2010年6月大学英语四级写作思路突破(4)
写作——出现亮点
四级作文在追求明白、通顺、完整的同时,还要力求语言的生动、形象、让开头结尾更新颖脱俗,为作文增色,取得高分。
(1)词汇选择标新立异
1)尽量使用同义词避免简单重复。在使用同义词的时候需要考生在选词时斟酌其含义的微妙差别,辨析同义词在具体语境中的不同用法。
如“认为”可用harbor the idea that, take the attitude that, hold the view that, it is widely shared that, it is universally acknowledged that等;“好的”可用conducive /beneficial/advantageous等。
但要注意词汇的准确性,即必须还要考虑适合的语境。比如形容眼睛“大”,很显然,great, large, huge, vast, titanic, enormous这些“大”都是不恰当的,而只能使用big。
2)尽量使用词性变化来丰富自己的表达手段。来源:http://www.hxen.net
如to voice some different opinions 替代to give/express some different opinions; to double/triple 替代twice or three times;
3)尽量使用派生形式来点缀文章亮点。
如be indicative of ,be suggestive of ,be fearful of替代indicate, suggest ,fear;it is of great importance/ help/ use/ significance 替代 it is very important/ significant/ helpful/ useful;not unnecessary/ not unimportant。
4)四级考试词汇不足采取措施:
在四级作文写作过程中,很多考生往往有很多话要说,但是词汇量不足无法完整表达自己的意思。为了应付这种情况,我们总结简便易行的应急措施:
①试用笼统词
英语中有些具体词音节较多,使用频率不高,容易遗忘,而英语中笼统词有have, take 等,它的意义广泛,搭配性强,构成词组后可以替代众多具体动词,大致表达意思。
例如:这个男孩跟他爸爸长得很像。
The boy resembles his father.
分析:这个句子中,如果考生想不起resemble这个单词时,用take after代替。如:The boy takes after his father.其效果及表达的意义决不亚于第一句。这样的例子还很多。如:
I experienced a terrible hard time.= I had a terrible hard time.
I will preside over the meeting.= I will take the meeting.
②联想有关词汇
当遗忘单词时,发挥想象力,想出一切与之有关的单词,多角度地运用语言。一般情况下,联想可按下列思路进行:1联想同义词;2联想反义词。
英语语言中众多的同义词在许多情况下是可以通用的。但也要注意英语同义词并不是完全对等,要根据具体语境选择同义词。
The driver stepped on the gas and accelerated the car.
分析:accelerate 使用频率不太高,很容易遗忘。而其同义词quicken;speed up却很容易记。以后者取代前者丝毫不影响原句的意义。再如:the prevailing economic conditions in Northern Ireland= the current economic conditions in Northern Ireland
同样,用其反义词来取代某一遗忘了的词也是可行的,例如:
He is stubborn.= He is not tame.
She is talkative.= She is never quiet.
③试用解释性语句
解释性语句能帮助我们巧妙地避开一些大词,难词,又能使意思表达流畅。英语当中多功能解释性语句,就可以起到这一作用。例如:
He is a dumb.= He is a person who can not speak.
I’ve never seen such a stubborn person.= I’ve never seen such a person who never listens to other’s advice.
四级作文的评分标准一般侧重于能清楚地表达意义,段落,层次有系统性,语法正确,而并不过分强调用词的精确度。当考生碰到难词或遗忘词时,不要钻牛角尖,应该采取灵活的思维方法,运用有限的词汇作出美妙的文章。
(2)恰当运用修辞
英语作文中常用的修辞方式是比喻。比喻包括明喻、暗喻和换喻三种。
明喻:一种修辞手法,把两种基本不相像的东西进行比较.用like, as, as…as, as if(though)或用其他词语指出两个不同事物的相似之处。例如:
The man can’t be trusted.He is as slippery as an eel.那个人不可信赖。他像鳗鱼一样狡猾。
Childhood is like a swiftly passing dream.童年就像一场即逝的梦。
暗喻:用一个词来指代与该词所指事物有相似特点的另外一个事物。例如:
The world is a stage.世界是一个大舞台。
a sea of troubles 忧愁之海
换喻:用某一事物的名称代替另外一个与它关系密切的事物的名称,只要一提到其中一种事物,就会使人联想到另一种。比如用the White House 代替美国政府或者总统, 用the bottle来代替wine 或者alcohol, 用the bar 来代替the legal profession,用 crown代替 king等。 例如:
The mother did her best to take care of the cradle.母亲尽最大努力照看孩子。
He succeeded to the crown in 1848.他在1848年继承了王位。
(3)开头结尾新颖脱俗
文章的开篇方法多种多样,大家必须根据文章的题材、体裁、读者等来加以选择。作文常见的开头形式大致有以下几种:
①开门见山,直入主题
开始段可用简洁的语言直陈主题思想,既可以吸引读者的注意力,又可以避免跑题。例如:主题:Euthanasia(安乐死)
It has been said that euthanasia is quietly being practiced in some urban areas of China, despite a lack of legal protection for the death option.In my opinion, it is right to exercise mercy killing.
该段第一句引入安乐死这一讨论的主题,第二句接着直接陈述作者对安乐死的看法。从这个开始段不难看出,全文将阐述“为什么实行安乐死是对的”。
②以问句形式开头,点明主题
文章的开头还可用设问的方式点明主题,提示全文内容,激发读者读下去,探个究竟。例如:主题:Water Shortage
China, a country blessed with a great number of rivers, has abundant water resources. However, China’s many cities are going thirsty. What has caused the shortage?
本段第一句说中国水资源丰富,第二句指出中国许多城市却缺水,第三句提出了读者心中的疑问:是什么原因导致缺水呢?从而激发读者的兴趣,吸引读者读下去,寻找问题的答案。
③引用名言、谚语,点明主题
开始段还可以巧妙引用与主题相关的名言、常用习语、谚语、格言等,既可增强文章的感染力,也可点题或表明作者的观点。例如:
A proverb says, “You are only young once.” (适用于已记住的名言)
It goes without saying that we cannot be young forever.(适用于自编名言)
引用名言,使文章很自然进入主题,同时也增强了文章的感染力。
④运用数字统计
原则上在议论文当中不应该出现虚假数字,可是在考试的时候可以编造数字。例如:
According to a recent survey, about 78.9% of the college students wanted to further their study after their graduation.
A recent statistics shows that tens of billions of pounds is spent on cigarettes every year in our country.
文章开头使用数字,这样吸引读者的注意,并且是描写显得生动有力。
⑤描写共有经历,引起共鸣
开始段还可通过描写与读者共有的经历,引起读者的共鸣,增强说服力。例如:主题:Daydreaming
“Daydreaming again, Barb? You’ll never amount to anything if you spend your time that way! Can’t you find something useful to do?” Many youngsters have heard words like those from their parents.And until recently this hostile attitude towards daydreaming….
本段通过许多年轻人常常从他们父母那听到的话开头,引出“白日做梦”这一主题,很容易引起读者的共鸣,激发他们的兴趣,同时又能增强了文章的说服力。
另外,结尾段(Concluding Paragraph)同开篇一样重要。结尾段对全文要点进行概括总结、表达作者的目的,以求留给读者一个深刻完整的印象,增强文章的效果。文章结尾的形式常见的有以下几种:
①总结全文,得出结论
结尾段可用总结全文的方式强调、概括全文的主要内容,加深读者对全文的深刻了解与认识。例如:
主题:Physical exercise
In a word, I benefit a lot from doing physical exercise.I seldom get sick but feel vigorous even after a whole day’s work.I shall keep up doing physical exercise so as to live happily and fruitfully.
本段总结了全文,加深读者对“体育锻炼有益于健康”这一主题的认识。
②提出建议,号召行动,表达决心或展望未来
结尾段还可以在总结全文要点的基础上,对文中所提的暂时无法解决或尚无定论的问题适当引申,或提出建议,号召别人采取行动,或展望未来。这种方法可以启发读者思考并予以鼓舞,有助于增强文章的感染力。例如:
主题:Generation gap
In order to reconcile the differences, some forms of organization should be established to help the young and the old to exchange their ideas and strengthen their mutual understanding so as to bridge the gap.
该段就怎样弥补代沟方面提出一些建议。
③建议与结论
文章的结尾常结合两种写法。有的先提出建议或解决办法,再做结论。有的则先做出结论,再提出建议,例如:
主题:Shortage of natural resources(自然资源短缺)
The prolonged development of human society proves that population and economic and social progress eventually cannot be achieved without natural resources.To save the limited resources, we must take some measures to handle appropriately the relationship between the population and resources.
该段首先进行总结:人类社会持续的发展证明,如果没有自然资源,人口的繁衍、经济和社会的发展最终都是不可能的。作者接着建议,为了节约有限的资源,我们必须采取一些措施,正确处理人口与资源的关系。
④提醒读者事物的两面性
文章的结尾还可以以转折的形式,提醒读者任何事物都有两面性,从而认识到其不足或负面的影响。例如:
主题:Solar Energy(太阳能)
However, solar energy has its disadvantages.One is that it is still very expensive for widespread practical use.Besides, solar systems would not work in cloudy or rainy days as well as at night.But in sunny areas, solar energy could help solve the energy crisis.
该段指出了太阳能的两个缺点:一、太贵;二、太阳能系统在阴雨天和晚上无法工作,从而让人们更全面地了解太阳能。值得注意的是,在指出某一事物的另一面时,不能用太多笔墨,否则会喧宾夺主,淡化主题思想。
(4)巧妙运用名言警句来源:http://www.hxen.net
名言警句的巧妙运用不仅会使文章有一定的文采,论证更加有说服力,更能显示考生的英语功底。另外能够适时引经据典,必定会让阅卷人眼前一亮。
1)开头段:名言警句或俗语谚语等作为文章的开头,既文采斐然,又能突出中心。例如:
Just as the saying goes, “ so many people, so many minds”, it is quite understandable that views on this issue vary from person to person.To this issue, different people come up with various attitudes.
2)中间段:中间段主题句之后引用名言警句,有力证明论点,起到锦上添花的效果。例如:
As a classic proverb goes that no garden has no weeds.Computers do play a positive role in the development of people’ lives, despite a slice of unfavorable impacts.We should ,therefore, take advantage of the fruits and avoid the opposite facet.
3)结尾段:用名言警句收尾,意在引申文章内涵,充分表明考生自己的观点,极具说服力,收到“言有尽而意无穷”的效果,起到了画龙点睛的作用。例如:
Therefore, we should never underestimate our own ability but should believe in the proverb: “Where there is a will, there is a way.” Confidence is a must for success.