从衔接和连贯管窥初中英语阅读理解

2014-04-10 10:08唐国英
考试周刊 2014年13期
关键词:连贯衔接

唐国英

摘 要: 初中英语阅读理解在期末考试和中考中所占的比重较大,因此受到教育界的广泛关注,但人们主要从传统角度研究解决阅读理解题的基本条件和技巧。从衔接和连贯角度管窥英语阅读解题,应该是一种全新的尝试,从中必能得到有益启发。

关键词: 初中英语阅读理解 衔接 连贯

1.衔接和连贯理论简述

衔接和连贯理论是关于语篇分析的重要理论,衔接是语篇中语言成分间的语义关系,即语篇中语言单位(词、句、段落)相互参照、相互指代、相互依存、相互影响的关系。Halliday和Hassan(1976)[1]在这方面的研究非常有影响,他在《英语中的衔接》一书中,把照应、连接、替代和省略等划分为语法衔接手段,照应是语言成分间的参照关系,省略为简洁,替代为方便并且避免重复,连接是体现语义成分之间关系的衔接手段,在英语中可以连接的是句子和词汇,各种连词就是语法衔接手段。他把同义词、反义词、上下义关系、词汇共现、重复等归类为词汇手段。

胡壮鳞(1994)[2]发展了衔接和连贯理论,提出了新的理论模式。他甚至把语调、语音及语篇结构纳入衔接的范畴。他主张衔接和连贯包括:1.社会符号层。含情景语境、语篇语境、文化语境、言语行为、会话准则等;2.语义层:及物性、逻辑连接、篇章结构;3.词汇层:词汇搭配、指称性、共现、重复、省略等;4.句法层:结构衔接、主位—述位;5.语音。

张德禄、刘汝山(2003)[3]指出语篇连贯必须满足内部和外部两个条件。社会文化背景和人的心理认知构成外部条件,词与词之间、句与句之间、篇章与语境之间的衔接手段构成内部条件。语篇在内部和外部、线性和层级性上都衔接。衔接与语境相关,语篇必须适合语境,在语境中行使其功能。语篇各部分形成一个语义整体。他们把连贯概念的三个特点概括为:分级性、整体性、功能性。

2.阅读理解教学的研究现状

阅读理解的重要性使得教育界、学术界对其广泛关注,仅搜索知网期刊论文,就可以查到1000多篇各种关于初中英语阅读的学术论文,虽然核心期刊的少。这些研究成果主要从论述教授初中英语阅读的技巧和方法入手,如怎样培养良好的阅读习惯,讲解阅读步骤,如何理解句子,如何通过构词知识推测词义,如何通过句子结构、句子成分之间的关系理解句子,如何查找细节,如何抓住文章主旨,其他一些解题技巧等。最具影响力的北大图书馆评定的核心期刊论文从人物设计、分层教学、互动模式、生活化设计、阅读中的教学、TUF教学模式、问题设计、有声思维法等方面对阅读教学进行了研究,颇具创新、条理分明、分析透彻、仁者见仁、智者见智,有许多是一线资深教师的经验之谈,对教师和学生启发很大。如陶春霞[2]在她的核刊论文中从阅读前的任务设计、阅读过程中的任务设计、阅读后的任务设计对阅读理解进行了研究。许艳[4]在她的核心期刊论文中提到的情境导入、谈话导入、头脑风暴导入、设“疑”导入,以及快读、扫读、细读等,使教师和学生颇受启发。但是从语言学理论研究阅读理解的相对较少。本文从衔接和连贯的角度研究初中英语阅读的理解和解题。

3.从衔接和连贯管窥初中英语阅读理解

下面我们就用衔接和连贯的核心概念分析一套中考阅读试题。[5]

This dog was born on Christmas Eve in 2002.He was different from other dogs because he was born with only two legs.The poor dog of course could not walk and even his mother Sarah did not want him.His first owner Michael Johnson also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of killing him.But then,his present owner,Jude Stringfellow,met him and wanted to take care of him.She decided to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself.She called him “Faith”.

In the beginning,she put Faith on a surfboard(滑板)to let him feel the movement ... Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure(诱惑)and reward for him for standing up and jumping around.Even the other dog at home encouraged him to walk.Amazingly,after only six months,Faith learned to balance on his legs and jump to move forward.After further training in this snow,he could now walk like a person.

Faith loves to walk around now.Wherever he goes,he attracts peoples attention.He is fast becoming famous on the international scene and has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows.A book named With a Little Faith is now being published about him.He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies.

Jude Stringfellow,his present owner,has stopped working and plans to take him around the world to tell people “that even without a perfect body,one can have a strong will(意志)”.

Faith is a good example of the strong will and wonder of life.In life there are always unpleasant things.So,in order to feel better,you just need to look at life from another direction.I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day.

47.Faith is different from other dogs because ?摇?摇?摇 ?摇.

A.he doesnt have a tail

B.he has only two legs

C.he was born on Christmas Day

D.his mother loves him best

48.Faiths present owner is ?摇?摇 ?摇?摇.

A.Sarah B.Michael Johnson

C.Harry Potter D.Jude Stringfellow

49.Which of the following is the correct order for Faith to learn to walk around like a person?

①jump to move forward

②train in the snow

③feel the movement on a surfboard

④balance on his legs

⑤use peanut butter on a spoon as a reward

A.③①④②⑤ B.③⑤④①②

C.②⑤③①④ D.④⑤①③②

50.What can we learn from the passage?

A.Faiths mother can walk with two legs like a person.

B.If we dont have a perfect body,we cant be successful.

C.When we meet with difficulties,we should never give up.

D.When we have difficulties,we should wait for others help.

文章中“dog”一词出现了6次,“faith”共出现了7次,“dog”和“faith”都是指代狗,是重复(词汇衔接手段),指代狗的人称代词主格“he”和人称代词宾格“him”是连接手段的指代。这些核心单词分布在不同段落,可以断定这些衔接和连贯手段为一个中心服务:狗的故事。

第一段,“only two legs”,“could not walk”,“he could survive”,“train this little dog to walk”等前后照应,共现于段落当中,不难归纳出该段的中心意思:少两条腿的狗和人们对狗的态度。

第二段中“In the beginning”,“Later”,“and”,“After”等连接手段表示递进关系。“let him feel the movement”,“reward for him for standing up and jumping around”,“balance on his legs and jump to move forward”,“balance on his legs and jump to move forward”,“could now walk like a person”等词汇构成的意群共现于一个段落当中,构成一种有序的线性关系。不难判断,此段说的是对狗循序渐进的有效训练。

第三段中“attention”是上义语、“becoming famous”,“appeared on various newspapers and TV shows”,“published”,“appear in one of Harry Potter movies”等是下义语。其中包含的相关词汇共现于段落当中,可知本段是以狗的成功造成的影响作为核心连贯起来的。

第四段、第五段中“a strong will”重复出现两次,“So,in order to feel better,you just need to look at life from another direction.”中的“so”作为衔接手段,表明原因,是对前文的总结。本段指明文章的中心。

通过上述对各段的衔接和连贯分析,可以总结出全文是在一个中心统领下的浑然一体的短文,我们可以给本文确定一个标题:“A Dog with Only Two Legs ”或者“a good example of the strong will”,“The Wonder of Faith”等。

现在用连接和连贯知识解题。

第二句连词“Because” 是一种衔接手段,表明两个句子间的因果关系,说明为什么这条狗和其他狗不一样,通过这种语法衔接手段,我们可以解第一题:答案是B:“he has only two legs”。文中第三段第四句“His first owner Michael Johnson also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of killing him.”与第五句“But then,his present owner,Jude Stringfellow,met him and wanted to take care of him.”存在照应关系,突出表现为“first owner”和“present owner”前呼后应。两句话都是关于狗主人。读者很容易找出正确答案就是“D”:“Jude Stringfellow”。倒数第二段再次重复:“Jude Stringfellow,his present owner”。更可确定答案是正确的,但要仔细,不能张冠李戴。通过文章连接手段“In the beginning”,“Later”,“and”,“After”,加上依次出现的“surfboard”,“peanut butter”,“standing up and jumping”,“snow”等关键词的共现,我们可以有把握地确定第49题正确排序是:B。从文章五个段落的关系:第一个段落说明狗身体缺陷和人们的态度,第二段说训练,第三段谈成功的影响,第四段、第五段说明写作文章的目的。前面是事实,后面是结论,构成一种层级关系,全文是一个层级的具有功能性(目的是让读者明白道理)的连贯的有机整体:体现出分级性、整体性、功能性。文章从“句法层”、“语义层”、“社会符号层”、“词汇层”等分析都具备适当适量的衔接手段,同时语篇在内部和外部、线性和层级性上都衔接。文章由一个中心统领,词、句、段及其中的衔接手段都为文章的主旨服务。所以答案应该是C:“When we meet with difficulties,we should never give up.”

4.结语

虽然衔接和连贯理论比较复杂,学生甚至教师都较难理解和记忆,但是掌握一些关于这方面的基本知识,把它们用于阅读解题分析,有助于根据阅读短文找出文章词、句、段之间的关系,确定衔接和连贯的核心,从而把握文章的中心,也可以以此为线索,找出所需细节。因此,教师不妨把衔接和连贯基础知识教给学生,训练学生的思维,可以和传统阅读方法、技巧相辅相成、相得益彰。

参考文献:

[1]Halliday,M.A.K.& Ruqaiya Hassan.Cohesion in English [M].London: Longman,1976.

[2]张德禄,刘汝山.语篇连贯与衔接理论的发展及应用[M].上海: 上海外语教育出版社,2003.

[3]陶春霞.初中英语阅读教学中的任务设计[J].教学与管理,20109(13): 62-64.

[4]许艳.初中英语阅读教学“活动链”设计有效性研究[J].教学与管理,2012(16): 53-55.

[5]江苏省宿迁市2012年中考英语学科试题.

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