根據(jù)《在職人員以研究生畢業(yè)同等學力申請碩士學位外國語課程水平統(tǒng)一考試大綱》的規(guī)定,要求考生具備一定的寫作能力,在30分鐘內按要求寫出一篇100~120詞的短文,形式可以是按所給的提綱寫短文,或描述圖表,寫內容提要、概述等。本題15分。
一、評分標準
寫作評分標準主要圍繞四個方面評判:1.內容要切題;2.能正確表達思想;3.意義連貫;4.無重大語法錯誤。批改作文時,主要從內容和語言兩個方面進行綜合評判。內容和語言是一個統(tǒng)一體。作文應表達題目所規(guī)定的內容,而內容要通過語言來表達。作文是否切題,是否充分表達思想,和語言上的錯誤是否造成理解上的障礙有密切的關系。下面就評分標準的四個方面分別加以說明。
(一)內容切題
在目前常見的作文題目中,內容切題一般包括兩個方面。一是寫作內容要圍繞題目規(guī)定的話題展開。比如"A Fiveday Week"(五天工作制),文章的內容應圍繞五天工作制進行論述,與其無關的內容,當以跑題論處,但此種現(xiàn)象并不多見。其二,在有些作文題中還包括提綱如:
Fire Accidents in Big Cities
Outline:
1.Present Situation
2.Causes
3.Measures
這種帶提綱的作文題目不僅要求考生根據(jù)標題寫作,而且要根據(jù)提綱規(guī)定的內容和范圍展開各個段落,不能按自己的思路發(fā)揮?忌谶@方面出的問題比較多。如1994年考研作文題是:On Making Friends(論交友),其三段的提綱分別是:1.The need for friends 2.True Friendship 3.My principle in making friends。第三段的提綱要求考生圍繞我交友的原則進行議論,然而有個別考生在段中這樣寫道:
The former paragraph has shown my principle in making friends in some way.Furthermore,what I want to say is that one good friend is enough.
該考生把應放在第三段中論述的內容寫在第二段中,第三段就沒內容可寫了。這類命題作文要求考生按規(guī)定和要求寫作,不能按自己的想法隨意更改,寫上段作文的考生不僅第三段沒有扣題,第二段也沒有做到內容切題。一篇內容切題的作文應能既圍繞題目,又能在各段扣準提綱,才真正符合內容切題的要求。下面這一段是另一學生的作文,都是第三段,內容切題,恰當?shù)乜圩∥医挥训脑瓌t"的寫作要求:
When I choose friends,I do not care what work they do or what social background they are from,but I do notice those little things which reveal one's characters.I would make sure that we really care for each other,so that no matter how much time goes by without seeing each other,I know my friends will always be there,ready to help if I need them,And I know we are true friends indeed.
(二)能正確地表達思想
一篇好短文能使讀者一目了然。文章的思路應清楚,邏輯性強,能準確表達作者的思想。請對比下面兩段:
Have you a bike?Taking a bike is a good way,most people think.But in university it seems not as good as other places.Bikes are possible to be stolen now and then.Having a bike isn't always good enough for us to buy one.
上段作者的思路紊亂不清,字里行間不僅有許多語病,而且也沒能把思想表達清楚。讀后仍不知作者在表達什么思想、觀點,因而這樣的段落只能得0分。請看下段:
It is very convenient to use bikes in China.Bikes don'need fuel,nor a garage or a large parking lot.Bikes can go through narrow streets and their prices are low.So bikes are the most popular vehicles in China today.
上段的作者以其簡單的詞匯、簡潔的語言、清楚的思路正確地表達了思想,使讀者觀后能即刻領會作者的思想。
要能正確地表達思想,考生還應掌握一些寫作技巧,如寫好段落主題句,展開段落的方法,寫好段尾句等。此外還應掌握一定的詞匯量和習慣表達法。
(三)意義連貫
文章的層次要分明,條理要清楚,上下文之間、詞與詞、句與句之間要上下連貫,前后呼應,才能使文章結構嚴謹,思路清晰、有條理。
下面這個段落是一篇文章的第三段。文章的標題是:Good Health;提綱是1.Importance of good health;2.Ways to keep fit;3.My own practice。根據(jù)第三段的提綱"我的做法",一個考生這樣寫:
I don't eat meat much.Every morning I take the long run and in my spare time I like playing tennis and volleyball.In this way I keep good health and lead a happy life.
上段基本切題,包括提綱要點,表達也基本清楚,但是表達不夠連貫。第一句話讓人讀起來感覺有些突然,分析第一句,作者沒有把意思表達清楚,作者我吃肉不多"一定含有這樣的意思:我飲食素淡,吃蔬菜水果多,吃肉少。如果能把這層意思寫出來,文章的連貫性也就體現(xiàn)出來了。作者的第二句是從體育鍛煉方面來表明自己是如何保持健康的,這應是本段中的又一層意思,在這里如能加一個過渡詞,會使文章過渡自然流暢。請看下面經(jīng)過修改的段落:
As for me(1),I enjoy a good health as I keep a simple diet with more vegetables,fruit and less meat.Moreover,I do some exercises whenever I have time such as long distance running,playing tennis or volleyball.As a result(2),I have been a top student all through the four years in the university.So good health is important to everyone(3).
(1)發(fā)揮了承上啟下的作用,沒有這樣一個介詞短語,從第二段過渡到第三段就會顯得生硬一些。(2)也起到了連貫作用,在上述兩方面保持健康的方法介紹完后,應該進一步寫出所產生的結果,這結果就是對全段的總結概括。(3)對文章的標題及開頭起了首尾呼應的作用。
(四)無重大語法錯誤
重大語法錯誤一般指時態(tài)不一致、主語謂語單復數(shù)形式不一致、用詞不當?shù)龋@些問題的存在說明考生在平時的英語學習中很少練習寫作,有人甚至從沒寫過作文,因而出現(xiàn)各種各樣語法錯誤是可以理解的。考生應在考前多進行這方面的訓練,一些語法錯誤在實踐中是可以糾正過來的。下面舉幾例常見錯誤。
病句及其分析:
1.So colleg e provid e the best condition for students.
此句的主謂語不一致。因為句子的意思是泛指大學為學生提供了好的學習環(huán)境,這里的主語college應變?yōu)閺蛿?shù)。這類錯誤極為常見。
2.Going to college does not followed that We'll have a splendid future.
此句的主語是現(xiàn)在分詞短語,全句的意思是:上大學并不表示我們的未來就一定會光輝燦爛。does not后應跟動詞原型follow。
3.Second,have a part time job for poor student is a good way to help reduce his family burden.
此句中有兩處錯誤。have a part time job不能直接作主語,可以改為不定式作主語to have a part time job,或者動名詞作主語having a part time job。第二處錯誤是poor student。普通名詞前應有冠詞a或the,如前面沒有冠詞,名詞應是復數(shù)形式。在這里可選用不定冠詞,a poor student,或者poor students。在此句中為了與后半句中的his呼應將其改為a poor student為好。
4.In recent years,fake goods have been discovered more and more in the market.
第四句是中文式的英文,這是考生作文中的常見錯誤。按照英語的習慣可改為More and more fake goods have been discovered in the market in recent years.
5.The first hand I think is that law must be passed to prevent fake goods from being produced.
第五句中的The first hand是錯的,應改為On the one hand;I think是插入成分,在寫作中應盡量不使用這樣的插入成分;law前應有冠詞,此句經(jīng)修改后是:On the one hand,a law must be passed to prevent fake goods from being produced.
二、寫作技巧
一篇好的短文應該觀點明確,思路清晰,論述有力、準確,語言正確,文字簡潔、流暢、連貫,結構嚴謹。短文是由段落組成,因此寫好段落是寫好短文的關鍵。
段落的組成分為三部分,主題句(Topic Sentence),推展句(Development Sentences)和結論句(Concluding Sentence)。下面分別就這三方面進行詳解。
(一)主題句
1.主題句的作用
主題句是全段的核心句,讀者通過主題句能了解段落的中心思想。一個好的主題句還能限制話題所談論的范圍,表明段落展開的方向及方法。在英語文章中,圍繞主題句展開的段落很多。下面兩段摘自1995年的閱讀試題。
A job applicant has the responsibility for ascertaining certain types of information prior to the interview. First,the applicant should know what kind of job he wants and how that job relates to his career objective.It is important that the applicant be able to state his reasons for wishing to work for a particular company.Second,the applicant should seek as much information as possible concerning the