淺談英語寫作基礎(chǔ)應(yīng)試技巧（上）

　　根據(jù)1997年6月全國高等教育自學(xué)考試指導(dǎo)委員會最新頒布的《英語寫作基礎(chǔ)自學(xué)考試大綱》的規(guī)定，英語寫作基礎(chǔ)這一課程著重培養(yǎng)考生英語寫作的基本技能，重點教授英語寫作的最基礎(chǔ)內(nèi)容：句子的組成、段落的寫作、概要及應(yīng)用文寫作。通過本課程的學(xué)習(xí)，要求考生掌握句子、段落以及應(yīng)用文最基本的寫作理論與技巧，以便寫出主題較為突出、內(nèi)容較為充實完善、語言較為通順流暢、格式符合要求的短文，為學(xué)習(xí)本科階段的英語寫作課程打下堅實的基礎(chǔ)。

　　英語寫作基礎(chǔ)考試題型：《英語寫作基礎(chǔ)自學(xué)考試大綱》的規(guī)定“本課程試卷采用的題型主要包括：判斷題、改錯題、改寫題、概要寫作、應(yīng)用文寫作等”。判斷題、改錯題、改寫題等主要考核應(yīng)考生對句子(The Sentence)和段落(The Paragraph)基本知識點如改寫句子包括改寫掉尾句(periodic sentence)、平行結(jié)構(gòu)(parallel structure)等和判斷主題句(topic sentence)等掌握情況；例如：

　�、�.Revise the following sentences according to the requirement

　　1.The plan began to shake noticeably as soon as it lifted off the runway.(periodic sentence)

　　2.James Joyce's Ulysses,a long and complicated novel and which is on our reading list,has been banned by the school board.(parallel structure)

　�、�.Read the following paragraph carefully and select the best topic sentence from the four possible answers that follow the paragraph.

　　Topic sentence:　　　　　.

　　Actually,this idea is far from the truth.The Aborigines have been able to survive for centuries in the harsh environment of the desert because their minds are highly trained in the knowledge of food sources.Since they have no means of storing food,their entire attention must be directed toward their daily search for food.From the youngest child to the oldest member of the tribe,food gathering is the top priority.The Aborigines possess a profound understanding of the life around them.

　　a. In the earliest years,children are taught when foods ripen,where foods are to be found,when animals sleep for months and produce,and where water is likely to be found.

　　b. The Aboriginse'in－depth knowledge of the environment around them.

　　c. The interior of Australia is arid and inhospitable to human beings.

　　d. Many observers have mistakenly thought that the aborigines,with so few tools.

　　must have a lower intelligence than other races.

　　概要寫作和應(yīng)用文寫作則不僅要求應(yīng)考生掌握寫概要的基本要領(lǐng)及應(yīng)用文寫作的技巧，同時要求他們將寫句子和段落的技巧融合在應(yīng)用文寫作之中，最終寫出格式正確、用詞得當(dāng)、表達得體的應(yīng)用文來。概要(Precis)寫作主要是先給出一篇文章，然后給出寫概要的指令，如“Read the following passage and write a precis in one paragraph of about 100words.Try to write in your own words as far as possible.”應(yīng)用文(Practical Writing)寫作由三部分組成：便條(Note)、信函(Letter)和個人簡歷(Resume)。它們寫作的形式必須根據(jù)要求寫出或是某種便條，或是某種信函，或是個人簡歷。如下面是一則未能赴約而表示歉意的便條寫作指令：Write a note of apology about 70－100 words to your friends according to the situation described:

　　You have made an appointment with your friends to have lunch together.But for some reasons you cannot keep the appointment.Please state your reasons and express your regret for breaking the appointment.You could also express your hope for the gathering.

　　再如：下面是一則打算上大學(xué)繼續(xù)深造的申請信寫作指令：You are planning to further your studies in a college or university.Write an application to that institution.In your letter,provide the necessary information about yourself,tell them your want to study math and find out about the possibility of receiving financial support.(150－200)

　　從上述的幾種題型中，尤其是后三種，我們可以發(fā)現(xiàn)，無論是概要、便條還是信函等寫作都是一種根據(jù)所提供信息的短文寫作把這些已知信息寫成一篇具有連貫性的概要、便條、信函或個人簡歷。換言之，就是考核應(yīng)考生的基本寫作能力。

　　下面重點討論怎樣寫概要。

　　首先談?wù)勗鯓訉懜乓?Precis)。要寫好一篇文章的概要應(yīng)考生應(yīng)具備兩種基本能力。首先應(yīng)具備理解原文，掌握全文中心思想的能力；其次應(yīng)具有用簡練的語言將原文的中心思想表達出來的能力。一般說來，概要的篇幅為原文的1/3至1/4，因此在寫概要時務(wù)必注意語言的概括和精練。概要寫作一般按下列步驟進行：

　　1.認(rèn)真仔細地閱讀原文兩遍，理解和掌握全文的內(nèi)容。

　　2.仔細地閱讀考題指令，明確了解考題要求，在原文上標(biāo)出重點，如議論文中的論點 、論據(jù)；記敘文中的發(fā)展、高潮、結(jié)局等。

　　3.再一次閱讀原文，并將所需要采用的要點列出。要點的記錄應(yīng)盡可能簡潔明了。

　　4.根據(jù)記錄的要點寫出概要的初稿，并盡可能不參照原文，除非當(dāng)你需要核實某個要點。這將十分有益于用自己的語言組織內(nèi)容，而不是照抄原文中的某些詞句。完成初稿后應(yīng)數(shù)一數(shù)字?jǐn)?shù)，但千萬不可在寫完每一句句子即數(shù)字?jǐn)?shù)。這樣不僅浪費寶貴的時間，而且會攪亂寫作的思路。

　　5.進行一些必要的修改和調(diào)整后，謄清完稿，并在最后注明具體字?jǐn)?shù)。

　　應(yīng)考生在重讀謄清稿時，有兩點還應(yīng)牢記：首先，你寫出的概要內(nèi)容必須忠實于原文，或者說精確(accurate)。概要中所有的內(nèi)容和信息必須來源于原文，既不可篡改原文內(nèi)容也不能包括原文未涉及到的內(nèi)容。其次，概要讀起來應(yīng)是一完整連貫的段落。要取得這一完整連貫，就應(yīng)該使用一些連接詞(link－words)，如‘but’,‘a(chǎn)nd’,‘however’,‘a(chǎn)lso’等連接要點；同樣，也可使用諸如‘since’,‘though’,‘even if ’，‘when’,‘a(chǎn)fter’,‘before’等詞。請看下面一例子：

　　The sentry watched a hawk that hovered overhead,looking for some unsuspecting prey to pounce upon.Then he heard the distant,muffled roar of planes,then silence.For the past week he had been told to take note of everything that happened on the hill within his range of vision,and to report anything suspicious.The hill led to an experimental factory,where new and secret weapons were tested.There was a threat of war and the factory would be invaluable to the enemy.So the approaches to it were watched day in,and day out.

　　He shifted his position;he felt that he had been crouching in the heather since the beginning of the time,but only a couple of hours of the day's duty had passed.Suddenly he saw something falling from the sky like snow,only it was not snow.[He put out his hand and caught bits of that were drifting near him.They were thin strips of metal to confuse delicate instruments,so that it would not be possible to detect the landing of enemy craf.Next he heard a long,low,continuous roar from the east and saw bundles descending from the sky which looked like umbrellas opening,but which be knew to be parachutes with men hanging from them.He wanted to go at once to give the alarm,but he had to be sure that the parachutes were not his own men out on an exercise.The men were on ground now.One of them pointed in the direction of secret factory and they all began marching toward it.He had no more doubts and set off at once down the hill.He crawled slowly,sometimes on his stomach,sometimes on his side ,weaving decided that he had ample cover and started to run.But he had erred,for bullets were soon whistling past him.He drooped flat on the ground.Nobody came to search for him,so he counted up to a hundred and then began crawling again.He moved tortuously and as silently as he could to his camp at the foot of the hill.]

　　Describe in not more than 80 words what the sentry saw and did from the moment when the strips of metal fell from the sky until he got back to his camp.Use your own words as far as possible.Do not include anything that is not in the passage.

　　(Cambridge Lower Certificate in English Examination.)

　　MODEL

　　1.Points(Saw and Did)

　　1)Put out hands;caught strip metal.

　　2)Saw bundles.

　　3)Waited.

　　4)Saw men on ground.

　　5)One pointed;all marched.

　　6)Went downhill.

　　7)Crawled—stomach,side—to stream.

　　8)Started running.

　　9)Dropped flat(why?—bullets).

　　10)Counted 100;crawled.

　　11)Silently to camp.

　　2.Rough Draft (Linking of Points)

　　When the sentry held out his hand to catch what was falling out of the sky ,he found that it was strips of metal.The bundles began coming down.The sentry waited until men appeared on the ground.One of them pointed and the sentry saw them march towards the factory.Crawling on his stomach and on his side,the sentry moved downhill.He began running when he came to a stream,but dropped down when he was shot at .After counting up to a hundred to himself,he began crawling silently again downhill.

　　(95 words)

　　3.Fair Copy (Corrected Draft)

　　After catching hold of metal strips falling out of the sky,the sentry saw bundles descending and,after a time,some men appeared on the ground.One of them pointed and they all began marching towards the factory.The sentry crawled downhill on his stomach and on his side.When he came to a stream,he began running but dropped down when the men shot at him.He counted up to a hundred,then silently started crawling again towards his camp.

　　(80 words)