This winter, we are studying the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) task of the GMAT. Questions used are all from the Pool of Sample Topics available in the Official Guide. Be prepared for that some of the questions will look familiar when you actually take the test.

　　Now, we will be reading the question:

　　「Question No. 88」

　　The following appeared in an ad for a book titled How to Write a Screenplay for a Movie:

　　“Writers who want to succeed should try to write film screenplays rather than books, since the average film tends to make greater profits than does even a best-selling book. It is true that some books are also made into films. However, our nation’s film producers are more likely to produce movies based on original screenplays than to produce films based on books, because in recent years the films that have sold the most tickets have usually been based on original screenplays.”

　　Introduction

　　略

　　Body

　　First, 【Point of doubt 1: 常见逻辑疑点：范畴问题】 being a successful writer is not limited to being able to write works sell; success, in fact, also includes being well-recognized or renowned, or winning awards. Second, 【Point of doubt 2: 常见逻辑疑点：地点范围问题】 the situation that the market responds favorably to movies based on original screenplays may happen only in the author’s nation, and, in other countries, film producers may prefer to make movies adapted from books. Third, 【Point of doubt 3: 常见逻辑疑点：时间范围问题】 the good sales of tickets may be a temporary situation that is happening only during recent years, and the sales may drop in the future. The author’s suggestion based on the pessimistic prediction, which cannot be so sure, is therefore dubious. 【Point of doubt 4: 常见逻辑疑点：cost, sales, and profits之间关系】 In addition, the author cannot safely assume that having sold the most tickets guarantees tremendous profitability. Since both the prices and the costs are unknown, the author cannot be certain about the profits. 【Point of doubt 5: 常见逻辑疑点：“比较”关系】 Plus, although those films have sold the largest number of tickets, the number is not necessarily a large number; instead, it may be a moderate or even small number that is just larger than other numbers. 【Point of doubt 7:】 Another point of doubt of the argument is that the greater profits may not be solely attributed to the screenplays on which the films are based although the average film tends to make greater profits than does even a best-selling book. There may be other contributing factors. For example, a good cast could also make a film financially successful. 【Point of doubt 8:】 If writers write screenplays with the intent that the production will make money, the screenplays may be abandoned by the producers, because the producers’ selection of screenplays may be based on the quality rather than the financial potential of the stories.

　　(The body of this essay is 273 words in length.)