高考答題時間比較緊,想在規定時間內有效完成寫作任務,就需要采用合適的寫作方法。而下文介紹的PREP法就十分有利于考生快速有效地搞定“寫人”的記敘文。
一 什么是PREP法
PREP是由四個英語單詞的首字母組成的,P、R、E、P各自代表寫作的一個段落。我們將以一個具體的寫作過程為例來說明什么是PREP法。
P——中心思想(Main Point)
在中文中,我們稱main point為“中心思想”。中文寫作常常比較含蓄,往往是把中心思想放在文章結尾或者藏于文中,讀者通常讀到最后才知道作者的真實意圖。而英文寫作則相反,坦率直接,往往會把最想說的話先亮出來。在高考英語寫作中,先亮出中心思想能夠使文章主題一目了然,容易給閱卷老師留下好印象。
英語中常用一個句子來表明中心思想,這個句子就是主題句(topic sentence)。主題句一般放在作文最開頭,開門見山,直接點題。在寫主題句時,應該使句子有鮮明的特點,避免過于平淡。例如,我們要寫一篇以“The Best Teacher in My Life”為題的作文,主題句若寫為Mr.Yangis my teacher,那就太平淡了。至少應準確地指出你為什么要寫Mr.Yang。我們可以把這句話改為Mr.Yang is agood teacher。改后的句子顯然好一些,因為Mr.Yang是位好老師,所以才寫他。但這似乎還不夠好,好老師有很多呀,你為什么要寫Mr.Yang?此時不妨再細化一下,精準找到“題點”。所謂“題點”,就是使主題句特點最鮮明的那個亮點,如:Mr.Yang is the best teacher I havemet in my life,很明顯,the best teacher I have met in mylife這個“題點”很容易抓住讀者的眼球,使讀者很想知道你這樣說的原因。
由此看來,寫好主題句的要訣在于找到能點題的那個“題點”。找到了“題點”,寫出主題句,作文的主要方向就清晰明朗了。
R——原因(Reason)
在看過我們精心寫的主題句之后,讀者自然會問:“Why?”因此,接下來的任務是寫明原因:你為什么說Mr.Yang是最好的老師?
跟找“題點”類似,要用一句話點出原因,這個原因句應該是與主題句關系最直接、最有力的句子。比如:Mr.Yang has changed the dtrectton of my life,
點出原因后,需要補充幾句話加以說明。為什么說“我”的人生改變了?我們可以這樣寫:I used to be a trouble maker in my class,Itseemed that nobody liked me,and I also hatedthem,I had almost lost hope until Mr.Yangbecame my new English teacher.
這幾句話不僅闡明了原因,還讓讀者更加好奇:Mr.Yang是怎么改變“我”的?短短幾句話便很好地起到了承上啟下的作用。由此可見,在第二段闡明原因時,貴在簡潔明了,無須過多著墨,一般用兩三句話交代清楚就能達到很好的效果。
E——舉例子(Example)
舉例子是文章的主體部分,不僅是對前面的原因進行進一步說明,也是對文章中心思想最有力的印證。在高考英語作文中,一般舉一個例子就夠了,但需要注意以下三點:①例子必須具有典型性,要最能說明原因:②例子還要夠生動,能給讀者留下深刻難忘的印象:③例子與原因需要有直接的關聯。
有關Mr.Yang的這篇作文到舉例子時可以這樣寫:
One day, when I was going to bully alittle boy from another class. Mr.Yang, whohappened to be passing by, immediatelystopped me. \"Do you think that you are a braveman?\" he asked me in a kind voice which Ihad never heard from other teachers. \"A braveman never bullies the weak; on the contrary, heprotects them. Bullying your schoolmates onlyshows you are a coward.\" His words, like a bolt,directly hit me. I knew that my behavior wascompletely wrong. From that moment, I began to change myself,and finally I won the respect of my classmates.
很顯然,這一例子十分具有說服力,令前面的主題陳述和原因不再是空話,而是有理有據的。由此可知,舉例子的這一段是文章的核心和高潮。寫好這部分的秘訣就在于,要抓住最具典型性的、最具說服力的、最能說明中心思想的事例進行闡述。
P——再次回到中心思想(Main Point)
在作文中,最后一段往往要回到中心思想,即“扣題”。一篇文章的最后一句話往往讓讀者印象最為深刻,因此,扣題要有所升華,不能簡單重復主題句。在介紹Mr.Yang的這篇作文中,Mr.Yang使“我”認識到了好老師的力量,所以“我”也要向他學習,將來做一名好老師。因此結尾我們可以這樣寫:I realizedthe power Of a teacher from Mr,Yang,sO l decided tO try mybest to be an excellent teacher in the future,just like him!
經過上述P—R—E—P四個步驟后,作文的主體部分就成形了。為了使文章更加順暢,我們可以進行適當潤色。最后成形的全文如下:
The Best Teacher in My Life
Mr. Yang is the best teacher I have ever met in my life.
As a mischievous boy, I used to be a trouble maker in myclass. It seemed that nobody liked me, and I also hated them. I hadalmost lost hope until Mr. Yang became my new English teacher.
I always remember the day when I was going to bully a littleboy from another class. Mr. Yang, who happened to be passing by,immediately stopped me. \"Do you think that you are a brave man?\"he asked me in a kind voice which I had never heard from otherteachers. \"A brave man never bullies the weak; on the contrary,he protects them. Bullying your schoolmates only shows you area coward.\" His words, like a bolt, directly hit me. I knew that mybehavior was completely wrong. From that moment I began tochange myself, and finally I won the respect of my classmates.
From Mr. Yang, I realized the power of a teacher, so I decidedto try my best to be an excellent teacher in the future, just like him!
二 運用PREP法破解高考真題
了解了PREP法,接下來我們就運用PREP法分別來破解2007年湖南卷和201 0年浙江卷的高考英語作文題目。
2007年高考英語湖南卷書面表達
假設你叫王平,李華是你的同窗好友,請根據下列要點,用英文給李華寫一篇畢業留言。要點:
1 簡要表述李華在你心目中的印象;
2 用一到兩個相關事例進行具體描述;
3 對李華表示美好的祝愿。
【作文分析】這道題實質是考查寫人的記敘文,完全可以應用PREP法來寫。
P:李華可能給“我”留下很多印象,但是在PREP法中,只寫一個印象,因此要選擇印象最深的那個來寫。我們可以選擇李華considerate、warm-hearted為“題點”,將主題句寫為:In my eyes,you are the mostconsiderate and warm-hearted boy in ourclass.
R:什么原因使“我”有這個印象?一句話交代即可。如:for you are always ready to give a hand to anyone who needshelp.
E:題目中要求舉一到兩個事例,實際上舉一個就足夠了,但這個事例必須充分支持主題句,內容要飽滿。我們可以舉一個”我”登山受傷,李華照顧和幫助“我”的事情:I clearly remember the day when myright ankle got sprained on the top of a hillduring the spring hike last April. It was youwho carried me to the bottom of the hill andtook me to the hospital by taxi. My parentswere on a business trip, and you took careof me for several days until they were back.
p:重申中心思想,表達祝愿。如:I really appreciated your help, and I alsolearnt a lot from you. Now, it\"s time tosay farewell to high school life, but ourfriendship will last forever. I expect thatwe will meet each other in the sameuniversity-Tsinghua University.
李越被評為你們班的“每周之星”。請你根據她的事跡(在上周六下午,不顧天氣的炎熱,為班級選購歌詠比賽服裝),用英語為班級板報寫一篇短文。文章應包括下列要點:
1 李越的事跡及其對同學的影響;
2 你的評論。
【作文分析】本文要求寫李越的事跡,也可以運用PREP法來寫。
PR:題目已經給出文章的主題句和原因。原句為:Li Yue hasbeen awarded the title Of”Star Student Of the Week'。for what she didforour class.
E:舉例子,圍繞題目給出的事例“李越不顧炎熱去購買演出服裝”來寫。為了突出李越事跡的意義,可以對“天氣炎熱”進行渲染,并采用對比的手段,將李越的積極主動與其他同學的推脫做對比。需要注意的是,此處要記得將題目要求的“對同學們的影響”和“你的評論”融入其中。如:It was extremely hot last Saturday,and we were practicing for the coming singing contest. However,the costumes for the singing contest had not been purchased yet. Itwas obvious that nobody was willing to go out and buy the costumesbecause of the hot weather. But, Li Yue, the quietest girl in our class,went out without saying a word. One hour later, with a heavy bag onher shoulder, Li Yue came back. In the bag were the costumes forthe singing contest! The whole class was quiet as a feeling of shamecame over us. Yes, we all talk about how much we love this class,but only Li Yue proved her love by actions instead of empty words!
P:扣題并升華。如:Encouraged by her unselfish devotion toour class, we know that our class can match any class in this school!
寫好記敘文很重要,以父母、老師、同學、朋友、筆友等與考生有密切關聯的人物為主題的記敘文或記敘性段落都曾多次出現在高考英語作文中,并且以后仍有可能會考。因此,學會PREP法不僅能讓你掌握一種新的寫作方法,還能讓你擁有一把“破解”此類考題的鑰匙,何樂而不為呢?