英语作文专辑

一、摘要写作：（writing a summary）
1．阅读
1) 阅读。读的次数越多，对文章的内容就会越熟悉，也会
越明白其中心大意。
2) 在原文中找出与中心思想关系最密切的部分，并把它作
为写摘要的材料；关系不大的其他部分可以不予考虑。
3) 阅读中还需要做一些简单的笔记，把有用的词汇、内容
和数据抄在一张纸上备用。
2．写作

1) 一篇摘要的长度不应超出原文的三分之一。在写摘要前要定
出字数限制。定稿后的摘要可以少于限定的字数，但不能超
过。
2) 要用自己的语言来写摘要。一篇摘要应是一个文字上的再创
造，而不应是原文词语的简单堆砌和重新编排。这一点很重
要。虽然做起来有一定的难度，但可以通过不断的练习达到
这个目标。
3) 使摘要条理清楚的最好办法是按原文的顺序去写。如果不是
特殊情况（如倒叙），不要随便更换原文内容的顺序。
4) 一篇摘要应做到内容完整并且没有大的遗漏。要使读摘要的
人无需再查看原文，便可放心地认为他所获得的信息即原文
的主要内容。
5) 写摘要也是一项压缩文字的练习。在写摘要时，需要学会做
以下几项工作：
◎删除细节。摘要只取要点，解释要点的细节一律删去。
◎削减例子。原文中如有五六个例子，可以只在摘要中留用
一两个，其余的省去不提。
◎简化描述。原文中如有十个句子用于描述一个人或一件
事，在摘要中保留一两句的意思就可以了。
◎避免重复。在不少文章里，重复是一种表示强调的手法；
而在摘要里，重复是不必要的。用不同的词语重复表达
同一个意思也大可不必。
◎压缩繁冗的句子，并把短语改成字词。请看下面的例子：
His courage in battle might without exaggeration be called
lion-like.
He was very brave in battle.
The account the witness gave of the incident made everyone that
heard it laugh.
The witness's story was absurd.
They acted in a manner that rendered them liable to
prosecution.
They acted illegally.
John fell into the river and, before help could reach him, he
sank.
John was drowned in the river.
He was hard up for money and was being pressed by his
creditor.
He was in financial difficulties.
—用短语取代长句和长句中的从句，也是压缩文字的好办
法。请看下面的例子：
Beautiful mountains like Mount Tai, Lushan Mountain, and
Yellow Mountain, were visited by only a few people in the past.
Today, better wages, holidays with pay, new hotels on those
mountains, and better train and bus services, have brought them
within reach of many who never thought of visiting them ten
years ago.
以上两个句子可以改写成：
Beautiful mountains like Mount Tai, once visited by only a few
people, are today accessible to many, thanks to better wages,
paid holidays, new hotels and better transportation.
在摘要中，要多用概括性词语，少用具体描述性词语。请看下
面的例子：
She brought home several Chinese and English novels, a few
copies of Time and Newsweek, and some textbooks. She intended
to read all of them during the winter vacation.
以上一句可以改写为：
She brought home a lot of books and magazines to read during
the vacation.
使用最简短的过渡词语，例如，要用but, then, thus, yet和
for等等，而不用at the same time，on the other hand等等。
—原文中的对话要点可以用间接引语表达出来。间接引语可
以改得非常简洁明了；而直接引语不但本身不易压缩，句与句之
间的连接也往往不易删去。请看下面的例子：
Kate looked at Paul disapprovingly：“You use much too
much salt on your food, Paul-it’s not at all good for you!”Paul
put down his knife and frowned：“Why on earth not！If you
didn’t have salt on your food it would taste awful…like eating
cardboard or sand…just imagine bread without salt in it，or
potatoes or pasta cooked without salt! " Kate was patient. She
didn't want to quarrel with Paul. She wanted to persuade him.
She said firmly: "But too much salt is bad for you. It causes high
blood pressure and later on, heart attacks. It also disguises the
tastes of food, the real tastes, which are much more subtle than
salt, and which we have lost the sensitivity to appreciate any
more. "
以上内容可以改写成：
Kate suggested to Paul that he should eat less salt. She said that
eating too much salt would do harm to Paul's health and that it
could reduce the real tastes of food. But Paul disagreed. He said
that food without salt would be tasteless.