怎樣寫(xiě)好英語(yǔ)段落(2)
2.4 寫(xiě)好推展句的方法
主題句及關(guān)鍵詞確定后,開(kāi)始選擇和主題有關(guān)的信息和素材。實(shí)質(zhì)上,針對(duì)關(guān)鍵詞測(cè)試每一個(gè)所選擇的素材就是一個(gè)分類(lèi)的過(guò)程。有一種常用的方法就是句子展開(kāi)前加以設(shè)問(wèn),然后解答,即設(shè)問(wèn)-解答(why-because)的方法。下面我們通過(guò)舉例來(lái)看一看這種分類(lèi)過(guò)程是如何完成的。例3:
假設(shè) (suppose) Topic sentence: English is an international language?
設(shè)問(wèn)(why) Why can we say English is an international language?
解答(because)
Because: English is spoken by pilots and airport control operators on all the airways of the world.
Because: Over 70 percent of the world's mail is written in English.
Because: More than 60 percent of the world's radio programs are in English.
Because: Pakistan was once one of the British colonies.
Because: Many members of the International Language Society are selected from English-spoken countries.
從上面可以看出,最初的三個(gè)推展句是和關(guān)鍵詞an international language一致的。第四句和主題句不統(tǒng)一,盡管第四句會(huì)成為另一主題句(Many Pakistanis speak English)很好的推展句。第五句說(shuō)服力不強(qiáng)。
當(dāng)然,在寫(xiě)成段落時(shí),沒(méi)有必要在每個(gè)句子開(kāi)頭寫(xiě)上 "because",但是,在動(dòng)筆展開(kāi)句子時(shí),頭腦里要想著這個(gè)詞,這種檢驗(yàn)方法能幫助你把注意力集中在某個(gè)重心,圍繞主題思想層層展開(kāi)。
上面我們討論了主要推展句的一種展開(kāi)方法。而展開(kāi)次要推展句的方法與主要推展句類(lèi)似,這里我們就不再?gòu)?fù)述了。
以上這段由三句話組成。第一句是主題句,直截了當(dāng)指出無(wú)人不受廣告影響這個(gè)主題,接著列舉兩個(gè)推展句對(duì)其補(bǔ)充和支持,指出我們已無(wú)法自由選擇所需的商品,理由是廣告商已仔細(xì)研究了我們的心理,并完全掌握了我們的弱點(diǎn)。句子銜接自然,步步緊扣主題。
1.2 如何寫(xiě)好主題句中的關(guān)鍵詞
段落的主題句對(duì)主題的限定主要是通過(guò)句中的關(guān)鍵詞來(lái)表現(xiàn)的。關(guān)鍵詞要盡量寫(xiě)得具體些。對(duì)“具體”的要求包括兩個(gè)方面:一是要具體到能控制和限制段落的發(fā)展;二是要具體到能說(shuō)明段落發(fā)展的方法。準(zhǔn)確地把握關(guān)鍵詞是清楚地表達(dá)段落主題、寫(xiě)好段落主題句的重要前提之一。在上面的例1,例2中,主題句的關(guān)鍵詞分別為:depends very much on energy; no one can avoid being influenced. 我們?cè)倏聪铝欣洌?/p>
原句1: He can fix a bicycle himself.
斜體部分應(yīng)為主題句中的關(guān)鍵詞。但它只是限制了段落發(fā)展的部分內(nèi)容,并沒(méi)有告訴讀者該用哪種方法展開(kāi),是用因果關(guān)系法還是用分類(lèi)法?
修正:He can fix a bicycle himself in several simple steps.
修正:There are several reasons why he can fix a bicycle himself.
原句2: She tries to improve her looks.
斜體部分應(yīng)為主題句中的關(guān)鍵詞。她試著改變她面容的理由是什么?或者她采取什么方法來(lái)改善呢?我們無(wú)法從關(guān)鍵詞中清楚得知。
修正:She tries many ways to improve her looks.
修正:There are some reasons why she tries to improve her looks。
1.3 如何寫(xiě)好主題句的中心思想
主題句由兩部分組成,即主題(topic)和中心思想(controlling idea)。中心思想的作用是導(dǎo)向(control)和制約(limit)。我們前面談到的關(guān)鍵詞就反映了中心思想。所謂導(dǎo)向就是規(guī)定段落的發(fā)展脈絡(luò),所謂制約就是限制主題的覆蓋范圍,兩者不可分割。沒(méi)有導(dǎo)向,內(nèi)容就會(huì)離題或偏題;沒(méi)有制約,內(nèi)容就可能超出一個(gè)段落所能容納的范圍。
對(duì)于初學(xué)寫(xiě)作的人來(lái)說(shuō),“導(dǎo)向”的重要性容易理解,但如果由他們自己來(lái)構(gòu)思一個(gè)主題句,就可能忽視“制約”這一面。例如:
There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it.
本段的主題句如果沒(méi)有in which 引出的定語(yǔ)從句,那么two ways 不僅不能起制約作用,而且也不能起導(dǎo)向作用,句子本身讀起來(lái)也就使人覺(jué)得欠缺點(diǎn)什么。
Exercise is beneficial to your heart. A 22-year study was conducted by doctors in California. They found that people who work at physical jobs experience fewer heart attacks than other people. These active people work all the time at moderate speeds, their daily routine gives them an adequate amount of exercise and helps them stay in shape.
"Exercise is beneficial"這是毫無(wú)疑義的。但主題句中如不加上"to your heart"來(lái)加以 control 和 limit,那就流于空泛。
因此,緊緊把握主題句中controlling idea的導(dǎo)向和制約作用,是短文寫(xiě)作成功關(guān)鍵之一。
2.推展句
2.1 主要推展句
主要推展句(major supporting statement)的主要特點(diǎn)是:圍繞段落主題句展開(kāi)的每一個(gè)推展句本身都不要求作進(jìn)一步的說(shuō)明或證明,句與句之間的關(guān)系是相互獨(dú)立又是互相連接的。
例1:(主題句) There are several factors affecting climate. (推展句1)One factor is the mount of sunlight received. (推展句2)Altitude, or the height above sea level, also determines climate. (推展句3)The oceans have an effect on the climate of adjacent land. (推展句4)In addition, climate is influenced by the general circulation of the atmosphere.
主題句指出影響氣候的幾個(gè)因素。然后用四個(gè)擴(kuò)展句說(shuō)明四種因素。第一種是太陽(yáng)光的接收量,第二種是海拔高度,第三句和第四句分別是海洋和大氣環(huán)流因素。
2.2 次要推展句
次要推展句(minor supporting statement)是指對(duì)主要推展句作進(jìn)一步的事實(shí)分析和舉例說(shuō)明。它從屬于某一個(gè)或某幾個(gè)推展句。
例2:(主題句)I don't teach because teaching is easy for me. (主要推展句1)Teaching is the most difficult of the various ways I have attempted to earn my living: mechanic, carpenter, writer. (主要推展句2)For me, teaching is a red-eye, sweaty-palm, sinking-stomach profession. (次要推展句1)Red-eye, because I never feel ready to teach no matter how late I stay up preparing. (次要推展句2)Sweaty-palm, because I'm always nervous before I enter the classroom, sure that I will be found out for the fool that I am. (次要推展句3)Sinking-stomach, because I leave the classroom an hour later convinced that I was even more boring than usual.
從屬于主要推展句2的三個(gè)次要推展句起著解釋說(shuō)明作用,分別解釋red-eye, sweaty-palm, sinking-stomach的含義,這就更加形象生動(dòng)地證明了 "teaching is not easy" 這個(gè)主題。
2.3 主要推展句與次要推展句的關(guān)系
主要推展句與次要推展句的關(guān)系(relation)基本可以遵循下面的“三部分”(three-part)規(guī)則。
1〕每個(gè)主要推展句都應(yīng)該是對(duì)主題句中表示主要思想的關(guān)鍵詞的直接、明確的說(shuō)明。
2〕每個(gè)次要推展句都應(yīng)該說(shuō)明它的主要推展句。
3〕含有討論說(shuō)明或分析的問(wèn)題通常既要有主要推展素材,又要有次要推展素材。
2.4 寫(xiě)好推展句的方法
主題句及關(guān)鍵詞確定后,開(kāi)始選擇和主題有關(guān)的信息和素材。實(shí)質(zhì)上,針對(duì)關(guān)鍵詞測(cè)試每一個(gè)所選擇的素材就是一個(gè)分類(lèi)的過(guò)程。有一種常用的方法就是句子展開(kāi)前加以設(shè)問(wèn),然后解答,即設(shè)問(wèn)-解答(why-because)的方法。下面我們通過(guò)舉例來(lái)看一看這種分類(lèi)過(guò)程是如何完成的。例3:
假設(shè) (suppose) Topic sentence: English is an international language?
設(shè)問(wèn)(why) Why can we say English is an international language?
解答(because)
Because: English is spoken by pilots and airport control operators on all the airways of the world.
Because: Over 70 percent of the world's mail is written in English.
Because: More than 60 percent of the world's radio programs are in English.
Because: Pakistan was once one of the British colonies.
Because: Many members of the International Language Society are selected from English-spoken countries.
從上面可以看出,最初的三個(gè)推展句是和關(guān)鍵詞an international language一致的。第四句和主題句不統(tǒng)一,盡管第四句會(huì)成為另一主題句(Many Pakistanis speak English)很好的推展句。第五句說(shuō)服力不強(qiáng)。
當(dāng)然,在寫(xiě)成段落時(shí),沒(méi)有必要在每個(gè)句子開(kāi)頭寫(xiě)上 "because",但是,在動(dòng)筆展開(kāi)句子時(shí),頭腦里要想著這個(gè)詞,這種檢驗(yàn)方法能幫助你把注意力集中在某個(gè)重心,圍繞主題思想層層展開(kāi)。
上面我們討論了主要推展句的一種展開(kāi)方法。而展開(kāi)次要推展句的方法與主要推展句類(lèi)似,這里我們就不再?gòu)?fù)述了。