独立口语作为口语部分的第一题，很大程度上影响了考生整个口语考试的发挥。如果独立题能够流畅作答，就能帮助考生建立自信，对后面三道题的稳定发挥意义重大。因此，在备考过程中，考生应当掌握一些独立话题的答题技巧，在练习中强化运用，以做到在考场上高效利用15秒的准备时间，迅速构思并给出一个结构清晰、语言流畅、细节充分的答案。

在独立话题中，会要求考生就两个观点、选项或情况作出自己的选择，并用理由和细节加以解释。常见的题目问法有两种：

无论是哪一种题目问法，考生都应始终遵循清晰的总分逻辑来编排自己的答案。

1 答题结构

所谓的总分结构，即在第一句话中明确地陈述自己的选择/观点。之后给出一至两个理由支撑自己的选择，并给这一至两个理由提供恰当的细节。

以TPO 48 Task 2为例： Some people like to shop in large grocery stores and department stores. Other people prefer to shop in small specialty stores or shops. Which do you prefer? Explain why.

答案范例1 >>

在上述范例中，该考生选择在大超市购物，给出了方便和经济实惠这两个理由来论证自己选择超市购物的原因，并分别给两个理由提供了恰当的细节。

答案范例2 >>

在答案范例2中，考生只陈述了一个理由，即在大超市购物比较方便，随后给了较多的细节来论证这个理由。考生先简单地解释说大超市物品较全，可以一站买齐。其次又举了自己上周在家里举办烧烤派对的例子，进一步支持在大超市购物方便，并且帮自己节省了时间这一观点。

以上两种答题结构都是考生们可以采纳的。首先需要注意的是，独立题目非常看重考生展开细节的能力，所以在答题时应当避免观点的罗列，如I prefer to shop in big supermarkets because it is much more convenient and also you can save a lot of money，而是应当详细地展开并解释理由。

其次，选择题目中的哪一个观点、选项或情况并不会对分数产生影响，题目中的观点、选项或情况没有是非对错之分，只要能够详细论证自己的选择即可。

最后，回答时持中立态度，如I think large grocery stores and small specialty stores are equally good或Sometimes I like to shop in large grocery stores while other times I prefer to shop in small specialty stores or shops是被允许的。但是45秒的答题时间可能无法详细探讨两个选项的优缺点，从而导致细节不够充分，所以一般情况下不建议考生采取这种答题结构。

2 衔接

在组织答案时，除了给出明确的观点以及细节理由外，考生还应当使用恰当的衔接词。衔接词在答案中起到“路标”的作用，可以引导考官清晰地把握答案的架构，从而提升自己的分数。

以TPO 48 Task 2的答案范例1为例：

For me , I normally shop in large grocery stores.

答题的第一句话一般需要给出表达自己观点的信号词。除了For me，还可以使用In my opinion... I think/ believe...等。

This is because , firstly, it is much more convenient.

This is because, firstly表明接下来要说的是第一个理由。

In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. So I can get everything I need all in one place.

So引导结果。

you know, from vegetables, fruits, snacks to even electronics and clothes and stuff.

you know 作为口语当中常用的表达，经常用来填补对话或讨论中的空白。“You know”的间隙可以让发言者有时间思考下一步该说些什么。常用的替换表达还有I mean... Like...。

Plus , it is more economical to shop in supermarkets.

Plus表并列，明确提示考官接下来要开始说第二个理由了。常用的并列连词还包括：Second(ly)，What's more，Additionally等。

For example , I usually go to a supermarket in my neighborhood, and I signed up for a membership card and collect points every time I shop there, and I can use those points as money the next time I go shopping there.

for example为举例子的信号词，常用的还有For instance, such as等。

关于口语表达的衔接在本书附录中的“托福口语高分表达”有更为详尽全面的讲解，此处不再赘述。

3 展开方法

在独立口语考试中，大部分中国考生的痛点集中在如何展开细节。在15秒有限的准备时间内，大部分考生能够想到1~2个理由，但是如何把想到的理由进行细节论述，困扰着很多考生。以下的方法供大家参考，建议在平时练习中多加运用。

（1）因果论证

因果论证，即围绕给出的理由陈述前因后果。如在前面的答案范例1中，为了论证在大超市购物更加方便，可以先陈述前因：In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. 之后得出后果：So I can get everything I need all in one place.

（2）举例论证

可以尝试针对大的、较为宽泛的概念进行列举。如在“In the supermarket, there is a variety of products to choose from. So I can get everything I need all in one place.”这个细节论述中，everything是一个较为宽泛的概念，可以尝试列举在超市可以买到的东西：you know, from vegetables, fruits, snacks to even electronics and clothes and stuff来细化everything这个概念。

当然，也可以用个人经历进行举例论证。如在答案范例2中使用的烧烤派对的例子：For example, I held a barbecue party at my house last week with some of my friends, and I had a very long shopping list. So, I just went to the supermarket in my neighborhood and did my shopping there, and I got everything I need, from vegetables, fruits, meat, drinks and snacks and even some coals for the barbecue. It really helped save a lot time compared with running from different stores.

但是在举例时，一定要有足够的细节。可以在平时练习举例时尝试使用5W1H的方法，即：What, Where, When, Who, Why以及How来丰富细节。

What was the occasion? —A barbecue party.

Where was it ?—At my house.

When was it? —Last Week.

Who was there? —Some of my friends.

Why did you go shopping in a big supermarket? —Because I had a very long shopping list.

How was it convenient? —I got everything I need, from vegetables, fruits, meat, drinks and snacks and even some coals for the barbecue. It really helped save a lot time compared with running from different stores.

（3）对比论证

使用对比论证时，考生可以尝试针对理由先说自己选择的一方的好处，再反之陈述另外一方的缺点，这样也可以让我们的论证更加具体。如在支持shopping in a big supermarket is more convenient这个理由时，也可以采取对比论证，先说在大超市购物如何方便：When you go to a big supermarket, you can get all the things you need in one trip as you can find literally everything in there，再解释在小型专门店购物如何不方便：Whereas if you shop in small specialty stores, you need to make multiple trips. Maybe to the butcher's for some meat, and the coffeeshop for some coffee, then to the baker's to get some bread, which can be quite troublesome, especially if these places are far away from each other.

以上三种论证都是在独立口语答题时非常好用的展开细节的方法，考生们可以在自己平时的练习过程中尝试运用，同时训练自己描述细节的能力，争取在考场上能够在有限的时间内，给出详尽的细节支撑。

总体来讲，独立口语就是考查考生在日常生活场景下的口语沟通和表达能力。大家在备考过程中，可以结合本书中提到的技巧，多尝试练习针对一个话题，给出自己的看法。接下来“范文篇”中提供了按话题划分的口语高频考题及高分答案，是不可多得的备考资料。