□尹立平
(杭州师范大学附属中学,浙江杭州310010)
读后续写是一种典型的读写结合的综合性高考题型。这个题型自然地融入了“品读—理解—创新”的学习步骤,让学生的读和写完全融合在一起。在读后续写中,“续”是主体,而阅读语篇是续写的基础资源。语篇赋予了续写段落创作所需的绝大部分内容元素的主题、情景,并限定了续写段落的内在逻辑结构、文体特征和语言形式。因此,深入研读阅读语篇,探究并把握语篇主题,是确保续写与阅读语篇协同的重要前提。
《普通高中英语课程标准(2017年版)》倡导主题意义探究的课程理念,并指出:“学生对主题意义的探究应是学生学习语言的最重要内容,直接影响学生语篇理解的程度、思维发展的水平和语言学习的成效。英语课程应该把对主题意义的探究视为教与学的核心任务,并以此整合学习内容,引领学生语言能力、文化意识、思维品质和学习能力的融合发展。”[1]海明威在文学创作中提出的冰山理论——“The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water”,充分展示了写作中对故事主题意义探究的重要性。所谓“冰山理论”,就是用简洁的文字塑造出鲜明的形象,把自身的感受和思想情绪最大限度地埋藏在形象之中,使之情感充沛又含而不露、思想深沉又隐而不晦,从而将文学的可感性与可思性巧妙地结合起来,让读者由鲜明形象的感受去发掘作品的思想意义。简洁的文字、鲜明的形象、丰富的情感和深刻的思想是构成“冰山理论”的四个基本要素[2]。
所以,如果能从阅读语篇中找到统贯全篇的主题,并在续写中以自然而然的方式把主题继续呈现出来,创作出一篇前后协同的故事,那么读者对于续写篇章一定会有一气呵成的连贯感,阅读的体验也将得到满足。
浙江省2016—2021年高考读后续写题中阅读语篇的主题和故事情节如表1所示。
由表1可知,近年来浙江省高考的读后续写,重视对语篇的类型、整体结构、主题意义、主线逻辑、推理判断以及其背后隐含的作者意图等的考查,重视对续写内容思想性的考查(回扣主题,思想升华)。读后续写的主题范围围绕人与自我、人与社会、人与自然这三大主题,内容均来自实际生活,比如旅游、度假中所碰到的趣事或惊险故事,或是生活中所关心的话题如宠物等。可以想见,今后读后续写的主题将会继续彰显人性光辉,体现人与社会、人与自然、人与动物的和谐相处,以此来考查学生的逻辑思维、批判思维和创新思维能力。
表1
很多学生未能把握阅读语篇文本的写作意图,情节设置偏离语篇主旨,或不能充分考虑到事件发展是否与语篇主题语境相一致,甚至脱离生活实际。他们天马行空地编造事件,脚踩西瓜皮,滑到哪里算哪里。这导致写出来的文章前后不连贯,逻辑性不强。
读后续写的评分有“使用词汇丰富、准确”等要求。很多学生将之误解为只要大量堆砌与细节描写有关的好词好句就能获得高分。事实上,如果故事缺乏情节的合理推进,面目模糊,主题无迹可寻,故事框架和内涵缺失,那么细节描写中有再多的好词好句,也是没有意义的。在主题支撑下的适量的细节描写,是画龙点睛;缺乏主题支撑的细节描写,就是狗尾续貂。故事主题的缺失,如同缺少了水面下八分之七的冰山,水面上的八分之一也将不复存在。
很多学生会在故事情节的创新上投入大量的精力,认为只要有了精心设计的故事情节,续写就能得以圆满。事实上,故事确实离不开情节,情节如同一个故事的引擎,重要性不言而喻。但情节必须服务于语篇的主旨,脱离了语篇主题的情节,无论多么跌宕起伏、多么惊心动魄,都没有意义。
以上问题,都与对阅读语篇主题把控和理解的不到位有关。学生未能从阅读语篇抛出的问题或者矛盾中找出续写篇章需要解决的问题。只有厘清矛盾对象和阅读语篇中设置的伏笔,紧紧依托主题进行写作,才能写出符合要求的文章。
In thefar away land,there was a beautiful kingdom with its unique rule.The rule said,everyone may become the king,with all of his rights to govern the country for five years.After that he must be caught,his body will be tied and he will be thrown away to a remote island where the jungle is thick and there are plenty of wild animalsand no human.
Then,one by one,people became the king.The first man said,“Ok,I’m ready to be the king.”And he became a king for five years.What he did in his five years was enjoying his position.He threw big parties,went to many beautiful places,married many women,collected many luxurious thingsand did other things that pleased himself.Those were all he did and he never prepared anything for his future.
Every other king was the same until a young man came and declared his wish.By the constitution he was granted his wish.He would be the king for five years before being thrown away to the island.But he thought that even if he had a happy and free life in the five years,his life as a king would come to an end at last.He was always thinking what to do.
【Step 1】寻找伏笔,预测故事终点
原文第三段结尾处的“He was always thinking what to do”,暗示了作为一个和前任截然不同的国王,他的思考和决定一定是不同寻常的。据此,教师提问:“作为一个寓言或者半寓言故事,这个故事的主旨是什么?它希望传递给读者的寓意是什么?”学生综合阅读语篇中的伏笔,汇总如下(表2):
表2
【Step 2】根据预测结局,探究匹配细节
教师要求:阅读原文,分析一下,以前的国王在他的五年中是怎么做的。
学生汇总如下(表3):
表3
在此基础上,学生预测The young man的做法(表4):
表4
【Step 3】整合前两步获得的结局和细节,确认故事主题
通过分析不同国王的具体差异,教师引导学生归纳出这一寓言故事可以承载的主题:
●We should resist the temptation of an immediate pleasure and struggle for a larger reward in the future.(我们应该抵制及时行乐的诱惑,争取将来的大回报。)
●We should sacrifice the short-lived happinessin exchangefor an assured future.(我们应该牺牲短暂的幸福,来换取一个安稳的将来。)
●God helps those who help themselves.(自助者天助之。)
●Opportunities always favor those who areprepared.(机会总是偏爱那些有准备的人。)
●We should learn to save for a rainy day.(我们应该学会未雨绸缪。)
●One good turn deserves another.(礼尚往来,善有善报。)
学生选择上述任一主题进行续写。
以下是学生以“One good turn deserves another”为主题的一个续写文本:
And not very long after that,hemadeasurprising decision.He carried out a five-year plan.He decided to take advantage of all his rights to ensure his future.In the first year,he sent troops and animal trainers to kill the wild animals or train them.In the second year,farmers were sent to start growing crops there.In the third year,the facilities like schools,hospitals and shops were built.In the fourth year,many young people were chosen to build local communities.In the last year,he sent all his families to the island.The task was so huge,but it was worthwhile.
Five years later,the final day came.Strong soldiers caught him,but he smiled.He had prepared everything for the final day,and the island had been transformed into a paradise on the earth,where everybody enjoyed a happy and comfortable life.The king was warmly welcomed by his people.They cheered,“Long live the wise king.”From the story,we can learn that we should resist the temptation of an immediate pleasure and struggle for a larger reward in thefuture.
文本的最后一句,直接点明主题,将自己的观点明确告知读者。
以主题引领的读后续写,充分挖掘和探究阅读语篇的主题。它是隐藏在续写段落下的那八分之七。在日常教学中,教师要带领学生探索、识别并确定主题,激发学生写作的兴趣,调动学生整合已有的语言知识和语言技能,培养学生的语言理解和表达能力,以此提升读后续写的内涵。