口語中我們很習(xí)慣用“某個(gè)人做某件事”來構(gòu)成基本句式,以至于議論文中有的考生依然寫的是這樣的句子:
More and more young students go abroad because they want to get better education and find a better job in the future. I think that they may have problems in study and also in life.
上例中第一句的主句和狀語從句中都是以某個(gè)人開始的,第二句中主句和賓語從句也是以人做主語。雖然說這兩個(gè)句子的WPS(每句中的詞匯數(shù))都超過10個(gè),應(yīng)該說不能算是寫的特別初級(jí)的簡(jiǎn)單句,如果句法和詞匯沒有問題還是很有希望達(dá)到6分的。但如果全篇都是這樣的句式,整個(gè)文章就顯得幼稚,類似于記敘文寫作,絕對(duì)突破不了7分。
其實(shí)改法很簡(jiǎn)單:我們只要避免從“某個(gè)人”開始句子就可以了,也就是說用比較客觀的就事論事的態(tài)度。如:避免“學(xué)生出國”,只寫“出國”;避免“他們想要…”,只寫“想要…”。這樣,上面的句子就可以寫成:go abroad to get better education and find a better job in the future,不但很客觀,而且把原來的主句和從句兩部分精簡(jiǎn)處理成了一個(gè)動(dòng)詞短語。既可以做謂語動(dòng)詞加上原來的一個(gè)主語構(gòu)成句子,也可以用不定式、動(dòng)名詞和分詞處理為非謂語動(dòng)詞做主語、賓語或者狀語,還可以以從句的形式處理。至于原來第一句中的主語young students可以用介詞短語的形式插入不定式或者動(dòng)名詞短語中,而下面的句子里的評(píng)價(jià)部分的內(nèi)容提上來做主句的謂語,組成一個(gè)新的句式。
另外,第二例句中的“have”,一般情況下主語都是某個(gè)人,而在寫作中多為“there be”句型所代替,更加客觀。所以上面的兩個(gè)例句就可以合并成一句:
There may be problems in study and also in life for young students to go abroad in order to get better education and find a better job in the future.
這樣合并不但客觀而且精煉,每個(gè)單位句子所表達(dá)的內(nèi)容自然就擴(kuò)大,詞匯密度也相應(yīng)地增多,自然容易得高分,如果加上個(gè)別單詞或短語的替換,就可以達(dá)到7分,但切記不可機(jī)械照搬范文中的長句。
更進(jìn)一步說,“have”和“there be”句型都可以簡(jiǎn)化成更簡(jiǎn)單的介詞“with”結(jié)構(gòu),如以下所示:
On the table is a box. There is a cover beside it.
這兩個(gè)小句子是小作文的流程圖中經(jīng)常要用到的具體描寫事物的句型,凡是描寫具有某種屬性或者帶有某種外部特征都可以用”with”結(jié)構(gòu)表達(dá),所以上述兩句可以合并成:On the table is a box with a cover beside it.
除了一般的“某個(gè)人做某件事情”和“…have…”句型,常見的人化主語的句型還有很受考生偏愛的幾個(gè)情態(tài)動(dòng)詞,如can, may, should等。一般建議前兩個(gè)改成It is likely /possible to do/ that….;后一個(gè)改成It is necessary/ imperative/ highly expected/ suggested that sth. be done.的句式,請(qǐng)看下面的例示:
We can go anywhere we like with our bicycle. →
It is possible for us to go anywhere we like with our bicycle.
To curb global warming, our government should promulgate new laws to govern the felling of trees.→
To curb global warming, it is imperative that our government promulgate new laws to govern the felling of trees.
歸納起來說,議論文中我們要積極避免“某個(gè)人”做主語,盡量用不定式、動(dòng)名詞或者一個(gè)從句做主語,謂語動(dòng)詞用評(píng)價(jià)性的動(dòng)詞充當(dāng),這樣就可以由記敘文性質(zhì)的“過程性句式”順利轉(zhuǎn)化成更符合議論文文風(fēng)的客觀評(píng)價(jià)性的句式。
二 被動(dòng)句式的使用
在比較正式的新聞、商務(wù)、法律等英語文體中,被動(dòng)句式因?yàn)槠涓怀隹陀^性的賓語或者事實(shí)被廣為使用。雅思的圖表分析和議論文都是比較正式的文體,所以我們也應(yīng)該注意多用被動(dòng)句式。尤其是在以下兩個(gè)方面:
1.主語不確定
Someone murdered the millionaire last night.→
The millionaire was murdered last night.
2. 主語是泛指很多人或者大部分人
To improve the air quality, we should reduce the use of private cars. →
To improve the air quality, the use of private cars should be reduced.
Most people think that we can get a large share of benefit in the sales campaign.→
It is widely believed that we can get a large share of benefit in the sales campaign.
被動(dòng)句的用法不僅體現(xiàn)在主句中,在從句、非謂語動(dòng)詞短語中都有可能用到,如:
It is important for nations all over the world to join hands to control the software piracy. →
It is important for nations all over the world to join hands to have the software piracy controlled.
I don’t expect that she returned. → She is not expected to have returned.
I am not sure whether the college graduates will find jobs in the financially difficult year. →
I am not sure whether the college graduates will get employed in the financially difficult year.
但是因?yàn)闈h語中本來是沒有被動(dòng)句式的,所以受漢化思維的影響很多考生不會(huì)想到這一點(diǎn)。這就要求我們對(duì)此要引起足夠的重視,并且在平時(shí)多加練習(xí)以培養(yǎng)對(duì)其敏感度。
三 名詞化
寫作中把原本用動(dòng)詞或者形容詞表達(dá)的地方換成名詞叫做名詞化(nominalization)。名詞化是為了避免太多動(dòng)詞造成的句法處理上的困難,同時(shí)也可以把某些陳述型的句式轉(zhuǎn)化成更客觀的評(píng)價(jià)句,更符合議論文的文體要求。如:
Our monitor didn’t come today. He has got a flu.
很明顯這兩個(gè)小句可以用因果關(guān)系的信號(hào)詞連成一句:Because our monitor has a flu, he didn’t come today.,但這個(gè)because引導(dǎo)的原因狀語從句以及其它的狀語從句是考生們很常用的復(fù)合句,雖然看似比較復(fù)雜,其實(shí)仍然是某個(gè)人做主語。如果非謂語動(dòng)詞掌握得好,可能我們會(huì)想到用Having a flu, our monitor didn’t come today.如果我們把前后兩部分分別用一個(gè)概括性的名詞來替代,中間加上我們熟悉的表示因果關(guān)系的動(dòng)詞,這個(gè)句子就非常符合議論文的風(fēng)格:The flu caused the absence of our monitor today.或者The absence of our monitor is because of his illness.至少我們可以盡量將其中的一個(gè)小句變成名詞,減少某個(gè)人做主語的口語化句式的出現(xiàn)頻率。
雖然這種表達(dá)方法更為客觀,句式上更加簡(jiǎn)潔,但是用比較抽象的概括性詞匯來寫句子對(duì)于越來越趨于低齡化的考生來說的確是個(gè)挑戰(zhàn)。但是有一些單詞是我們?cè)趯懽髦袔缀醣仨氁玫降?,平時(shí)要備好以下幾個(gè)常見的名詞化:lack of(if there is no…), ignorance of (don’t know …), illiteracy in(can’t read…/ can’t use…), failure (didn’t do…)等。而且在具體的使用過程中可以結(jié)合介詞with使用,使得句法更加凝練。此外個(gè)別單詞也可以利用題目中的動(dòng)詞的名詞性后綴如: -tion,-ment, -isation, -ness, -ity等或者變成動(dòng)名詞形式-ing。如:
More younger generations celebrate the western festivals→the celebration of the western festivals by more younger generations
四 個(gè)別表達(dá)
如more and more/ a lot等口語化的短語盡量避免,可以用increasing(ly), a large number of…/a great deal of…./swarms of…等代替。此外縮略形式也是正式的寫作中要避免的。