要准确回应反方观点，就是先根据材料说出对方真正的主张，再用证据和推理回应。当材料中含有与你立场相反的看法时，directed writing 就会用到这项技能。
你需要先有清晰的立场，因为对反方观点的回应是由你所站的位置决定的。
怎样公平地回应反方观点？
把它看作三个动作：点名、承认属实的部分、回应。每个动作都必须忠于材料。
检验方法很简单：如果提出这个观点的人读到你的版本，会不会说“对，我就是这个意思”？如果不会，说明你已经改动了它。
步骤
- 在材料中找到反方主张，读它的原话。
- 简短而准确地重述，并注明出处（“the council argues that…”）。
- 承认属实的部分，如果有的话。这能建立信任。
- 用证据回应，来自材料或合理的推论。
- 在最后一个分句回到你的立场。
例题
再看一次图书馆材料：
Library visits have fallen by 18% over three years, although Saturday is still the busiest day. […] The council says the reading rooms will stay open from Tuesday to Friday and a mobile library will visit two schools each week.
题目： 你是一名学生。写信给 Councillor Tan，请她保留星期日开放。
反方观点： 到访人数下降了 18%，所以需要图书馆的人变少了。
点名并承认： “I accept that visits have fallen by 18% over three years.”
回应： “But the same report says Saturday is still the busiest day. A fall in total visits does not mean the library has lost its purpose. It suggests the library is used most when people are free, and Sunday is one of those days.”
回到立场： “That is why closing Sundays would hurt the people who do use it.”
完整段落：
“I accept that visits have fallen by 18% over three years. However, the same report says Saturday is still the busiest day, which suggests that people use the library most when they are free. Closing on Sundays would remove another of those days, and it would hurt the very students who depend on it.”
关于议会的每一项说法都准确：18% 和星期六的细节都来自材料。“Suggests” 一词标明这一步是推论，不是事实。
要避开的错误
常见的失误是稻草人：用更容易对付的观点取代对方真正的观点。
错误版本： “The council thinks students do not matter and that nobody uses the library.”
材料里没有这样的话。议会说的是到访人数下降，这项改变是 “reluctant but necessary”。它并没有说没有人使用图书馆。
熟悉这篇文章的读者会看出扭曲，从而减少对你的信任。
改正： “The council argues that falling visits and a need to save RM90,000 make the change necessary.” 这样观点准确了，你的回应也有了真正的目标。
自我检测
1. 材料说流动图书馆每周会到访两所学校。写一句公平的话，把它作为议会的观点放进你的信里。
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“The council has said that a mobile library will visit two schools each week.” 它点明了说话者，使用材料的说法，没有添加任何东西。如果以 “so students are covered” 结尾，就加入了材料没有做出的论断。
2. 以反对星期日关闭的学生口吻，用一两句话回应第 1 题的观点。
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例如：“A visit to two schools each week is welcome, but it cannot replace a quiet room with free internet that students can use at the weekend. The Youth Forum says this is the only such place in the district.” 这个回应先承认价值，再用材料中的证据。其他措辞也可以。
3. 一位学生写道：“The council claims the library is useless.” 哪里出了问题？
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这是稻草人。议会没有说图书馆没用，它指出的是到访人数下降和节省开支。作者应先重述真正的观点，再回应它。
接下来
对反方保持准确，会引出一个更大的问题：你自己这一方可以声称什么？见区分编造的支持与允许的推论。写作修订对比视图可以帮你比较反驳段落在修改前后的差别。
公平地转述自己不同意的观点，需要有人对照材料检查。在一对一线上 English First Language 补习中，老师可以帮你逐句核对。