書面表達可以說是高考英語卷中最能體現學生綜合能力的一道題,并不是每個學生都能很好地掌握其答題技巧,答卷中普遍存在語句表達單一、句式結構不豐富的問題。還有不少學生存在疑惑,為什么有時候表達的要點齊全,表述的方式也正確,可就是得不到高分呢?
我們來看看近年來高考英語書面表達的最高檔評分標準:“覆蓋所有主要內容;應用了較多的語法結構和詞匯;語法結構或詞匯方面有些許錯誤,但為盡力使用較復雜結構或較高級詞匯所致;應用簡單的語句間的連接成分,使全文結構緊湊;達到了預期的寫作目的。”可見,高考書面表達評分標準在語言的運用上對考生提出了更高的要求,在考查考生語言準確性的基礎上,進一步強調了用詞的得體性、表達方式的多樣性。如果學生僅運用基礎的詞匯和基本的句型,不能體現出較強的語言運用能力,即使要點齊全、表達沒有語法錯誤,也很難在考試的評分中被劃到較高檔次。事實上,評分標準給我們傳遞出了一個信息:應該鼓勵有能力的學生使用高級詞匯、復雜句式和適當的連接詞。
一、適度使用較高級詞匯
詞匯的掌握程度體現出英文知識的貯存量,是衡量英語水平的一個重要標志。但如何才能有效地使用好高級詞匯呢?具體有以下幾種方法:
(一)用短語代替單詞
先比較兩個句子:(1)He is healthy.(2)He is in good health/condition.很顯然,句(2)比句(1)表達要高級一些,原因在于句(2)中用短語替代了句(1)中的單詞。因而在平時的教學中,我們可以多用短語解釋單詞,鼓勵學生多背詞組。如:
1. He decided to study hard.
→ He was determined to/made up his mind to study hard.
2. This painting is very valuable.
→ This painting is of great value.
3. The earthquake ruins is a sad place for living people.
→The earthquake ruins is a place full of sadness for living people.
每一組的第二句我們都運用了短語來替換單詞,相比之下,語言的豐富性和運用的熟練性都能在這樣的句子中得到清晰體現。
(二)用高級表達代替一般表達
如:“我突然想出一個好辦法。”很多學生會這樣翻譯:Suddenly I thought out a good idea.我們學過occur, strike, flash, 如果換用這些詞,寫成:A good idea occurred to me./A good idea suddenly struck me./A good idea flashed upon me.立刻就會讓閱卷老師眼前一亮。
(三)用介詞或介詞短語代替句子
有時,學生誤認為用從句比用簡單句好些,其實在寫作中,有時句子簡單干練會更好。如:
1.A person can’t reach his goal if he doesn’t work hard.
→A person can’t reach his goal without hard work.
此句在用介詞短語代替從句時還恰當地用了雙重否定句,進一步突出了hard work 的重要性。
2.When she heard that he had succeeded, she burst out cheering.
→At the news of his success/On hearing his success, she burst out cheering.
3. China is a country which has a long history. →China is a country with a long history.
(四)諺語或習語的使用
在一篇文章中恰當地運用諺語或習慣用語更能使其大放異彩。同樣拿the importance of hard work來講,當學生想說明hard work重要性的時候,可以寫道:As Edison put it: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninetynine percent perspiration.” As the saying goes, No pains, no gains. 要舉例說明時可寫:Actions speak louder than words. 鼓勵那些沒有天賦的人不要放棄時可寫:Where there is a will, there is a way. Believe in yourself, and you’ll succeed in the end.有了諺語的點綴,文章讀起來更有說服力。在平時教學中就可以適當教些諺語。如,談到友誼時用:A friend in need is a friend indeed. 談到要有良好的開端時用:A good beginning is half done. 鼓勵學生學知識時用: Knowledge is power. 談到知識要反復練習時用:Practice makes perfect. 談到用一分為二的辨證觀點看問題時用:Every coin has two sides.點滴的積累終將匯成江海。
二、學會使用較豐富的句式結構
在整篇文章中,應避免只使用一到兩種句型。句型靈活多變,才能使文章的語言結構更加豐富多彩,使文章更加具有可讀性。如可恰當使用各種從句、非謂語動詞、獨立主格結構、同位語、倒裝句、強調句、主從復合句等。下面列舉一些常見句式:
1. To his parents’ disappointment, he failed in the exam.
→What disappointed his parents is that he failed in the exam.(用What引導名詞性從句)
→It disappointed his parents that he failed in the exam. (用It作形式主語,that作真正的主語)
像表達“令某人感到……”一類的意思都能用這樣的句型,可用于這種句型的動詞有:embarrass, puzzle, surprise, interest, delight, excite, move, frighten, scare等。
2. You should put up the notices on the wall. There all the people may see them.
→You should put up the notices where all the people may see them.( 用where引導狀語從句將兩個單句連接起來)
3. We will make a difference by working hard.
→Only by working hard will we make a difference.(Only 修飾介詞短語置于句首,句子用倒裝結構)
4. He did not recognize her until she took off her sunglasses.
→It was not until she took off her sunglasses that he recognized her.
→Not until she took off her sunglasses did he recognize her.
not ... until是一個常見的句式,但后面的兩個句子將它進行了活用,一個是not... until的強調句式,一個是not... until置于句首的倒裝結構,像這樣的句子就很能顯示功底。
5. The new policy may cause more unemployment. It might bring some other social problems.
→The new policy may cause more unemployment, which might bring some other social problems.(將兩個單句改為which 引導的非限制性定語從句,借用了代詞指代前面句子內容的共性)
6. Because he was caught in the traffic jam, he failed to arrive on time.
→Caught in the traffic jam, he failed to arrive on time.(用過去分詞短語代替原因狀語從句)
7. They sang and laughed as they went back to school.
→Singing and laughing, they went back to school.(用現在分詞表伴隨)
常見的句式很多,上面只是對高中常見句式的歸納,要讓學生熟練運用,首先要讓他們記住這些句式,其次是在寫作中出現上述結構但他們又沒運用高級表達時,讓他們進行改寫,反復訓練,培養學生這方面的思維能力。
三、使用恰當連接詞或過渡性詞語
合理、有效地使用各種連接或過渡性詞語,對寫出一篇“地道”的文章很重要,能使整篇文章上下銜接自然、緊湊,層次清晰,行文連貫。
總之,要讓學生在高考書面表達中得高分就要讓學生學會在一定的語境中,準確地使用一定的句型、詞匯,清楚、連貫地用英語表達意思。這是一個復雜而長期的工作,不是靠高考前的短時間訓練能一蹴而就的。教師要把對學生書面表達能力的培養貫穿于整個高中階段的教學中,注重讓學生進行詞匯、語法、句型等各項表達基本功的鍛煉。
(責任編輯周侯辰)