9月3日的GRE考试一结束，便收到考生的电话。

　　“李老师，砸了，考砸了……”电话那头略带沙哑的声音万般沮丧地说。

　　这个结果让我很意外，因为给我打电话的男生算是位老练的“G考份子”。他虽说并非新航道学校的学员，但是经朋友介绍，我之前给他批改过多篇GRE作文，知道他的英文实力当在中上。而且，两年前他原本考过一次旧版GRE，只是后来自我感觉成绩不够理想，才决定重考。

　　我安慰他慢慢说。他稍稍平静后，道出了原委。他这次考试本来总体感觉相当不错，问题就出在他挑中了一道特别没想到、也特别不希望遇到的作文题。

　　凭记忆，他确信他抽中的两道作文题是这样的：

　　Issue题目：

　　“In order for any work of art—for example, a film, a novel, a poem, or a song—to have merit, it must be understandable to most people.

　　Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position. ”

　　Argument题目：

　　The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a scientific journal.

　　"A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring."

　　Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.

　　一听到是这两道题目，我马上明白，肯定是那道Argument(也就是传说中的“恒河猴命题”)让他遇到了麻烦。