开宗明义型
句型一Whether ...or not largely depends on
☞原文
▌Whether we find a joke funny or not largely depends on where we have been brought up.
我们觉得一则笑话是否可笑,很大程度上取决于我们生长在何地。
☞ 巧用
▌Whether we find a plan feasible or not largely depends on whether it can bring profits.
.我们觉得一个计划是否可行,很大程度上取决于它能否产生效益。
... has never appealed to ....
☞ 原文
▌The quiet life of the country has never appealed to me.
宁静的乡村生活从来没有吸引过我。
☞ 巧用
▌The noisy, busy life of the city has never appealed to me.
喧闹、忙碌的城市生活从来没有吸引过我。
Although ... may be the most powerful impulses to ... , there are others.
☞ 原文
▌Although truth and justice may be the most powerful impulses to show moral courage, there are others. Compassion is one of them.
虽然勇于真理和正义可能是表现道德勇气的最强推动力,但还有其他因素。慈悲更是其中之一。
☞ 巧用
▌Although science and technology may be the most powerful impulses to push forward a country, there are others. The overall quality of its people is one of them.
虽然科技可能是推动一个国家进步的最大动力,但还有其他因素。国民的整体素质便是其中之一。
★ 点评 ★
以上几例都是文章的起首句,即全文的观点句。作者几乎没有做任何过度和铺设,鲜明直白,直抒胸臆,与汉语表达方式的迂回委婉大相径庭。这也应了这样一个道理:越简单,越深刻。
描述现状型
句型一With the advent of ... we have the promise of ...
☞ 原文
▌With the advent of the new phase of technology we call automation, we have the promise both of greater leisure and even greater material and intellectual riches.
随着我们称之为自动化的技术新时代的到来,我们将拥有更多的闲暇时光,享有更多的物质和精神财富。
☞ 巧用
▌With the advent of the 21st century, we have the promise of a wider choice of employment and therefore, more opportunities to make a fortune.
随着21世纪的到来,我们将拥有更多的就业和赚钱机会。
... have come to pervade every aspect of our lives, and, as a result, ...
☞ 原文
▌Science and technology have come to pervade every aspect of our lives, and, as a result, society is changing at a speed which is quite unprecedented.
科技已渗入我们生活的方方面面,其结果是社会以前所未有的速度发生着变化。
☞ 巧用
▌Advertising has come to pervade every aspect of our lives, and, as a result, it is playing an increasingly more essential role in our purchases.
广告已渗入我们生活的方方面面,其结果是它在我们的购买活动中起着越来越重要的作用。
★ 点评 ★
在描述社会发展等话题时,例1是我们比较熟悉的模式,即汉语中的“随着……”。例2则比较新颖,句型结构更加复杂,在写作中可交替使用,富于变化。
启承转合型
句型一... is quite the opposite.
☞ 原文
▌The other side of the picture is quite the opposite.
另一种想法恰恰相反。
☞ 巧用
▌But the truth is quite the opposite.
但真实情况恰恰相反。
... is only part of the picture.
☞ 原文
▌This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture.
这种田园诗般的乡村美景只是一个侧面。
☞ 巧用
▌Academic performance is only part of the picture.
学习成绩只是一部分。
★ 点评 ★
在议论文写作过程中,中国考生一般是将所有观点按序排列,若要转换话题时,多以but, however 等词过渡,略显单薄和单调。而以上两例不仅可以延展文章的长度,也具有视觉缓冲的效果,使阅卷人或读者能继续保持较高的注意力和兴趣度。
利弊说明型
句型一... has an ambivalence... it ... but ...
☞ 原文
▌The car has a curious ambivalence:it creates and then it destroys mobility. The car tempts people further out and then gives them the appalling problem of getting back. It makes them believe they can spend Sunday in Brighton, but makes it impossible for them to return before, say, two in the morning.
汽车有着令人奇怪的自相矛盾:它创造了机动性,又亲自将其毁掉。汽车诱使人们更多地远行,然后又使他们面临如何返回的巨大难题。它使人们相信能在布莱顿度过周末,却无法在凌晨两点返回。
☞ 巧用
▌Women has a ambivalence when it comes to hunting for spouses: they hope that their future husband can be handsome. But they fear a handsome husband may attract too much attention and be seduced by other women.
女性择偶时有种矛盾心态:她们希望找个帅哥,又担心太帅的男人会吸引过多目光,并被别的女人勾走。
★ 点评 ★
利弊说明是议论文中频繁采用的写作手段,其方式一般分为两种:一种是将优点和缺点分别罗列,构成比较的两大整块,即A, A, A…, B, B, B…型(A为优点,B为缺点,下同);另一种则是将优点、缺点交叉罗列,即上例使用的A,B,A,B…型。相对而言,后者条理更加清晰,读者更易理解。
说明阐述型
句型一... XX ... have been used for ... The former / first ... The latter / second ...
☞ 原文
▌Two main techniques have been used for training elephants, which we may call respectively the tough and the gentle. The former method simply consists of setting an elephant to work and beating him until he does what is expected of him…The gentle method requires more patience in the early stages, but produces a cheerful, good-tempered elephant who will give many years of loyal service.
驯象主要有两种方法,可分别称为强硬法和温柔法。简而言之,前一种方法就是让象干活,并把它打到顺从为止……温柔法在早期需要(驯象者)更大的耐心,但驯出的象心甘情愿,脾气好,会为主人忠心服务多年。
☞ 巧用
▌Three approaches can be used for improving air quality. The first is to plant more trees ... The next is to use clean energy ... Finally, the government needs to optimize industrial layout.
有三种方法可以改善空气质量。一是增加绿化,而是使用清洁能源,三是优化工业布局。
★ 点评 ★
该例是说明文极为常见的类型,叙述时如果想使语言增加变化,可采用词汇替换等手段。另需注意:说明文宜多采用被动式,译成汉语时可考虑采用主动式。
归纳总结型
句型一As is often pointed out, ...
☞ 原文
▌As is often pointed out, knowledge is a two-edged weapon which can be used equally for good or evil.
人们常说知识是一把双刃剑,它既能造福人类,也能祸害人类。
☞ 巧用
▌As is often pointed out, income-tax is a two-edged weapon which, on the one hand, narrows the gap between the haves and the have-nots, and to some extent dampens the passion of the former on the other.
人们常说收入所得税是一把双刃剑。一方面它使得贫富差距缩小,而另一方面一定程度上挫伤了高收入者的积极性。
What characterizes almost all ... is ...
☞ 原文
▌What characterizes almost all Hollywood pictures is their inner emptiness.
几乎所有好莱坞影片都空洞无内涵。
☞ 巧用
▌What characterizes almost all TV programs is their monotony.
几乎所有电视节目都很单调乏味。
▌What characterizes almost all newspapers and magazines is the excess of commercials.
几乎所有报刊杂志都登载了太多商业广告。
Whatever ... , one thing is certain / clear
☞ 原文
▌Whatever the source of noise, one thing is certain: Silence, it seems, has become a golden memory.
无论何种噪声源,有一点是肯定的:宁静似乎已成为金色的回忆了。
▌Whatever the results of this investigation, one thing is clear: Violence like this has no place in this country.
无论调查结果如何,有一点是肯定的:暴力在这个国家是不容许存在的。
★ 点评 ★
议论文最常见的结尾方式是以so, therefore, thus, hence 等标志词引导。而以上三例则另辟蹊径,表达方式千姿百态,却起到了殊途同归的功效。因此,充足的知识储备才能真正达到“下笔如有神”的境界。