英语记叙文写作方法总结
英语的写作体裁有多种,不同体裁的写作是为了达到不同的目的。传统上英语把写作归为四类:记叙文、描写文、说明文和议论文。
一、什么是记叙文。
记叙文是以记人、叙事为主要职能,对社会生活中的人或事物的情态变化和发展进行叙述和描写的一种常见文章样式。它反映作者对某种生活的理解和评价,并以此来启示、教育和感染读者。
以记人为主的记叙文,人物作为主要记叙的对象。
它一般是通过对人物在事件中的行为、活动的叙述和描写,来表现人物的精神、品质或个性特点。
以叙事为主的记叙文,通常是以社会生活中所发生的典型事件为主要叙述对象。虽然任何事情的发展都离不开人,但在叙事文中,应着重突出事件的社会意义,尽量详细地描绘事件经过,以达到用事件来教育或提醒人们的目的。先请看下面一段文章:
(1)Alfred Nobe,l the Swedish inventor and in-dustrialist, was aman ofmany contrasts.He was the son of a bankrupt, but became a millionaire; a scientist with a love of literature, an industrialist who managed to remain an idealist.He made a fortune but lived a simple life, and although cheerful in company, he was often sad in private.A lover of man-kind, he never had a wife or family to love him; a patriotic son of his native land, he died alone on foreign soil.He
invented a new explosive, dynamite, to improve the peacetime industries of mining and road building, but saw it used as weapon of war to kill and injure his fellowmen.During his useful life he often felt he was usele: “Alfred Nobel” he once wrote to himself, “ought to have been put to death by a kind doctor as soon as, with a cry, he entered life”.
World-famous for his works he was never personally well-known, for throughout his life he avoided publicity.“I do not see,” he once said, “that I have de-served any fame and I have no taste for it.” But since his death, his name has brought fame and glory to others.
这是一段记人的文章,作者通过对比诺贝尔事业、生活和性格中的各种矛盾,刻画了他不同凡响的一生,渲染了他的高尚人格,突出了他不求名利,但求贡献的美德。再请看下一篇文章:
(2) It seems thatallwe hear aboutnowadays isthe computer revolution.There are computers in theelibraries, schools, offices, and even in homes.
Friends of mine who once feared anything remotely aociated with electronic snow loudly sing the praises of word - proceing, as if the typewriter were a product of the Stone Age.Last week I grew so weary of listening to them that I decided to see for myself exactly what these swonders of technology could do.
As I cautiously approached my college s\' writing center, my ears were aaulted by the click-click-click of key boards, and an occasional screech from a printer.One of the tutors offered me her aistance in learning to operate the machine.Within a mere twenty-five minutes I was typing happily, thinking all the while that I should have tried this much earlier.
Just as I began the conclusion of my English paper, the entire building was plunged into silent darkne.
I was dismayed at the thought of having to wait until the following day to see the print out.Then the tutor told me the bad news: I had lost the entire eay just because I failed to click the save button one minute earlier when the electricity went off.My draft no longer existed.With poise and grace, I felt my way to the exit. 这是一篇叙述作者首次操作电脑的叙事文。
首段起笔于周边朋友对电脑的啧啧称赞,作者决心亲身体验的想法,行文自然、新颖。第二段叙述了作者在学校写作中心学习打印文稿由喜到忧的变化过程,勾勒出作者初识电脑的独特感受,叙述亲切、自然而又独特。
二、如何写记叙文。
(一)记叙文的开头。
就一般情况而言,记叙文通常由三个部分组成:开头、展开和结尾。记叙文的开头通常交代事件的背景,即交代事件发生的时间、地点、有关人物
和人与人之间的相互关系等内容。这些方面包含着导致未来变化和发展的因素,可以帮助读者理解事件的本身。例如。介绍某次郊游的文章可以这样开头:
(3)I had an interesting outing during the springholidays.It was Sunday.The sun was shining brightly.The weather was fine and warm.I got up very early that day.After an early breakfast I went to Mount Mo with my clamates by bike.We got there at about nine.
在这几行文字中,作者写明了郊游的时间、地点和人物。在开头的段落中,介绍了对郊游的准备和到达目的地的时间。由于这几点叙述得自然、紧凑,所以这种方式的开头犹如电影的开头画面一样向我们慢慢展开,把我们带到了郊游的目的地。
在记人的文章中,我们首先应该把人物介绍给读者,对人物的一些外貌特征可以在开头部分中加以介绍。例如,在介绍一位老师的文章中可以这样开头: (4) It was in 1981 that I first met my English teacher Mr.Wang Xing.He was not tall but very strong at that time.His eyes shone brightly with knowledge behind a pair of glaes.Ever since then we have been good friends.在此段文字中,作者虽然没有直接交代事情发生的地点,但从所述的人物之间的关系,读者可以领会到此事的发生是在学校。另外,文中的knowledge一词和句子Eversince thenwe have beengood friends又为下文
的展开作了很好的铺垫,容易吸引读者的注意力,激发读者欲读下文的兴趣。
(二)记叙文的展开。
记叙文的展开通常可以从四个方面入手:以人物活动的时间顺序为线索;按空间位置变换组织材料;以事件发生的顺序记叙;以人物的主次性格特征为序。前两种方法主要用于叙事的文章中,第四种方法用于记人的文章中,第三种方法即可用于记人又可用于叙事。
1、以人物活动的时间顺序为线索。
前面我们介绍了一次郊游的开头,接下来我们可以按人物活动的时间顺序作如下展开:
(5)We first stayed for an hour on the gra land at the foot of the hill.There were many people there.
Some of us were singing and dancing while others were playing games.Then we began to climb the hill, talking and laughing.
On the top of the hill we overlooked the beautiful East Lake and all cried, “Wow!” We were also shocked at the beauty of other hills and the fields around.Besides playing che and badminton, we took many photographs.At noon we had a picnic.In the afternoon we met some foreign guests.We talked and played games together.在这篇文章中,作者和同学活动的时间顺序为: first)then)at
noon)in the afternoon.
2、按空间位置变换组织材料。
按照事物空间位置转换的顺序安排材料,也就是按照地点变换,方位变换写文章。例如: (6)We enjoyed our visit to Dr.Haans\' house, perched high up on a hill.Walking up the long driveway, we approached the huge bronze door.A butler was standing in the open doorway, ushering guests into the house.Going in, we paed the oak-paneled library, and the formal dining room before we arrived at the ballroom, where the reception was being held.Under three sparking chandeliers, more than a hundred people were enjoying champagne, hors do\' euvres, and good conversation.空间位置变换的描述若运用表示方位的短语,就比一般的陈述显得更为有趣,具有立体感,可给读者留下深刻的印象。从上一段作者拜访那座位于小丘上的寓所,可体会到空间位置的变化。
“沿着长长的车道,来到巨大的青铜门前,侍者将客人引入屋内,穿过橡木镶嵌的图书室和正规的餐厅,便到了举行招待会的舞厅。在三盏枝形吊灯的照耀下,客人们享受着香槟、餐前小吃、愉快地交谈。”
3、以事件发生的顺序记叙。
(7)This story happened in a garden long ago.
There were many water vats in the garden.A group of boys were
playing there.One of them said it was a good place for playing games.They began at once.
They played happily for a long time.Suddenly some-one shouted “Come! Come! A boy has fallen into avat.”
All the boys ran away except a small one.His name was Sima Guang.He was then only eight years old.He thought he should save the boy \'s lie.
But he was too small, the vat was too large, he couldnot see the inside of the vat.At that time, nobody would help him.He hurried towards the large vat, and broke it with a big stone.The water came out of the vat at once.When there was no water in it, he pulled the boy out through the hole.The small boys\' father and mother and other people came and saw the small boy talking to Sima Guang.They were all pleased very much.They came forward to Sima Guang, praising him for his quick-wittedne and said he was a clever boy.
此文是记人的文章,以事件的发生为序。首段交代事件的发生(一个男孩掉进了大水缸),然后在第二段记叙了司马光救小男孩的经过(用砖头砸缸,把小男孩从洞口拖出),最后是小男孩的的父母和其他人对司马光的赞扬。文章第二段还夹有对司马光外貌、年龄、心理的描写,进一步衬托出司马光的机智、聪明,从小就能乐意助人的优秀品质。
4、按人物特征的主次顺序。
例如前面那段记叙Mr.WangXing的文章的开头对该位老师进行了外表描写(次要特征)之后,下面可以这样展开:
(8)Mr.Wang was knowledgeable.He spoke English fluently and gave us lectures in English, which was not common in middle schools.He explained the grammar and language points carefully in cla.After cla, whenever I asked him questions, he was pleased to answer them and always encouraged me to raise more questions.
He was also very caring.I was the top student but I was poor.He often offered his table lamp for me to use, saying it was good for my eyesight at night.He sometimes invited me to have dinners in his family, too.
此文中,作者在开头段描述了述王老师外貌特征,并通过knowledgeable, also两词平稳地实现了上下文的过渡与衔接。在展开段中,作者不仅叙述了王老师学术水平高、教学工作耐心细致,而且叙述了王老师在学习和生活上无微不至地关爱自己,热情帮助自己的优秀品德。此文就是按照人物的特征由次到主的顺序展开的。
三、记叙文的结尾。
记叙文的结尾不像说明文和论说文的结尾那样复杂。叙事的文章通常是依照事件的发生、发展和结局这样一个自然的顺序来结尾。无须在结构上及方法上有特殊的要求。在记人的文章中,作者通常是有感而发。所以在此类文章结尾时,作者时常发表感慨,陈述自己对某人的观点或态度。在有
些“难忘的某事”之类的文章中,作者可用一些议论来结尾。例如,前面所讲到的“郊游”
和“难忘的老师”两篇文章,其结尾可分别是:
(9)We spent a happy day on mount Mo.When we arrived home at 7 p.m., we felt exhausted but extremely excited.[2](P.85)这段文字是按照人物活动的先后自然顺序结尾的,即从早晨出发到晚上回家。
(1”) In 1982 I entered university, far away from Mr.Wang \'s home, but I would never forget him.It was he who made it poible for me to get higher education.[2](P.85)此段结尾夹叙夹议,表达了作者对老师的难忘之情。
结语。
如上所述,记叙文是记人、叙事的文章。叙事时,一般按照时间的先后顺序和空间的位置变换来展开;记人时,主要按照人物特征的主次来展开。这是我们在写记叙文时应当掌握的最基本方法。但是,掌握这些基本方法并不意味着就能写出一篇好的记叙文,我们还必须做到以下几点:
1、明确写作目的。
任何一篇写作都有其鲜明的目的:或证明某一理论,或阐明某一概念,或赞美某种美德或谴责某种罪恶等,以确保读者准确无误的领会作者对所叙述的人或事物的意图。
2、认真挑选细节。
记叙文是由细节组成的。读者只有通过足够的细节才能知道发生了什
么事情。但细节过多会使读者如堕烟海,兴趣顿消。因此要注意选用与内容有关或能表现主要观点的细节,才能产生预期的效果。
3、注意人称的使用。
叙述的人称(可以是第一人称也可以是第三人称)通常是一贯到底而不是随意变换的。若需要交替使用两种人称,则要在人称替换处交代清楚,要通过适当的过渡提醒读者。
4、恰当使用时态。
一般来说,在叙述故事、游记时可用一般过去时和过去完成时;在介绍人物、看图作文时,要看具体情况而定,可用一般现在时,也可用一般过去时,当然其间也可穿插其他时态。在确定一个主要时态之后,后面的部分在展开时不至于发生时态混乱。而这一点是确保记叙文语言流畅的一个基本条件。
5、学会穿插其他文体。
任何文章不可能是一种文体贯彻始终。记叙文中有时可有议论,有时也可有人物的描写。通过议论,可抒发作者的主观情感;通过对人物外貌、言行和心理活动的描写,可揭示人物的性格特征和精神面貌。
6、勤于练习。
要写好一篇记叙文,了解和掌握一些有关的写作知识和写作技巧是很有必要的。当然,更为重要的是要勤于练习。首先应“吃透”几篇范文。
从形式到内容,从选题到立意,从遣词造句到布局谋篇,均可从范文中获得教益。此外,要做到“学而时习之”。写同类文章时,有关信息就会浮现,组织加工后,即可跃然纸上。
