精选记叙类语篇素材,加强学生细节描写能力

2023-10-10 22:41郭金华
教学考试(高考英语) 2023年1期
关键词:驱车布鲁斯人物描写

郭金华

(陕西省西安高新第一中学)

现行教材的阅读语篇以说明文和议论文为主,与读后续写相适应的记叙类语篇相对较少。因此,需要教师定期定量地在课外阅读中为学生补充相应的材料,以期逐步夯实学生对记叙类语篇的解读能力,提升学生的语言表达和细节描写能力。

在拓展阅读中,选取恰切的记叙类语篇是提升学生细节描写微技能的基础。为加强拓展阅读的针对性,所选取的拓展阅读语篇应当与高考读后续写语篇相契合。通过研读高考读后续写试题给定的阅读材料,笔者采取以下原则选取记叙类语篇作为课外阅读材料:

(1)主题语境:人与自然/人与自我/人与社会

(2)语篇类型:记叙类语篇

(3)语篇字数:350 词左右

(4)语篇特点:①话题贴近学生生活,情境真实;②情节编排跌宕起伏,冲突性强;③人物塑造立体饱满,性格鲜明;④语言表达生动形象,迁移性强。

对于记叙类语篇的选取要有整体性安排和规划。所选取的语篇在语言表达上要有各自鲜明的特点,这样经过一定阶段的累积,各个语篇就会在表达的丰富性上形成合力和互补,为学生提供更有力的语言支撑。

在实践当中,考虑到实际教学中的课时安排和进度要求,笔者利用英语阅读课,每两周为学生选取一篇叙事类语篇,带领学生解读语篇中有迁移价值的描写类词汇和表达手法,以期加强学生的细节描写能力。笔者将通过如下案例来说明教学实践中的具体做法。

该语篇选自新概念英语3 第39 课,标题为《不必担心》(Nothing to worry about),主题语境为人与社会和人与自然,语篇类型为记叙文,语篇词数为359 词。该语篇在主题语境、语篇类型和语篇词数上都与高考要求高度契合。语篇讲述了主人公布鲁斯不顾同行人的多次劝阻,执意在颠簸坑洼、偶有裂缝的道路上驾车疾驰,最终导致汽车陷入水塘的冒险经历。该语篇故事情节一波三折,人物性格冲突明显,环境描写生动形象,是读后续写的典型示范材料。

该语篇在环境描写和人物描写方面特点显著,因此笔者带领学生一步步挖掘该语篇在这两个方面的描写类词汇和表达手法,以期提升学生读后续写的语言表达能力和描写能力。

语篇全文如下:

Nothing to worry about

The rough road across the plain soon became so bad that we tried to get Bruce to drive back to the village we had come from.Even though the road was littered with boulders and pitted with holes,Bruce was not in the least perturbed.Glancing at his map,he informed us that the next village was a mere 20 miles away.It was not that Bruce always underestimated difficulties.He simply had no sense of danger at all.No matter what the conditions were,he believed that a car should be driven as fast as it could possibly go.

As we bumped over the dusty track,we swerved to avoid large boulders.The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car.We felt sure that sooner or later a stone would rip a hole in our petrol tank or damage the engine.Because of this,we kept looking back,wondering if we were leaving a trail of oil and petrol behind us.

What a relief it was when the boulders suddenly disappeared,giving way to a stretch of plain where the only obstacles were clumps of bushes.But there was worse to come.Just ahead of us there was a huge fissure.In response to renewed pleadings,Bruce stopped.Though we all got out to examine the fissure,he remained in the car.We informed him that the fissure extended for 50 yards and was two feet wide and four feet deep.Even this had no effect.Bruce went into a low gear and drove at a terrifying speed,keeping the front wheels astride the crack as he followed its zigzag course.Before we had time to worry about what might happen,we were back on the plain again.Bruce consulted the map once more and told us that the village was now only 15 miles away.Our next obstacle was a shallow pool of water about half a mile across.Bruce charged at it,but in the middle,the car came to a grinding halt.A yellow light on the dashboard flashed angrily and Bruce cheerfully announced that there was no oil in the engine!

笔者带领学生初读文章,在了解故事梗概之后,着重从语言表达的角度挖掘该语篇在环境描写和人物描写方面的语言特点。

1.环境描写

环境(setting)是小说故事类语篇的三大要素之一。环境描写可以提供故事发生的背景和具体场景,烘托氛围。以下,笔者带领学生从“数词+量词”词块,“形容词+名词”词块和“动词+副词”词块这三个方面对该语篇环境描写的语言表达特点进行解读,以期加以借鉴。

(1)“数词+量词”词块

a trail of oil 机油的痕迹

a stretch of plain 一片平地

clumps of bushes 一簇簇灌木丛

a shallow pool of water 一池浅水塘

The fissure extended for 50 yards and was two feet wide and four feet deep.

那个大裂缝长50 码,宽2 英尺,深4 英尺。

Our next obstacle was a shallow pool of water about half a mile across.

我们的下一个障碍是一片约半英里宽的浅水塘。

语篇精准使用数词和量词,把布鲁斯驱车途中所经过的开阔平地、簇丛灌木和狭长裂缝描写得很具体,也使得情境更有画面感。在读后续写过程中,学生可以借鉴这种描写手法,巧妙运用表示数量单位的名词性短语,使得环境描写更加生动具体。

(2)“形容词+名词”词块

The rough road was littered with boulders and pitted with holes.

路面布满石头,坑坑洼洼。

As we bumped over the dusty track,we swerved to avoid large boulders.

我们在尘土飞扬的道路上颠簸,车子东拐西歪,以避开那些大石块。

Just ahead of us there was a huge fissure.离我们不远处,出现了一个大裂缝。

“形容词+名词”的词块表达,使得对于路面状况的描写细致入微。路面的坑洼泥泞,尘土飞扬和石块满布跃然纸上。为写出在语言层面上融洽度高的续作,学生可以尝试借鉴给定阅读材料中“形容词+名词”的词块表达,提升语言表达的丰富性。

(3)“动词+副词”词块

A car should be driven as fast as it could possibly go.

车必须以尽可能快的速度前进。

The wheels scooped up stones which hammered ominously under the car.

车轮搅起的石块锤击车身,发出不祥的锤击声。

A yellow light on the dashboard flashed angrily.

仪表盘上一盏黄灯闪着刺眼的光芒。

“动词+副词”的词块表达,使得对于环境的描写灵动活泼。从视觉上的“闪着刺眼的光芒”到听觉上的“发出不详的锤击声”,语篇的场面描写调动了视觉和听觉等不同的感官,使得对车辆疾驰的场面描写更具立体感。在读后续写过程中,学生可尝试使用这一类型的词块,使得对于情境的描写更具表现力。

2.人物描写

人物(character)是小说故事类语篇的三大要素之一。人物描写为人物的性格刻画服务,使得情节的推进更加合乎情理,更加符合人物的角色设定。以下,笔者带领学生从“看”的动作描写,“说”的动作描写和“驱车”的动作描写这三个方面对该语篇人物描写的语言表达进行解读,并加以研习。

(1)“看”的动作描写

Glancing at his map...

瞥了一眼他的地图……

Because of this,we kept looking back...

因此,我们不时地回头看……

Though we all got out to examine the fissure...

尽管我们纷纷下车查看那个大裂缝……

Bruce consulted the map once more...

布鲁斯看了一眼地图……

在人物“看”这一动作的刻画上,语篇使用丰富多变的词汇,具体而微地将“瞥了一眼”“回头看”“仔细查看”和“看了一眼”等不同程度的“看”的动作描写出来,助推故事情节的发展。

(2)“说”的动作描写

We tried to get Bruce to drive back to the village...

我们劝说布鲁斯把车开回村庄……

He informed us that...

他告诉我们……

In response to renewed pleadings,Bruce stopped.

面对再三的恳求,布鲁斯停了下来。

Bruce told us that the village was...

布鲁斯告诉我们村庄……

Bruce cheerfully announced that...

布鲁斯兴致勃勃地宣布……

在人物“说”这一动作的刻画上,语篇使用了不同词性的词汇,将“劝说”“告诉”“恳求”和“宣布”等不同性质和语气的“说”的动作描写出来,使得对人物态度和性格的刻画更加深入。因此,巧妙转换词性,丰富表达手段也是学生在读后续写中可以借鉴的表达手法。

(3)“驱车”的动作描写

As we bumped over the dusty track,we swerved to avoid large boulders.

我们在道路上颠簸,车子突然急转,以躲开那些大石块。

Bruce stopped.Though we all got out to...

布鲁斯(把车)停了下来。尽管我们都出去……

Bruce went into a low gear and drove at a terrifying speed.

布鲁斯挂上慢档,以发疯的速度向前开去。

He followed its zigzag course.

他顺着弯弯曲曲的道路前进。

Bruce charged at it...

布鲁斯向水塘冲去……

在人物“驱车”这一动作的刻画上,语篇使用丰富的词汇,将“颠簸急转”“沿路行进”“挂档疾驰”和“驱车猛冲”等不同状态的“驱车”动作描写出来,使得布鲁斯这一人物更加活灵活现。笔者引导学生关注到,“驱车”(drove)是一个较为笼统的词汇,而“急转”(swerved)和“猛冲”(charged)等词汇更精准。因此,应当引导学生在读后续写过程中多积累并运用精准动词,避免寡淡无味的描写,从而使动作描写更具“动感”。

以上案例是笔者在教学实践中所做的一种开展记叙类语篇拓展阅读的尝试。总之,针对记叙类语篇的课外拓展阅读,需要教师按照高考读后续写的要求甄选高质量的素材,定期定量带领学生进行此类语篇的拓展阅读。具体语篇具体解读,挖掘每个语篇在语言表达上的各自精妙之处,加强学生对于描写类词汇和表达手段的积累,以期逐步提升学生读后续写的语言表达能力,夯实学生细节描写这一微技能。

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