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《普通高中英语课程标准(2017年版)》在“高中英语学业质量水平二”部分将书面表达的“质量描述”阐释为“能在表达中借助语言建构交际角色,体现跨文化意识和情感态度”“能在表达过程中有目的地选择词汇和语法结构,确切表达意思,体现意义的逻辑关联性”。
那么,怎样在书面表达中借助语言建构交际角色,体现交际意识,特别是跨文化意识和情感态度呢?本文以2016—2018年高考英语全国卷Ⅰ为例进行探讨。
年份 试题交际功能分析2016假定你是李华,暑假想去一家外资公司兼职,已写好申请书和个人简历(resume)。给外教Ms Jenkins写信,请她帮你修改所附材料的文字和格式(format)。(1)表达困难忧虑(2)计划与愿望(3)表达感谢2017假定你是李华,正在教你的英国朋友Leslie学习汉语。请你写封邮件告知下次上课的计划。内容包括:1.时间和地点;2.内容:学习唐诗;_____3.课前准备:简要了解唐朝的历史。(1)通知、计划(2)建议、理由(3)希望和愿望2018假定你是李华,你的新西兰朋友Terry将去中国朋友家做客,发邮件向你询问有关习俗。请你回复邮件,内容包括:1.到达时间;2.合适的礼物;3.餐桌礼仪。(1)时间(2)建议(3)提醒注意备注(1)本表中“交际功能分析”参照《普通高中课程标准实验教科书》及《2019年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试大纲》。(2)《普通高中课程标准实验教科书》目录中“Functional items”部分将交际功能的教学任务进行了系统安排;“Writing”部分将每单元写作任务的性质进行了诸如“Persuasive writing:letter of advice”“Personal recount:email”等明确界定。(3)《2019年普通高等学校招生全国统一考试大纲》附录三“功能意念项目表”部分涵盖了“社会交往”“职业”等11大项,“道歉”“感谢”“工作”等68子项;附录四“话题项目表”部分涵盖了“个人情况”“计划与愿望”等24项。“功能意念项目表”和“话题项目表”既是普通高中英语教学的任务目标,也是普通高中英语高考书面表达命题所考查的范围。
(一)首先,对比2016年全国卷Ⅰ书面表达的两篇学生习作:
【学生习作1】
Dear Ms Jenkins,
I'm Li Hua, your Chinese student.Haven't seen you for ages.How is everything going with you? Actually, I'm writing to ask you a favor.
My family is poor, so I need a job to earn some money.Looking through a great number of advertisements, I'vefinally found one in an American company, which is quite appealing to me.I'm sure _I_'ll gain working experience and improve my English if accepted.Yet I have difficulty with the application and resume.Will you please spare some time to make some necessary changes, especially the format?
No words are strong enough to express my thanks.
Yours ,
Li Hua
【学生习作2】
Dear Ms Jenkins,
Greetings from China.I'm Li Hua, your former student.I'm writing in the hope of getting your help.
In order to learn from hands-on experience, I'm planning to take a part-time job in an American company during the summer vacation.Sadly Ifind it hard to manage an attractive application and resume.As you know, I have a limited vocabulary.Some improper words and expressions may exist.Would you kindly give them a check? The format is another problem for me a Chinese and I do hope for your help with it.
Attached are thefiles, which are due to be handed in by August 27th.Your timely help would be greatly appreciated.
Yours,
Li Hua
在这两篇学生习作中,高级词汇和复杂句式的使用难分伯仲,但两篇习作所体现的交际意识相差甚远。
学生习作1存在两个问题:跨文化交际不当、缺乏意义的逻辑关联性,这就导致交际效果被削弱。
首先,“贫困”是个敏感话题。笔者发现,论述英语委婉语的许多文献都提及poor一词。该词是个慎用词,又因其信息模糊、词义效度不高,常被be laid off,less well off, needy等词或短语代替。需要注意的是,西方文化是鼓励学生打工自立的,也就是说,打工与家庭贫富不应存在必然的因果关系。其次,“I'll gain working experience and improve my English”同为打工目的,但与“My family is poor”前后脱节,互无关联。相比之下,学生习作2中的“In order to learn from hands-on experience”就非常贴近西方文化。换句话说,以打工自立为求助理由,较容易达到交际目的。“I have a limited vocabulary”和“Some improper words and expressions may exist”两句作为求助理由则顺理成章,与上文逻辑连贯,交际效果得以优化。
(二)2017年全国卷Ⅰ书面表达命题本身突出中国文化,但因考生要点拓展方向各异,作答效果截然不同。请看下面两篇学生习作:
【学生习作1】
Dear Leslie,
I'm more than glad to know you take an interest in Tang poems.Now I'm writing to tell you the detailed plan for next class.
I'm very fond of Tang poems.I think it great fun to learn the poems written in the Tang Dynasty with you.We are to meet on Sunday morning in the People's Park, where the air is fresh and scenery is beautiful.We'll begin at 8:00 and finish at 10:00 a.m.Besides, I strongly recommend you go to the bookshop to buy a history book and learn about the Tang Dynasty, which can help you better understand the poems.
Looking forward to your early reply.
Yours,
Li Hua
【学生习作2】
Dear Leslie,
I'm more than delighted to see that you have made great progress in your Chinese study.Now I'm writing to tell you our plan for next class.
We'll meet at 8:00 a.m.this Saturday in Room 411,where we'll learn Tang poetry.Tang poetry is a brilliant part of Chinese culture.It_'s magically beautiful and enjoys great fame in Chinese culture.Surely you will love it.To have a better understanding of what we'll talk about, you can go to our school library and have a look at some books about the Tang Dynasty.
If it is inconvenient for you, please let me know.
Yours,
Li Hua
这样两篇文章放在一起,高下立见。学生习作1存在三个问题:“I'm very fond of Tang poems”——“我”方思维模式,减弱交际效果;“where the air is fresh and scenery is beautiful”—— 要点拓展散乱、不合理;“Looking forward to your early reply”—— 结尾盲目套用成句,未体现交际真实性。对比之下,学生习作2中的“I'm more than delighted to see that you have made great progress in your Chinese study”——开篇与写作背景高度吻合;“It's magically beautiful and enjoys great fame in Chinese culture”—— 要点拓展客观,弘扬中国文化,彰显唐诗地位,兼使对方乐于接受该学习内容安排;“If it is inconvenient for you, please let me know”—— 结尾句从目标读者角度出发,体现情感态度,有利于沟通。对比之下,学生习作2做到了《普通高中英语课程标准(2017年版)》所倡导的“能在表达中借助语言建构交际角色,体现跨文化意识和情感态度”“能在表达过程中有目的地选择词汇和语法结构,确切表达意思,体现意义的逻辑关联性。”
(三)2018年全国卷Ⅰ书面表达命题以中国习俗为主题,遗憾的是仍有不少考生拓展不当,冲淡主题,不利交际。请看下面两篇学生习作:
【学生习作1】
Dear Terry,
How are you doing? In your last letter, you asked me about being a guest to a Chinese friend's home.Now I am writing to inform you of some relevant details.
To begin with, according to our tradition, you are supposed to arrive early, so that you can help the family prepare the dinner, which is fun and interesting.Besides, you'd better bring a gift, like a book or a Chinese knot.What's more, when you are enjoying the meal, you need to avoid making noise while chewing food.
Hopefully these suggestions will be helpful to you.I have the confidence that you will have a good time.
Best wishes!
Yours,
Li Hua
【学生习作2】
Dear Terry,
I'm more than delighted to share some suggestions about your visit to a Chinese friend.
To begin with, arriving at your friend's home ahead of appointed time is what has to be scheduledfirst, for arriving slightly early is a widely observed practice in Chinese culture.Additionally, you can prepare a small gift, such as a bunch of flowers or something from your home country.Last but not least, don't be surprised when the family put food onto your plate as it is a behavior through which Chinese people show their warm kindness.
Please feel free to contact me for any further question.Wish you a happy visit.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
学生习作1中存在两处交际不当:“so that you can help the family prepare the dinner, which is fun and interesting”虽无语法错误,但通过审题可知Terry作为一个外国人向中国的“李华”求教,应是希望了解中国的作客礼仪,而此句仅从朋友、乐趣角度出发说明建议理由,未能很好地满足跨文化交际需求;将“a Chinese knot”作为礼物送给中国朋友,建议不当。学生习作2则充分注意关注目标读者的信息需求,同时传播中国文化,体现命题宗旨,结尾体现真实交际情境。
通过以上对比可知,仅注意使用高级词汇、丰富句式及书写工整的书面表达不一定就是一篇好文章,缺失交际意识,特别是跨文化交际意识,便是“硬伤”之一。
书面表达中的交际及跨文化交际不当的显性原因是学生语言表达能力不足,其隐性原因是思维能力欠缺、文化意识差、相关语言文化知识储备不足等。解决策略值得深入探究,此文仅建议如下:
写作教学,从小的层面讲是服务高考;从大的层面讲是服务学生能力素养的长远发展。有句话叫作“文如其人”,必须承认的是,写作既是学生语言知识水平的显现,也是学生文化意识和思维品质的反映。在教学过程中如果教师没有对学生进行足够的文化意识和思维品质的培养,只重视对其进行基本的语言知识的传授,学生写出来的作文,不论含有何种高级词汇和句式,都可能暴露出学生思维能力、交际能力、特别是跨文化交际能力不足的问题。
书面表达教学必须提升到立足学生长远发展的层面,只有提升学生的思维品质、培养学生的文化意识、坚定学生的文化自信,才能使学生真正体验到语言交流的功能与魅力之所在,才能在高考英语书面表达中有上佳表现。
《普通高中英语课程标准(2017年版)》(以下简称《课程标准》)对“普通高中英语课程主题语境内容要求”以“生活与学习”“做人与做事”等10大项、32子项进行明确阐释。《课程标准》在“语用知识内容要求”选择性必修部分明确指出学生应能“根据交际场合的正式程度、行事程序及与交际对象的情感距离,选择正式或非正式、直接或委婉的语言形式,理解和表达道歉、请求、祝愿、建议、拒绝、接受等,达到预期的交际效果。”为此,教师要认真研读《课程标准》,拓宽对主题语境的认知,参照相关标准要求有意识地做好日常教学积累工作。
书面表达异于阅读理解等其他所有题型之处是答案不具唯一性、水准各异,使用成题的题海战术并不是很奏效。写作教学应结合课标、《考试大纲》,依据《普通高中课程标准实验教科书》目录中的教学安排规范教学,系统训练。建议优选成题、研读答案、适度修改。同时建议依据《考试大纲》中的“功能意念项目表”和“话题项目表”及《普通高中英语课程标准(2017年版)》研创新题、研创答案,既可省去题海战术之苦,亦可有效遏制答案水平不一对学生写作成长过程的干扰。
笔者认为,写作教学或许没有捷径,但依据《课程标准》《考试大纲》和教材规范教学,至少可以少走弯路。
“目标读者”(addressee)是指“预期的目标文本接受者”。写作应该是互动的,教师在日常教学中,要注意培养学生的目标读者意识,提醒考生在写作时要考虑以下问题:“我”要写给谁?写作目的是什么?要传达哪些主要信息?自己和他或她的关系是怎样的?他或她读后可能会有怎样的反应?从目标读者出发构思全篇完成的写作与自说自话式的“凑字文”所体现的交际效果完全不同。
教师还要有效地帮助学生优化写作策略,完善写作过程:
首先,开篇切题,避免千篇一律。策略:认真审题,不忽略要点之外的背景信息,要依据交际任务和交际对象得体地选择词汇和语法结构。例如,同为通知,书面通知与口头通知、邮件通知开篇不同;同为邀请,目标读者为外教与笔友、同学用词各异。
其次,布局严谨、谋篇紧凑,体现意义的逻辑关联。策略:要点拓展满足交际需要,关注跨文化差异,彰显思维品质,避免写作随意性。
再次,结尾灵活变通、不落俗套,体现交际真实性。策略:呼应开头、呼应要点、呼应写作目的,或结合当前话题进一步加深情感。
综上所述,书面表达高分要素,依笔者之见,要点清晰全面为骨,词汇高级、语法丰富恰如其分为肉,文化交际为灵魂。有骨无肉,形容枯槁;有肉无魂,有形无神。只有形神兼备才堪称高档。