Writing1.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph of about 100 words. Make sure that the tone and vocabulary you use are in unity with the passage provided. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in the City
Like many other city dwellers, I often complain about having to cope with the problems related with city life. I sometimes fancy getting closer to nature and appreciating its beauty fully in the country. Once a friend asked me, "Do you really hate life in the city that much? If you had a choice, would you move away to the country?" I compelled myself to think about city life more seriously. Now I have to do justice to it. Admittedly, the attractions of city life still appeal to me strongly despite its drawbacks.
In general, city life is relatively convenient and comfortable. The supply of water and electricity is continuous. Whenever one wants, all he has to do is just turning on a faucet or pressing a button. There is also a variety of vehicles for transportation, from buses and cars to trains and planes, that help people move about efficiently. Shopping centers are seen here and there in cities. Thanks to the amazing diversity of commodities, going shopping is often interesting and enjoyable for city dwellers. Besides the fun of making purchases, there are also countless theaters, cinemas, art galleries and restaurants providing residents with various kinds of fascinating entertainment.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
To some extent, city life is truly divorced from nature. It is sometimes very exhausting because of its fast moving tempo. But on the other hand, nothing in the world is perfect; neither is city life. Viewed positively, the drawbacks should still be outweighed by its attractions. In fact, the drawbacks can be regarded as challenges to make life in the city more interesting, more exciting and more meaningful. To me, moving away from the city would mean the loss of excitement and the dynamic nature of modern life. Therefore, I would choose to continue to live in the city.
However, life in the city is not always attractive and pleasant. Sometimes it could be very frustrating. Most city dwellers have had the terrible experience of getting stuck in a traffic jam during the rush hour. Pollution either in the air or water is nothing new. The sun is often blotted out by the dust and dirt floating in the air. As city dwellers live in a forest of concrete buildings, they see little of the beautiful nature. They have to be content with the flowers and trees in the few parks scattered in the city. Everyday, people move in hurried steps, looking worn and exhausted. They are busy, scurrying from place to place and struggling hard for survival.
[解析] 这篇文章主要讲的是城市生活的利弊。通观全文,需要补充的是第三段。下面来分析整篇文章:
第一段:像许多其他城市居民那样,我常常抱怨要处理与城市生活相关的那些问题。我有时很想更多地接近大自然,在乡村好好欣赏她的美丽。一次,一个朋友问我:“你真的那么讨厌城市生活吗?如果给你一个选择,你愿意搬到乡村吗?”我不得不开始认真思考城市生活。现在我要给予城市生活公正的对待。说实话,城市生活依然深深地吸引着我,尽管它有很多不足。最后一句是该文章的中心思想句,其中的关键词是吸引和不足。
第二段:总的来说,城市生活相对舒适便捷。水电的供应源源不断。不论什么时候,只要我们需要,只需拧开水龙头或按一个按钮就够了。城市中还有各种各样的交通工具,有公交车、汽车、火车和飞机等,这方便了人们的随处走动。城市中到处可见购物中心。因为那些琳琅满目的商品,购物对城市居民来说常常是十分有趣和享受的。除了购物的乐趣,还有无数的剧院、影院、画廊和酒店给居民提供多种多样的吸引人的娱乐。本段讲的主要是城市生活对作者的吸引。
第四段:在某种程度上,城市生活和大自然是大相径庭的。有时因为它的快节奏,生活会使人筋疲力尽。但是另一方面,世上没有完美的东西,城市生活也是如此。当我们积极地看待这个问题时就会发现,城市生活的不足比它的好处更有价值。实际上,那些不足可以被视为把城市生活创造得更有趣、更令人兴奋、更有意义的挑战。对我而言,从城市搬出去意味着失去那种兴奋和现代生活的生机。因此,我愿意继续过城市生活。本段是结论段,与第一段遥相呼应,表明和强调了作者愿意继续生活在城市中,应用的是“自然得出结论”的结尾方法。
通过上面的分析,我们知道,文章缺省段落的内容应该是城市生活的不足,且不足之处已经暗含在第三段中,即:有时因为它的快节奏,生活会使人筋疲力尽。写作时,我们应以此为中心展开。
首先要写出过渡句:城市生活并非总是充满吸引力和快乐的,有时也很令人沮丧。
然后陈述弊端:大部分人都有在交通高峰期堵车的经验。空气污染和水污染也不再是什么新鲜事。阳光总是被空气中的烟尘阻挡。由于人们居住在林立的混凝土建筑物中,他们很少见到大自然的美丽。能看到散落在城市中的那些公园里的花草树木他们已经很知足了。每天,人们疾步行走,神情疲惫。他们在不同地方穿梭,为生存苦苦挣扎。
句子组织:
However, life in the city is not always attractive and pleasant. Sometimes it could be very frustrating. 然尔城市生活并非总是充满吸引力和快乐的,有时也很令人沮丧。
get stuck in a traffic jam during the rush hour在交通高峰期堵车
nothing new不再是什么新鲜事
a forest of concrete buildings林立的混凝土建筑物
be content with知足
move in hush steps疾步行走
struggle hard for survival为生存苦苦挣扎
原文中的有用用法:
complain about抱怨
compel oneself to迫使自己做某事
do justice to给予公正
thanks to多亏了
fast-moving tempo快节奏
Nothing in the world is perfect. 世上没有完美的事物。
2.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. Should you make a formal written outline of your subject before you begin to write about it? There is no hard and last answer because writers and subjects differ so much. One writer may carry his material clearly organized in his mind that formal outlining is unnecessary; another cannot "see" his subject until he sees it outlined. One writer finds that an outline helps bring structure out of something that was shapeless; another finds that it makes for rigidity and appearance rather than the fact of organization. Furthermore, subjects differ in the degree to which they require the support of a written outline. A 5000-word research paper on the life of the architect who built the college library certainly would.
There is no obvious danger in not outlining. If you start without a plan and simply trust to thinking of things as you go along, you are inviting trouble. Your theme may be mixed up because when you are almost through you think of something that should have come early. It may be badly out of proportion because you wrote so much on your second point that you do not have time for a third one, which turns out to be just important. Making an outline often helps you not only to arrange your material in the right order and in black and white, you can judge them better.
Still, no matter how much you rely on an outline, do not let yourself become its slave. An outline is a somewhat mechanical thing, with items set down in one-two-three-order. You make an out line so that you will know for sure what these items are. You need not treat all of them at equal length simply because they have an equal place in the outline. Nor are you obliged to salute the reader with "First", "Second", and "Third" at the beginning of each section. Make your plan and follow it, but feel free to give emphasis, to shift proportion, and to include examples.
Do not let your outline keep your theme from being as lively and interesting as you can make it. Remember that, just as a good painter studies anatomy but not allow the skeleton to show through his painting of the body, so the writer should study the structure of his material but not allow it to make a display of itself.
There are two kinds of outlines. The first is the paragraph outline. In it, each paragraph is summarized in one sentence. There are no subdivisions.
The second kind of outline is the analytical. It may be either an analytical topic outline, in which each division of the thought is expressed in a noun or phrase.
Subdivisions are the essence of the analytical sentence outline and the analytical topic outline. The subject is first divided into two or more main divisions; each of these main divisions is next divided into two or more divisions: then each of these subdivisions may be further divided—and the process can be continued(though probably it should not be)until the most minute points are listed.
1. The reasons the writer outline his subject
A. The various need for an outline
1) Writers with different needs
2) Different subjects also
B. The definite value of outline,
1) Helping the writer see the best order
2) Helping him give correct proportion
3) Helping him evaluate his ideas
C. Certain cautions of the writer's observation
1) Mechanical outline
2)The writer's freedom
a. Being free to give emphasis
b. Being free to shift proportion
c. Being free to include examples
3) The form of the outline not being evident in the theme itself
2. Having two types of outlines
A. The paragraph outline
1) Doing so in complete sentences
2) Making no subdivisions
B. The analytical outline
1) In the analytical sentence outline, these divisions and subdivisions being expressed in sentences
2) In the analytical topic outline, they being expressed in nouns or phrases
[解析] 全文共分7个自然段。文章开头提出问题:“Should you make a formal written outline of your subject before you begin to write about it?”,可得知全文是围绕是否有必要在写作之前列一个正式的书写提纲来叙述的。
作者接着回答这个问题。是否需要列出一个正式的书面提纲并没有一个确切的所谓正确做法,因为作者和写作主题因人而异。但下文作者又给出一个建议,列出书面提纲有若干好处,关于该点作者从三个方面来讲述。
可是,从反面来说,列出这样一个书面提纲又有一定的麻烦。
接着作者列举了两种提纲,以及两种提纲各自的特点。
这是大的框架。若仔细研究内部层次,我们可看出,全文分两个大层次,即
1)提出问题(1—4自然段):Should the writer outline his subject?
2)介绍提纲的分类(5—6段):There are two kinds of outlines.
在第一层中,作者从三个小方面回答了这个问题。即:
A. (第一段)The various need for an outline
(1)Writers with different needs
(2)Different subjects also
B. (第二段)The definite value of outline
(1)Helping the writer see the best order(否则就会mix up theme)
(2)Helping him give correct proportion(若不列些提纲,就有可能出现第二点记述过长而第三点没涉及,而这一点恰恰可能是重要的)
(3)Helping him evaluate his ideas(可以用来思考和判断材料)
C. (第三、四段)Certain cautions of the writer's observation
(1)Mechanical outline
(2)The writer's freedom
a. Being free to give emphasis
b. Being free to shift proportion
c. Being free to include examples
(3)The form of the outline not being evident in the theme itself
从第五段开始,文章进入了第二大层次。该层次又可分为两部分:
A. The paragraph outline
(1)Doing so in complete sentences
(2)Making no subdivisions
B. The analytical outline
(1)In the analytical sentence outline, these divisions and subdivisions being expressed in sentences
(2)In the analytical topic outline, they being expressed in nouns or phrases
3.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. The appeal of advertising to buying motives can have both negative and positive effects. Consumers may be convinced to buy a product of poor quality or high price because of an advertisement. For example, some advertisement have appealed to people's desire for better fuel economy for their cars by advertising automotive products that improve gasoline mileage. Some of the products work. Others are workless and a waste of consumers' money.
Sometimes advertising is intentionally misleading. A few years ago, a brand of bread was offered to dieters with the message that there were fewer calories in every slice. It turned out that the bread was not dietetic, but just regular bread. There were fewer calories because it was sliced very thin, but there were the same number of calories in every loaf.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Each consumer must evaluate her or his own situation. Are the benefits of the product important enough to justify buying? Advertising is intended to appeal to consumers, but it does not force them to buy the product. Consumers still control final buying decision.
On the positive side, emotional appeals may respond to a consumer's real concerns. Consider fire insurance. Fire insurance may be sold by appealing to fear of loss. But fear of loss is the real reason for fire insurance. The security of knowing that property is protected by insurance makes the purchase of fire insurance a worthwhile investment for most people. If consumers consider the quality of the insurance plans as well as the message in the ads, they will benefit from the advertising.
[解析] 补写段落应该把给出的文章内容读透彻,从其他段落中尤其是第一段中寻求讯息,找出文章缺失的段落应该从哪些方面入手。
文章开头便告知:“The appeal of advertising to buying motives can be both negative and positive effects.”接着简要描述了一些负面的状况,并不排除广告中介绍的物品也却有奇效的。
第二段有一个总领句,即“Sometimes advertising is intentionally misleading.”之后列举了一个例子,来说明确实有一些广告是故意误导消费者的。
那么第三段应该是怎样的内容呢?我们先不急于判断,把最后一段内容阅读完毕再来判断。最后一段的内容是讲述每一个消费者必须去估量自身的情况,去考虑想要购买的产品是否值得购买。广告固然是为了吸引消费者,但毕竟消费者自己有最终的决定权。这可算是一个小小的文章总结。
那么我们回过头来再去猜想第三段应该怎样补写。很自然,在经过文章开头的总领之后,加之已经介绍过了广告的负面结果,最终又对消费者的购物目的做了总结,第三段的内容应该是介绍一些有关广告的正面效应来和上下文衔接。段首应该有一个总领句,介绍广告也确实有积极的方面。为了和上段的结构照应,也应该列举一个例子来说明为什么也会有这样的正面效果。这样文章就被补写完整了。
4.
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided. Why People Should Exercise
In the past, I had never been inclined to participate in sports. Honestly, I didn't like it, but many persons whom I lived with kept telling me every day how good it was. Since the peer pressure was growing, I decided to go to the gym. It wasn't until then that I could really understand people when they said exercise really helped a person get organized and keep healthy, physically and mentally.
For starters, if you are a lazy person, it is difficult to take the first step. But it is all a matter of committing yourself to something that will provide you with much positive feedback. Once you start exercising and observing positive results, you will actually enjoy it. It takes much effort and a strong will, but it's worth it. The principal thing to do is to take up a sport you like. If you do, you will start organizing your day in a way that enables you to do whatever you have to, including exercising. You will no longer be a person stressed out without time to carry on with all your activities.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Moreover, exercising is good because it affects you positively in a mental and psychological way. Exercising helps you set specific goals which, along with a strong will, can be achieved. When reaching the goals, you come to know your abilities and your weaknesses, and your self-esteem is enhanced. Any sport relieves stress because it distracts you from thinking about school, work, or your problems, among other things. It helps keep you uplifted and avoid unhealthy habits like indulgence in TV and computer games.
Exercising is very important to any person of any age. The positive effects, which I've already mentioned, are like a chain. Once you take up a sport that you like, you become better organized. Therefore, you start doing things the right way and enjoy enormous benefits. As a result, you feel good as a healthy human being. You start living your life happily.
It is obvious that once you start exercising you will be in better shape. You will be healthier in a physical way. It is probable that you will lose weight and your muscles will get stronger and stronger. With the strengthening of your body functions and resistance to diseases, you will not easily feel fatigued after a day's work or catch a cold due to sudden changes of weather. Your body will feel good and full of energy, and it will respond immediately to any action you want to do and any activity that has to be done with high spirits.
[解析] 第一段:开头段。我以前从不运动,但身边的朋友每天跟我说运动如何好,因为朋友舆论的压力越来越大,所以我决定参加运动。那时,我才体会到运动的真正乐趣,运动使人生活有条理性;使人保持身体或精神健康。
第二段:主体段一。对于初学者来说,迈出第一步是很困难的,特别是如果你是个懒惰的人。但只要你强迫自己坚持下去,就会有很好的收获。你也会因此而享受这个过程。最重要的是选择你喜欢的运动,这样,你将开始合理地安排你一天的生活。
第四段:主体段三。另外,运动从心理和精神上对你有利。坚持运动是需要毅力的,因此一旦你做到了,你就会知道自己的能力和缺点,从而增强了你的自尊心。并且,运动能够减轻压力。因为当你运动的时候,你会暂时忘记了学校、工作和一些问题。同时也避免你沉浸在看电视和玩电脑游戏上。
第五段:结论段。运动对于任何阶段的任何人都很重要。它像一个良性循环。一旦你坚持运动,你就开始有好的身体,并且能很好地做事,也会收获很多。最终,你觉得作为一个健康的人很好,你也就会很幸福地生活。
本题是关于为什么人们要运动的一篇说明文。需要补充的是文章的第三段。第三段也是三个主体段落之一。补充主体段,首先要找出文章的Thesis statement(主题思想句)和其中的controlling words(关键词)。本文的主题思想句是第一段最后一句:It wasn't until then that I could really understand people when they said exercise really helped a person get organized and keep healthy,physically and mentally.
其中的关键词分别是:helped a person get organized;helped a person keep healthy physically;helped a person keep healthy mentally。第二段谈论的是helped a person get organized 的问题,第四段说得是helped a person keep healthy mentally,那么第三段只能去谈论helped a person keep healthy physically的问题了。第三段应该从身体方面分析原因。运动会使你身体健康,有很好的体形,强健的肌肉。同时你的抵抗力会增强,不会因为天气的突变而感冒。你也会有很旺盛的精力,投入到你喜欢的事业中去。
下面看句子的组织:
1)好的体形be in a better shape
It is obvious that once you start exercising you will be in better shape. 很明显,一旦你开始运动,你的体形会越来越好。
2)身体健康be healthy physically
You will be healthier in a physical way. 你将越来越健康。
3)对疾病的抵抗resistance to diseases,由于……的原因due to
With the strengthening of your body functions and resistance to diseases, you will not easily feel fatigued after a day's work or catch a cold due to sudden changes of weather. 随着你身体的机能和对疾病的抵抗力不断增强,你不会因为一天的工作而疲劳,也不会因为天气的突变而感冒。
4)respond to回应
You will respond immediately to any action you want to do and any activity that you has to do with high spirits. 你可以立刻做你想做的事,以充沛的精力参加那些不得不做的活动。
原文中一些有用的说法:
1)be inclined to倾向于认为/相信/同意
In the past, I had never been inclined to participate in sports. 过去,我从不认同参加运动。
2)commit yourself to do承诺做某事
But it is all a matter of committing yourself to something that will provide you with much positive feedback但正是你承诺了去做,才让你受益匪浅。
3)your self-esteem is enhanced你的自尊心增强了
4)distract from使分心,使不能专注于……
Any sport relieves stress because it distracts you from thinking about school, work, or your problems, among other things. 任何运动都能减轻压力,因为它使你不再专注于思考学校、工作和你的运动以外的一些问题。
5.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "topic outline" for it. The Effects of Television on Children's Social Relations
TV presents the child with a distorted definition of reality. The child in the affluent suburb or the small mid-western town exists within his own limited reality. His experience with social problems or people of different races, religions, or nationalities is probably somewhat limited. As television exposes him to a diversity of people and ideas, it surely expands the boundaries of his reality. It is precisely because he now relies heavily on TV to define other realities for him that we must examine carefully what those images are. If they are inaccurate or distorted, then television's reality is potentially harmful.
TV distorts reality by selecting certain kinds of images and omitting others and by portraying people in a stereotyped way. It portrays some categories of people with beauty, power and importance and renders others weak, helpless or invisible. So serious is the relative invisibility of some groups on TV that Dr. George Gerbner of the Annenberg School of Communications contends, "If you're not on TV, you don't exist."
The TV camera selects certain images to be examples, sometimes functioning like a magnifying glass held up to the worst in civilization instead of the best. When TV producers focus on violent ugliness, they lift it out and hold it up for all to see, making it impressively larger than life. A fist fight that occurs outside my window and is witnessed by only five people may be videotaped, broadcast and "witnessed" vicariously by millions of people, thus multiplying the example set by the fist fighters. In the United States, most people have not witnessed murder, yet because of television most children have seen hundreds of thousands of violent deaths and therefore believe that the world is more violent than it actually is.
TV says, in effect: This is the way the world works. There are the rules. The images presented on TV tend to be exaggerated or glorified, and so believed and accepted as models to be copied. After TV heavily promoted Evel Knievel's attempt to "fly" his motorcycle over the Snake River, many children imitated his stunts with their bicycles on home made ramps. And many landed in hospitals.
TV affects human relationships as well as behavior by influencing our feelings about ourselves and our expectations for ourselves and others. Too frequently stereotypes provide us with instant definitions. The stereotype assigns to an individual characteristics associated with a group that may or may not be accurate. We tend to note a single feature of a person and fill in the details from a storehouse of stereotypes.
Via TV's stereotypes we see men as strong and active, women pretty and at home. All too frequently, minorities are cast in exaggerated portrayals and stereotyped roles, more as white male producers perceive them than the way minority persons perceive themselves.
Exposure to stereotyped presentations can easily influence viewers behavior toward unfamiliar people. TV images, in fact, teach values and behaviors, especially to children who have little firsthand knowledge of the real world. To the extent that children are exposed to certain characters portrayals and behaviors on TV, they may acquire or learn those behaviors and roles and eventually accept them as models for their own attitudes and actions.
Perhaps most serious are the effects of information distortions on the child's self-image. At some level we begin to judge our own meaning, dignity and worth in comparison with the TV characters who portray people like us. We should be fully aware that there inaccurate or distorted portrayal may be harmful to children's growth.
1. Introduction: The presentation of distorted reality on TV
A. Children's limited experience
B. Children's heavy reliance on TV
C. TV's distorted reality
D. Thesis. The reality as presented by TV is potentially harmful.
2. Different ways of distorting reality
A. Portrayal of stereotypes
B. Selection of the undesirable
3. TV's strong effects
A. Children's imitation of stars, actions
B. Inaccurate portrayal of unfamiliar people
C. Children's acceptance of TV images as models
D. Harmful effects on the child's self-image
[解析] 这是一篇关于电视对孩子与社会接触的影响的文章,要写出提纲,首先要了解文章各段所讲的内容和各段落之间的关系。
第一段:主要讲电视会呈现给孩子歪曲的事实。一个居住在小镇的孩子,他了解现实的途径是有限的。他处理问题的社会经验或对其他种族、宗教、民族的了解也是有局限的。而电视将呈现给他形形色色的人和事,这必定扩大他的视野。由于孩子十分依赖电视来定义现实,所以我们有必要检查电视究竞怎样呈现世界。最后点明文章主旨:如果电视中的事实是歪曲的或不准确的,它们对孩子的成长有潜在的危害。
1)distorted definition of reality对现实的歪曲
2)expand the boundary扩大视野
3)rely on依赖于
If they are inaccurate or distorted, then television's reality is potentially harmful.
如果电视中的事实是歪曲的或不准确的,它们对孩子的成长有潜在的危害。
第二段:电视通过筛选影像,按一定成规塑造人物来歪曲事实。更严重的是,如果你不出现在电视上,你就不存在在这个世界里。
TV distorts reality by selecting certain kinds of images and omitting others and by portraying people in a stereotyped way
电视通过筛选影像,按一定成规塑造人物来歪曲事实。
第三段:摄像机选取特定的影像,有时会像放大镜那样展现文明中最坏的地方而非最好的。当制作人想集中体现暴力的丑陋时,他们会把暴力拿出来,高高举起给所有人看,使人们对其印象深刻,胜过对生活的了解。发生在我窗外的只有五个目击者的拳斗可能会被拍摄下来,被播出,让成千上万的人去见证。在美国,大多数人都没有见过谋杀,然而由于电视,大部分孩子看过暴力血腥的死亡场面,而因此相信世界是暴力的。其实并非如此。
1)hold up举出,拿出;
2)witnessed by被见证,被目击
The TV camera selects certain images to be examples, sometimes functioning like a magnifying glass held up to the worst in civilization instead of the best.
摄像机选取特定的影像,有时会像放大镜那样展现文明中最坏的地方而非最好的。
第四段:实质上,电视就是在说:世界就是这样运作的。这种展现是有规定的。呈现在电视上的影像往往是夸张的或被美化了的,这样才能被相信并被接受来作为模仿的典范。在电视上大肆渲染了Evel Knievel的飞车越江表演后,许多孩子纷纷效仿,结果进了医院。
promote提倡,渲染
The images presented on TV tend to be exaggerated or glorified, and so believed and accepted as models to be copied. 呈现在电视上的影像往往是夸张的或被修饰过的,这样才能被相信并被接受来作为模仿的典范。
第五段:电视通过影响我们的自我感觉及我们对自我和他人的期望来影响人际关系和言行举止。成规的频繁出现给予我们“速成定义”。成规提供给个人的相关特征不一定全是准确的。我们倾向于只看到一个人的一个特点,然后用成规偏见来评价这个人。
as well as和……一样
第六段:通过电视的成规,我们看到男人是强壮活跃的;女人是美丽顾家的。常见的是,少数人被夸张地塑造成经典形象,更符合制片人心目中的形象,而非他们自己所理解的那样。
第七段:经典形象的呈现很容易影响观看者对陌生人的态度举止。电视形象,实际上,教授了价值观和行为举止,特别是对那些还不太了解真实世界的孩子们。当孩子在电视上看到的特定人物的塑造和行为达到一定程度时,他们会学习并最终接受其成为他们自己生活态度和行动的模范。
1)firsthand Knowledge第一手资料
2)acquire习得
第八段:或许最严重的是歪曲信息对孩子自我认识的影响。在某种程度上,我们会和电视中的人物进行比较来判断我们生存的意义、尊严和价值。我们应该意识到不准确的人物塑造和歪曲的事实对孩子的成长是有害的。
self-image自我认识
通过上文的分析,我们可将全文分为三个层次。第一段是第一个层次。介绍电视呈现的是歪曲的现实。首先说孩子经验有限,然后说他们因此依赖于电视来了解世界。然后揭示了电视中的歪曲的现实。最后点明主旨:电视上呈现的现实是有潜在危害的。
第二、三段是第二个层次,主要讲电视歪曲事实的不同方式。一是对经典形象的塑造,一是对不好事物的选取。
第四至第八段是第三个层次,主要讲电视的影响。
1)孩子模仿明星的行为;
2)对于陌生人的错误判断;
3)孩子接受电视形象作为模范;
4)对孩子自我认识的危害。
6.
Read the following passage carefully and compose a "sentence outline" for it. The Decline in Writing Skills
Teachers have always complained that students cannot write well and there can be no denying that in the past twenty-five years writing skills have hit an all-time low. Students, as well as many people on the job have difficulty expressing themselves in written English. The decline is due in part to students, attitude towards writing in the past two decades and modern devices such as the television and the telephone.
The student protests over 20 years ago were a major factor for the decline in writing skills. At many schools, the faculty gave in and greatly reduced or eliminated freshman composition courses. At one college, where all undergraduates had been required to take two years of English, students were given the option of taking credits in fine arts, humanities, or English. Most preferred fine arts since it required little effort on their part—and absolutely no writing. With so little demand, the English faculty dropped from seventy-one to thirty within one year. Compounding the problem was the fact that some faculty members felt that making students write correctly was stifling their creativity. They told students not to worry about sentence structure, grammar, or spelling but just to get their feelings on paper. Those who wrote papers with sloppy sentences and numerous grammar errors could pass and even score high if their ideas were on the right track. The results were horrendous and saddening because many students' writing ability greatly declined. They simply could not write properly.
The television and the telephone must also be held responsible for the rapid decline in writing skills. Television viewing increasingly takes up more and more of a person's leisure time, time that should be spent writing and reading. No longer will youngsters write in their diaries or try to express their feelings and thoughts in poetry. Instead they would much rather space out in front of the TV, remote in hand, and switch channels. Laughter and screaming are constantly heard. Nor will they read extensively and be exposed to the workings of the language and absorb the nuances of effective communication. The telephone is even a greater culprit. Why should one bother to write letters when one can punch in a number and speak to the other party? There is no need to write down one's thoughts and then wait for a response; gratification is immediate. Modern technology has even eliminated the need to jot notes to other members of the family: the memo unit on the answering machine takes care of that.
It is no wonder that writing skills have steadily declined over the past twenty—five years. Today's youths, for the most part, see little need for writing. The telephone is their direct line of communication, and the television supplies them with immediate entertainment. The student activism of the 1970s has had its own perverse effect: it turned out a whole generation that was taught that correct writing is succumbing to the dictates of society. And the horror of horrors is that many of these students are now teachers.
1. Introduction. Writing skills have declined.
A. Many people have difficulty expressing themselves in English.
B. Thesis. Students' attitude and modern technology contribute to the decline.
2. The student protests over 20 years ago were a major factor.
A. They resulted in the reduction of freshmen composition courses.
B. Students could take other courses for credits instead.
C. Teachers paid little attention to the basic requirements of writing.
3. The TV and the telephone are also responsible for the decline.
A. TV watching takes up one's time for reading and writing.
B. People prefer calling each other to letter-writing.
4. The consequences are horrible.
A. Today's youths don't see the need for writing.
B. Many of the students of twenty years ago are teachers now.
[解析] 这篇文章主要讲的是造成写作能力下降的两个原因。首先分析一下文章各段内容及其关系。
第一段:老师常抱怨学生习作技能差,在过去的25年中一直处于下降趋势。学生及很多工作了的人在英语写作中表达自己的观点方面都有困难。下降的原因有两个:一是学生对写作的态度不够认真,一是现代仪器设备的应用,例如电视和电话。最后一句为文章的Thesis statement(中心思想句)。
due to归因于,modern devices现代仪器设备
第二段:学生的对写作的抵触情绪是写作能力下降的主要原因(topic sentence)。许多学校都减少或删去写作课程。在选课中,学生更倾向于选艺术课,因为不需要写作。教授英语写作的老师也开始减少。更麻烦的是,许多老师也认为,规定学生如何写作会抑制其创造力,以至于学生只会把感觉写在纸上,写出来有很多错误的句子,即使这样他们也能及格甚至得高分。可是他们确实写不好文章。
第三段:这一段分析现代仪器设备对写作的不良影响(topic sentence)。看电视占去了一个人大部分的空闲时间,那些时间本应用于写作和阅读的。再也没有学生记日记或写诗来表达自己的感受。相反,他们更喜欢坐在电视机前,手握遥控器不停地换频道。笑声和叫声不绝于耳。他们不再博览群书,或研究语言,或致力于研究交际的细微差别。电话的使用也是原因之一。电话给人迅速的满足,于是写信毫无必要。现代技术使得用电话本记号码也不再必要,因为有了来电显示。
The television and the telephone must also be held responsible for the rapid decline in writing skills. 电视和电话对写作技能的下降负有很大责任。
第四段:总结全文(应用的是归纳主要观点的方法)
这样看来,难怪写作技巧会持续下降呢。今天的年轻人很少认识到写作的必要性。电话给予他们及时联系的可能,电视给了他们最大的即刻的娱乐。1970年的学生活动带来了不良影响,整代人都被教授这种观点:社会的发展导致了正确书写水平的降低。最恐怖的是,当年的许多学生现在成了老师。
succumb to屈服,抵挡不住
根据上文分析,全文可分为四个层次,每段为一个层次。
第一个层次讲写作技能的衰退。然后点明主旨:
Students' attitude and modern technology contribute to the decline. 学生的学习态度和现代技术是写作技能下降的主要原因。
第二个层次先陈述学生的态度这一原因。然后:
1)写作课的减少;
2)学生可以选其他课以得到学分;
3)老师的关注少。
第三个层次陈述现代技术的过错:
1)看电视消磨时间;
2)打电话取代写信。
最后一个层次说后果的严重性:
1)学生意识不到写作的必要性;
2)20年前的这种学生现在是老师。
7.
Describe a process which you know about.
How to Post a Parcel
It is necessary for a person to know how to post a parcel, since almost everyone has relatives and friends living far away and he may like to send them something.
Different objects are packed in different ways. Things like bottles of medicine and watches should be put into wooden boxes to avoid breakage. After you have packed the objects, put down your address and that of the addressee on the wrapping. Give the parcel to the postal clerk for him to check. He will then give you a form to fill in. Having filled in the form, you give it together with the parcel to the clerk. He will weigh the parcel and tell you how much you should pay. You pay the money and get a receipt. Be sure to keep your receipt until you are sure that the addressee has received the parcel. If anything wrong should happen to your parcel, you can show the receipt to the clerk and asked to be reimbursed.
Next time if you want to send a parcel to someone, you can find you just have to follow the suggested steps.
[解析] 说明做某件事的过程时,通常以时间的先后为线索。文章开始可以先切入主题,介绍下面要说明什么事,为什么要讲这件事;主体部分当然要讲做这件事的每个步骤;文尾要进行决结。要说明其必要性,可以使用诸如:It is necessary for a person to know how to post a parcel, since almost everyone has relatives and friends living far away and he may like to send them something. 这样的句子。