模块十Unit 3—Unit 4语法盘点

唐翠华

一、文章结构

获取信息的最有效方法之一就是了解文章的结构,以便更加准确、快速地定位我们要找的信息。叙述文一般以讲述个人生活经历为主,对于经历的陈述通常由一定的时间概念贯穿其中,或顺序或倒序。这类文章的基本结构模式是:

1) 用一段概括性的话引入要叙述的经历(话题) (Beginning paragraph)

2) 叙述先前的经历(举例1)及其感悟或发现 (Body paragraph1)

3) 叙述接下来的经历(举例2)及其感悟或发现 (Body paragraph2)

4) 做出总结或结论 (Concluding paragraph)

以下面一段文章为例:

(1)Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality , but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool.(2) In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any sensible student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But thats not what I did. (3) I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts (文科) university that doesnt even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice; I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who werent studying science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for such a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them. (4)I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering "factories" where they didnt care if you had values or were flexible. I was going to be a complete engineer: technical genius and sensitive humanist (人文学者) all in one. (5) Now Im not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance maths, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调) engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.The reality that has blocked my path to becoming the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply dont mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. (6)The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult.

第一句是总结性的话;第二句是先前的经历或想法;第三句是往后的经历;第四句是接下来的经历;第五句是再下来的经历;第六句是结论。

从某种意义上说,不了解文章的文体结构,是无法真正欣赏一篇好文章的。因此,掌握英语文章结构分析技巧对正确理解文章至关重要。

二、语言风格

根据不同的语言环境,英语的语言风格有很多种。最重要的是口语和书面语,同时在口语和书面语中又有正式和非正式用语。

例如:

1) It is an agreed fact that all the creatures want happiness and are afraid of pain and grief. The question, however, is ‘what is real happiness? What really is called happiness? The desire for happiness has no meaning without understanding the real nature of happiness…

例1) 是一篇关于 “What is happiness?”的论文,语言风格比较正式。

2) Liu Xiang steals limelight after hat-trick feat at National Games

Olympic gold medalist Liu Xiang (C) from Shanghai jubilates as Ji Wei (L) of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) team and Shi Dongpeng from Hebei watch on the podium after the mens 110m hurdles of athletics at the 11th Chinese National Games in Jinan, east Chinas Shandong Province, Oct. 25, 2009. Liu claimed the title of the event with 13.34 seconds. Ji won the silver while Shi got the bronze.

例2) 是关于刘翔全运会上三连冠的报道,运用了比较正式的语言风格。

3) April 13, 2000

Nanyuan YiShe Box 36

Jilin UniversityChangchun, China 130012

Dear Sir / Madam,

Your advertisement for a Network Maintenance Engineer in the April 10 Student Daily interested me because the position that you described sounds exactly like the kind of job I am seeking. According to the advertisement, your position requires top university, Bachelor or above in Computer Science or equivalent field and proficient in Windows NT4.0 and LINUX System. I feel that I am competent to meet the ……

例3) 是一封求职信,语言风格比较正式。

4) A: Good morning, Mr. Smith. The report is finished. Shall I present it to you?

B: Please give it to me in an hour. I have a meeting with some customers about our new product.

A: I am sorry to interrupt you. Please inform me when you are finished and have time to look at the report.

B: Yes, I will.

例4) 是两个工作人员之间的对话,使用了被动语态等结构,语言风格比较正式。

5) A: Hi, Mike. Its Alices birthday tomorrow. Shall we buy her a present?

B: Yes, of course, what about some flowers?

A: Flowers are lovely. But Id prefer to get her a CD. You know she loves music.

B: Good idea.

例5) 是两个朋友之间的对话,使用了简单的句子结构和主动语态。属于非正式的语言风格。

6) Hi, Pingping,

Hope everything is going on well.

Whats your plan for the coming winter holidays? Some of us will go to BJ. Will you go with us?

…

Yours,

Ma Lin

例6) 是一封电子邮件。可以看出语言非常随便,句子结构非常简单。属于非正式的语言风格。

因此,我们可以归纳:在书面语中,运用正式用语的场合大多数是:论文,报道,求职信……;运用非正式用语的场合大多数是:家信,电子邮件,短信息……。而在口语中,运用正式用语的场合大多数是:正式的演讲,和陌生人交流,和上级交流……;运用非正式用语的场合大多数是:和朋友或家庭成员说话,和朋友或家庭成员通电话……。而且,在正式的语言风格中,句子的结构通常比较复杂,常常使用复合句和比较抽象的概念,同时也常用被动语态。而在非正式的语言风格中,句子结构相对比较简单,通常使用简单句,主动语态和比较常见的表达。