It Pays to be Honest

Dishonesty and fraud have been frequently covered by the mass media in recent years. For example, there are false diploma and certificate that can be easily purchased at low prices, the shoddy goods that sneak onto the shelves of department stores and supermarkets in cities, the often argued topic of students’ cheating in exams, and plagiarism in paper writing. In other words, dishonesty has been undermining the moral standards of our society and doing harm to both the cheaters and the cheated.

However, being honest has always been the theme of moral education and observed by most members of our society. When an employee practices the policy of honesty in his life, he often wins himself the respect of the people around him; when a student practices the policy of honesty in his school life, he often wins himself the trust of the teacher and classmates alike; when a business practices the policy of honesty, it often wins itself credibility and profit in the long run.

Having considered both the demerits of dishonesty and the merits of honesty, I am further convinced that being honest is no small matter and it certainly pays to be honest.

谋篇布局：
本文属于议论文范畴，主题涉及诚信问题，是目前社会讨论的热点话题，学生应该有话可说。大家一定要根据提纲要求，选好切入点，比如说从大学生考试中存在的作弊、替考等现象入手，可能讨论起来更容易直击主题。第一段举例说明社会上普遍存在的不诚实现象，比如假文凭、假冒商品、考试作弊等丑恶现象。第二段阐述观点，诚实利人利己，学生可以结合第一段的描述，分门别类的阐述诚实对不同的好处。最后，闫老师提醒大家英语写作，尤其是议论文写作，一定要在结束前，以更强的语气重申自己的观点。

重点词汇：
dishonesty（不诚实）fraud（欺诈）mass media（大众传媒）false diploma（假文凭）certificate（证书）purchased at low prices（廉价购进）shoddy goods（假冒伪劣商品）sneak onto（偷偷进入）shelves（货架）单数是shelf ，plagiarism（剽窃）动词是plagiarize, undermining（破坏，损害）the cheaters and the cheated（行骗者和被骗者）theme（主题）practices the policy（奉行…的政策、持…的态度）credibility（信誉）in the long run（长期以来）与in the short term （短期内）意思相反。demerits（缺点，弱点）是merits 的反义词。

固定套语：
for example（比如）英语写作中用来拓展主题句的一种常用手段，举例时的提示词。in other words（换句话）英语中进行观点转述或者重申的提示词。However（然而）段落衔接转折连词。 Having considered both the demerits of dishonesty and the merits of honesty　（已经考虑了诚实的优点和不诚实的缺点，）讨论型议论文在收关时常用的衔接词，对前面的讨论进行小结，为作者表达自己的观点进行铺垫。

精彩句子：
（１） In other words, dishonesty has been undermining the moral standards of our society and doing harm to both the cheaters and the cheated.（换句话说，不诚实一直在动摇我们的道德准则，而且对行骗和受骗双方都没有什么好处。）
（２）Having considered both the demerits of dishonesty and the merits of honesty, I am further convinced that being honest is no small matter and it certainly pays to be honest.（既然已经讨论了诚实的好处和不诚实的弊端，我进一步坚信诚信不再是一个小问题，而且诚实一定有好报。）本句中间的be further convinced 是学生在表态时可以模仿的一个漂亮句型，它让我们自己的观点听起来更有说服力。

优秀段落：　
However, being honest has always been the theme of moral education and observed by most members of our society. When an employee practices the policy of honesty in his life, he often wins himself the respect of the people around him; when a student practices the policy of honesty in his school life, he often wins himself the trust of the teacher and classmates alike; when a business practices the policy of honesty, it often wins itself credibility and profit in the long run.

本段作为说理文字，作者一口气使用了三个假设句，完成了自己对诚实有好报的理解，是学生习作中值得模仿的典范作文。理由有二：

从说理角度上看，比较独特新颖，因为作者没有限定在一个人诚实会得到什么样的汇报，而是说不同行业的人诚实会有什么回报。这样说理的视角就比较开阔。

从语汇表达方面，作者用动名词做主语，用三个假设构成排比效果，取词范围也比较宽广，如theme of moral education（德育教育主题）, observe（遵守） practice the policy（奉行诚实政策） win oneself the respect（为自己赢得尊重） win oneself the trust（为自己赢得信任） win oneself credibility and profit（为自己赢得信誉和效益）。

从上面的讲解和范文的欣赏，读者不难发现作文的实际写作过程在很大程度上依赖于提纲的指引和规范。如果提纲思路清晰，逻辑严谨，则写作过程中就比较轻松--充实观点，发展段落，提炼总结，全文收尾。相信大家经过阅读讲解和范文赏析，对作文的写作痛苦有所体会，但是这种痛苦得经历带来的收获却是相当惊人的。下一讲，我们一起体验英语作文的修改过程。