英语长句的解构和建构方式例析

卞金华

在英语的各类各级考试中，阅读所占的比重达1/3以上，写作也占1/4以上，阅读考查的是输入信息的能力，写作则是输出信息的能力。而困扰考生的最大问题之一就是阅读中长句的解构能力和写作中长句的建构能力，培养和训练考生在平时学习过程中的信息接受、加工处理能力。

地道的英语阅读文本多用长句，上乘的英文写作也不能一味地使用短句。写作中如使用过多的短句，不仅使得段落显得单调，而且使得段落非常零散、内容浅薄。如果一旦发现段落中尽是写短句的话，这时就需要将某些简短的语句扩展成比较长的句子。

高考英语写作的最高评分标准对长句做了明确的要求：“……应用了较多的语法结构和词汇；语法结构或词汇方面有些许错误，但为尽力使用较复杂结构或较高级词汇所致。”

长句主要有两种情况，一种是由于结构复杂而形成的长句，多见于书面语；还有一种是由简单句扩展而成以使语句表达得更加生动和清楚，主要出现在口语的表达中。

如对古诗“今有一物，不知其数，三三数之余二；五五数之余三；七七数之余二。问物几何？”就可有以下两种译法。

一种表达很书面化，短句和短语较多：We have a number of things which， counted by threes， leave two； by fives， leave three； and by sevens， leave two. Find the number.

另一种则多使用了长句：We have things of which we do not know the number. If we count them by threes， they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by fives， they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by sevens， they leave a remainder of two. How many things are there？

一、 英语长句的扩展建构方法例析

语句的扩展主要是在语句的主干上增添修饰成分（如定语、状语等）。有些语句适宜用增添修饰成分的方法进行扩展，但增添修饰成分不应有斧凿之痕，应该使原句显得更有血有肉。试举以下几个例子加以说明：

（1） A child with a problem will probably go to his friends for sympathy.一个碰到问题的孩子有可能到朋友那里寻求同情。

如要扩展此句，可采用添加修饰成分扩展成长句： A child with a problem， then he feels what he will probably get from his parents is incomprehension or criticism， will go instead to his friends for sympathy and advice， leaving the parents totally unaware of the problem he has.一个碰到问题的孩子，当他觉得他从他的父母那里得到的有可能是不理解或者批评的时候，就会去找他的朋友们寻求同情和建议，而其父母对其问题却全然不知。

（2） We can be informed of a lot by reading books. 通过阅读书籍我们可以了解很多东西。

如要扩展此句，可采用添加修饰成分扩展成长句：By reading scientific books， we can be informed of many facts； by reading geography， we know the earth s surface， forms， physical features， etc...； by reading history， we are told of the growth of the nations.通过阅读科技书籍，我们可以了解许多事实。通过阅读地理，我们知道了地球的表面、结构和地貌特征等。通过阅读历史，我们了解到世界的发展过程。

（3） Wed better to keep company with the true friends.我们最好和对我们有帮助的朋友交往。

如要扩展此句，可采用添加修饰成分扩展成长句：As friends are both helpful and disastrous， it is better to keep company with the true friends who are helpful， encouraging and loyal， but to avoid those who are mean， stingy and treacherous. 由于既有良朋益友，也有狐朋狗友，因此我们最好和那些对我们有所帮助、有所鼓励和忠实的真正朋友交往，而要避免和那些庸的、吝啬的、奸诈的人交往。

二、 英语长句的解构方法例析

解构长句的办法可大致归结为：找谓语，定主语；提主干，去枝叶；寻关键，辨逻辑；看搭配，防分隔。抓住句子主干，再把句子中涉及的其它成分，如插入语、非谓语形式、各类从句摘出来。具体来说，有以下主要方法：

（1）剔出从句单独理解

After leaving school， Hawking went first to Oxford University where he studied physics， then he went to Cambridge where he studied cosmology.endprint

（2）以动词为线索，抛开语法直接理解

When a cup of tea is put on a tea table before you or sent to your hands， you will say “Thank you” and receive it with two hands， not one hand， or they will think you are illmannered.

（3）抓住关键词，弄清脉络，按序理解

It can show politeness， reported speech and conditionals such as the First—probability—if I can come to your party， I will； the Second—improbability—if I saw you tomorrow， Id give you the book； and the Third—impossibility （meaning it is too late to change something that has happened）—if you have told me， I would have helped you.

（4）借助标点符号自身含义，帮助理解

I see such a difference in New York City， for example， from when I first moved here more than 20 years ago： people rushing into lifts without giving those inside a chance to get off first， never saying thank you when others hold a door open for them， or please when they want a classmate to hand them something. （划线部分是对运用具体方法的说明）

三、 英语长句的其它表现形式例析

英语长句除了前文所说的增添修饰成分扩展建构为复合式长句外，还可以有其它的表现形式——倒装句、强调句、省略句和虚拟语气句。下面逐一作简要介绍：

（1） 复合句

Su Hua and Li Jiang played basketball on the playground. They both jumped up to catch the flying ball. → Su Hua and Li Jiang were playing basketball on the playground when they both jumped up to catch the flying ball.

复合句多使用定语从句和状语从句，既可明确概念的外延，增大概念的内涵，也增强了句子的逻辑性。再有，长短句结构交替使用后，语句内部抑扬顿挫的节奏感就出来了，从而使文章流畅自然，生动活泼，体现了句子的长短之变和节奏之美。

（2） 倒装句

Su said many mean words to Li and shouted at the top of his voice as well.→ Not only did Su say many mean words to Li but also shouted at the top of his voice.

倒装句常可带来承上启下、平衡结构和强化情感之效。又如：

A man， who is in all black， is standing with a gun in hand in front of her.→ Standing in front of her is a man， who is in all black， with a gun in hand.使用了倒装句后，既可强化句子的情感，也可让句子结构趋于平衡。

（3） 强调句

He didnt come back until the clock struck twelve.→ It was not until the clock struck twelve that he came back. 强调句常通过突出句子中的某一部分，以便能引起他人的注意，更明确地表达自己的意愿和情感。

（4） 省略句

While they were catching the flying ball， they bumped into each other.→ While catching the flying ball， they bumped into each other. 省略句能使句子干练，无冗长之嫌。

（5） 虚拟语气句

No one put himself in the others place. They found no fun in the game.→ If one of them had put himself in the others place， they could have found more fun in the game.

虚拟语气可用来表达极尽感激、遗憾或悔恨之情。虚拟语气还可以表示说话人的一种愿望、假设、怀疑、猜测、建议等含意。书面表达题中常用“假如你是……，你会如何……？”来考查考生的个人认识或解决问题的能力。

四、 对英语长句教学的思考

扎实的语法知识是理解长难句的基础。

教师在平时的教学中要重视语法技能的教学，重视语法形式、意义和功能的教学，形成语法技能，而不只是侧重于学生对语法结构形式的认知，以解答试题为终极目标，忽视了它们的语用价值。因此，打破传统模式，深化语法的学习是必须的。除了了解语法形式、交代语法现象的意义以外，创设情景、注重语法在交际中的运用是语法教学的准则。只有这样，英语长难句教学才能够顺利高效地进行。

（江苏省高邮市南海中学）endprint