马格南摄影师:谈书面表达答题之技巧

安徽东至二中   胡应余

　　《新课程标准》中英语学科对学生的要求有所提高，高考书面表达的要求也相应提高。(江苏英语高考2006和2007年，书面表达的词数从100增加到120，2008和2009年书面表达的词数从120增加到150。从2006年起，书面表达逐年增加开放性，为半开放式作文。)写出一篇好的书面表达，使得文章的语言生动、形象、令人赞赏尤其重要。在这里，笔者针对高考书面表达题，尤其是江苏近几年的高考书面表达题，谈一谈答题技巧。
　　一、动笔前先审题
　　从近几年的全国及各省、市的高考英语书面表达题来看，我们基本上可以将书面表达题大致归纳为两种写作类型：一类是文字性提示 / 表格提示写作；另一类是看图作文。江苏近几年的高考英语书面表达题采用的基本上是前一类，且为半开放式作文。今年江苏的考试说明增加了漫画作文。
　　动笔做书面表达题前，要好好审题，读懂题目所给信息，初步确定要写内容，避免犯不该出的差错。
　　1. 审题材和体裁
　　江苏省近几年高考的书面表达分析：
　　2006年要求根据提示写一篇短文，讨论奥运会志愿者应该做什么，不应该做什么(Dos and Don’ts for the 2008 Olympic Volunteers)。这是一篇比较正式的书面表达，动笔前要考虑到短文应使用较正式、规范的语言，写出的文字必须简洁、明了。
　　2007年要求学生根据提示用英语准备一份发言稿，向同学们讲述一下阳光体育活动的有关情况。2008年要求根据提示，写一篇题为“Being a Good Listener”的英文演讲稿。这两篇书面表达都是属于较正式场合的口头发言，因此在动笔前要考虑到使用的语言应既正式又热情洋溢，富有激情。
　　2009年要求以鼠标为切入点，根据提示用英语写一篇短文，此题材是一篇说明文，在组织语句方面要求较高。尤其是学生必须了解电脑和网络方面的知识和有关词汇，难度较大。动笔前要理清思路，使用一些高级词汇，注意用正确的英语句子表达出正确的意思，文章的表达要有一定的变化性和逻辑性。
　　漫画题材的书面表达有一定的难度，首先要读懂图，包括漫画的题目、漫画的画面、漫画的文字和寓意。一般首先对漫画进行描述，展开议论，通过议论阐述其中的寓意，最后发表自己的观点。
　　另外，还有一些其他体裁的书面表达，如：书信、日记、通知(口头或书面)、欢迎词、欢送词等，要注意其格式和文体，使用恰当的语言。如：2009年全国卷I书面表达题，外出前给房东写一个留言。动笔前要考虑文中所用语言简洁、口语化，多使用非正式的文体。
　　2. 审时态和人称
　　对于文字提示的写作，要注意根据表达的需要选择恰当的时态。江苏2006-2009年的书面表达题，由于文体的需要，使用的都是现在时态。如果是对事情的叙述，就要根据情况使用不同的时态。如：2009年全国卷I书面表达题的留言条，就要根据不同的情况使用不同的时态。
Mrs Wilson,
　　I’m going out shopping, and won’t be back until about 5:00 pm. I have taken with me the two books you asked me to return to the City Library. At about 1 o’clock this afternoon, Tracy called, saying that she couldn’t meet you at Bolton Coffee tomorrow morning as she has something important to attend to. She felt very sorry about that, but said that you could set some other time for the meeting. She wanted you to call her back as soon as you are home. She has already told Susan about this change.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　                Li Hua
　　2009年浙江卷高考书面表达题，要求写一则新闻报道，报道学生志愿者去阳光敬老院开展志愿者活动，就得用过去时叙述所做的事。
　　On May Day, Li Yue and Zhang Hua, students from Class Three, Grade Two, went to Sunshine Nursing Home to do some voluntary work. Upon their arrival, Li Yue and Zhang Hua were warmly welcomed, and respectfully, they presented the elderly with flowers and fruits. Then, they started working at once, cleaning the windows and sweeping the floor. Everything done, they sat in the yard chatting with the elderly people.
　　When it was time for the volunteers to leave, the elderly people thanked them for their kindness. They said it was such a beautiful day that they would remember it forever.
　　Li Yue and Zhang Hua were very happy. What they did has brought joy to others and enriched their own lives.  
　　人称也是写作时要注意的。江苏省2006-2008年的书面表达题：前半部分的dos and don’ts (2006)，a national student sports program (2007)和why to listen, whom to listen to (2008)部分要用第三人称，后面要求自己发挥的部分则要用第一人称。2009年的江苏关于“mouse”的书面表达题则要用第三人称。
　　二、使用正确、流畅的语言
　　首先让我们来看看近年来高考英语书面表达题的评分标准：第五档(很好)：覆盖所有主要内容；应用了较多的语法结构和词汇；语法结构或词汇方面有少许错误，但为尽力使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致；具备较强的语言应用能力，有效地使用了语句间的连接成分，使全文结构紧凑；达到了预期目的。
　　如何使书面表达题达到行文切题，紧扣中心思想，不漏要点，并且意思连贯，文理通顺，语言准确、得当，具体方法有：
　　1. 使用多种句型和语法结构
　　英语中有许多重要句型。如：it引导的有关句型（强调句：It’s + adj. / n. + to do sth. / doing sth. / that (wh-) clause; It’s time that...; It’s 5 years since…等）、感叹句、倒装句、虚拟语气、定语从句、名词性从句、状语从句等。
　　如果一段文字都使用简单的句子或类似的结构，会使人感到单调乏味。灵活运用各种语法结构，可以给文章增色不少，从而使整篇文章因此而生辉。请比较下面两段2008年江苏高考书面表达题的自由发挥部分：
　　① I think we should listen more to others. We should respect others and never stop others till they finish their task. We should show our interest, keep silence and smile when others are thinking. We should listen to others’ opinions. We know good listening can really enable us to get closer to each other.
　　② What I want to stress is that each of us should listen more to others. Show your respect and never stop others till they finish their talk; show you are interested by a supportive silence or a knowing smile; be open-minded to different opinions even though you don’t like them. In a word, good listening can really enable us to get closer to each other.  
　　两段所表达的意思完全相同，但第一段使用的句型较单一(若没有第二段的比较，也许觉得还不错)。第二段多使用了一些从句，如：What I want to stress is that…, even though you don’t like them以及最后的总结In a word等，使语言精彩、生动。
　　再比较两段2007年江苏高考书面表达题的自由发挥部分：
　　① I think we senior 3 students should have daily exercise. We spend an hour exercising every day. We can have good health and a clear mind. So we can work more efficiently.
　　② Personally, I think it a good idea for us senior 3 students to have daily exercise. Although we take an hour a day for exercise, it is well worth it. Taking exercise helps us build up our body and keep a clear mind. Therefore, we can work more efficiently.
　　第一段用的都是简单句，读起来很单调、乏味。第二段句型多样化，还使用了非谓语动词和某些句型。如：it 为形式宾语，不定式的复合结构作真正的宾语的句型I think it a good idea for us senior 3 students to have…；让步状语从句Although we…, it is well worth it.以及动名词作主语Taking exercise helps us…等，读起来很有味。
　　2. 使用较高级的词汇和结构
　　词汇反映你知识贮存量的多少，也是衡量英语水平的一个重要标志。运用高级的词汇和较高级的结构对提高书面表达的分数至关重要。比较下面几组句子：
　　(1) He was busy going over his lessons.
　　He was buried in his lessons.
　　He was devoted to going over his lessons.
　　He was occupying himself in going over his lessons.
　　四个句子采用不同的词汇，后三个句子中的be buried in, be devoted to, occupy oneself in doing something是较高级的词汇。
　　(2) As soon as I saw the boy, I thought of a good idea.
　　A good idea occurred to me immediately I saw the boy.
　　Upon seeing the boy, a good idea struck me.
　　Hardly had I seen the boy when I hit on a good idea.
　　同样表示“想到好主意”时，使用occur to, strike, hit on就比think of高一个档次。再加上使用了Upon doing…, Hardly…when…等，可反映其较强的语言功底。
(3)
　　① The Ministry of Education calls on students to exercise for an hour every day and hopes that the students will be fit, be able to work fifty years and enjoy the whole life.
　　② The Ministry of Education calls on students to work out for an hour every day, in the hope that they will have good health to work fifty years and enjoy the whole life.
　　③ It is the Ministry of Education that calls on students to work out for an hour every day. In this way, not only will they have good health to work fifty years but also they will enjoy the whole life.
　　句①采用的是简单、直截了当的表达方法；句②用了较高级的in the hope that…；句③使用了强调句型和倒装句。
(4)
　　① Most of us can not operate a computer or surf the Internet without a mouse.
　　② Most of us can’t operate a computer without a mouse. Neither can we surf the Internet.
　　③ For most people, it’s almost impossible to operate a computer without a mouse, let alone surf the Internet.
　　三个句子中的第②、③分别用了倒装句和不定式作主语及较高级的词汇“let alone”。
　　由此可见，虽然表示的意思相同，但表达的方法不同，给人的感觉就不同。每组句子中的第一个句子比较简单，多使用了初中所学的词汇和结构；后面的句子多使用了高中所学的词汇和结构，大大地提高了文章的档次。更重要的是，体现了文章的得体性和流畅性，给人赏心悦目的感觉。
　　3. 使用多种关联词
　　要使句子与句子之间的意思互相连接，就需要有关联词语。关联词语会帮助读者推断出文章接下来将会发生什么。常用的关联词有表示时间顺序的(firstly, secondly, finally, now, in the end…)，有表示原因或结果的(for one thing, therefore, as a result…)，有表示句子间对照关联的(in contrast,  however, instead, on the contrary…)，还有表示附加信息的(in addition, furthermore, on top of..., moreover…)。使用关联词的文章，行文连贯、条理清楚。
　　请看2006年高考江苏书面表达的一段：
　　Firstly, they should be polite and friendly to the athletes and visitors from all over the world, and avoid improper behaviour. Secondly, they should stick to their posts, offering good services, satisfying any reasonable needs and being ready to help those in difficulty, and never fail to do their duty. Thirdly, they should introduce the Chinese culture and history to foreigners so that they may know China better and never say or do anything that harms the image of our motherland.
这是典型的使用有表示时间顺序的关联词的例子。
再看下面两个使用关联词的例子。
　　① But still some disagreed. For one thing, “Shan-zhai” products are poor in terms of functions, quality and after-sale services. For another, floods of “Shanzhai” products are like junks, which have had a great effect on some industries and infringe intellectual property rights. 
　　② Cheating in exams influences the study atmosphere and results in an unfair competition, destroying the creativity of those bright students and ruining their self-confidence. What is worse, it is also harmful to the development of our society.
　　Measures should be taken to prevent cheating. A severe punishment should be put into practice. On the other hand, great efforts should be made to make students understand what kind of person the society needs and educate them to be honest. Honesty is a basic virtue of a human being. Let’s work hard and say no to cheating!
　　这两段分别使用了for one thing…for another, what’s worse, on the other hand，使上下文连贯。
　　4. 使用名言、谚语
　　根据实际情况恰到好处地使用名言、谚语可点缀文章，使文章更具有说服力，起到画龙点睛的作用。如：
　　① However, there is a long way to go in order to realize my dream. I know very well that I can not succeed without painstaking efforts. No pains, no gains. So I must try my best to work hard at my lessons and achieve good grades so as to attain my goal. Besides, I must have a kind heart and courage so that I can be gentle and polite to those I am to serve. Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it.
　　② Loving music is a good thing. When we are tired, music helps us relaxed and refreshed. When we are in low spirits, music helps us cheer up. However, it’s no good listening to music while doing homework because we can’t concentrate on our lessons. As a saying goes, “A man cannot serve two masters.” What’s more, spending too much time listening to music with earphones on may be harmful to our ears. So choosing the proper time and the proper way is a good choice.
　　这两段使用了 No pains, no gains (一份耕耘，一份收获), Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it (世上无难事，只要肯登攀)，A man cannot serve two masters (一仆不能二主/一心不能二用)，直接点题，可提高文章的档次。平时要注意积累，用时会信手拈来。
　　三、注意篇章结构
　　为使文章符合逻辑的发展，我们要合理布局文章结构。首先，在文章思路、组织材料、叙述顺序等方面要有一定的条理性。其次，根据需要，安排好段落，各段之间要层次分明，也要重视每一段的开头和结尾，开头语往往是总起句，结尾语往往是总结句。
　　近几年江苏高考的书面表达文章往往可分成三段：开头的简述、中间的要点陈述部分和结尾的自我发挥部分。如：2009年江苏的书面表达：
　　The mouse is a most effective device used by people to communicate with a computer．
　　For most people, it’s almost impossible to operate a computer without a mouse, let alone surf the Internet. A well-chosen mouse is really handy, flexible and convenient in controlling the screen. With the functions of inserting, deleting, moving and copying, it enables us to edit test, browse web page and download what we want. It can even bring us a flood of music, movies and PC games. Just imagine, all this can be done with a cute mouse.
　　A convenient tool can certainly make our work easier, but it doesn’t always help in a positive way. Too much ready information on our fingertips leaves little room for knowledge pursuing. Too many ready answers make us less excited in finding truth. Relying too much on mouse clicking makes us lazier and less creative both mentally and physically. 
　　总之，只要注意了条理性、准确性、得体性、流畅性、简洁多样性(不重复)，再加上思想性、美观性(指的是卷面书写规范、清楚、干净、整洁)，一篇赏心悦目的书面表达就会浑然而成。