Chinese paper?cutting 中國剪紙

莫炎芬

Chinese paper?cutting is one of the oldest handicrafts in China， and its a hollow?outart. The content varies from animals and plants to vivid daily life scenes. Some of themeven are created into a series to tell you an interesting Chinese legend. Some are cut intomany creatures in the world on one sheet with great imagination.

According to the unearthed relics， paper?cutting appeared during the NorthernDynasties （386 AD to 581 AD）. Hence， it has ahistory of more than 1，500 years.

Today， the art has developed into art formsthat can partly represent traditional Chinese folkculture. Combining many folk art forms such aspainting and cutting， Chinese paper?cutting canserve as a window to understand traditional Chi?nese folk art.

The theme of paper?cutting always relates tonature worship and reflects peoples life and work. The biggest similarity is that people willenlarge the topic they cut， so everything is bigger than the real size—the bigger fish， thebigger pepper， the bigger grain and so on. Chinese people put their hope to the paper?cutting to praise peoples creation of nature and encourage people to keep going. Most ofthe paper?cutting is in red， which is the lucky color in China.

Paper?cutting falls into many categories according to their sticking places and func?tions. There are different kinds of paper?cutting for windows， doors， walls， and those forroofs and lights as well as for marriages and different festivals. Many of them are usedduring the New Year and marriages to add up the happy and auspicious atmosphere.

Chinese people， especially people in northern China， like to use paper?cutting as adecoration when the Spring Festival is coming. To some extent， not only is Chinese paper?cutting a decoration， but also an emotion.

Activity A Reading for understanding

Ⅰ. Text?centered chunks

vary from...to 從……到……各不相同

a series（of）一系列……

traditional Chinese folk culture 中國傳統民俗文化

serve as 擔任……；充當……

relate to 涉及；有關

and so on 等等；諸如此類

fall into many categories 分成許多種類

add up the happy and auspicious atmosphere 增添了喜慶、吉祥的氣氛

to some extent 在某種程度上

Ⅱ. Text?centered sentences

1.現在分詞作狀語

Combining many folk art forms such as painting and cutting， Chinese paper?cuttingcan serve as a window to understand traditional Chinese folk art.中國剪紙融合了繪畫和剪裁等多種民間藝術形式，充當著了解中國傳統民間藝術的窗口。

【點石成金】本句中的Combining many folk art forms such as painting and cutting在句中充當原因狀語，解釋了剪紙能充當了解中國傳統民間藝術的窗口的原因。現在分詞作狀語可以表達時間、原因、伴隨、結果、讓步等邏輯關系。

【運用遷移】和這個女孩一起生活了五年，我們都很了解她。

2. not only引導的倒裝句

To some extent， not only is Chinese paper?cutting a decoration， but also an emotion.在某種程度上，中國剪紙不僅是一種裝飾品，還代表了某種情感。

【點石成金】本句是一個not only引導的倒裝句，起強調作用。在這種情況里只有第一個分句要部分倒裝，第二個分句不需要倒裝。但是，當not only...but also...連接兩個并列的主語時，則不倒裝，如“Not only the teachers but also the students love theirschool very much.”。

【運用遷移】對這件事不僅教授們有自己的看法，學生們也有自己的想法。

Activity B Reading for writing

假定你是學生會主席李華，你想邀請學校新來的外國交換生Henry一起參觀中國剪紙藝術展。請你給他寫一封郵件，內容包括：

1. 介紹中國剪紙；

2. 展覽的相關信息。

注意：

1. 詞數80左右；

2. 可以適當增加細節，以使行文連貫；

3. 至少需要使用一個本文中解析過的句式；

4. 注意段落內的邏輯關系。

寫作導引

本次的寫作任務是寫一封邀請信，要求學生以學生會主席的名義，邀請學校新來的交換生參觀中國剪紙藝術展，并且需要使用現在分詞作狀語或not only引導的倒裝句。這些寫作要求和所給語篇的主題語境、語言內容是緊密相關的。我們可以通過整合同主題閱讀材料的內容和語言，梳理寫作思路和積累素材。

一、語篇解碼

（一）主題歸納

What is the text mainly about？

（二）結構梳理與內容分析

Fill in each blank with only one word according to the text.

二、素材積累

本文是基于同一主題的閱讀和寫作，我們可以通過學習、模仿并運用閱讀中的語言表達，如詞塊和句型，積累寫作的語言素材。

（一）表明寫信目的，發出邀請

1. Im Li Hua， chairman of the Students Union. I am writing to invite you to visit a paper?cutting exhibition.

2. On behalf of the Students Union， Im writing to invite you to visit a paper?cuttingexhibition.

3. A paper?cutting exhibition will be held recently in our school. Learning you are en?thusiastic about Chinese folk culture， Im writing to invite you to visit it.

（二）活動的具體內容或感受

1. There will be a wide variety of fantastic performances.

2. You are definitely welcome to show up on stage， which will add color and fun to ourfestival.

3. Since you are so eager to learn more about Chinese culture， it will prove to be agreat chance.

4. Im sure that you will enjoy yourself there.

5. The exhibition will start at 9：00 am， lasting 3 hours.

6. You will have a great chance to learn about paper?cutting and appreciate somecharming works.

（三）期待對方接受邀請，并希望對方盡快回復

1. Will you be available during that time？ Please contact me at 1234567 at your earli?est convenience.

2. Would you please let me know as soon as possible if you can accept my invitation？

3. We will feel much honored if you could come.

4. We are looking forward to your coming.

三、寫作支架

本次的寫作任務是寫一封邀請信，根據任務的要求，語篇結構可定位為“發出邀請+介紹剪紙+介紹活動+期待對方接受邀請”。文章的框架如下：

Dear Henry，

I am Li Hua， chairman of the Students Union. I am writing to invite you to...（發出邀請）

Having a history of more than 1，500 years， paper?cutting is... （介紹剪紙）

Scheduled...， the exhibition will...（介紹活動）

Hopefully， you can accept my invitation if it is convenient for you.

Yours，

Li Hua

四、語篇過手

根據以上提供的主題、主題表達和語篇結構，寫出邀請信的第一、二、三、四段。第一段發出邀請，第二段介紹剪紙，第三段介紹活動信息，第四段表明期待對方接受邀請。總詞數控制在80左右。同時，學習運用前文閱讀中出現的現在分詞作狀語或者not only引導的倒裝句等高級句型。尤其要注意表達的內在邏輯關系，段落內部是對比關系還是遞進關系，需要注意使用恰當的連詞。