謝昕呈
舉例在托福獨(dú)立寫作中扮演著非常重要的角色,這在最新版《托??荚嚬俜街改稀返臐M分評(píng)分標(biāo)準(zhǔn)中有著明確且充分的體現(xiàn):“Is well organized and well developed, using clearly appropriate explanations, exemplifications, and/or details.”其中exemplifications正是“舉例”或“例證”之意。另外,details也即“細(xì)節(jié)”,而細(xì)節(jié)通常體現(xiàn)在具體的例子當(dāng)中。這一點(diǎn)進(jìn)一步說(shuō)明了舉例的重要性。舉例不僅使文章真實(shí)可信、生動(dòng)有趣,也會(huì)使內(nèi)容更充實(shí)飽滿。因此,備戰(zhàn)托福的考生應(yīng)當(dāng)在平時(shí)有意識(shí)、有針對(duì)性地練習(xí)舉例的思路,并熟練掌握如何用地道、多樣的英語(yǔ)表達(dá)將這些例子引出來(lái)。其中,后者是筆者在本文談?wù)摰闹攸c(diǎn),即如何利用表舉例的詞匯引出所要舉的例子。筆者根據(jù)自己長(zhǎng)期的教學(xué)實(shí)踐,為大家總結(jié)出五類表舉例的詞匯,再結(jié)合舉例的兩種方法(描述現(xiàn)象與敘述故事),將這五類表舉例的詞匯細(xì)分為兩大類。下面我們來(lái)具體分析。
描述現(xiàn)象用到的表舉例的詞匯
首先,我們來(lái)討論在描述現(xiàn)象時(shí)考生可能會(huì)用到哪些表舉例的詞匯。描述現(xiàn)象就是羅列客觀存在的事實(shí),寫出經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在日常生活中人們熟知的普遍現(xiàn)象,適合它的表舉例的詞匯一般有三組。下面來(lái)逐一介紹。
1. such as/like
用such as或like來(lái)舉例,是廣大考生比較熟悉的,但是在使用時(shí)需要注意以下三點(diǎn)。
①Such as比like正式,在正式場(chǎng)合考生應(yīng)盡量使用such as。
②在包含such as與like的句式中,such as與like之前的內(nèi)容應(yīng)是籠統(tǒng)的概念,其后所跟的是含細(xì)節(jié)的具體例子,比如在“Expert guidance such as help with course preparation and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation”(專業(yè)指導(dǎo),比如給予備課經(jīng)驗(yàn)和恰當(dāng)?shù)纳险n方法的幫助)中,expert guidance就是籠統(tǒng)的概念,而“help with … lesson implementation”就是含細(xì)節(jié)的具體例子。
③Like與such as中的as都是介詞,其后應(yīng)跟名詞或動(dòng)詞的-ing形式,例如:Activities such as rock climbing, bungee jumping and parachuting are extreme sports. (像攀巖、蹦極、跳傘這樣的活動(dòng)都是極限運(yùn)動(dòng)。)
2. include與“range from … to …”
根據(jù)筆者的教學(xué)經(jīng)驗(yàn),很多考生都沒(méi)有掌握include與“range from … to …”這兩種引入例子的表達(dá),特別是“range from … to …”。使用include與“range from … to …”,考生需要注意以下兩點(diǎn)。
①在舉例時(shí),include與“range from … to …”可用一般現(xiàn)在時(shí)形式,也可用現(xiàn)在分詞形式,考生可參考下文例句。
②“range from … to …”囊括的舉例范疇可以很廣。比如ranging from course preparation to methodology for appropriate lesson implementation (從備課經(jīng)驗(yàn)到恰當(dāng)?shù)纳险n方法),雖然例子中只出現(xiàn)了兩種情況,但該用法表明可能還包括如何對(duì)付調(diào)皮的學(xué)生、如何與學(xué)生家長(zhǎng)配合讓學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)效率最大化等方面??忌欢ㄒ幸庾R(shí)地學(xué)習(xí)并使用像“range from … to …”這類更加高級(jí)的表達(dá)方式,而不是停留在自己已經(jīng)熟知的套路上。
3. for example/for instance
提到表舉例的詞匯,相信大部分考生都會(huì)第一時(shí)間想到for example或for instance,甚至有些考生的一篇獨(dú)立寫作中會(huì)出現(xiàn)四五個(gè)for example,因?yàn)樵谕懈*?dú)立寫作中會(huì)有多個(gè)地方用到舉例。從常理來(lái)說(shuō),這樣會(huì)讓評(píng)分人產(chǎn)生“審美疲勞”,而且也讓人覺(jué)得考生的英語(yǔ)詞匯不夠豐富?!锻懈?荚嚬俜街改稀芬罂忌讵?dú)立寫作中體現(xiàn)syntactic variety (句法多樣性)。鑒于此,筆者建議考生在考試中少使用for example或for instance。但如果要用這兩種表達(dá)的話,需要注意:盡量將for example/for instance寫成插入語(yǔ),這樣可以增加句法多樣性。For example/for instance一般可插入到一個(gè)句子的主語(yǔ)與謂語(yǔ)之間。
為了使考生能更加直觀地體會(huì)這類表舉例的詞匯的用法,筆者以TPO 26托福獨(dú)立寫作題目“孩子們選擇與父母相同的工作比選擇與父母不同的工作要好”為例,為考生舉例說(shuō)明。
例 Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It is better for children to choose jobs that are similar to their parents jobs than to choose jobs that are very different from their parents jobs.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
解析:對(duì)于這道題目,考生根據(jù)自己的想法做選擇即可,可以選擇agree,也可選擇disagree,舉例方法大同小異,筆者在此只討論agree的情況。考生可以假設(shè)孩子與父母一樣都選擇教師這個(gè)職業(yè),并提出可以從父母的工作經(jīng)驗(yàn)中獲得“備課經(jīng)驗(yàn)與恰當(dāng)?shù)纳险n方法”。這是一個(gè)客觀存在的事實(shí),即描述現(xiàn)象。下面我們來(lái)看在描述這一現(xiàn)象時(shí)如何運(yùn)用上文提到的舉例詞匯來(lái)舉例。
參考例句(such as與like):
①Expert guidance such as help with course preparation and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation may benefit children who are planning to become teachers.
②Children are able to acquire expert guidance from their parents, like course preparation and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
參考例句(include與“range from … to …”):
①The expert guidance that children will receive from their parents includes course preparations and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
②Children will acquire from their parents expert guidance, including course preparation and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
③Expert guidance which children will receive from their parents ranges from course preparation to methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
④Children will acquire from their parents expert guidance, ranging from course preparation to methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
參考例句(for example與for instance):
①Take, for example, expert guidance from their parents. Through discussions with their parents about problems and confusion concerning teaching, children are able to obtain help with course preparation and methodology for appropriate lesson implementation.
②Parents who are teachers, for instance, can give their children expert guidance on how to prepare courses and how to give lessons according to appropriate teaching methodology.
敘述故事用到的表舉例的詞匯
敘述故事就是描述真實(shí)發(fā)生的事件,這些事件可以是發(fā)生在其他人身上的,也可以是發(fā)生在自己身上的。敘述故事時(shí)用到的表舉例的詞匯有很多,在此僅討論相對(duì)“高端”的illustrate/exemplify和deserve a special mention。
1. illustrate/exemplify
根據(jù)筆者的教學(xué)經(jīng)驗(yàn),illustrate與exemplify這兩個(gè)詞是大多數(shù)考生不太熟悉的,如果能將它們用好,必定會(huì)使文章增色不少。這兩個(gè)詞通常用來(lái)引出一個(gè)真實(shí)發(fā)生的事件,使用時(shí)需要注意以下三點(diǎn)。
①Illustrate與exemplify是同義詞,都是及物動(dòng)詞,其賓語(yǔ)都是表觀點(diǎn)的詞,比如point等。
②為了體現(xiàn)句法多樣性,在常用的“illustrate/exemplify this point with the case of … ” 表達(dá)中,可用by來(lái)替換with,可用the example of與the story about等表達(dá)來(lái)替換the case of,但要注意它們所用介詞的不同。
③Exemplify可能會(huì)被考生拼錯(cuò),寫成examplify。它與example不同,是以exe-開(kāi)頭的,而不是exa-。偶爾的拼寫錯(cuò)誤無(wú)傷大雅,但是較多的拼寫錯(cuò)誤很有可能導(dǎo)致失分。
2. deserve a special mention
Deserve a special mention這個(gè)表達(dá)通常也用來(lái)引出一個(gè)真實(shí)發(fā)生的事件,使用時(shí)需要注意以下三點(diǎn)。
①在deserve a special mention中,冠詞a可以省略,寫成deserve special mention。
②為了體現(xiàn)句法多樣性,在句型“When it comes to … , … deserve(s) a special mention”中,“when it comes to …”可用“speaking of …”來(lái)替換。另外在該句式中,考生要注意根據(jù)主句主語(yǔ)的單復(fù)數(shù)形式變換deserve的形式。
③還可以用“The case of …/The example of …/The story about … deserves a special mention”這個(gè)句式引出例子。需要提醒考生注意的是由于該句式中的主語(yǔ)是第三人稱單數(shù),因此deserve要相應(yīng)變成第三人稱單數(shù)形式。
為了使考生能更加直觀地體會(huì)這類表舉例的詞匯的用法,現(xiàn)以TPO16的托福獨(dú)立寫作題目“最佳的旅行方式是跟隨有導(dǎo)游的旅游團(tuán)”為例,為考生舉例說(shuō)明。
例 Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
解析:對(duì)于這道題目,考生可以選擇disagree,也可選擇agree,舉例方法大同小異,筆者在此只討論disagree的情況。關(guān)于為何不同意,考生可以給出類似“導(dǎo)游會(huì)把游客帶到商品價(jià)格極高的紀(jì)念品店”這樣的理由,例子可舉自己的親身經(jīng)歷或親友的經(jīng)歷,這些例證通常都是真實(shí)發(fā)生的事件,屬于敘述故事。下面來(lái)看例句。
參考例句(illustrate/exemplify):Tourists are likely to be taken by tour guides to stores where souvenirs are extremely expensive. I will illustrate/exemplify this point with the case of my cousin Joseph, who went on a guided tour to France with a group of approximately 20 people last year. When they had finished visiting the Eiffel Tower, the tour guide took them to a nearby souvenir store. Joseph bought a miniature Eiffel Tower there for 100 dollars, which was far too expensive.
當(dāng)然,關(guān)鍵詞illustrate/exemplify所在的句子也可以選擇被動(dòng)語(yǔ)態(tài),寫成:This point can be illustrated/exemplified with the case of my cousin Joseph.
參考例句(deserve a special mention):When it comes to being taken by tour guides to stores where souvenirs are extremely expensive, my cousin Joseph deserves a special mention. Last year he went on a guided tour to France with a group of approximately 20 people. When they had finished visiting the Eiffel Tower, the tour guide took them to a souvenir store nearby. Joseph bought a miniature Eiffel Tower there for 100 dollars, which was far too expensive.