Writing (30 minutes)
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay that begins with the sentence “Nowadays,cultivating independent learning ability is becoming increasingly crucial for personal development.” You can makecomments, cite examples or use your personal experiences to develop your essay. You should write at least I50 wordsbut no more than 200 words. (You should copy the sentence given in quotes at the beginning of your essay.
围绕自主学习能力展开，讨论它对个人发展的重要性。
【范文1】
以题目给定句子开篇，先结合信息爆炸与就业市场多变的时代背景，点明自主学习能力的必要性，强调大学生不能只靠死记硬背，要注重独立思考；再以线上学习资源为例，对比论证主动规划学习的优势，同时指出自主学习还能锤炼抗压能力与解决问题的本领；最后辩证说明培养这项能力并非易事，需要自律与突破舒适区，并总结其长远价值，凸显自主学习是当代大学生立足成长与未来发展的关键。
Nowadays, cultivating independent learning ability is becoming increasingly crucial for personal development. In an age awash with information and defined by volatile job markets, the ability to steer one’s own learning is no longer a bonus, but a bare necessity. For university students, rote memorisation simply won’t cut it; what counts is the capacity to think critically and learn on one’s own terms.
Consider the explosion of online courses and open-access resources. Students who take the initiative—mapping out their own learning rather than coasting through lectures—tend to pull ahead. More importantly, independent learning builds grit. When guidance is scarce, students are forced to figure things out the hard way, sharpening both problem-solving skills and self-belief in the process.
Admittedly, this is easier said than done. It calls for discipline, curiosity, and the nerve to step beyond one’s comfort zone—a tall order for many. Even so, the dividends are clear: those who master self-directed learning are better equipped to adapt, pivot, and stay ahead of the curve. In a world that refuses to stand still, learning independently is not merely advantageous; it is, quite simply, a survival skill.
【范文2】
以题目给定句子开篇，先结合高校学习特点，对比高中填鸭式教育，指出大学不再适用被动听课模式，阐释自主学习的核心内涵与日常体现；再延伸到长远发展，说明课本知识有限，职场与深造所需的核心能力都依靠自主学习，并通过正反对比，凸显过度依赖他人的弊端与独立学习的优势；最后总结全文，强调自主学习是大学生的必备素养，点明锤炼该能力对保持竞争力、适应社会变化的重要意义。
Nowadays, cultivating independent learning ability is becoming increasingly crucial for personal development. In the fast-paced landscape of higher education, passive learning simply will not suffice. Gone are the days of spoon-fed instruction; university demands intellectual autonomy, where critical thinking and self-driven inquiry take centre stage. Rather than waiting for professors to spell everything out, capable students take matters into their own hands—seeking out resources, untangling complexities, and plugging gaps in their understanding.
More importantly, this competence pays dividends far beyond campus. Textbook knowledge is merely the tip of the iceberg, while the skills demanded by postgraduate study and the workplace hinge on sustained self-education. Those overly reliant on external guidance are likely to falter when left to their own devices, whereas independent learners adapt, recalibrate, and press ahead in the face of uncertainty.
In sum, independent learning is not a matter of choice but of necessity for undergraduates. Only by honing this capacity can students remain competitive and carve out their own path in an ever-evolving world.
