CET-4段首句作文：Mankind and Machines

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition in three paragraphs. You are given the first sentence of each paragraph. Your part of the composition should be no less than 120 words, not including the words given. Remember to write clearly.

Mankind and Machines

Mankind, the most intelligent creatures on earth, have invented various kinds of machins.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Machines play an important role in our daily life.---------------------------------------------------

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Some people think that machines can replace mankind.-----------------------------------------

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【范文】

Mankind and Machines

Mankind, the most intelligent creatures on earth, have invented various kinds of machines. They not only produced vehicles① so that they could use them to travel freely instead of walking, but also invented computers to solve many complex problems which people themselves will be able to solve after a hundred year’s hard work.

Machines play an important role in② our daily life. Farmers use machines in farming or managing. Factories and shops need machines to improve efficiency③. Even when you want to go to office on the 11th floor, you have to use the machine — lift.

Some people think that machines can replace④ mankind. It is a silly idea. We must remember that machines are not only invented by human beings, but also operated by man. Maybe machines do some work that we can’t do now, but they are created by human beings and can’t replace us.

【注释】

①vehicle：汽车

②play an important role in：在…中起主要浸染

③efficiency：效率

④replace：代替

【点评】

本文是一篇根据段首句展开的议论文。
文章的标题就见告了我们作文的主题实际是论述“人类和机器”二者之间的关系：人类发明机器，机器在人类生活中起着重要浸染。
通过在对二者关系做出辩证剖析的根本上，我们可以得出结论：机器不能取代人类。
全文结合段首句的提示，三个自然段分别从三个不同的方面环绕中央展开。
第一段先列举人们发明的许多机器，如：交通工具，打算机等。
第二段剖析工业、农业及人们的日常生活中机器的浸染。
第三段对段首句“Some people think that machines can replace mankind”进行否定。
末了用一句习语“they are created by human beings and can’t replace us”来结尾，给人觉得掷地有声，铿锵有力。

全文措辞非常大略，并没有利用生僻词语，但作者长于用大略的措辞把论点进行清楚阐述，每个段落的句子都能环绕段首句展开，说理透彻，论证有力。

参考文献：英语作文高分必背丛书：大学英语四级写作/李华田主编，武汉大学出版社，2005