大学英语四级考试写作专题讲座

大学英语四级考试

写作专题讲座Lecturer:ShenYuru2010-05一、写作原则二、文章结构三、四级考试对作文的要求四、四级作文真题回顾五、预测六、写作流程七、范文赏析

讲座提纲一、写作原则（BasicPrinciplesofWriting）Honesty(Behonest.)Clarity(Beclear.)Brevity(Bebrief.)Variety---Varietyinsentencestructureandsentencelength---Varietyinsentencemovement二、文章结构（EssayStructure）

Generallyspeaking,anessaystructureislikethis:

IntroductionBodyConclusion

IntroductionItemGeneralStatementsTheThesisStatementFunctionintroducethetopicoftheessay;givebackgroundinformationonthetopic.statesthemaintopic;liststhesubdivisions/subtopics;indicatestheorganizationoftheentirepaper.Sample(ofanintroductoryparagraph)

Apersonborninthe21stcenturyhasseenalotofchangestakeplaceinalmostallareasofhumanlife.Somepeopleareexcitedbythechallengesthatthesechangesoffer;otherswanttoreturntothesimpler,lessautomatedlifestyleofthepast.Livinginthe21stcenturyofferscertainadvantages,suchasahigherstandardofliving,butitalsohassomedisadvantages,suchasapollutedenvironment,thedepersonalizationofhumanrelationships,andtheweakeningofspiritualvalues.(Thesisstatement)

―BackgroundInformation

―General

―Specific

―MoreSpecific

ThesisStatement

Body(Bodyparagraphstructure)atopicsentencesupportingdetailsaconcludingsentence+(transitionalsentences)A.Thetopicsentence(consistingofthetopicandthecontrollingidea)e.g.Conveniencefoodsareeasytoprepare.---TworeminderstokeepinmindwhenwritingatopicsentenceAtopicsentenceshouldbeneithertoogeneralnortoospecific.e.g.---Americanfoodisterrible.---AmericanfoodistastelessandgreasybecauseAmericansusetoomanycanned,frozen,andprepackagedfoodandbecauseeverythingisfriedinoilorbutter.Donotincludetoomanyunrelatedideasinyourtopicsentence;ifyoudo,yourparagraphwillnotbeunified.---Americanfoodistastelessandgreasy.e.g.SanFranciscoisfamousforitstemperateclimate,itsmanytouristattractions,anditscosmopolitanatmosphere.Revised:SanFranciscoisfamousforitsmanytouristattractions.Sample:

London’sweatherisverystrange.Itcanrainseveraltimesaday;eachtimetherainmaycomesuddenlyafterthesunisshiningbrightly.TheairisdampandchillrightthroughJuly.OnoneMarchafternoononHamptonHeathlastyearitrainedthreetimes,therewasonehailstorm,andthesunshonebrilliantly---allthiswithintwohours’time.Itisnotunusualtoseemenandwomenrushingdownthestreetonasunnymorningwithumbrellasontheirarms.Nooneknowswhatthenextfewmomentswillbring.B.TheconcludingsentenceAconcludingsentenceservesthreepurposes.---Itsignalstheendoftheparagraph.---Itsummarizesthemainpointsoftheparagraph.---Itgivesafinalcommentonyourtopicandleavesthereaderwiththemostimportantideastothinkabout.Conclusion(Theconcludingparagraph)TheconcludingparagraphconsistsofAsummaryofthemainidea

orB.restatementofyourthesisindifferentwords

andC.Yourfinalcommentonthesubject

Conclusion

ItemAtransitionalsignalAsummaryofthemainpointsorarestatementofthethesisindifferentwordsAfinalcommentonthesubjectFunctiontotellthereaderwearegoingtowinduptheessaytoremindthereaderthemainideaormainpointstourgethereadertotakeacertaincourseofactionSample(ofaconcludingparagraph)

Inconclusion,althoughthe21stcenturyhasindeedgivenusalotofadvantagesbymakingusricher,healthierandfreertoenjoyourlives,ithas,inmyopinion,notmadeuswise.The21stcenturyhasalsomadeourearthdirtier,ourpeoplelesshumane,andourspirituallivespoorer.Weshouldcontinuetoenjoythebenefitsoftechnologicaladvancementsbecausetheyfreeustopursueourinterestsandgoals.However,wemustmakeaconcertedefforttopreserveournaturalenvironmentforfuturegenerations.Moreover,weshouldtakethetimenowtomakeourlivesmoremeaningfulinanincreasinglyimpersonal,andcomputerizedworld.Summary:1、开头段的写作要点（注意以下几点）1)开头偏离主题太远2)使用抱怨或埋怨之词句3)内容不具体，腌制无物4)使用不言自明的陈述2、主体段（注意以下几点）1)所涉及的内容应该准确、清楚，颇具说服力2)段落中一定具备主题句3)段落内容应该保持完整、统一

4)内容顺序安排合理、逻辑性较强5)段落之间连贯自然6)段落中讨论的内容主次分明，材料比例适当7)词与句型运用合理并有变化3、结尾段（结尾段的写作要针对以下几点）1)契合主题，与中心思想对应2)内容明确、观点到位3)干脆利落、不拖泥带水1、评分原则：综合评判(globalscoring)2、要求：1）内容上的要求：所写内容与主题相关；有层次感2）语言上的要求：主谓语一致；名词的单复数使用正确；时态一致；词语搭配正确；单词拼写正确；人称代词使用正确；没有片断句；没有不连贯的句子等。

三、四级考试对作文的要求

英文写作（包括段落写作）应做到：起：提出主题e.g.Somepeoplethinkweshouldreadselectively.承：阐述观点（正面）:e.g.Theyarguethat….;what’smore,…..转：从另一面阐述观点（反面）e.g.Butothersmaynotagree…..合：总结e.g.Since….,weshouldread…../Inaword(Tosumup/Inshort/Inconclusion)在写作中尽量使用固定短语和结构，不要逐字翻译。

ShouldSmokingBeBanned?

Shouldsmokingbebanned?

Answerstothisquestionvarygreatly

(Answerstothisquestionvaryfromindividualtoindividual.)Somepeopleareinfavoroftheideaofsmoking(起).(承)Theyalwayssaythatitcangetridofthetirednessandmakethemrefreshed.Andtheyalsosaythatgivingandbeinggivencigarettesisasignoffriendship.(合)Therefore,theycarrycigaretteswiththemwherevertheygo.(转/起)Butsomeotherpeopleconsideritveryharmfultopeople’shealth.(承)Theyhaveheardtheofficialreportsthatonepersonintheworlddiesfromsmokingeverysecond.Andtheyhaveheardthedoctor’swarningthatsmokersaremorelikelytohavelungcancerandtoincreasetheirchancesofhavingheartattack.Inaddition,smokingpollutestheairandmaycausefireaccidents.(合)Thusithasbecomeamajorthreattopeople’slifeandproperty.Thereissometruthinbotharguments(Thissentenceismoreidiomaticthan“Bothargumentsarereasonable),buthuman’slifeandpropertyoutweighsanythingelse.Ifsmokingbringsusillnessanddeath,whynothaveitbannedbythegovernment?Withoutcigarettes,can’twecomeupwithbetterwaystoexpressourfriendshipandtomakeusrefreshed?1.

正反关系的议论文（pro---con）标题特点：1.一般疑问句2.选择提问3.陈述的短语结构4.MyViewon…提纲特点：1.有人认为…2.另一些人认为…3.我的看法四．真题回顾（1990-）

例1：IsaTestofSpokenEnglishNecessary?（2000年6月）Outline:（1）很多人认为有必要举行英语口语考试，理由是…（2）也有人持不同意见，…（3）我的看法和打算例2：ReadingSelectivelyorExtensively?

Outline:（1）有人认为读书要有选择。（2）有人认为应该博览群书。（3）我的看法。例3：

OwningaCar例4：

MyViewon…

2．时事热点题

特点：标题是热点问题或时事话题；提纲不完整，通常需对提纲作适当调整。例1：ToBeHonest(2003年1月)Outline:（1）

最近社会上出现了一些不诚实的现象。（2）

诚实利人利己；怎样做到诚实。例2：

HowIFinanceMyCollegeEducationOutline:（1）上大学的费用（tuitionandfees）可以通过多种途径解决。（2）

哪种途径适合我（说明理由）。3、图表作文切记：Quoteasfewfiguresaspossible.“……考图表作文得分最低的同学往往是引用数据最多的同学。”----杨惠中（原四六级考试委员会主任）提纲特点：1）简单描述图表2）分析原因3）提出建议或进行预测例如：

ChangesinPeople’sDiet(1991年6月)

Ascanbeseenfromthetable,greatchangeshavebeentakingplaceinpeople’sdietinthepastfiveyears.Grain,asthemainfoodofmostChinese,isnowplayingalessimportantrole,whilethepopulationofsomehigh-energyfoods,suchasmilkandmeat,hasincreased.

Whathascausedthesechanges?Ithinktherearetworeasons.First,

peoplenowhavemoremoney.Thepriceofmeatandmilkismuchhigherthanthatofgrain,sointheolddayspeoplecouldn’taffordthem.Nowtheyhaveenoughmoneytobuybothmeatandmilk.Second,

peoplenowadayspaymoreattentiontotheelementsoftheirdiet.Theylookforawell-balanceddietthatwillbegoodfortheirhealth.

Inshort,therehavebeenchangesinpeople’sdietinthepastfiveyearsbecauseoffinancialandhealthreasons,andtherewillbefurtherchangesinthefuture.

4、谚语警句题例如：HasteMakesWaste提纲：1)怎样理解“欲速则不达”2）请举例说明5、应用文例如：2003年6月四级作文是要求写一份交通事故见证书（aneye-witnessaccountofatrafficaccident)提纲：1）车祸发生的时间及地点2）你所见到的车祸的情况3）你对车祸原因的分析6、其它特点：提纲松散例如：Don’tHesitatetoSayNo虽然自2003年开始四六级考试作文题目不同，但二者之间有共同之处。下面重点看看近五年四、六级作文题目。最近5年四级考试作文题目列表1、类型：对比选择类﹑现象解释类﹑问题解决类、应用文类2、题材：---校园生活：学习﹑日常生活﹑工作及健康交际等---社会热点：考生对这类话题比较熟悉。3、体裁:议论文、说明文和应用文写作(包括书信、便条、通知、海报等)。4、命题形式：提纲作文﹑情景作文﹑图表作文﹑提示作文、关键词作文等。

五、命题趋势及预测1、审题---确定文章的体裁，抓住中心思想，按照各体裁写作原则进行写作。---明确题目给定的题材及写作考查重点。例如，“HowIFinanceMyCollegeEducation”重点应放在“How”和“I”上，侧重写我怎样筹措上大学的费用;再如“TheWorldIsGettingSmallerandSmaller”，“世界变得越来越小”应该是这篇文章的中心，通过“交通和通讯工具的发达”和“人们交往的频繁”来论证“世界变得越来越小”。六、写作流程例：GlobalShortageofFreshWater(全球淡水紧缺)(1996年6月四级真题)Directions:Forthispart,youareallowed30minutestowriteacompositiononthetopicGlobalShortageofFreshWater.Youshouldwriteatleast100wordsandyoushouldbaseyourcompositionontheoutline(giveninChinese)below:1.人们以为淡水是取之不尽的(提示：雨水、河水、井水……);2.实际上淡水是非常紧缺的(提示：人口增长、工业用水增加、污染……);3.我们应该怎么办。2、构思列提纲Topic:GlobalShortageofFreshWaterQuestion:Whathascausedtheglobalshortageoffreshwaterandhowcanwesolvetheproblem?Outline:I.Itiswidelyassumedthatfreshwaterisinexhaustible.1.Plentyofrainfall2.Numerouswells3.Countlessrivers,fallsandspringsII.Therearethreecausesforaglobalshortageoffreshwater.1.Populationgrowth2.Developmentofindustry&agriculture3.WaterpollutionIII.Measuresshouldbetakentosolvetheproblem.1.Protectwaterresourcesfrombeingpolluted2.Savewater3.Recyclewater&convertseawaterintodrinkablewater.3﹑提笔写作4﹑修改润色1)检查语篇结构：文章的主题是否明确，篇章层次是否明显，段落衔接是否连贯，内容是否切题等。2)检查每个段落：段落是否完善，中心是否突出，段内各句是否衔接紧凑等。3)检查语法：用词是否恰当，标点是否正确，句子结构是否完整，语句是否通顺等。七、范文赏析Nobodycouldhavefailedtonoticethefactthatdrunkendrivinghasbeenagrave(serious/severe)problemwithwhichweareconfronted.Generallyspeaking,thereareseveralreasonsaccountingfor/behindthisphenomenon.Firstly,recentdecadeshavewitnessedtherapiddevelopmentofpeople’slivingstandards.Asaresult,carsgainedever-increasingpopularityandhavefoundtheirwayintooureverydaylife.Secondly,peopleparticipateinmoreactivitiesorban