研究生英语写作之Descriptivewriting.doc

研究生英语写作之descriptive writingDescriptive writingThe descriptive essay presents a word-picture of persons, places, objects, and emotions. The writer uses a careful selection of specific and concrete details to make a clear dominant impression on the reader. A descriptive essay can be objective or subjective and the writers purpose is to involve the reader enough so that s/he can actually visualize what is being described. The best description appeals to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. As you work on your own descriptive essay, the main thing to remember is this rule: show, dont tell. I. Description of a personPrinciples: Descriptions of people may focus on the various aspects of the people described their physical appearance, style of clothing, their character and personality, their interests and behavior. What you select to describe depends on your topic and purpose. Describe clearly. Select only appropriate details. Make your descriptions vivid. Sample A :Remember that you cant write good descriptions without being specific. The following is a typical example of the descriptive essay, in which the writer Loe Dobbs uses specific details to create a portrait of his father who has affected his life greatly.“Terrific Work”By Loe Dobbs I grew up in Childress, Texas, a town of nearly 8,000, where Dad had a farm-machinery business. I hauled hay, picked potatoes and did other chores, but my father always insisted that schoolwork come first. He may not have had much formal education Dad left school in the eighth grade but he possessed a world of knowledge. He was a voracious reader who was smarter about current affairs than anyone I knew. At the dinner table he pushed me to think and to defend my opinions. These discussions sparked in me an intense curiosity about the world and taught me the importance of attaining the best education I could. It also helped that Dad believed praise was a more powerful motivator than criticism. When I brought home a good report card, he would say, “Terrific work!” and that was enough to inspire me to bring home an even better one next time. This approach proved successful, and when it came time for me to go to college, I was lucky enough to be accepted by Harvard. Honesty was supremely important to Dad. He stressed that an honest life is an honorable life. I always remember him telling me, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” My father has been gone thirty years now, but he still lives on in me and my children. I tried to raise them as he raised me, and I have wished countless times that he could see us now. Sample B: Read the essay below and notice how the writer uses appropriate details to present an unforgettable professor to the readers.My Favorite ProfessorIn my more ambitious academic days, I was majoring in both mathematics and journalism. I was not a typical math major; my classes did not come easily to me despite my professors most brave efforts. While my peers tended to tackle their homework without too much sweat, I struggled to keep pace. Dr. Rudy Horne taught my differential equations course, which dealt with material I considered quite challenging.I still remember the first day of class. Dr. Horne had the rare ability to make difficult maths seem simple. Of course, I still failed to keep up, so I attended his open office hours every week to catch up on material that I could not digest in class. Dr. Hornes office hours were his strongest point. At first, I was concerned that he would not be pleased with how much extra help I was seeking. I was worried for no reason. Not only would he go through any homework problem with which I struggled, but he made sure I knew that he wanted me to be there. After the work on differential equations was finished, we would sit and chat about Carolina sports, the dynamics of the classroom and even his friends upcoming wedding. Needless to say, Dr. Horne became a friend in that mathematical part of my life where I needed the most support.I had a difficult time telling certain people about my decision to focus solely on journalism. Months after my decision, I still had not told Dr. Horne. I did not want to disappoint him since he had spent so much of his time helping me. I eventually ran into him at a movie theater on Franklin Street. We went out for coffee after the film to catch up with each other. When I told him about my decision and the reasons behind it, he could not have been more supportive. I realized then that even though he was an experienced mathematician who had been dragged into my mathematical struggles, he really wanted what was best for me. That, to me, is the definition of a friend.Sample C: To create a good descriptive essay about a person, you should try to make your description lively. The following is an essay written by Katharine Brush, first published on March 16, 1946, in The New Yorker. As you read it, note how the writer vividly presents the portraits of the couple who fail to communicate well with each other. Discuss the questions after the essay.Birthday Partyby Katharine BrushThey were a couple in their late thirties, and they looked unmistakably married. They sat on the banquette opposite us in a little narrow restaurant, having dinner. The man had a round, self-satisfied face, with glasses on it; the woman was fadingly pretty, in a big hat. There was nothing conspicuous about them, nothing particularly noticeable, until the end of their meal, when it suddenly became obvious that this was an Occasion in fact, the husbands birthday, and the wife had planned a little surprise for him.It arrived, in the form of a small but glossy birthday cake, with one pink candle burning in the center. The headwaiter brought it in and placed it before the husband, and meanwhile the violin-and-piano orchestra played “Happy Birthday to You” and the wife beamed with shy pride over her little surprise, and such few people as there were in the restaurant tried to help out with a pattering of applause. It became clear at once that help was needed, because the husband was not pleased. Instead he was hotly embarrassed, and indignant at his wife for embarrassing him. You looked at him and you saw this and you thought, “Oh, now, dont be like that!” But he was like that, and as soon as the little cake had been deposited on the table, and the orchestra had finished the birthday piece, and the general attention had shifted from the man and the woman, I saw him say something to her under his breath some punishing thing, quick and curt and unkind. I couldnt bear to look at the woman then, so I stared at my plate and waited for quite a long time. Not long enough, though. She was still crying when I finally glanced over there again. Crying quietly and heartbrokenly and hopelessly, all to herself, under the gay big brim of her best hat.Questions on content and structure: Birthday Party1. How does the writer create a striking image of the birthday cake delivered to their table?2. Why is the husband embarrassed? How does he show his embarrassment? Can you understand how he feels? Why, then, do we find it hard to sympathize with him? 3. Do you think the writer uses the quotation “Oh, now, dont be like that!” to convey her personal attitude toward the two characters described? 4.Why does the writer present the detail “I saw him say something to her under his breath some punishing thing, quick and curt and unkind”?5. Why does the writer make the description: “She was still crying when I finally glanced over there again. Crying quietly and heartbrokenly and hopelessly, all to herself, under the gay big brim of her best hat”?6.What does the essay reveal about the husband? And about the wife?Enlarge your vocabularyVocabulary is a crucial factor in producing convincing descriptions of people. The following is a brainstorming map which could help you enlarge your vocabulary on the various aspects of personal descriptions. 1.Character and personal qualitiesPersonality: warm, friendly, kind, nice, pleasant, easy-going,generous,strong, sociable, ambitious, determined,thrifty,frank,reliable, confident, emotional, rude, cold, mean, aggressive,sensitive, sensible, broad-minded, inquiring, even-tempered, arrogantextravagant, nosy fair and squareAbility: intelligent, bright, clever, smart, gifted, talented, flexible hard-working, average, simple, slow-witted, stupid, foolish, brainless, cunning, slyAttitude: optimistic, pessimistic, enthusiastic, eager, motivated, passive, argumentative, trustworthy, sincere, jealous, envious, cruel extroverted introverteddown-to-earthill-manneredcourteous2.The following translation practice from Chinese into English could also help you acquire more words that are often used to describe people. unfriendly unpleasant un-ambitiousunsociable unreliable inflexibleinsensitive dishonest discourteousimpolite3.The table below lists words that are often used to describe peoples appearances. Look at the words and select those that you can appropriately use when you describe someone in your class in a small-group activity.General: good-looking, beautiful, elegant, handsome, unattractive untidy-looking height and build: tall, short, red-haired average, medium height, slim, shiny, dyed, straight, wavy, curly,stout, overweighthair: black, blond, brown redlight brown, dark brown,bald, tallish,face: attractive, plain, ugly, round, square, long, oval, thin-faced, round-facedeyes: big, small, round, black, brown, blue, grey, bright, shining skin: fair, brown, dark, light, black, tanned, red, clear, smooth, rough Write your own essay:The descriptive essay is often creative, personal, or artistic. When choosing someone to write about, it should be a person to whom you have strong emotional ties (positive or negative). Close your eyes and visualize the person in detail. Your ultimate goal in this task is to evoke in the reader a sense of the persons personality and character, not merely what he or she looks like. Read the following suggestions and select one that you find inspirational. Adapt or narrow your topic to serve your purpose, and write a descriptive essay.1. A different kind of mother 2. My father, my best friend3. How my cousin changed 4. An unusual but wonderful relative5. My favorite teacher 6. My best roommate7. A remarkable neighbor 8. My idol9. My ideal husband / wife 10. The person who has influenced me most II. Description of a placePrinciples: While describing places, you should pay attention to the following rules: Know your purpose. Tell your readers why the place is important to you and other people. Focus on a dominant idea.The arrangement of the details depends on the subject and purpose. Know your audience. The audience will determine what kind of writing style and approach you must adopt. Base your description on observation.Sample A: Descriptions of places can be found in travel brochures/booklets, tourist magazines, letters, etc. The style you use usually depends on the situation and the intended reader. For example, in a magazine, you could use a semi-formal style and a polite, respectful tone. You normally use present tenses to describe a place. You use past tenses to write about historical facts. Read the passage below, pay attention to the organization of the details in the three parts, and figure out the purpose of the writer. Who do you think he/she is writing for?Peace Hotel 1.A Shanghai landmark for nearly a century, the Peace Hotel is known as one of the most famous hotels in China. The hotel is located in prime downtown Shanghai situated at the doorstep to the Bund Shanghais most famous landmark. The stretch of road outside the hotel is called Nanjing Road, which is the busiest pedestrian shopping mall in Shanghai.2. The Hotel, formerly known as the Cathay(China) Hotel, was built in 1929 and is still symbolized as the most luxurious “No.1 Mansion in the Far East.” The Hotel is composed of two former hotels separated by a street. The North and the South Buildings were built in 1929 and 1906. After the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, the North Building reopened in 1956, and the South Building in 1965, both operating under the name of the Peace Hotel. Since recent renovation(restore old building to good condition), all the rooms and restaurants are furnished with first-class facilities to provide guests with the best comfort and convenience. In the Peace Hotel, you may either sit for a fragrant coffee in the Jazz Bar , enjoying the Jazz music, popular in the 1930s and 1940s, or enjoy a cocktail and the excellent view of the Bund and river in the Shanghai Night Bar. After recent renovation, guests here will enjoy a full range of facilities that include a fully equipped gymnasium, beauty saloon, massage, and business center.3. Truly a fusion of classic and modern, Eastern and Western, the Peace Hotel is an ideal place for work, stay, leisure, entertainment and shopping.Sample B: In a subjective(opposite objective) description of a place, the writer can convey feelings. About the same place, different writers may have different feelings. In a writing course at Arizona亚利桑那州 State University, USA, the students are required to construct two descriptions of a place. Read the two sample student essays below, and you will see that one description conveys a favorable impression of the university library, while the other description conveys an unfavorable impression, making the library seem unpleasant. Hayden Library海登图书馆I am walking down a long and impressive flight of silky smooth concrete stairs. I come up to one of the many grand doors with a shiny brass handle that shows the age of the library by being slightly worn. I enter the majestic Hayden Library and find that it is quite large. I feel as if I am in the Arizona Mills mall where everything is within my reach. The glistening colors of the gray tiles and white walls create an open and spacious feeling for the library. The dim yet sufficient lighting allows for the right amount of brightness for all the activities that are taking place. I notice the homelike cushy leather chairs and love seats with matching ottomans , which allows me to fall into a trance-like state , so I am focusing on what I am doing and not what surrounds me. There is an essence of being a studious student by being in the library. The subtle sounds of the people reading and studying to themselves, as if they are not in the library, but in their own imaginary worlds. I look around at all the people reading, studying, getting information from references, working on computers, and the many other activities that they are doing which shows me that I am in a place of great knowledge. There is a certain intensity/brightness that I get from the library that is like going to a football stadium and watching the home team dominate the opposing team. All of the people in the library are extremely kind. The clerks at the information desks are anxious to help anyone who is looking for information. The people there are mostly students, and yet there are several individuals of all ages and backgrounds who, for various reasons, are simply using the library resources. These people are very considerate to each other, respecting each others privacy and respecting the purpose of the library as a tool for those who need it. Write your own essayA: Practice observing and writing a descriptive essay about a place. Here are some suggestions: In your small groups, spend some time observing a place on campus. Each student is to take notes on a different aspect of the place. One student is to concentrate on the place itself size, colors, atmosphere, sounds, etc. Another is to focus on the people in terms of dress and speech: what theyre wearing, what theyre using, what theyre carrying around, what theyre saying, etc. The third student should focus on actions: what the people are doing, how theyre acting, how theyre relating to one another, etc. Share your notes in the group. Each student is to first write a descriptive essay in a positive light and then use the same facts and details to describe the place from a negative perspective/idea. Exchange the drafts with another group and read their essays, then give comments and make revision.B: The following topics are suggested for you to practice writing descriptive essays of places. When you write the essay, you should bear the question in mind: Why should my reader care about the place?1. My hometown 2. My bedroom / dorm3. One of our college canteens 4. One of our college classrooms5. A gym 6. My favorite clothing store7. A tea house 8. A local grocery store9. A favorite place in childhood 10. A city I have visitedIII. Description of feelingsPrinciples: The focus of this unit is on the description of feelings. In writing essays to describe your feelings, you should note the following principles: As with any other type of descriptive writing, you write with a purpose you write to share your happiness or sorrow with someone; you write about an emotion or a character trait which is very strong in you, e.g., a quick temper, intense jealousy, a tendency to get frustrated, cry easily, or laugh at embarrassing moments. While you are writing a descriptive essay, you should know that it is always more powerful to let facts speak for themselves. You should use illustrations and examples instead of generalizations with sentimental language to make you