陌上春:英语作文的巧开头妙结尾

    开头篇
    古人说：“凤头豹尾”，就是说开头要写得有姿有彩，像凤凰的头那样。英语作文也是如此，好文章的开头，应做到开门见山，用简单明白的叙述引出文章的话题，使读者了解文章要谈论什么，并饶有兴趣地沿着你的思路读下去。作文常见的开头形式大致有以下几种：
    1.开门见山，提示主题
    文章开头就交待清楚文章的主题是什么。如“How I Spent My Vacation”（我怎样度假）的开头是：I spent my last vacation happily.
    再如“Honesty”（谈诚实）一文中的开头：Honesty is one of the best virtues.An honest man is always trusted and respected. On the contrary, one who tells lies is regarded as a "liar", and is looked down upon by honest people.
    2.交代人物、事情、时间或环境的开头
    在文章的开头，先把人物、事件、时间和环境交待清楚。例如“A Trip to Jinshan”（去金山旅游）的开头：
    The day before yesterday my class went on a bus trip to Jinshan.It took three hours to ride there. The long trip made us very tired, but the sight of the beautiful sea refreshed us.
    3.回忆性的开头
    用回忆的方法来开头。例如“A Trip to the Taishan Mountain”（泰山游）的开头是：I remember my first trip to the Taishan Monutain as if it were yesterday.
    4.概括性的开头
    即对在文章中叙述的人或事先作一个概括性的介绍。如“The Happiness of Reading Books”（读书的快乐）的开头：People often say that gold and silver are the most valuable things in the world. But I say that books are more valuable than anything else, because they give us knowledge and knowledge gives us power.
    5.介绍环境式的开头
    即开头利用自然景物或自然环境引出要介绍的事物。如：“An Accident”（一场事故）的开头是：It was a rainy and windy morning. The sky was gloomy, the temperature was low, and the street was nearly empty. I was on my way back to school. Suddenly, a speeding car came round the corner.
    6.交待写作目的的开头
    在文章的一开头就交待写作目的，如通过文章要表扬谁，批评谁，或说明一个什么问题等。如“Pollution Control”（控制污染）的开头：
    In this article I shall draw your attention to the subject of pollution control.
    结尾篇
    如果把开头比作“爆竹”，那么结尾就有如“撞钟”。古人说过：“好的结尾，有如咀嚼干果，品尝香茗，令人回味再三。”文章结尾的作用是概括全文内容，进一步强调或肯定文章的中心思想，使文章意义表达得更加深刻。文章结尾的形式常见的有以下几种：
    1.首尾呼应，画龙点睛
    在文章的结尾，把含义较深的话放在末尾，以点明主题，深化主题，起到画龙点睛的效果。如“I Cannot Forget Her”（我忘不了她）的结尾：
    After her death, I felt as if something were missing in my life. I was sad over her passing away, but I knew she would not have had any regrets at having given her life for the benefit of the people.
    2.重复主题句
    结尾回到文章开头阐明的中心思想或主题句上，达到强调的效果。如“I Love My Home Town”（我爱家乡）的结尾：
    I love my home town, and I love its people. They too have changed. They are going all out to do more for the good of our motherland.
    3.自然结尾
    随着文章的结束，文章自然而然地结尾。如“Fishing”（钓鱼）的结尾：
    I caught as many as twenty fish in two hours, but my brother caught many more. Tired from fishing, we lay down on the river bank, bathing in the sun. We returned home very late.
    4.含蓄性的结尾
    用比喻或含蓄的手法不直接点明作者的看法，而是让读者自己去领会和思考。如“A Day of Harvesting”（收割的日子）的结尾：
    Evening came before we realized it. We put down our sickles and looked at each other. Our clothes were wet with sweat, but on every face there was a smile.
    5.用反问结尾
    虽然形式是问句，但意义却是肯定的，并具有特别的强调作用，引起读者深思。如“Should We Learn to Do Housework？”（我们要不要学做家务？）的结尾：
    Everyone should learn to do housework. Don' t you agree, boys and girls?
    6.指明方向，激励读者
    结尾表示对将来的展望，或期待读者投入行动。如“Let' s Go in for Sports”（让我们参加体育运动）的结尾：
    As we have said above, sports can be of great value. They not only make people live happily but also help people to learn virtues and do their work better. A sound mind is in a sound body. Let's go in for sports.
    文章的结尾没有一定的模式，可以根据表达主题的需要灵活创造。一般的习惯是，一些记叙文和描写文经常采用自然结尾的方法；但说理性和逻辑性较强的说明文和议论文则往往都有结束语，以便使文章首尾呼应，结构完整。^