《四节写作⑧-1》
2012-04-21 15:51阅读：
8
Learning styles of writing:
Exposition
Definition of Exposition
n
Exposition means explaining. An expository paper
explains something, such as how something is made. Why
something has happened, in which ways two persons or things are
similar or different and so on.
n
In an
expository paper, we discuss its cause and effect, its nature, and
its significance in history. Expository pa
pers are perhaps the type of writing that is most frequently used
by a student, a scientist, or a professional.
Methods of Expository Writing
(写作方法)
n
Things
can be explained in many ways, for instance,
by
n
Process
(过程)
n
Illustration
(列举)
n
Classification and/or division
(分类)
n
Comparison and/or contrast
(对比、对照)
n
Causes and/or effects
(因果）
Process
Title:
Moving House
Moving house is a major upheaval
(剧变)in people’s lives. Before the
men come to actually move the furniture, many things must be done
in preparation. All the toys, normally
strewn(散播)around the house, must be gathered
together and put into large boxes for easy transportation. All
books too must be put away in an orderly fashion so as not to
be damaged in transit. Drawers and wardrobes should be
emptied
and their contents
carefully packed. Pictures should be taken down from the
walls and wrapped with proper cloth. And lastly, don’t forget to
take down all the curtains and blinds. Soon everything is
prepared and the removal men arrive. All the boxes and
furniture are loaded into the lorry. A quick check is necessary to
make sure the flat is empty and the lorry is off on its way to the
new flat.
Comments
n
The
paragraph gives a step-by-step description of getting things
ready before moving a house. The method is called development
by process.
n
It is a
very useful method when we tell people how to do things in correct
order, so as to avoid mistakes or even
failures.
n
It is
important to make clear the right sequence of the things to
be done, and state every step in a clear
way.
分析
n
Moving house is a major upheaval in
people’s lives.
（整段的主题句）
n
Before…, All the toys, … All
books … Drawers and wardrobes … their contents… ,
all the curtains and blinds …,
(说明事物的过程）
n
A quick check is necessary to make sure
the flat is empty and the lorry is off on its way to the new
flat. （整段的结尾句）
n
说明文是用来说明、解释某一客观事物的特点、性质，某种操作程序、工作原理、生产过程以及某种抽象概念、科学原理、自然现象等阐明事理的文章。完全是客观描述，不带感情色彩。目的是使读者对所解释的事物有清楚、完整的了解和认识。比如:介绍某种设备的使用方法，某种问题是如何解决的，某种自然现象是怎样形成的等等，就需要写说明文。
Illustration
(列举)
Title:
Understanding Poverty
Small children have a hard time understanding
poverty. They want the same things children from more affluent
(富裕的) families have. They have the
same things they see advertised on television, and they don’t
understand why they can’t have them.
n
Other children can be incredibly
(难以置信的) cruel. I was in elementary school
in Georgia---and this is interesting because it is the only thing I
remember about that particular school---- when I was about eight or
nine.
n
After Christmas
vacation had ended, my teacher made each student describe all his
or her Christmas presents, I became more and more uncomfortable as
the privilege passed around the room toward me.
Other
children
were reciting the names of the dolls they had been given, the kinds
of bicycles and the grandeur (豪华) of
their games and toys. Some had lists which seemed to go on and on
for hours.
n
It took me only
a few seconds to tell the class that I had gotten for Christmas a
belt and a pair of gloves. And then I was laughed at --- because I
cried --- by a roomful of children and a teacher. I never forgave
them, and that night I made my mother cry when I
told
her about
it.
In retrospect
(回顾), I am grateful for that
moment, but I remember wanting to die at the
time.
Comments
n
This
essay gives examples of a small child’s difficulty in understanding
poverty and the cruelty of other children. It is a successful
illustration paper, because the author has chosen specific,
interesting, and relevant examples from his personal
experience, and has arranged these examples expertly, grouping
similar examples together and arranging them
climactically(顶点地)by ending his paper with
the only thing
he remembers about the
particular elementary school in Georgia.
Classification and/or division
(分类)
There are three kinds of book owners
according to the way they deal with their books. The
first has all the standard sets and best sellers unread, and
even untouched. The second has a great many books--- a few
of them read through, most of them dipped into, but all of them as
clean and shiny as the day they were bought. The third has a
few books or many--- every one of them dog-eared and dilapidated
(破旧的) ,
shaken and loosened by
continual use, marked and scribbled in from front to back. (This
man owns books) In a word, these categories of books owners are
different in the number of books and in the extent they make use of
their books.
Comparison and/or
contrast
(对比、对照)
n
Life in a big city has become more and more
difficult for people to cope with. In a big city, stress
is caused by daily having to contend (竞争) with crowds of people and restricted
space. Travel in rush hour can be a real headache. Pollution of
various kinds is the result of industrialization. Cars spew toxic
fumes into the atmosphere. Noise bellows out from every side.
All
these factors add to the
pressure of daily existence in a big town. In contrast, life in
a country village is much more attractive. Here the pace of
life is gentle. There is time to reflect on the beauty of the
world. In a village, life is closer to nature. The changing seasons
can be clearly observed. There is ample space for everyone, and
fresh air to breathe.
Causes and/or effects
(因果）
n
Title:
The Only-Child
Policy
n
Policies are usually formulated
(制定) under
certain circumstances, so was the only-child policy. China has
adopted the only-child policy because its large population has
become a weighty burden instead of a great asset.
n
In the first
place, the only-child policy is based on the economic strength
of the country. It is universally known that China is a
developing
country with nearly one-fourth
of the world’s population. The first problem the Chinese government
has to deal with is to feed its people. So for many years China had
to import wheat and other kinds of grain from Canada and Australia,
though there were 800 million farmers in the
country.
In the second place, the only-child policy
aims at improving people’s living conditions. China’s large
population has brought a series of problems and caused great
inconvenience to its
people. For example, many
houses have been built since liberation, but there is still a
serious housing shortage.
In the third place, the only-child policy is
based on the interests of the individual. The only-child naturally
gets more love and attention from his parents and a better
education at home than those who have brothers and sisters. For
instance, nowadays, many parents buy musical instruments for their
only child. Besides, parents with one child may spend less time
on
household chores and devote
more time and energy to their work. The better they work, the more
they earn. So people are beginning to see the advantages of having
only one child. And more and more people have come to realize
that on the whole the only child policy does good not only to the
country but to themselves as well.
说明文的写作顺序
n
在写作顺序方面，说明文的写作可以采用空间顺序、时间顺序、逻辑顺序、或认识顺序。
n
在写作层次方面，说明文是由浅入深、由易到难、由外到里、有始到末。这样的层次读起来思路清楚、条理分明、易于接受。
n
在用词方法，说明文用词要客观，避免使用华丽浮夸和含义模糊的词语。
Example
n
Youth is a precious
gift and a golden time in our life. It will not last forever. When
we are strong and healthy, learning comes easily. It is the time
for us to prepare ourselves to become responsible
citizens.
n
Youth comes only once
in a lifetime. It is important that we do not waste those years in
idleness and bad living.
Youth is also the time when
our memories are best. We are better
able to learn more during this
time than when we are older. Since learning is easy, the young
person should try his hardest to learn as much as he or she can.
The knowledge will be useful in later years.
n
If we
realize how precious youth is, we will be
fulfilled(个人志向得以实现的)
when we are young as
well as we are older. If we waste our youth, we will spend the rest
of our lives wishing we were young again.
点评
n
这是一篇以解释说明为主的说明文，说明的是一个较抽象的概念 (Youth)。作文写得条理清楚，三个段落层次分明。第一段说明青春是人一生中的黄金时期，应把握住能使人成材的天赐良机。第二段说明人的一生中只有一次青春，切勿虚度光阴。第三段用简洁而明确的语言把事物的本质属性揭示出来，告诫大家切莫年华付水流，免得老大徒伤悲。整篇文章用词朴实、准确。
英语四级写作中说明文的例子：
n
1.体裁:说明文
最近几年四级作文以说明文为主的例子。
如：
n
How to Succeed in a Job
Interview （2001.1
四级);
n
How I Finance My College
Education（2000.1
四级);
n
Practice Makes
Perfect（97. 1
四级);
n
Haste Makes
Waste（97. 1
六级）
n
题目：How to Succeed in a Job
Interview
n
1.
面试在求职过程中的作用
n
2. 取得面试成功的因素：仪表，举止
谈吐，能力，专业知识，自信，实事求是…
n
A job interview
has long been regarded by the interviewees as the most vital part
in successful job hunting. On the other hand, the employer also
attached great significance to interviews before enrolling new
staff members.
n
There are
several vital factors that will help to make a job interview
successful. To begin with, first impression is of the greatest
importance in a job interview. The interviewee thus
should
wear tidily and properly to
impress the interviewers deeply. Secondly, good behavior also
counts. You should show the best before interviewers, who
view good behavior as important for communications with the future
cooperators. Thirdly, your reaction, capability, confidence as well
as frankness are key factors in a job interview. These are
the qualities of a
person. With the ability and
knowledge an interviewee can win the position. It’s with confidence
and frankness that an interviewee will get trust from the
interviewers.
n
Therefore,
before going to an interview you should prepare yourself for the
above-mentioned tips and then you are sure to have a chance to
obtain the position you are applying for.
点评
n
结构点评
n
该范文是2001年四级的真题，要求写一篇说明文，对于主题所涉及到的问题做出说明并提出有效方法加以解决。
n
第一段中用 A job interview has
long been regarded by the interviewees as the most vital part in
successful job
hunting开头点明面试的作用和意义，以此提醒应试者应重视面试机会。
n
第二段中以There are several vital
factors作为开头是一种为主题段做好框架的写法，不会偏题。
To begin
with, first impression is of greatest importance in a job
interview引出第一个成功的因素。Secondly, good behavior also
counts
引出第二个成功的因素。Thirdly, your reaction, capability,
confidence as well as frankness are key factors
引出其他成功的因素，供即将参加面试的人参考。
It’s with
confidence and frankness that…为了突出面试中confidence and
frankness（自信和实事求是）的重要，所以在此运用了强调句型。
n
第三段中以因果类过渡词Therefore
总结观点，结束全文。
n
用词点评
n
第一段has long been regarded
as
说明面试者一直把面试当作找工作的重要组成部分。On the other
hand, 引出说明的另外一个方面。
Attach
great significance to
表示招聘方也很重视面试的作用。进一步说明面试的重要性和必要性。
n
第二段vital
factors以此为开头的关键词，为提出面试成功的因素做准备。to impress the interviewers
deeply
意为给面试官留下好印象。counts意为很重要，
可用is important替代。但是counts的表达方式更简洁明快。win the
position（获得职位），为了获得自己申请的工作，就要按照文章中所提的方法去做。
n
第三段prepare yourself for
the above-mentioned tips
(为面试做好准备)
，applying
for（申请…）
