如何写好读写任务型作文的概括部分

杨定生

江苏高考英语的书面表达，连续三年采取读写作文的形式。由于多年的磨炼，学生对于一般性的作文常感觉毫不费力。然而，仍有不少学生似乎对读写任务型作文中的概括部分充满忧虑和胆怯，其核心的问题是30个词的概括该怎么写？

任务型作文的概括， 就其表面上来看，它仅仅是整篇作文中的一小部分，但它却关系到整篇文章的写作 （开头）和全文的得分， 不可疏忽。

本文试图就如何写好概括与读者做肤浅的探讨。

笔者以为：概括的写作要精炼。精炼是概括之灵魂。

一、概括写作的总体要求

笔者以为：概括的写作要尽量做到 “四要四不要 ”。

1.要抓住主要信息不要面面俱到

在内容上，我们要抓住文章的主要信息点，剔除细节和无用信息是写概括的基本要求。

2.要有限度不要有突破

在长度上：概括只需30词左右，即用两到三个句子就足以表述。

3.要自创不要抄袭原文原句

在语言上：一定要自行创作不要抄袭。

4.要有衔接不要上下文断裂

在行文上：做好与下文的衔接，既要写概括，还要考虑与下文的衔接。

二、写作探讨

1.要抓住主要信息不要面面俱到

书面表达的具体写作要求明确指出是“概要”，因此，在内容上，抓住文章的主要信息点，剔除细节和无用信息是写概括 “必须的”。

1）主题句是全文的核心 关键词关系到信息的浓度。

① 找准主题句 一篇文章都是围绕某个主题而展开的。绝大多数文章的主题句，通常置于段首，有时也有可能在文章的其他部分，需仔细甄别。

② 把握关键词 通过分析主题句意义，确定关键词，关键词都是为主题句服务的。

2）提炼和重组概括句

由于概括的要求，切忌运用原文中的原句且由于概括的词数限制，需重新组织概括的句子。对主题句精心的提炼和重新组织。主题句逻辑是统领后面所有的支撑句，可以从作者的写作目的去推理，从其结果加以分析。

3）可以根据所提供短文的内容和不同的文体的特点下笔。

议论文、记叙文等文体常见于各种考卷， 故本文仅以议论文和记叙文为例：

议论文文体的文章的主要信息点： 议论文的内容包括 “论点（或话题）、论据、结论” 三个方面，所以议论文的概括就是围绕这三个方面，找出主题句和结论句。（主题句和结论句往往在文章的开头和结尾）

特别要注意：议论文的主体部分是论证的过程，论据占有很大的部分，但在写概括的时候，不需要详细写论证的过程，会有很多细节信息，而细节信息正是概括原文时所必须剔除的。

例1 阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。

There is a growing debate about the most effective way for students to study. Traditionally studying alone was thought to be the best way to ensure good exam results.

When studying alone，you can focus your mind better than when you are with others. You also have the freedom to choose what topic to study and when， as you dont need file agreement of others. Students that prefer to study alone often say that when they study with their classmates they waste a lot of time because the discussion is often about nonstudy topics such as television or holidays.

In the last few years， however， more and more students have started studying in groups. There are several reasons many students prefer this method. First， they find that studying in groups is more fun as they can share the experience with others rather than staying in their rooms. In groups， they can discuss the subject together and when something is not understood they can ask each other questions. They can use the knowledge of their classmates to help improve their own knowledge. Finally by discussing the topic they are able to both understand and remember it better.

【写作内容】 1. 以约30个词概括短文的要点； 2. ……

【写作要求】 1. 标题： The Best Way to Learn 2. ……

【分析】 该文就有效的学习方法而提出了讨论。其论点（或话题）就是文章的首句debate about the most effective way for students to study。短文围绕studying alone与studying in groups各自的benefits（关键词）展开。因此，概括就应该据此而写。由于字数的限制，studying alone与studying in groups的各自长处，仁者见仁智者见智，只能点到为止切不可展开。

【参考答案】

The article compares the benefits of studying alone with those of studying in groups. Studying alone allows students to remain focused and avoid interruption， while group study creates a more enjoyable learning environment. （33 words）

【点评】 概括仅用一短语compare...with...就将短文的论点benefits of studying alone与studying in groups 挑明，并用while将两者 studying alone与studying in groups的benefits即各自的利弊合并为一并立长句，尤为显得简洁明了。

记叙文，是记人或叙事的文体。“who / what / when / where / how / why”是记叙文写作六大要素；并通过六大要素来叙述某人或某事，是文章的主要情节，是为文章的主题、主旨服务的，文章的主要信息点应是 “主题或主旨、情节和结局（结果）”。因此，在写作记叙文的概括时，应突出“主题” 或 “主旨”，及结果；万不能详细地描写情节。“主题”或“主旨”（或“目的”）有时可直接获得但有时又隐藏于阅读之后的体会和品味中。

例2 阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper， he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks， as he learned to control his anger， the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didnt lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said， “You have done well， my son， but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger， they leave scars just like these. And no matter how many times you say youre sorry， the wounds will still be there.”

【写作内容】 1. 以 “Anger management”为题用30词左右概括上文的主要内容。 2. ……

【写作要求】 ……

【分析】 短文的主题（主旨）为一儿子遵照父亲嘱咐要改变其易发怒的坏毛病，通过钉钉子的经历后对其有所认识和理解。短文的主旨隐藏在全文中的一些关键句及词中，如 ...manage his temper；... to hold his temper，其结果是The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. 在记叙文的概括中是切忌不能具体描写故事情节的，而要突出“主题” 或 “主旨”，同时要涉及其产生的结果。

【参考答案】

A badtempered boy finally learned to properly manage his anger following his fathers advice—hammering nails into the fence. And he realized that ones anger can do great harm to others. （31 words）

【点评】 记叙文的概括最为重要的就是主旨要突出。该段仅用learned to properly manage his anger following his fathers advice 等就把全文的主旨和结果交代的很清楚。同时用 realized that ones anger can do great harm to others来展开论述，为下文打下伏笔。

2.要有限度，字数不要有太大突破

在长度（词数）上：概括只需 30个左右词，假设每个句子平均10个词，那么30个词也就仅需用两到三个句子就足以表述；切切不要洋洋洒洒而超出字数的限度。如果我们能做到抓住了文章的主题句和关键词，是完全足以写好的。万一因句子的结构和表述完整的需要而字数可能要突破时，也应控制在3～5词左右。

例3 阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。

Once upon a time in a land far away， there was a wonderful old man who loved everything， animals， spiders， insects...

One day while walking through the woods the nice old man found a cocoon （茧） of a butterfly. He took it home.

A few days later， a small opening appeared； he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.

Then the man decided to help the butterfly， so he took a pair of scissors and cut off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then came out easily.

But it had a swollen body and small， shriveled （萎缩的） wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that， at any moment， the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body. Neither happened！ In fact， the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Natures way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles， it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.

【写作内容】 1. 以约30词概括短文内容要点； 2. ……

【写作要求】 1. ……； 2. ……

【分析】 全文的最后一节Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles， it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.可谓是对全文的最好总结，也是全文的主旨和结果所在。短文的概括应据此而作。

【参考答案】

A kind man cut a cocoon open to let the butterfly out when he saw it struggling in the cocoon， only to find that it could never fly because of his help. （32 words）

【点评】 作为记叙文，切不要重述故事情节，而是通过主题或主旨引出结果，上面的概括就处理得比较好。为了to let the butterfly out，这位好心人 cut a cocoon open，其结果是it could never fly。特别是运用only to find that...的句式来表示其结果是出乎意料之外。言简意赅，准确到位。

3.要自创不要抄袭

在语言上：一定要自行创作不要抄袭。 写概括不是缩写，不能引用原文的语句；写概括也不是改写，不能把原句加以变形就完事；写概括主要是把具体的信息用一些具有高度概括功能的词和句表述出来。所以，写概括要自己重新组织语句。

例4 阅读下面短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文

An elderly carpenter（木匠）was ready to retire. He told his employers of his plans to leave the housebuilding business to live a more leisurely life with his wife and children. His employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes， but it was obvious that his heart was already not in his work. He built it impatiently and used poor materials. It was unfortunate for a wonderful career to end like that.

When the carpenter finished his work， his employer came to inspect the house. Then he handed the frontdoor key to the carpenter and said， “This is your house. Its my gift to you.”

The carpenter was shocked！

What a shame！ If he had known he was building his own house， he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives， a day at a time， often putting less than our best into the building. Then， with a shock， we realize we have to live in the house we have built. Therefore， build it wisely！

【写作内容】 1. 请你以约30个词概括上文的主要内容。2. ……

【写作要求】 你可以使用实例或其他论述方法支持你的论点，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不要抄袭阅读材料中的句子。

【分析】 记叙文常在文章结尾时阐述作者的观点或看法。这文章的主题或主旨是build our life wisely。这位木匠的regretful是为其the last house he had built impatiently 由此而联想到“人生”应build it wisely！

【参考答案】

A carpenter felt regretful when he knew the last house he had built impatiently was a gift for his retirement， which reminds us that we should build our life wisely. （30 words）

【点评】 从该短文的概括来看，没有一句与原短文相同或相似，完全为自创。从一出乎意外的结局入手，说明他的后悔，用一非限制性定语从句更突出了要build our life wisely，即符合题意要求以“Build your life wisely！”为话题又为下文谈谈你的想法打下伏笔。

4.要有衔接不要上下文断裂

在行文上：做好与下文的衔接，要想使文章有整体性、连贯性，要考虑与下文的衔接。上下文的衔接，可通过某个句子的句意或某些过渡词或过渡句为下面的表述做伏笔，并且过渡要自然。

如例1概括的最后一句Studying alone allows students to remain focused and avoid interruption， while group study creates a more enjoyable learning environment.就会使读者产生想进一步知道作者对此看法的强烈愿望——作者看法如何？

如例2概括的最后一句And he realized that ones anger can do great harm to others.就比较自然地提出作者自己对此的看法。

那么以上的这些句子就成为名副其实的过渡句，很自然地过渡到下面的表述。当然，我们还可刻意运用一些常见的过渡句或短语。

如：（1） 表达自己的意见 In my opinion， ...； As far as I am concerned， ...； As for me， ...

（2） 表示赞同 I agree with the statement that...； I fully support the statement above because I am very sure...

（3） 表示不赞同 I feel such an attitude is negative， and that it can bring...； Some people argue as if it is a general truth that...； But to be frank， I cannot agree with them.

（4） 其他过渡词或短语

表示罗列增加 first， second， third，... / then / next / finally / for one thing... for another...， on （the） one hand... on the other hand / besides / whats more / in addition

表示时间顺序 now / at present / recently / afterwards / after a while / in a few days / at first / in the beginning / to begin with / later / next / finally / suddenly / all of a sudden / at that moment / as soon as / at the same time / not... until

表示解释说明 for example / in this case / moreover / furthermore / actually

表示转折关系 however / while / though / otherwise / on the contrary / in contrast / despite / in spite of / even though / except （for） / instead / of course / after all

表示并列关系 or / and / also / too / not only... but also / as well as / either... or

表示因果关系 because of / since / now that / as / thanks to... / due to... / as a result （of） / so... that / such... that

表示条件关系 as （so） long as / on condition that / if / unless

表示让步关系 though / as / even if / whether... or... / however / whoever， whatever， whichever， wherever， whenever， no matter how （who / what / which / where / when / whom）

表示比较 be similar to / similarly / the same as / in contrast / compared with （to） / just like

表示目的 for this reason / for this purpose / so that / in order to / so as to

表示强调 in fact / surely / certainly / no doubt / without any doubt / truly / obviously / above all

表示概括归纳 in a word / in short / in brief / on the whole / generally speaking / in my opinion / as far as I know / as has been stated / in summary / in conclusion

有言道：Practice makes perfect. 要写好读写作文的“概括”部分，还是要多读多写多比较为妥。