大家都会比较各自的成绩,不到一个月,我就变成每一公里都要看一下表。我的性格其实没怎么变,变的是所处的情境。我觉得更难学会的是如何享受"输"这件事,而这其实才是让好胜的人一直坚持下去的原因。有些人觉得这很容易做到,有些人却永远学不会。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCMy personality did not really change, but the situation did.This sentence states a plain contrast using the basic connector 'but', with the second clause built on ellipsis of the verb 'change'. A 7.0 answer would use the sharper, more compressed 'Nothing about my personality changed, the context did', and a 7.5 answer would add the adverb 'simply' for extra emphasis.这句话用基本连接词"but"表达了一个平实的对比,第二个从句省略了动词"change"。7.0分的回答会用更犀利、更压缩的"Nothing about my personality changed, the context did",而7.5分的回答则会加上副词"simply"来增加强调。
    • LRreally care aboutThis is a plain, generic verb phrase for motivation. A 7.0 answer would restate this as 'a competitive streak that only shows up in the right setting', a more abstract and idiomatic construction, and a 7.5 answer would use the precise adjective 'latent' before 'competitive streak'.这是一个描述动机的平实、通用的动词短语。7.0分的回答会改述为"a competitive streak that only shows up in the right setting",这是一个更抽象、更地道的结构,而7.5分的回答则会在"competitive streak"前加上精准的形容词"latent"。
    • GRAI used to run alone on My Khe Beach for years and never cared about my speedThis sentence coordinates two ideas with 'and' in a fairly plain structure. A 7.0 answer would restate this using the more formal 'with no interest in speed', and a 7.5 answer would insert this same phrase as a fronted adverbial interruption for extra flexibility.这句话用"and"并列连接了两个想法,结构相当平实。7.0分的回答会用更正式的"with no interest in speed"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会把同样的短语作为前置的状语插入语,以增加灵活性。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the compressed contrastive sentence 'Nothing about my personality changed, the context did' and the cleft construction 'What's harder to learn is the temperament to enjoy losing'.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它有压缩的对比句"Nothing about my personality changed, the context did",以及分裂句结构"What's harder to learn is the temperament to enjoy losing"。

    Yes, to a point, and the trigger is usually finding something you care about winning, I'd say. I ran alone on My Khe Beach for years with no interest in speed, and then I joined a small group where everyone compared times, and within a month I was checking my watch every kilometre. Nothing about my personality changed, the context did. I think most people have a competitive streak that only shows up in the right setting. What's harder to learn is the temperament to enjoy losing, which is really what sustains competitive people. Some people find that easy and some never do.

    查看中文翻译

    是的,到一定程度是可以的,而我得说,触发点通常是找到了一件你在乎输赢的事情。我一个人在美溪海滩跑了好几年步,完全不在乎速度,后来我加入了一个小团体,大家都会比较成绩,不到一个月,我就变成每一公里都要看一下表。我的性格没变,变的是情境。我觉得大多数人身上都有一种好胜心,只是只有在合适的环境下才会显现出来。更难学会的是那种能享受"输"的心态,而这其实才是让好胜的人能坚持下去的真正原因。有些人觉得这很容易,有些人却永远学不会。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCNothing about my personality changed, the context did.This sentence uses ellipsis of the verb 'changed' in the second clause, joined with only a comma rather than a connector, a more compact and confident structure than the 6.5 version's 'did not really change, but the situation did'. A 6.5 answer would keep the connector 'but' and the softer 'did not really change'.这句话在第二个从句中省略了动词"changed",只用逗号连接,而不是连接词,比6.5分版本的"did not really change, but the situation did"更紧凑、更自信。6.5分的回答会保留连接词"but"和更委婉的"did not really change"。
    • LRa competitive streakThis is a moderately idiomatic noun phrase describing an underlying trait, more distinctive than the plain 'really care about' used at 6.5.这是一个相当地道的名词短语,用来描述一种潜在的特质,比6.5分平实的"really care about"要独特得多。
    • GRAWhat's harder to learn is the temperament to enjoy losing, which is really what sustains competitive people.This sentence uses a cleft construction ('What's harder to learn is...') followed by a relative clause, a more advanced structure than the plain statement at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would state this idea more directly as 'I think it is harder to learn how to enjoy losing, which is actually what keeps competitive people going', without the cleft opening.这句话用了一个分裂句结构("What's harder to learn is...")接一个关系从句,比6.5分平实的陈述更进阶。6.5分的回答会更直接地陈述这个想法,即"I think it is harder to learn how to enjoy losing, which is actually what keeps competitive people going",没有这种分裂句开头。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the fronted adverbial interruption 'utterly indifferent to speed' and the semicolon-linked closing sentence, 'Some find that easy; others never quite manage it', a more compact structure than the 7.0 version's 'and'.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是前置的状语插入语"utterly indifferent to speed",以及用分号连接的结尾句"Some find that easy; others never quite manage it",比7.0分版本用"and"连接更紧凑。

    Yes, up to a point, and the trigger tends to be stumbling on something you actually care about winning. I ran alone along My Khe Beach for years, utterly indifferent to speed, until I joined a small group where everyone compared times, and within a month I was checking my watch every kilometre. Nothing about my personality had shifted, the context simply had. Most people, I suspect, carry a latent competitive streak that only surfaces in the right setting. What's genuinely harder to cultivate is the temperament to enjoy losing, which is really what keeps competitive people in the game long-term. Some find that easy; others never quite manage it.

    查看中文翻译

    是的,到一定程度是可以的,触发点往往是无意间撞上了一件你真正在乎输赢的事情。我曾沿着美溪海滩独自跑步跑了好几年,对速度完全无动于衷,直到我加入了一个小团体,大家都会比较成绩,不到一个月,我就变成每一公里都要看一下表。我的性格没有发生任何转变,变的只是情境本身。我猜,大多数人身上都潜藏着一种好胜心,只是只有在合适的环境下才会浮现出来。真正更难培养的,是那种能享受"输"的性情,而这才是让好胜的人能长久坚持下去的真正原因。有些人觉得这轻而易举,有些人却始终学不会。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCI ran alone along My Khe Beach for years, utterly indifferent to speed, until I joined a small groupThis sentence inserts the participial phrase 'utterly indifferent to speed' between the main clause and the 'until' clause, a fronted adverbial interruption that adds flexibility not seen at lower bands. A 7.0 answer would place the similar phrase 'with no interest in speed' immediately after the verb rather than as an interruption, and a 6.5 answer would use a separate coordinated clause instead.这句话在主句和"until"从句之间插入了分词短语"utterly indifferent to speed",这是一种前置的状语插入手法,增加了低分段版本没有的灵活性。7.0分的回答会把类似的短语"with no interest in speed"直接放在动词后面,而不是作为插入语,而6.5分的回答则会用一个独立的并列从句来代替。
    • LRa latent competitive streakThis phrase adds the precise, less-common adjective 'latent' to the noun phrase, a more sophisticated modifier than the bare noun phrase used at 7.0.这个短语在名词短语前加上了精准、不常见的形容词"latent",比7.0分裸露的名词短语更精巧。
    • GRASome find that easy; others never quite manage it.This closing sentence uses a semicolon to join two short, balanced clauses instead of the coordinating 'and' used at 7.0, a tighter and more literary structure. A 6.5 answer would use the plainest coordination, 'Some people find this easy, and others never do'.这句结尾用分号连接了两个简短、平衡的从句,而不是7.0分用的并列连接词"and",结构更紧凑、更具文学性。6.5分的回答会用最平实的并列方式,"Some people find this easy, and others never do"。
  3. 3. What popular competitions can ordinary people take part in?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain listing structure across several sentences and the simple closing observation 'winning one does not feel as special anymore'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它用了好几个句子平实地罗列内容,并以简单的结尾观察"winning one does not feel as special anymore"收尾。

    Actually, quite a lot, and there are more every year. In Da Nang, there is a big fun run every summer that anyone can join, and during Tet, many neighbourhoods have cooking or flower-arranging contests that people take very seriously. Online, there are photography challenges, quiz apps, and dance challenges on TikTok, which are really competitions too. Companies also organise sales contests and hackathons for their workers. What has changed is that it is now very easy to join, you do not need to be selected or trained. But because there are so many competitions now, winning one does not feel as special anymore.

    查看中文翻译

    其实还挺多的,而且每年都在增加。在岘港,每年夏天都会有一场大型趣味跑,谁都能参加,春节期间,很多社区还会举办烹饪或插花比赛,大家都非常认真对待。在网上,有摄影挑战、答题App,还有TikTok上的舞蹈挑战,这些其实也算是竞赛。公司也会为员工组织销售竞赛和黑客马拉松。变化在于,现在参加变得非常容易,不需要被选拔或者经过训练。但正因为现在竞赛太多了,赢一场也不再像以前那样特别了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCBut because there are so many competitions now, winning one does not feel as special anymore.This closing sentence uses the basic connector 'because' to state a plain cause and effect. A 7.0 answer would restate this as 'The downside is that with so many, winning any single one doesn't mean very much any more', and a 7.5 answer would use the more formal word 'diluted' for a more precise image.这句结尾用基本连接词"because"陈述了一个平实的因果关系。7.0分的回答会改述为"The downside is that with so many, winning any single one doesn't mean very much any more",而7.5分的回答则会用更正式的词"diluted"来营造更精准的意象。
    • LRtake very seriouslyThis is a plain, basic verb phrase. A 7.0 answer would use the more natural 'taken surprisingly seriously', adding a precise intensifying adverb, and a 7.5 answer keeps a very similar phrase within a more literary sentence.这是一个平实、基本的动词短语。7.0分的回答会用更自然的"taken surprisingly seriously",加上一个精准的强调性副词,而7.5分的回答则会在一个更具文学性的句子中保留非常相似的短语。
    • GRAWhat has changed is that it is now very easy to join, you do not need to be selected or trained.This sentence uses a cleft construction ('What has changed is that...') followed by a comma-joined clause, a fairly plain structure overall. A 7.0 answer would restate the second half using the more precise 'the barrier is low', and a 7.5 answer would compress this into two short verbless fragments.这句话用了一个分裂句结构("What has changed is that...")接一个逗号连接的从句,整体结构相当平实。7.0分的回答会用更精准的"the barrier is low"来改述后半句,而7.5分的回答则会把它压缩成两个简短的无动词片段。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural spoken opener 'Quite a lot, actually' and the reflective clause 'which are competitions whether people admit it or not', adding nuance beyond a plain list.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了自然口语化的开场"Quite a lot, actually",以及反思性的从句"which are competitions whether people admit it or not",在平实的列举之外增添了细微差别。

    Quite a lot, actually, and more each year, I'd say. In Da Nang there's a big fun run every summer that anyone can join, and at Tết most neighbourhoods run cooking or flower-arranging contests that are taken surprisingly seriously. Online, there are photography challenges, quiz apps and the endless dance challenges on TikTok, which are competitions whether people admit it or not. Workplaces run sales contests and hackathons too. What's changed is that the barrier is low, you don't need to be selected or trained to enter most of these. The downside is that with so many, winning any single one doesn't mean very much any more.

    查看中文翻译

    其实挺多的,而且我得说,每年都在增加。在岘港,每年夏天都有一场大型趣味跑,谁都能参加,春节期间,大多数社区都会办烹饪或插花比赛,而且认真程度令人意外。在网上,有摄影挑战、答题App,还有TikTok上无穷无尽的舞蹈挑战,不管人们承不承认,这些其实都是竞赛。职场里也会办销售竞赛和黑客马拉松。变化在于,门槛变低了,现在大部分这类活动都不需要被选拔或者经过训练就能参加。缺点是,正因为竞赛太多了,赢得其中任何一场都不再那么有意义了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCwhich are competitions whether people admit it or notThis trailing relative clause with a concessive tag adds a reflective, slightly playful observation onto the list, rather than simply ending the sentence. A 6.5 answer would end the equivalent sentence plainly with 'which are really competitions too', with no such playful concession.这个带有让步性尾词的关系从句,为这个列表增添了一个反思性的、略带俏皮的观察,而不是简单地结束句子。6.5分的回答会平实地以"which are really competitions too"结束对应的句子,没有这种俏皮的让步。
    • LRthe barrier is lowThis phrase uses the more abstract, precise noun 'barrier' rather than the vaguer 'it is now very easy to join' used at 6.5.这个短语用了更抽象、更精准的名词"barrier",而不是6.5分更模糊的"it is now very easy to join"。
    • GRAWhat's changed is that the barrier is low, you don't need to be selected or trained to enter most of these.This sentence uses a cleft construction with a more compact second clause than the 6.5 version, replacing 'it is now very easy to join' with the tighter abstract noun phrase 'the barrier is low'. A 6.5 answer keeps the plainer, more roundabout phrasing throughout.这句话用了一个分裂句结构,第二个从句比6.5分版本更紧凑,用更简练的抽象名词短语"the barrier is low"取代了"it is now very easy to join"。6.5分的回答全篇都保留着更平实、更绕圈子的措辞。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the idiomatic phrase 'competitions in all but name' and the verbless closing fragments 'no selection process, no training required', a compact structure replacing full finite clauses.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是地道的短语"competitions in all but name",以及无动词的结尾片段"no selection process, no training required",用紧凑的结构替代了完整的限定从句。

    Quite a lot, actually, and the list keeps growing every year. In Da Nang there's a big fun run every summer open to anyone, and around Tết most neighbourhoods host cooking or flower-arranging contests taken far more seriously than you'd expect. Online, there are photography challenges, quiz apps, and the endless parade of dance challenges on TikTok, competitions in all but name. Workplaces, too, run sales contests and hackathons. What's genuinely shifted is how low the barrier to entry has become, no selection process, no training required. The trade-off is that with contests this abundant, winning any single one has been rather diluted of meaning.

    查看中文翻译

    其实还挺多的,而且这份名单每年都在变长。在岘港,每年夏天都有一场大型趣味跑,对所有人开放,春节前后,大多数社区都会举办烹饪或插花比赛,认真程度远超你的预期。在网上,有摄影挑战、答题App,还有TikTok上无穷无尽的舞蹈挑战游行,这些实质上就是竞赛,只是没有挂着这个名号。职场也不例外,同样会举办销售竞赛和黑客马拉松。真正发生变化的是,参赛门槛变得有多低——不需要选拔,也不需要培训。代价是,正因为竞赛多到这种程度,赢得其中任何一场的意义都被相当程度地"稀释"了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCcompetitions in all but nameThis idiomatic phrase (meaning something is effectively a competition even without being labelled one) is a more sophisticated construction than the plainer relative clause 'which are competitions whether people admit it or not' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer states this idea with the simplest possible wording, 'which are really competitions too'.这个地道短语(意思是某样东西实质上就是竞赛,即使没有被贴上这个标签)是一种比7.0分更平实的关系从句"which are competitions whether people admit it or not"更精巧的结构。6.5分的回答会用最简单的措辞"which are really competitions too"来陈述这个想法。
    • LRhas been rather diluted of meaningThis is a vivid, less-common collocation ('diluted of meaning') describing how winning has lost significance, considerably more distinctive than the plainer 'doesn't mean very much any more' used at 7.0.这是一个生动、不常见的搭配("diluted of meaning"),用来描述赢得比赛如何失去了意义,比7.0分更平实的"doesn't mean very much any more"要独特得多。
    • GRAno selection process, no training requiredThis is a pair of verbless parallel fragments replacing the finite clause 'you don't need to be selected or trained' used at 7.0, a more compact and confident structure. A 6.5 answer would use the fullest, plainest version of this clause with a complete subject and verb.这是一对无动词的平行片段,替代了7.0分的限定从句"you don't need to be selected or trained",结构更紧凑、更自信。6.5分的回答会用这句话最完整、最平实的版本,带有完整的主语和动词。
  4. 4. Why do some parents not allow their young children to take part in competitive activities nowadays?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain narrative example and the simple closing explanation 'they do not want that for their own kids', stated directly without reflection.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它有一个平实的叙述性例子,并以简单的结尾解释"they do not want that for their own kids"直接陈述,没有反思。

    I think many parents have seen competition cause problems for children, so they try to protect them. For example, a colleague of mine took her seven-year-old son out of piano contests after she saw him crying over coming second place. She felt he was starting to fear music instead of loving it. Also, many parents today believe children feel confident when they feel safe, not when they are ranked against others. Some parents may also remember their own childhood, when they were always compared to other children, and they do not want that for their own kids.

    查看中文翻译

    我觉得很多家长都见过竞争给孩子带来的问题,所以他们想要保护孩子。比如说,我的一个同事看到自己七岁的儿子因为得了第二名而哭,之后就把他从钢琴比赛里退出来了。她觉得儿子开始害怕音乐,而不是热爱音乐。而且,现在很多家长相信,孩子是在感到安全的时候才会有自信,而不是在被拿去跟别人比较排名的时候。有些家长可能也会想起自己小时候,总是被拿来跟其他孩子比较,他们不希望自己的孩子也经历这些。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCso they try to protect them.This short closing clause states the motivation plainly using the basic verb 'try to protect', without any deeper interpretation. A 7.0 answer would restate this as 'decided it's not worth the risk', a more idiomatic and confident phrase, and a 7.5 answer would use the stronger phrase 'inflict real damage'.这个简短的结尾从句用基本动词"try to protect"平实地陈述了动机,没有更深层的解读。7.0分的回答会改述为"decided it's not worth the risk",这是一个更地道、更自信的短语,而7.5分的回答则会用更有力的短语"inflict real damage"。
    • LRfear music instead of loving itThis is a plain contrastive phrase using basic vocabulary. A 7.0 answer would restate this with the infinitive contrast 'to fear music rather than love it', and a 7.5 answer keeps a similar structure with the added participle 'convinced'.这是一个用基本词汇构成的平实对比短语。7.0分的回答会用不定式对比"to fear music rather than love it"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会保留类似的结构,并加上分词"convinced"。
    • GRAshe saw him crying over coming second placeThis is a short, simple past-tense clause with a gerund complement. A 7.0 answer would restate this with the more vivid 'seeing him in tears over second place', and a 7.5 answer would use the passive construction 'reduced to tears' for extra intensity.这是一个简短的简单过去时从句,带一个动名词补语。7.0分的回答会用更生动的"seeing him in tears over second place"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会用被动结构"reduced to tears"来增加强烈程度。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural closing tag 'honestly' and the reflective final sentence 'Whether protecting children from all competition actually prepares them for adult life is another question', which opens up a further nuance.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了自然的结尾尾词"honestly",并以反思性的结尾句"Whether protecting children from all competition actually prepares them for adult life is another question"收尾,开启了进一步的细微差别。

    I think many have watched competition do damage and decided it's not worth the risk, honestly. A colleague of mine took her seven-year-old out of piano contests after seeing him in tears over second place, she felt he was learning to fear music rather than love it. There's also a broader shift in parenting, a lot of parents now believe confidence comes from feeling safe, not from being ranked, and there's plenty of research they can point to. I'd add that some are reacting against their own childhoods, which in Vietnam often involved being compared with the neighbours' kids constantly. Whether protecting children from all competition actually prepares them for adult life is another question.

    查看中文翻译

    我觉得老实说,很多家长都亲眼见过竞争带来的伤害,于是决定这份风险不值得冒。我的一个同事,在看到自己七岁的孩子因为拿了第二名而落泪之后,就把他从钢琴比赛里退出来了,她觉得孩子正在学会害怕音乐,而不是热爱音乐。育儿观念本身也发生了更广泛的转变,现在很多家长都相信自信来自于安全感,而不是排名,而且他们能拿出不少研究来支持这个观点。我还想补充一点,有些家长其实是在反抗自己的童年经历——在越南,那种童年常常意味着不断被拿来跟邻居家的孩子比较。至于把孩子完全保护在竞争之外,是否真的能为他们的成年生活做好准备,这就是另一个问题了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCWhether protecting children from all competition actually prepares them for adult life is another question.This closing sentence uses a subject clause beginning with 'Whether...' as the grammatical subject, raising a further reflective question rather than simply concluding, a more advanced move than a flat final statement. A 6.5 answer would not raise this further question at all, ending instead with the simple explanation about not wanting the same childhood for their kids.这句结尾用一个以"Whether..."开头的主语从句作为语法主语,提出了一个进一步的反思性问题,而不是简单地下结论,这是一个比平淡的结尾陈述更进阶的手法。6.5分的回答根本不会提出这个进一步的问题,而是以关于不希望孩子经历同样童年的简单解释收尾。
    • LRin tears over second placeThis is a more vivid, idiomatic phrase than the plain 'crying over coming second place' used at 6.5, compressing the idea into a tighter prepositional phrase.这是一个比6.5分平实的"crying over coming second place"更生动、更地道的短语,把这个想法压缩进一个更紧凑的介词短语中。
    • GRAshe felt he was learning to fear music rather than love itThis sentence uses a parallel infinitive contrast ('to fear... rather than love') joined without 'instead of', a more compact and idiomatic construction than the plain contrastive phrase at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would use the simpler connector 'instead of' with a gerund.这句话用了一个平行的不定式对比("to fear... rather than love"),不用"instead of"连接,比6.5分平实的对比短语更紧凑、更地道。6.5分的回答会用更简单的连接词"instead of"搭配动名词。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening verb phrase 'inflict real damage' and the passive construction 'reduced to tears', both more intense and image-based than the plainer verbs used at lower bands.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是生动的开篇动词短语"inflict real damage",以及被动结构"reduced to tears",两者都比低分段版本更平实的动词更强烈、更具画面感。

    I suspect many parents have simply watched competition inflict real damage and decided it isn't worth the gamble. A colleague of mine pulled her seven-year-old out of piano contests after seeing him reduced to tears over second place, convinced he was learning to fear music rather than love it. There's a wider shift in parenting too, plenty now believe confidence stems from feeling safe rather than from being ranked, and there's no shortage of research to back that up. I'd also wager some are reacting against their own upbringing, which in Vietnam often meant being endlessly measured against the neighbours' kids. Whether shielding children from all competition genuinely prepares them for adult life is a rather different question.

    查看中文翻译

    我猜想,很多家长其实是亲眼见过竞争造成真正的伤害,才决定这个赌注不值得下。我的一个同事,在看到自己七岁的孩子因为只拿了第二名而哭到不能自已之后,就把他从钢琴比赛里拉出来了,她深信孩子正在学会害怕音乐,而不是热爱音乐。育儿观念也出现了更广泛的转变,现在很多人相信自信源于安全感,而不是排名,而且这方面的研究也不在少数。我还敢打赌,有些家长其实是在反抗自己的成长经历——在越南,那种成长经历往往意味着被没完没了地拿来跟邻居家的孩子较量。至于把孩子完全隔绝在竞争之外,是否真的能让他们为成年生活做好准备,这完全是另一个问题了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCI suspect many parents have simply watched competition inflict real damage and decided it isn't worth the gamble.This opening uses the reflective verb 'suspect' and the vivid phrase 'inflict real damage', a more confident and image-based opener than the plainer version at 7.0, which uses the safer 'watched competition do damage'.这个开篇用了反思性动词"suspect"和生动短语"inflict real damage",比7.0分更平实的版本("watched competition do damage")更自信、更具画面感。
    • LRreduced to tearsThis is a vivid, passive idiomatic phrase describing the child's distress, more intense and literary than the plainer 'in tears over second place' used at 7.0.这是一个生动的被动地道短语,用来描述孩子的痛苦,比7.0分更平实的"in tears over second place"更强烈、更具文学性。
    • GRAconvinced he was learning to fear music rather than love itThis sentence replaces the finite clause 'she felt' with the past participle 'convinced', standing alone as a compact modifier of the subject, a more literary construction than the full clause used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would use the plainest finite clause, 'She felt he was starting to fear music instead of loving it'.这句话用过去分词"convinced"替代了限定从句"she felt",独立作为主语的紧凑修饰语,比7.0分用的完整从句更具文学性。6.5分的回答会用最平实的限定从句"She felt he was starting to fear music instead of loving it"。
  5. 5. What types of jobs is it useful to be competitive in?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain listed examples of job types and the simple closing summary 'So competition is good when winning and doing the job well are the same thing'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它平实地列举了不同工作类型的例子,并以简单的结尾总结"So competition is good when winning and doing the job well are the same thing"收尾。

    I think being competitive is useful in jobs where results can be measured easily, like sales, sport, law, or start-ups. At my studio, the two people who find new clients really enjoy having targets and rankings, and it makes them work better. But it is not so useful in jobs that need teamwork or careful thinking. For example, when designers compete with each other, we start protecting our own ideas instead of making them better together. Also, a surgeon who is too competitive about speed could actually be dangerous. So competition is good when winning and doing the job well are the same thing.

    查看中文翻译

    我觉得好胜心在那些成果容易衡量的工作里很有用,比如销售、体育、法律,或者初创公司。在我们工作室,负责开发新客户的两个人特别喜欢有目标和排名,这让他们工作表现更好。但在需要团队合作或者需要仔细思考的工作里,好胜心就没那么有用了。比如说,当设计师之间互相竞争时,我们就会开始保护自己的想法,而不是一起把它做得更好。还有,一个对速度太过好胜的外科医生,实际上可能是很危险的。所以,当"赢"和"把工作做好"是同一件事的时候,竞争就是好的。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCSo competition is good when winning and doing the job well are the same thing.This closing sentence states the conclusion plainly with the basic verb 'is good', without addressing the opposite case. A 7.0 answer would extend this into a fuller balanced sentence, 'it's useful where winning and doing the job well are the same thing, and harmful where they come apart', and a 7.5 answer would use the more abstract verb 'diverge'.这句结尾用基本动词"is good"平实地陈述了结论,没有涉及相反的情况。7.0分的回答会把它扩展成一个更完整、更平衡的句子,"it's useful where winning and doing the job well are the same thing, and harmful where they come apart",而7.5分的回答则会用更抽象的动词"diverge"。
    • LRfind new clientsThis is a plain, literal job description. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise, professional term 'handling client acquisition', and a 7.5 answer would use the similar phrase 'running client acquisition'.这是一个平实、字面化的工作描述。7.0分的回答会用更精准、更专业的术语"handling client acquisition",而7.5分的回答则会用类似的短语"running client acquisition"。
    • GRAthe two people who find new clients really enjoy having targets and rankings, and it makes them work betterThis sentence joins two clauses with 'and' in a fairly plain structure. A 7.0 answer would restate the second half as 'and it makes them better at their jobs', a slightly tighter phrase, and a 7.5 answer would compress this into the adjective phrase 'visibly sharpened by them'.这句话用"and"连接了两个从句,结构相当平实。7.0分的回答会把后半句改述为"and it makes them better at their jobs",这是一个略微更紧凑的短语,而7.5分的回答则会把它压缩成形容词短语"visibly sharpened by them"。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the fronted noun phrase opener 'Jobs where the output is measurable and the market is crowded' and the balanced closing sentence contrasting 'useful' and 'harmful' in one structure.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它以前置的名词短语"Jobs where the output is measurable and the market is crowded"开篇,并以在同一结构中对比"useful"和"harmful"的平衡结尾句收尾。

    Jobs where the output is measurable and the market is crowded, sales, most obviously, plus sport, law, and start-ups, I'd say. At my studio, the two people handling client acquisition genuinely thrive on targets and leaderboards, and it makes them better at their jobs. It's much less useful in jobs that depend on collaboration or careful judgement, though. When designers compete with each other, we start protecting our ideas instead of improving them, and a surgeon or an air-traffic controller who's competitive about speed is frankly dangerous. So it's useful where winning and doing the job well are the same thing, and harmful where they come apart.

    查看中文翻译

    我得说,那些成果可以衡量、市场竞争又激烈的工作——最明显的是销售,还有体育、法律和初创公司。在我们工作室,负责客户获取的两个人真的能在目标和排行榜的激励下如鱼得水,这让他们的工作表现更好。不过,在那些依赖团队合作或需要谨慎判断的工作里,好胜心就没那么有用了。当设计师之间互相竞争时,我们就会开始保护自己的想法,而不是一起把它改进,而一个对速度过于好胜的外科医生或空中交通管制员,坦白说是很危险的。所以,当"赢"和"把工作做好"是同一件事的时候,好胜心就是有用的;而当两者分道扬镳时,它就变成了有害的。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCSo it's useful where winning and doing the job well are the same thing, and harmful where they come apart.This closing sentence uses two parallel 'where' clauses joined by 'and' to state both sides of the contrast in one balanced sentence, rather than stopping at only the positive case as the 6.5 answer does. A 6.5 answer would end with only the first half of this contrast.这句结尾用两个平行的"where"从句、以"and"连接,在同一个平衡的句子里陈述了对比的两面,而不是像6.5分回答那样只停留在正面情况上。6.5分的回答只会以这个对比的前半部分收尾。
    • LRhandling client acquisitionThis is a more precise, professional collocation than the plain 'find new clients' used at 6.5, sounding like an established job title rather than a literal description.这是一个比6.5分平实的"find new clients"更精准、更专业的搭配,听起来更像一个正式的职位名称,而不是字面化的描述。
    • GRAJobs where the output is measurable and the market is crowded, sales, most obviously, plus sport, law, and start-ups, I'd say.This sentence opens with a relative clause functioning as the subject ('Jobs where...'), followed by an appositive list using the informal connector 'plus', a more advanced opening structure than a plain declarative sentence. A 6.5 answer would open with the standard 'I think being competitive is useful in jobs where...'.这句话以一个作主语的关系从句("Jobs where...")开篇,后接一个用非正式连接词"plus"引出的同位语列表,比平实的陈述句更进阶。6.5分的回答会以标准的"I think being competitive is useful in jobs where..."开篇。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the participial closing phrase 'visibly sharpened by them' and the abstract verb pair 'coincide' and 'diverge', which replace the plainer 'are the same thing' and 'come apart' used at 7.0.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是分词式的结尾短语"visibly sharpened by them",以及抽象的动词对"coincide"和"diverge",替换了7.0分更平实的"are the same thing"和"come apart"。

    Jobs where the output is easily measured and the market is crowded, sales, most obviously, alongside sport, law and start-ups. At my studio, the two people running client acquisition genuinely thrive on targets and leaderboards, visibly sharpened by them. It's markedly less useful, though, in roles hinging on collaboration or careful judgement. When designers compete against each other, we end up guarding our ideas rather than refining them together, and a surgeon or air-traffic controller chasing speed for its own sake is frankly a liability. So competitiveness pays off wherever winning and doing the job well happen to coincide, and turns harmful the moment they diverge.

    查看中文翻译

    那些成果容易衡量、市场竞争又激烈的工作——最明显的是销售,还有体育、法律和初创公司。在我们工作室,负责获取客户的两个人真的能在目标和排行榜的激励下如鱼得水,而且明显因此变得更加"锋利"。不过,在那些以团队合作或谨慎判断为核心的岗位上,它就没那么有用了。当设计师之间互相竞争时,我们最终会去守护自己的想法,而不是一起打磨它,而一个纯粹为了追求速度本身而好胜的外科医生或空中交通管制员,坦白说就是个"隐患"。所以,好胜心在"赢"和"把工作做好"恰好重合的地方就能带来回报,而一旦两者分道扬镳,它就会变得有害。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCvisibly sharpened by themThis participial phrase, attached after a comma with no repeated subject, replaces the finite clause 'and it makes them better at their jobs' used at 7.0, a more compact and literary construction. A 6.5 answer would use the plainest finite clause, 'and it makes them work better'.这个分词短语在逗号后附加,没有重复主语,替代了7.0分的限定从句"and it makes them better at their jobs",是一种更紧凑、更具文学性的结构。6.5分的回答会用最平实的限定从句"and it makes them work better"。
    • LRa liabilityThis is a vivid, precise noun used metaphorically to describe a dangerously competitive surgeon or controller, considerably more distinctive than the plain adjective 'dangerous' used at 6.5 and 7.0.这是一个生动、精准的名词,被用作隐喻,来描述一个危险地好胜的外科医生或管制员,比6.5分和7.0分平实的形容词"dangerous"要独特得多。
    • GRASo competitiveness pays off wherever winning and doing the job well happen to coincide, and turns harmful the moment they diverge.This closing sentence uses the abstract noun 'competitiveness' as its subject and the precise verbs 'coincide' and 'diverge' instead of the plainer 'are the same thing' and 'come apart' used at 7.0, a more formal and compact register. A 6.5 answer would end with only half of this balanced contrast, using the simplest possible wording.这句结尾用抽象名词"competitiveness"作主语,并用精准的动词"coincide"和"diverge",替代了7.0分更平实的"are the same thing"和"come apart",这是一种更正式、更紧凑的语域。6.5分的回答只会以这个平衡对比的一半收尾,用最简单的措辞。
  6. 6. Should people continue competing even if they keep being unsuccessful?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain chronological narrative about the illustrator and the simple closing summary 'So persistence is good, but only if you keep learning from it'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它关于插画师的叙述平实且按时间顺序展开,并以简单的结尾总结"So persistence is good, but only if you keep learning from it"收尾。

    I think it depends on the reason why they keep losing. For example, an illustrator friend of mine entered the same national poster competition for five years. She did not win anything for four years, but finally came second in the fifth year. Every year, her work got better because she studied the winning designs. That kind of losing is actually a slow way of learning. But if someone keeps failing and does not change anything, I think they should stop and think about whether their goal is right. So persistence is good, but only if you keep learning from it.

    查看中文翻译

    我觉得这要看他们一直输的原因是什么。比如说,我有个做插画的朋友,连续五年都参加同一个全国海报比赛。前四年她什么都没赢到,但第五年终于拿到了第二名。每一年,她的作品都变得更好,因为她研究获奖的设计作品。这种"输"其实是一种缓慢的学习方式。但如果一个人一直失败却什么都不改变,我觉得他们应该停下来想一想自己的目标对不对。所以坚持是好事,但前提是你要从中不断学习。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCSo persistence is good, but only if you keep learning from it.This closing sentence uses the basic connector 'but' to state a plain condition, without any more idiomatic framing. A 7.0 answer would restate this as 'persistence is admirable up to the point where it stops teaching you anything', a more precise and confident phrasing, and a 7.5 answer would use the verb 'deserves admiration' for a slightly more formal register.这句结尾用基本连接词"but"陈述了一个平实的条件,没有更地道的构建。7.0分的回答会改述为"persistence is admirable up to the point where it stops teaching you anything",这是一种更精准、更自信的表达,而7.5分的回答则会用动词"deserves admiration"来营造略微更正式的语域。
    • LRa slow way of learningThis is a plain, basic noun phrase. A 7.0 answer would restate this more compactly as 'just slow learning', and a 7.5 answer would extend this idea with 'slow learning in disguise', a more vivid, idiomatic phrase.这是一个平实、基本的名词短语。7.0分的回答会更紧凑地改述为"just slow learning",而7.5分的回答则会把这个想法扩展为"slow learning in disguise",这是一个更生动、更地道的短语。
    • GRAEvery year, her work got better because she studied the winning designs.This is a simple causal sentence in plain past-tense structure. A 7.0 answer would embed this idea directly into the main sentence about the competition using 'each year her work was visibly better because she'd studied the winners', and a 7.5 answer would compress this further into an absolute construction.这是一个简单的因果句,用简单过去时结构。7.0分的回答会用"each year her work was visibly better because she'd studied the winners"把这个想法直接嵌入到关于比赛的主句中,而7.5分的回答则会进一步把它压缩成独立主格结构。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the rhetorical minimal-pair contrast 'they're not competing, they're repeating' and the closing sentence 'persistence is admirable up to the point where it stops teaching you anything', a more precise final judgement.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了修辞性的最小对比"they're not competing, they're repeating",并以结尾句"persistence is admirable up to the point where it stops teaching you anything"给出更精准的最终判断。

    It depends on why they're losing, I'd say. An illustrator friend of mine entered the same national poster competition five years in a row, came nowhere four times, and finally placed second, and each year her work was visibly better because she'd studied the winners. That kind of losing is just slow learning. But if someone keeps failing and isn't changing anything, they're not competing, they're repeating, and at some point the honest move is to step back and ask whether the goal is right. I'd say persistence is admirable up to the point where it stops teaching you anything.

    查看中文翻译

    我得说,这要看他们输的原因是什么。我有个做插画的朋友,连续五年参加同一个全国海报比赛,四次都名落孙山,最终拿到了第二名,而且每一年她的作品都明显变得更好,因为她一直在研究获奖作品。这种"输"其实只是一种缓慢的学习。但如果一个人一直失败却什么都不改变,那他们不是在"竞争",而是在"重复",到了某个节点,诚实的做法就是退一步,问问自己目标对不对。我得说,坚持是值得赞赏的,但前提是它还能教会你一些东西,一旦停止,这份赞赏也就到头了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCthey're not competing, they're repeatingThis sentence uses a parallel minimal-pair contrast (two words that rhyme and share a root, 'competing' and 'repeating') for rhetorical effect, a more sophisticated device than a plain factual statement. A 6.5 answer would state this idea plainly as 'if someone keeps failing and does not change anything, I think they should stop', with no such wordplay.这句话用了一个平行的最小对比(两个押韵且词根相同的词,"competing"和"repeating")来达到修辞效果,是一种比平实陈述句更精巧的手法。6.5分的回答会平实地陈述这个想法,比如"if someone keeps failing and does not change anything, I think they should stop",没有这种文字游戏。
    • LRjust slow learningThis is a more compact and confident phrase than the fuller 'a slow way of learning' used at 6.5, dropping the article for a punchier, more idiomatic register.这是一个比6.5分更完整的"a slow way of learning"更紧凑、更自信的短语,省略了冠词,营造出更有力、更地道的语域。
    • GRAAn illustrator friend of mine entered the same national poster competition five years in a row, came nowhere four times, and finally placed second, and each year her work was visibly better because she'd studied the winners.This long sentence coordinates four clauses with commas and 'and', embedding the improvement detail directly into the narrative rather than as a separate sentence, a more advanced single-sentence structure than the 6.5 version's two separate sentences.这个长句用逗号和"and"连接了四个从句,把"进步"这一细节直接嵌入叙述中,而不是作为独立的句子,比6.5分版本的两个独立句子展现出更进阶的单句结构。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the absolute construction 'her work visibly sharper each year' replacing a finite clause, and the idiomatic closing phrase 'slow learning in disguise', more vivid than the plainer versions at lower bands.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是独立主格结构"her work visibly sharper each year"替代了限定从句,以及地道的结尾短语"slow learning in disguise",比低分段版本更平实的表达更生动。

    It hinges entirely on why they keep losing. An illustrator friend of mine entered the same national poster competition five years running, came nowhere four times, and finally placed second, her work visibly sharper each year because she'd been quietly studying the winners all along. That sort of losing is really just slow learning in disguise. But someone who keeps failing without changing a single variable isn't competing, they're repeating, and at some point the honest move is stepping back to question whether the goal itself is even right. Persistence, I'd argue, deserves admiration only up to the point it stops teaching you anything.

    查看中文翻译

    这完全取决于他们一直输的原因。我有个做插画的朋友,连续五年参加同一个全国海报比赛,四次都名落孙山,最终拿到了第二名,她的作品一年比一年明显更锋利,因为她一直在默默地研究获奖作品。那种"输",其实不过是伪装成失败的缓慢学习。但如果一个人一直失败,却连一个变量都不去改变,那他们不是在"竞争",而是在"重复",到了某个节点,诚实的做法就是退一步,质疑目标本身是否正确。我认为,坚持值得赞赏,但仅限于它还在教会你一些东西的时候,一旦不再如此,这份赞赏就该打住了。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCIt hinges entirely on why they keep losing.This opening uses the more precise verb 'hinges' plus the intensifier 'entirely', a more confident and formal opener than the plainer 'It depends on why they're losing' used at 7.0.这个开篇用了更精准的动词"hinges",加上强调词"entirely",比7.0分更平实的"It depends on why they're losing"更自信、更正式。
    • LRslow learning in disguiseThis is a vivid, idiomatic extension of the phrase used at 7.0, adding the figurative tag 'in disguise' for a more literary, memorable image, considerably more distinctive than the plain 'a slow way of learning' used at 6.5.这是对7.0分所用短语的生动、地道的延伸,加上了比喻性的尾词"in disguise",营造出更具文学性、更令人难忘的意象,比6.5分平实的"a slow way of learning"要独特得多。
    • GRAher work visibly sharper each year because she'd been quietly studying the winners all alongThis clause uses an absolute construction (noun plus adjective, 'her work visibly sharper') instead of a finite verb like 'was', a more compact and literary structure than the finite clause used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would use the plainest finite sentence, 'Every year, her work got better because she studied the winning designs'.这个从句用了独立主格结构(名词加形容词,"her work visibly sharper"),而不是像"was"这样的限定动词,比7.0分用的限定从句更紧凑、更具文学性。6.5分的回答会用最平实的限定句"Every year, her work got better because she studied the winning designs"。
  7. 7. What type of person likes to take part in competitions?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain listing of different personality types and the simple closing statement 'I think truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think'.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它平实地罗列了不同的人格类型,并以简单的结尾陈述"I think truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think"收尾。

    The obvious answer is confident and ambitious people, but I have noticed something simpler, people who need deadlines from outside themselves. My friend Khanh joins almost every competition he sees, like photography, coding, and even a cocktail contest once, but he is not really that confident. He just cannot finish things without a deadline, and competitions give him one. There are also people who like being measured and find rankings comforting instead of stressful. Some people join just for the community, because a competition is a good reason to spend time with people who like the same thing. I think truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think.

    查看中文翻译

    显而易见的答案是那些自信、有野心的人,但我注意到一个更简单的现象:那些需要外部截止日期的人。我朋友阿庆(Khanh)几乎看到什么比赛都会参加,比如摄影、编程,甚至有一次还参加了一个调酒比赛,但他其实没那么自信。他就是没有截止日期就完不成事情,而比赛正好给了他一个。还有一些人喜欢被衡量,觉得排名让人安心,而不是有压力。有些人参加比赛纯粹是为了社群,因为比赛是一个很好的理由,让你能跟喜欢同一件事的人待在一起。我觉得真正有好胜心的人,其实比你想象的要少得多。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCI think truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think.This closing sentence states the reflective conclusion plainly using the basic phrase 'I think', without any more idiomatic framing. A 7.0 answer would restate this with the dropped subject phrase 'The genuinely combative type, honestly, is rarer than you'd think', and a 7.5 answer would use the more formal verb 'assume' at the end.这句结尾用基本短语"I think"平实地陈述了反思性的结论,没有更地道的构建。7.0分的回答会用省略主语的短语"The genuinely combative type, honestly, is rarer than you'd think"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会在结尾用更正式的动词"assume"。
    • LRconfident and ambitiousThis is a plain, basic pair of adjectives describing the obvious stereotype. A 7.0 answer would restate this with the noun phrase 'confident, ambitious people', a nearly identical but slightly more formal structure, and a 7.5 answer would use 'confident, ambitious types', a more idiomatic register.这是一对平实、基本的形容词,用来描述显而易见的刻板印象。7.0分的回答会用名词短语"confident, ambitious people"来改述,结构几乎相同,但略微更正式;而7.5分的回答则会用"confident, ambitious types",这是一种更地道的语域。
    • GRAHe just cannot finish things without a deadline, and competitions give him one.This sentence joins two clauses with 'and' in a plain coordinated structure. A 7.0 answer would restate this using the more idiomatic 'He just can't finish anything without a date on it, and a contest conveniently supplies one', and a 7.5 answer would use the verb 'throws himself at' to describe Khanh's behaviour elsewhere in the sentence.这句话用"and"以平实的并列结构连接了两个从句。7.0分的回答会用更地道的"He just can't finish anything without a date on it, and a contest conveniently supplies one"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会在句子的其他地方用动词"throws himself at"来描述阿庆的行为。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the precise abstract phrase 'people who need external deadlines' and the closing tag 'honestly' inserted before the final judgement.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了精准抽象的短语"people who need external deadlines",并在最终判断之前插入了结尾尾词"honestly"。

    The obvious answer is confident, ambitious people, but I've noticed it's often something simpler, people who need external deadlines. My friend Khánh enters every competition he sees, photography, coding, even a cocktail contest once, and he's not especially confident. He just can't finish anything without a date on it, and competitions give him one. Then there are people who enjoy being measured, who find a ranking reassuring rather than stressful. And a smaller group who mainly want the community, because a contest is an excuse to spend a weekend with people who care about the same thing. The genuinely combative type, honestly, is rarer than you'd think.

    查看中文翻译

    显而易见的答案是自信、有野心的人,但我注意到,情况往往更简单:那些需要外部截止日期的人。我朋友阿庆几乎看到什么比赛都会参加,摄影、编程,甚至有一次还参加了调酒比赛,而他其实没那么自信。他就是没有日期压着就什么都完不成,而比赛正好给了他一个。然后还有一些人喜欢被衡量,觉得排名让人安心,而不是有压力。还有一小群人主要是为了社群感,因为比赛是一个很好的借口,让你能花一整个周末跟同样在乎这件事的人待在一起。老实说,真正好胜的那种人,其实比你想的要少得多。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCThe genuinely combative type, honestly, is rarer than you'd think.This closing sentence uses the more precise, less common adjective 'combative' and inserts the natural spoken tag 'honestly' mid-clause, a more fluent and idiomatic structure than the plain 6.5 closing sentence. A 6.5 answer would end with the plainer phrase 'truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think'.这句结尾用了更精准、不太常见的形容词"combative",并在句中插入了自然的口语化尾词"honestly",比6.5分平实的结尾句更流畅、更地道。6.5分的回答会以更平实的短语"truly competitive people are actually rarer than you might think"收尾。
    • LRexternal deadlinesThis is a more precise, formal collocation than the vaguer 'deadlines from outside themselves' used at 6.5, compressing the same idea into a tighter noun phrase.这是一个比6.5分更模糊的"deadlines from outside themselves"更精准、更正式的搭配,把同样的想法压缩进一个更紧凑的名词短语中。
    • GRAHe just can't finish anything without a date on it, and competitions give him one.This sentence uses the more idiomatic phrase 'a date on it' instead of the plainer 'a deadline' used at 6.5, and the contracted form 'can't' for a natural spoken register. A 6.5 answer would use the plainer noun 'deadline' directly.这句话用了更地道的短语"a date on it",而不是6.5分更平实的"a deadline",还用了缩略形式"can't"来营造自然的口语语域。6.5分的回答会直接用更平实的名词"deadline"。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening verb 'throws himself at' and the closing absolute construction 'a contest being little more than an excuse...', a more literary structure than a finite relative clause.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是生动的开篇动词"throws himself at",以及结尾处独立主格结构"a contest being little more than an excuse...",比限定关系从句更具文学性。

    The obvious answer is confident, ambitious types, but I've come to suspect it's often something plainer, people who simply need an external deadline. My friend Khánh throws himself at every competition he stumbles across, photography, coding, even a cocktail contest once, and he's hardly the confident sort. He just can't finish anything without a date attached, and a contest conveniently supplies one. Then there are those who genuinely enjoy being measured, finding a ranking reassuring rather than stressful. And a smaller cohort who are chiefly there for the community, a contest being little more than an excuse to spend a weekend among people who care about the same obscure thing. The truly combative type, I'd wager, is rarer than most assume.

    查看中文翻译

    显而易见的答案是自信、有野心的那类人,但我渐渐开始怀疑,情况往往更平实:那些单纯需要一个外部截止日期的人。我朋友阿庆几乎见到什么比赛就一头扎进去,摄影、编程,甚至有一次还有个调酒比赛,而他几乎算不上自信那一类人。他就是没有日期绑着就什么都完不成,而比赛正好方便地给了他一个。然后还有些人是真心喜欢被衡量,觉得排名带来的是安心,而不是压力。还有一小群人主要是为了社群感,一场比赛对他们来说,不过是一个借口,让他们能花一个周末,和一群同样在乎某件冷门事情的人待在一起。我敢打赌,真正好胜的那种人,其实比大多数人以为的要少得多。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCthrows himself at every competition he stumbles acrossThis is a vivid, idiomatic verb phrase describing Khánh's enthusiasm, considerably more distinctive than the plain 'joins almost every competition he sees' used at 6.5 and the similarly plain 'enters every competition he sees' at 7.0.这是一个生动、地道的动词短语,用来描述阿庆的热情,比6.5分平实的"joins almost every competition he sees"以及7.0分同样平实的"enters every competition he sees"都要独特得多。
    • LRhardly the confident sortThis is a moderately idiomatic phrase using the noun 'sort' to describe personality type, more distinctive than the plainer 'not especially confident' used at 7.0.这是一个相当地道的短语,用名词"sort"来描述性格类型,比7.0分更平实的"not especially confident"要独特。
    • GRAa contest being little more than an excuse to spend a weekend among people who care about the same obscure thingThis clause uses an absolute construction ('a contest being...') instead of a finite verb like 'is', a more compact and literary structure than the plain finite clause used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would use the plainest finite construction, 'a competition is a good reason to spend time with people who like the same thing'.这个从句用了独立主格结构("a contest being..."),而不是像"is"这样的限定动词,比7.0分平实的限定从句更紧凑、更具文学性。6.5分的回答会用最平实的限定结构"a competition is a good reason to spend time with people who like the same thing"。
  8. 8. Is it always a good idea to encourage competition at work?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain narrative example about the bonus scheme and the simple closing statement 'is usually a bad idea', with no further nuance.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它有一个关于奖金机制的平实叙述性例子,并以简单的结尾陈述"is usually a bad idea"收尾,没有进一步的细微差别。

    No, I do not think so, and I have seen it go wrong before. A previous company I worked at gave a bonus to whoever got the most client approvals for their designs. Within a month, people stopped giving each other honest feedback, because helping a colleague meant helping a rival. The quality of the work actually got worse, even though everyone was working harder. I think competition is fine when it is aimed at other companies, or when it is just for fun with low stakes. But making colleagues compete with each other, when they need to work together every day, is usually a bad idea.

    查看中文翻译

    不,我不这么认为,而且我以前见过这种做法出问题。我之前工作过的一家公司,给拿到最多客户批准设计的人发奖金。不到一个月,大家就不再给彼此诚实的反馈了,因为帮同事就等于帮对手。工作质量其实变差了,尽管每个人都更努力了。我觉得竞争只有在针对其他公司的时候才合适,或者只是好玩、赌注很低的时候才行。但让同事之间互相竞争,尤其是他们每天都需要合作的时候,通常是个坏主意。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCNo, I do not think so, and I have seen it go wrong before.This opening states the position plainly using the basic phrase 'do not think so', without any more idiomatic framing. A 7.0 answer would restate this more concisely as 'No, and I've seen it go wrong', and a 7.5 answer would use the more vivid 'I watched it backfire firsthand'.这个开篇用基本短语"do not think so"平实地陈述了立场,没有更地道的构建。7.0分的回答会更简洁地改述为"No, and I've seen it go wrong",而7.5分的回答则会用更生动的"I watched it backfire firsthand"。
    • LRgot worseThis is a plain, basic verb phrase describing the decline in quality. A 7.0 answer would use the identical phrase 'dropped', a slightly more precise verb, and a 7.5 answer would use the same verb 'got worse' within a more compressed sentence structure.这是一个描述质量下降的平实、基本的动词短语。7.0分的回答会用几乎相同的短语"dropped",这是一个略微更精准的动词,而7.5分的回答则会在一个更压缩的句子结构中使用同样的动词"got worse"。
    • GRApeople stopped giving each other honest feedback, because helping a colleague meant helping a rivalThis sentence uses a simple causal clause with 'because' in a fairly plain structure. A 7.0 answer would use the past perfect 'had stopped' to mark sequence more clearly, and a 7.5 answer would replace the literal verb 'helping a rival' with the more vivid metaphor 'arming a rival'.这句话用"because"构成了一个相当平实的简单因果从句。7.0分的回答会用过去完成时"had stopped"来更清楚地标记时间顺序,而7.5分的回答则会用更生动的隐喻"arming a rival"替代字面动词"helping a rival"。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the past perfect verb 'had stopped', marking a clear sequence of events, and the closing metaphor 'making colleagues into opponents' rather than a flat statement.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了过去完成时动词"had stopped",清楚标记了事件顺序,并以隐喻"making colleagues into opponents"收尾,而不是平淡的陈述。

    No, and I've seen it go wrong. A previous agency I worked at introduced a bonus for whoever's designs got the most client approvals, and within a month people had stopped giving each other honest feedback, because helping a colleague meant helping a rival. The quality of the work dropped even though everyone was working harder. Competition is fine when it's directed outward, at rival companies, or when it's playful and low-stakes. Pointing it inward, between people who need to cooperate every day, is nearly always a mistake. What managers usually want is effort, and there are far better ways to get that than making colleagues into opponents.

    查看中文翻译

    不,而且我见过这种做法出问题。我之前工作过的一家代理公司推出了一个奖金机制,谁的设计拿到最多客户批准,谁就有奖金,不到一个月,大家就不再给彼此诚实的反馈了,因为帮同事就等于帮对手。工作质量下降了,尽管每个人都更努力了。竞争在朝外的时候是好的,比如针对竞争对手公司,或者是好玩、赌注很低的时候。但把它指向内部,在每天都需要合作的人之间,几乎总是一个错误。管理者通常想要的是努力,而要获得努力,有比"把同事变成对手"好得多的方法。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCPointing it inward, between people who need to cooperate every day, is nearly always a mistake.This sentence opens with a gerund phrase ('Pointing it inward') functioning as the subject, a more advanced and compact construction than a plain declarative sentence. A 6.5 answer would state this idea as 'making colleagues compete with each other... is usually a bad idea', using a less formal gerund structure with 'making' instead.这句话以一个作主语的动名词短语("Pointing it inward")开篇,比平实的陈述句更进阶、更紧凑。6.5分的回答会用"making colleagues compete with each other... is usually a bad idea"来陈述这个想法,使用不太正式的、以"making"构成的动名词结构。
    • LRmaking colleagues into opponentsThis is a moderately vivid metaphorical phrase, more distinctive than the plain 'making colleagues compete with each other' used at 6.5.这是一个相当生动的隐喻性短语,比6.5分平实的"making colleagues compete with each other"要独特。
    • GRAwithin a month people had stopped giving each other honest feedback, because helping a colleague meant helping a rivalThis sentence uses the past perfect 'had stopped' to clearly mark the sequence relative to the bonus scheme's introduction, a more precise tense choice than the simple past 'stopped' used at 6.5.这句话用过去完成时"had stopped"清楚地标记了相对于奖金机制推出的时间顺序,比6.5分用的简单过去时"stopped"更精准。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the vivid metaphor 'arming a rival' replacing the literal 'helping a rival' and the opening image 'I watched it backfire firsthand', more evocative than the plainer openers at lower bands.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是用生动的隐喻"arming a rival"取代了字面的"helping a rival",以及开篇意象"I watched it backfire firsthand",比低分段版本更平实的开篇更具感染力。

    No, and I watched it backfire firsthand. A previous agency I worked at rolled out a bonus for whoever's designs racked up the most client approvals, and within a month people had quietly stopped giving each other honest feedback, since helping a colleague now meant arming a rival. The work actually got worse, despite everyone putting in longer hours. Competition works fine when aimed outward, at rival companies, or kept playful and low-stakes. Turning it inward, among people who need to cooperate daily, is nearly always a misstep. What managers actually want is effort, and there are considerably better ways to extract that than turning colleagues into opponents.

    查看中文翻译

    不,而且我亲眼目睹了这种做法反噬自身。我之前工作过的一家代理公司推出了一个奖金机制,谁的设计拿到最多客户批准就有奖,不到一个月,大家就悄悄不再给彼此诚实的反馈了,因为帮同事,现在就等于给对手递武器。工作质量其实变差了,尽管每个人都在加班加点。竞争在朝外的时候是好的,比如针对竞争对手公司,或者保持在好玩、赌注很低的范围内。但把它转向内部,在每天都需要合作的人之间,几乎总是一步走错。管理者真正想要的是努力,而要提取出这份努力,有比"把同事变成对手"好得多的办法。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCNo, and I watched it backfire firsthand.This opening uses the vivid verb 'backfire' plus the intensifying adverb 'firsthand', a more image-based and confident opener than the plainer 'No, and I've seen it go wrong' used at 7.0.这个开篇用了生动的动词"backfire",加上强调性副词"firsthand",比7.0分更平实的"No, and I've seen it go wrong"更具画面感、更自信。
    • LRarming a rivalThis is a vivid, metaphorical verb choice replacing the literal 'helping a rival' used at both 6.5 and 7.0, giving the sentence a sharper, more dramatic edge.这是一个生动的、隐喻性的动词选择,替代了6.5分和7.0分都使用的字面动词"helping a rival",让句子带上了更犀利、更戏剧化的锋芒。
    • GRAsince helping a colleague now meant arming a rivalThis clause uses the causal connector 'since' instead of 'because', combined with the vivid metaphor 'arming a rival', a slightly more formal and literary register than the plainer causal clause used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would use the most basic causal connector 'because' with the literal verb 'helping'.这个从句用了因果连接词"since"而不是"because",搭配生动的隐喻"arming a rival",语域比7.0分更平实的因果从句略微更正式、更具文学性。6.5分的回答会用最基本的因果连接词"because"搭配字面动词"helping"。
  9. 9. Why are competitions on television, such as singing or cooking competitions, becoming popular?

    2026年5–8月
    查看这道题的6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5三档对比
    6.5 分

    This is a 6.5 answer because of its plain listed reasons joined loosely by 'also' and 'But', and the simple closing observation about feeling moved, stated directly.这是一篇6.5分的回答,因为它用"also"和"But"松散地连接了平实罗列的理由,并以直接陈述的、关于"感动"的简单结尾观察收尾。

    I think one reason is that these shows always keep you watching, because someone is always about to be eliminated. But I think the bigger reason is that they let normal viewers feel like experts. When I watch a cooking show with my parents, all three of us argue with the judges, and that is actually the fun part for us. These shows are also cheaper to make than dramas, and the contestants provide a lot of real emotion for free. Also, when people watch someone like themselves get a chance to change their life, it feels moving, even if we know the show is made to feel that way.

    查看中文翻译

    我觉得一个原因是这些节目总能让你一直看下去,因为总有人快要被淘汰了。但我觉得更重要的原因是,它们能让普通观众觉得自己像专家一样。当我跟父母一起看烹饪节目的时候,我们三个人都会跟评委争论,而这其实才是我们觉得好玩的地方。这些节目制作起来也比电视剧便宜,而且参赛者免费提供了大量真实的情感。而且,当人们看到一个像自己一样的人得到改变人生的机会时,会觉得很感动,即便我们知道节目就是被设计成这样让人感动的。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCBut I think the bigger reason is that they let normal viewers feel like experts.This sentence states the main claim plainly using the basic connector 'But', without any more elegant framing device. A 7.0 answer would restate this using the intensifier 'ordinary', and a 7.5 answer would add the precise closing phrase 'for an hour' for extra vividness.这句话用基本连接词"But"平实地陈述了主要论点,没有更精巧的构建手法。7.0分的回答会用强调词"ordinary"来改述,而7.5分的回答则会加上精准的结尾短语"for an hour"来增加生动感。
    • LRargue with the judgesThis is a plain, literal verb phrase describing family behaviour while watching. A 7.0 answer would use the identical phrase within a more reflective sentence, and a 7.5 answer would use the stronger verb 'squabble with', a more vivid and precise alternative.这是一个描述家庭观看行为的平实、字面化动词短语。7.0分的回答会在一个更具反思性的句子中使用几乎相同的短语,而7.5分的回答则会用更有力的动词"squabble with",这是一个更生动、更精准的替代表达。
    • GRAsomeone is always about to be eliminatedThis is a short, simple passive sentence. A 7.0 answer would restate this using the more idiomatic 'there's always someone about to be eliminated' introduced by 'Partly because', and a 7.5 answer would use the more vivid phrase 'teetering on elimination'.这是一个简短的简单被动句。7.0分的回答会用更地道的"there's always someone about to be eliminated"来改述,并以"Partly because"引出,而7.5分的回答则会用更生动的短语"teetering on elimination"。
    7.0 分

    This is a 7.0 answer because of the fronted subordinate clause 'in a society where most people feel their lives aren't dramatic' and the reflective closing phrase 'even when you know the format is engineered to produce exactly that feeling'.这是一篇7.0分的回答,因为它用了前置的从句"in a society where most people feel their lives aren't dramatic",并以反思性的结尾短语"even when you know the format is engineered to produce exactly that feeling"收尾。

    Partly because they give you a reason to keep watching, there's always someone about to be eliminated, I'd say. But I think the bigger reason is that they let ordinary viewers feel like experts. When I watch a cooking show with my parents, the three of us argue with the judges constantly, and that participation is really the product. They're also cheap to make compared with drama, and the contestants supply free emotion. There's a cultural angle too, in a society where most people feel their lives aren't dramatic, watching someone like them get a shot at transformation is genuinely moving, even when you know the format is engineered to produce exactly that feeling.

    查看中文翻译

    我得说,一部分原因是它们给了你一个继续看下去的理由——总有人快要被淘汰了。但我觉得更重要的原因是,它们能让普通观众觉得自己像专家一样。当我跟父母一起看烹饪节目时,我们三个人会不停地跟评委争论,而这种参与感其实才是真正的"产品"。相比电视剧,这些节目制作起来也更便宜,参赛者提供了免费的情感素材。还有一个文化层面的原因:在一个大多数人都觉得自己的人生缺乏戏剧性的社会里,看到一个像自己一样的人获得"改变命运"的机会,会让人真心感动,即便你知道这种形式就是被设计出来专门制造这种感觉的。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCThere's a cultural angle tooThis short transitional sentence signals a shift to a new, more reflective layer of the argument, a more fluent move than simply adding another item to a list with 'Also'. A 6.5 answer introduces its final point with the plainer 'Also, when people watch someone like themselves...', without this kind of organising transition.这个简短的过渡句标志着论证转向了一个新的、更具反思性的层面,比单纯用"Also"添加列表中的另一项更流畅。6.5分的回答会用更平实的"Also, when people watch someone like themselves..."来引出最后一点,没有这种组织性的过渡。
    • LRsupply free emotionThis phrase uses the more precise, slightly abstract verb 'supply' rather than the plainer 'provide... for free' used at 6.5.这个短语用了更精准、略带抽象色彩的动词"supply",而不是6.5分更平实的"provide... for free"。
    • GRAin a society where most people feel their lives aren't dramatic, watching someone like them get a shot at transformation is genuinely movingThis sentence opens with a fronted subordinate clause before the main clause, a more advanced structural choice than starting directly with the main subject as the 6.5 answer does. A 6.5 answer would state this idea starting with 'when people watch someone like themselves get a chance to change their life'.这句话以一个前置从句开头,后接主句,比6.5分直接以主语开头的做法更进阶。6.5分的回答会以"when people watch someone like themselves get a chance to change their life"开头来陈述这个想法。
    7.5 分

    This reaches 7.5 through the vivid verb 'teetering on elimination' and the closing image 'squeeze exactly that feeling out of you', which is more visceral than the plainer 'produce exactly that feeling' used at 7.0.这篇达到7.5分,靠的是生动的动词"teetering on elimination",以及结尾意象"squeeze exactly that feeling out of you",比7.0分更平实的"produce exactly that feeling"更具切身感。

    Partly because they hand you a built-in reason to keep watching, there's always someone teetering on elimination. But the bigger draw, I'd argue, is that they let ordinary viewers feel like experts for an hour. Watching a cooking show with my parents, the three of us squabble with the judges relentlessly, and that participation is really the product being sold. They're also considerably cheaper to produce than scripted drama, with contestants supplying the emotional content for free. There's a cultural dimension too, in a society where most people feel their own lives lack drama, watching someone ordinary get a shot at transformation is genuinely moving, even while you know the format is engineered to squeeze exactly that feeling out of you.

    查看中文翻译

    一部分原因是它们递给了你一个内置的、继续看下去的理由——总有人在"淘汰边缘"摇摇欲坠。但我认为更大的吸引力在于,它们能让普通观众有那么一个小时觉得自己像专家一样。跟父母一起看烹饪节目时,我们三个人会毫不留情地跟评委争吵不休,而这种参与感,才是真正被"贩卖"的产品。相比有剧本的电视剧,这些节目的制作成本也便宜得多,参赛者免费提供了情感素材。还有一个文化层面的原因:在一个大多数人都觉得自己的人生缺乏戏剧性的社会里,看到一个普普通通的人获得"蜕变"的机会,会让人真心感动,即便你知道这种形式就是被设计出来专门从你身上"榨取"这种感觉的。

    为什么是这个分数

    • FCthere's always someone teetering on eliminationThis phrase uses the vivid, precise verb 'teetering' to describe the precariousness of a contestant's position, considerably more distinctive than the plain passive 'is always about to be eliminated' used at 6.5.这个短语用了生动、精准的动词"teetering",来描述参赛者岌岌可危的处境,比6.5分平实的被动式"is always about to be eliminated"要独特得多。
    • LRsquabble with the judges relentlesslyThis is a more vivid, precise verb choice ('squabble') combined with the intensifying adverb 'relentlessly', more distinctive than the plainer 'argue with the judges constantly' used at 7.0.这是一个更生动、更精准的动词选择("squabble"),搭配强调性副词"relentlessly",比7.0分更平实的"argue with the judges constantly"要独特。
    • GRAeven while you know the format is engineered to squeeze exactly that feeling out of youThis sentence uses the vivid, almost physical verb phrase 'squeeze... out of you', a more visceral and idiomatic construction than the plainer 'produce exactly that feeling' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer states this idea with the simplest possible wording, 'even if we know the show is made to feel that way'.这句话用了生动、近乎具有physical感的动词短语"squeeze... out of you",比7.0分更平实的"produce exactly that feeling"更具切身感、更地道。6.5分的回答会用最简单的措辞来陈述这个想法,"even if we know the show is made to feel that way"。

常见问题

这道 Part 2 题应该讲多长?
讲 1 到 2 分钟。考官会在 2 分钟时打断你,因此目标约 220-300 词,覆盖题卡上的每一点,并以你的感受收尾。
这张题卡之后会问哪些 Part 3 问题?
在"A Competition You Would Like to Take Part In"之后,考官提出过 9 个讨论题,见上方列表。问题会从你的个人经历转向同一主题的普遍观点。
这张题卡还在使用吗?
考生最近一次报告它出现在 2026年5–8月。题卡每四个月轮换一次,许多话题会在之后的季度以略有不同的措辞回归。