基础英语写作教案(二)

PartTwo,TheSentence,CompleteSentencesandSentencesFragments,Agrammaticallycompletesentenceisonethatcontainsatleastasubjectandapredicate(orfinite)verb;iftheverbistransitive,theremustbeanobject;iftheverbisalink-verb,theremustbeapredictiveorcomplement:e.g.Hecame.Hewrotealetter.Dr.Smithisaprofessor.,Attributesandadverbials,thoughtheyarenotessentialelementsofasentence,helptomakethemeaningclearorcomplete:e.g.Hecametotheclassroomveryearly.Hewrotealonglettertoherparents.,Acompletesentencebeginswithacapitalletterandendswithaperiod.Faulty:Itwasraininghard,theycouldnotworkinthefields.,Improved:,Itwasraininghard;theycouldnotworkinthefields.Itwasraininghard.Theycouldnotworkinthefields.Itwasrainingsohardthattheycouldnotworkinthefields.Itwasraininghard,sotheycouldnotworkinthefields.Theycouldnotworkinthefieldsbecauseitwasraininghard.,Faulty:Iwasborninasmalltown,inthetowntherewasonlyoneschool,Istudiedthereforsixyears.,Improved:,Iwasborninasmalltown.Inthetowntherewasonlyoneschool.Istudiedthereforsixyears.InthesmalltownwhereIwasborn,therewasonlyoneschool,andIstudiedthereforsixyears.Iwasborninasmalltown,wheretherewasonlyoneschool.Istudiedthereforsixyears.IstudiedforsixyearsattheonlyschoolinthesmalltownwhereIwasborn.,Faulty:Theessayispoorlyorganized,thereisnocentralidea.,Improved:Theessayispoorlyorganized:thereisnocentralidea.Theessayispoorlyorganized;thereisnocentralidea.,.Typesofsentences1.Declarative,Interrogative,Imperative,andExclamatorysentences,Accordingtotheiruse,sentencesaredeclarative,interrogative,imperative,orexclamatory.Adeclarativesentence（陈述句）makesanassertionorastatement.Aninterrogativesentence（疑问句）asksaquestion.Animperativesentence（祈使句）expressesacommandorrequest.Anexclamatorysentence（感叹句）expressesastrongfeelingoremotion,suchassurprise,pain,orjoy.,Forinstance:,e.g.Sheisreadinganovel.Isthereanybodywhowantstotrythisgame?Goandgetyourdictionary!Whatanicecoat!,2.Simple,Compound,Complex,andCompound-ComplexSentences,Accordingtotheirstructure,sentencesaresimple,compound,complex,orcompound-complex.Asimplesentencehasonlyonesubjectandonepredicate-verb,butitmaycontainmorethanoneobject,attributeoradverbial.e.g.Theboycanstayintheroomonlyforafewminutes.,Acompoundsentence（并列句）consistsoftwoormoreindependentclauses(orsimplesentences)relatedtoeachotherinmeaning,andlinkedbycoordinatingconjunctionsorbyasemicolonwithoutaconjunction.e.g.Tomcametotheparty,butSamdidnot.,Acomplexsentence（复杂句）containsonemain(orprincipal)clauseandoneormoredependent(orsubordinate)clauses,withaconnectiveworddenotingtherelationbetweenthetwoparts.e.g.Wecantseetheprogrambecausethetelevisionisbroken.,Acompound-complexsentence（并列复杂句）containsatleasttwomainclausesandatleastonedependentclauseacombinationofacompoundandacomplexsentence.e.g.Theywatchedtelevisionandenjoyedthemselvesimmensely,butwecantseetheprogrambecausethetelevisionisbroken.,Moreexamples:,Whatyousaidisnottrue.Thathatdoesnotfit;youmaytryanother.Ifthathatdoesnotfit,tryanother.Youalwayslooksonice,andIenvyyoubecauseIneverlookthatway.,3.Loose,Periodic,andBalancedSentences,Fromarhetoricalpointofview,sentencesareloose,periodic,orbalanced.Aloosesentence（头重句）putsthemainideabeforeallsupplementaryinformation;whileaperiodicsentence（尾重句）isreverse:themainideaexpressedatorneartheendofit,anditisnotgrammaticallycompleteuntiltheendisreached.Andwhenasentencecontainstwoparallelclausessimilarinstructurebutcontrastedinmeaning,itisabalancedsentence（平衡句）.,Forexample:,ShedecidedtostudyEnglishthoughshewasinterestedinmusic.Althoughshewasinterestedinmusic,shefinallydecidedtostudyEnglish.InPlatoopinionmanwasmadeforphilosophy;inBaconsopinionphilosophywasmadeforman.(ThomasBabingtonMacaulay)Fortyistheoldageofyouth;fiftyistheyouthofoldage.(VictorHugo),Loosesentenceareeasier,simpler,morenaturalanddirect;periodicsentencesaremorecomplex,emphatic,formal,orliterary.,4.ShortandLongSentences,Shortsentencesareusuallyemphatic,whereaslongsentencesarecapableofexpressingcomplexideaswithprecision,becauseitmaycontainmanymodifiers.Shortsentencesaresuitableforthepresentationofimportantfactsandideas,andlongsentencesfortheexplanationofviewsandtheories,orthedescriptionofthingswithmanydetails.,Lookatthefollowingpassagewhichmakesgooduseofshortsentences:,Ourcityisonthethresholdofagreatera.Ofthiswecanbesure.Butinordertofulfillthepromiseofthefuture,wemustbewillingtoworkandtospend.Weneedalargepoliceforceforpublicprotection.Weneedamodernizedfiredepartment.Weneedanenlargedlibrary.Weneedtoincreasethepayscaleofteachersinthepublicschools.Weneedtoimproveourwatersupply.Foralltheseneedsthereisbutonesolution.WemustseethatthebondissueisapprovedbythevotersintheNovemberelection.,Thefollowingone-sentenceparagraph:,TalkinginlowexcitedvoiceswewouldwalkrapidlybacktowardtownundertherustleofSeptemberleaves,incoolstreetsjustgrayednowwiththatstill,thatunearthlyandmagicalfirstlightofdaywhichseemssuddenlytorediscoverthegreatearthoutofdarkness,sothattheearthemergeswithanawful,aglorioussculpturalstillness,andonelooksoutwithafeelingofjoyanddisbelief,asthefirstmenonthisearthmusthavedone,fortoseethishappenisoneofthethingsthatmenwillrememberoutoflifeforeverandthinkofastheydie.(ThomasWolfe:“CircusatDawn”),.EffectiveSentences1.Unity,Unityisthefirstqualityofaneffectivesentence.Aunifiedsentenceexpressesasinglecompletethought.Itdoesnotcontainideasthatarenotcloselyrelated,nordoesitexpressathoughtthatisnotcompletebyitself.Faulty:BorninasmalltowninSouthChinaintheearly50s,hegrewuptobeafamousmusician.,Revised:HewasborninasmalltowninSouthChinaintheearly50s.Inhischildhoodhelikedtosingsongs.Laterheenteredaconservatory.Inthe70shebecameafamousmusician.,2.Coherence,Coherencemeansclearandreasonableconnectionbetweenparts.Asentenceiscoherentwhenitswordsorpartsareproperlyconnectedandtheirrelationshipsunmistakablyclear.,Forinstance:,Faulty:Wethoughtshewascharming,intelligent,andaverycapableyoungwoman.,Revised:Wethoughtshewascharming,intelligent,andverycapable.Wethoughtshewasacharming,intelligent,andverycapableyoungwoman.,Faulty:Togetreadyforthetrip,allthethingssheneededwereputintoasuitcase.,Revised:Togetreadyforthetrip,sheputallthethingssheneededintoasuitcase.,Exercises:Supplyalogicallinkingdeviceineachcasesothateachpairofsentencebecomesmorecloselyrelatedandmorecoherent.,a)TheEgyptiansbuilthugepyramidsinNorthAfrica.InNorthandCentralAmerica,theMaya,Aztec,andNatchezbuiltpyramids.b)Thenewefficiencyexpertfoundsomeinefficientpractices.Shesuggestedimprovements.,c)Thesecretarygotaraiseinpay.Hertitlewaschangedtoadministrativeassistant.d)Thesetwosentencescouldbejoinedbyacoordinatingconjunction.Theycouldalsobeconnectedbyatransitionaldevicee)Thepriceofticketsforthespecialmoviewasdoubletheregular.Thetheatrewasfilled.,3.Conciseness,Asentenceshouldcontainnounnecessarywords.Iftheideaisfullyexpressed,thefewerwordsareused,thebetter.Comparethefollowing:Wordy:Itwasblueincolor.Itwassmallinsize.Maryisaquietandcarefulwoman.HereturnedintheearlypartofthemonthofAugust.,Concise:Itwasblue.Itwassmall.Maryisquietandcareful.HereturnedinearlyAugust.Wordy:Inmyopinion,Ithinkyourplanisfeasible.,Concise:Inmyopinion,yourplanisfeasible.Ithinkyourplanisfeasible.,4.Emphasis,Whenthereisanimportantidea,itshouldbeexpressedwithemphasis.Inspeechpeopleusevariouswaysforthispurpose,suchasspeakingloudly,orslowly,sayingveryshortsentences,orusingagesture.Inwritingtherearealsowaysforplacingemphasisonsentencesorwordsthatshouldbeemphasized.Andthesessentencesmaybeemphasizedinthefollowingways:,a)Shortsentences.,Ithasbeenmentionedthatshortsentencesaremoreemphaticthanlongones,especiallyatthebeginningorendofaparagraph,orinthemidstoflongsentences.e.g.DickBoultonlookedatthedoctor.Dickwasabigman.Heknewhowbigamanheis.Helikestogetintofights.Hewashappy.(E.Hemingway:“TheDoctorandtheDoctorsWife”),b)Sentencesfragmentsorone-membersentences.,Theyareemphaticbecausetheycontainonlythefewwordsthatexpressthemainidea.e.g.Theskywasovercast.Anorthwindwasblowing.Itthreatenedtorainatanymoment.Agloomyday.Sometimesitdoesrainandhard.,c)Invertedsentences.,Theyareemphaticbecausetheirunusualwordorderdrawsthereadersattention.e.g.Thepoetwasbornpoor,andpoorheremainedallhislife.Inrushedthenoisychildren.,d)Parallelconstructionsandbalancedsentences.,Parallelconstructionsareemphaticandforceful.Andbalancedsentencedareimpressivebecauseofthecontrast,andpleasingtohearbecauseoftherhythm.e.g.Onhearingthenews,hewasangered,andIwassaddened.Thepoliticianisconcernedwithsuccessfulelection,whereasthestatesmanisinterestedinthefutureofhispeople.,e)Periodicsentences.,Theirclimacticwordordermakesthememphatic.e.g.Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledgedthatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortunemustbeinwantofawife.(JaneAusten:“PrideandPrejudice”),f)Imperativeandexclamatorysentences.,Theyarenaturallyemphatic.e.g.Dontmove!Hownice!,g)Rhetoricalquestions.,Theyarequestionsinformbutemphaticstatementsinmeaning.e.g.Youcallthatagoodday?Whatisgoodaboutit?Whodoesnotknowhim?,h)Negative-positivestatements,Theyfirstpointoutwhatisnotthetruth,andthenwhatis.Thecontrastmakesthememphatic.e.g.Thereweresomanyerrorsintheperformancethattheresultwasnotatragedy,butacomedy.Thedelegatesshoutedandquarreled.Itwasnotameeting;itwasafarce.,i)Sentenceswithrepeatedwordsorphrases.,Therepetitiongivesemphasistosuchsentences.e.g.Governmentofthepeople,bythepeople,forthepeopleshallnotperish.(AbrahamLincoln)Bright,verybright,werethestarsoverthewild,darkYenanhills.(AnnaLouiseStrong),Readthefollowingpassagecarefullyandtrytofindtheabovewaysforemphasisemployedinthem.,IlovedlovedthesoundofMartinLutherKingsvoice,itseloquent,oratoricalcadences.Attheclimaxofthe1965Montgomerymarchhehadcriedout,“Howlongwillittakebeforemypeopleachievefullequality?”Then,answeringhisownquestion,heshouted:“Itwillnottakelongbecausetruthpressedtotheearthwillriseagain.Howlong?Notlong,becausenoliecanliveforever.Howlong?Notlong,becauseyoustillreapwhatyousow.Howlong?Notlong,becausethearmofthemoraluniverseislong,butitbendstowardpeace.”,IwasjustpullingintotheactorMarlonBrandosyardintheHollywoodhillswhenthenewscameovermycarradio.“MartinLutherKing,Jr.,hasjustbeenfatallywoundedinMemphis,Tennesse!”Istoppedthecarabruptlyasiftheannouncersvoicehaddemandedit.“Mygod,mygod,”Isaid,overandovertomyself.Itwasabottomlessmoment.ThatvoiceIhadlovedsomuchhadbeenstilledforever.Itwasaterriblemoment,withoutsound,withoutmotion,withoutreason.(GordonParks),5.Variety,Varietyisessentialtogoodwriting.Aseriesofsentencesofthesamestructureandlength,beginningwiththesamenounorpronounasthesubject,wouldsoundmonotonous.Readthefollowingpassage:,IgotupalittlelaterthanusualonSundaymorning.Iwashedandhadaquickbreakfast.ThenIstartedgoingtotowntobuythedictionaryrecommendedbytheteacher.AttheschoolgateIsawLiPing.Iaskedhimifhewasgoingtotowntoo,andhesaidthathewas.Sowedecidedtogotogether.Allthebuseswerecrowded.Wehadtowaitforalongtimeatthebusstopbeforewecouldgetonabus.,Anhourlaterwegotoffthebusatabusystreet.Therewerethreebookstoresthere.Wewenttothefirstoneanddidntfindthedictionary.Thenwewenttothesecondoneandtheshopassistantsaidthatthedictionarywassoldout.Ifinallyboughtthedictionaryatthethirdbookstore.AfterthatLiPingandIwenttootherstoresandboughtvariousthings.Wereturnedtoschooljustintimeforlunch.,Varietyisachievedwhenshortsentencesareusedinbetweenlongones,simplesentencesinbetweencompoundandcomplexones,periodicsentencesinbetweenloosesones.Anoccasionalquestion,command,orexclamationamongstatementsmayalsobehelpful.Butvarietyisnottobesoughtforitsownsake.Thestructureandlengthofsentencesareprimarilydeterminedbytheideastobeexpressed.Onlywhenideasareproperlyexpressedisvarietydesirable.,Readthefollowingpassageandnoticevarietyoftypesofsentences:,(1)IhavetodeclarethedecisionofHisMajestysgovernmentandIfeelsureitisadecisioninwhichthegreatDominionswillinduecourseconcurforwemustspeakoutnowatonce,withoutadaydelay.(2)Ihavetomakethedeclaration,butcanyoudoubtwhatourpolicywillbe?(3)Wehavebutoneaimandonesingleirrevocablepurpose.(4)WeareresolvedtodestroyHitlerandeveryvestigeoftheNaziregime.(5)Fromthisnothingwillturnus.(6)Nothing.,(7)Wewillneverparley;wewillnevernegotiatewithHitleroranyofhisgang.(8)Weshallfighthimbyland;weshallfighthimbysea;weshallfighthimintheair,until,withgodshelp,wehaveridtheearthofhisshadowandliberateditspeoplefromhisyoke.(9)AnymanorstatewhofightsonagainstNazidomwillhaveouraid.,(10)AnymanorstatewhomarcheswithHitlerisourfoe.(11)Thatisourpolicyandthatisourdeclaration.(12)ItfollowsthereforethatweshallgivewhateverhelpwecantoRussiaandtheRussianpeople.(13)Weshallappealtoallourfriendsandalliesineverypartoftheworldtotakethesamecourseandpursueit,asweshallfaithfullyandsteadfastlytotheend.,ThispassageaboveistakenfromChurchillsspeechonHitlersinvasionoftheU.S.S.R.Whileexpressinghisviewsanddecisioninaveryforcefulway,thespeakerusesavarietyoftypesofsentences.WHATARETHEY?Asaresult,alltheideasthatshouldbestressedarestressed,andatthesametime,thepassageisfullofvarietyinsentencepattern,length,andrhythm.,.ObjectivityoftheSentence(veryimportanttoyourgraduatepaperwriting!),Objectivityisachievedinthefollowingways:1.AvoidthefirstpersonpronounIandthesecondpersonpronounYou.Ifthefirstpersonpronouncannotbeavoided,useweinsteadofI,orusethirdpersonreferencelike,thewriter,thepresentauthor,etc.,2.Whenexpressinganopinionorbelief,trytouseimpersonalconstructions.e.g.Itcanbeseenthat.insteadofyoucansee;ItiscommonlybelievedthatinsteadofIbe