研究生考試中,考生用英文寫作時,常常在很大程度上受到漢語的影響,寫出的句子和段落總帶有或多或少漢語思維和表達的痕跡。漢語和英語在思維方式和表達方式上有很大的差別。
漢語注重以情動人,在文章的構思、措辭、修飾和意境方面偏重情感效果。許多考生受此影響,寫出來的作文,更多的帶有情感因素,要刻意去追求文字的感染力,而比較少的注意文章的主題和實質(zhì)性的思想內(nèi)容。受漢語的影響,考生的寫作常常采用迂回、含蓄的方式表達,或采用口號式的方式表達。結果,主題思想的表達往往被忽視而變得很次要。
英語是非常注重邏輯明確的語言。英語注重文章的實質(zhì)內(nèi)容醫(yī)學全在,線m.gydjdsj.org.cn,講究層層推導、表達透徹,主題和主題句處于文章非常顯要的位置。如每一段的開頭或者結尾,在主題句之后,總有具體和細致的舉例、說明和闡釋來進一步深化主題,豐富內(nèi)容。
我們先來看一下受漢語思維和表達影響很深的一篇作文:
From the picture, we can see that a beautiful American girl is in traditional Chinese costume and is smiling, as if she was asking us, “Am I like a Chinese” and speaking, “ I wish Chinese people happy like me.” It shows that with the faster pace of globolization, cultural differences are shrinking.
Over the ages, our Chinese people have been looked down upon by foreigners. But now, they are interested in our culture, wearing our clothes. What a change! It shows that we are getting stronger and more influential. It shows that Chinese people really stand up. In this respect, what reasons do we have to look down upon ourselves, our glorious culture and long traditional?
With the reform, China now is becoming a great country. She is going international. Her culture, both traditional and modern, will exercise an impact on the world. Let us work hard and make that possible in the nearest future.
上面的文章雖然分為三段式,但每一個段落差不多都是情緒激昂的口號,沒有實質(zhì)性的內(nèi)容,更無嚴密的說理和論述。這樣的短文,雖然語法上并不重大差錯,但因為內(nèi)容空洞、缺乏邏輯而不能得到一個好的分數(shù)。
我們再來看一下,同樣的題目,比較符合英文思維方式和表達方式的作文是怎樣的:
This picture vividly depicts a lovely American girl dressed in traditional Chinese costume with a sweet smile on her face. She wears ribbons, earrings, necklaces and other accessories that are characteristic of the clothes of a certain Chinese minority group. Undoubtedly, the costume has added oriental glamour to her beautiful features.
What the picture conveys goes far beyond merely a new fashion trend. Instead, it carries cultural implications as well. The fact that people from other nations are attracted to the mysterious Chinese culture indicates that to some extent a culture can be accepted, respected, appreciated and shared internationally. In other words, one nation’s distinctive culture can become international through worldwide economic and cultural enchanges. Since the trend of globalization seems irresistible, the increasing cultural exchanges will effectively improve mutual understanding and friendship.
In my opinion, national culture, as a priceless spiritual treasure, should be preserved and cherished. Meanwhile there are good reasons to advocate international culture, for those ideas from other cultures, controversial or even absurd at first sight, can provide a different perspective for us to observe the world. However, when we are confronted with a different culture, we should be sensible enough to absorb its essence and resist its dark side. Only in this way can we promote cultural development positively and make our world dimensional, colorful and vigorous.
第一段在照片中挖掘出的細節(jié)很多,包括了“ a lovely American girl”, “traditional Chinese costume”, “sweet smile on her face”, “ribbons”, “earrings”, “accessories”, “minority group” 和“oriental glamour”, 挖掘得非常深入。
第二段中采用了圖畫作文意義闡釋段的經(jīng)典句型“The fact that…indicates that…”, 通過兩個從句寫出兩到三行的復雜長句,加大了句型難度。一種文化可以被“accepted”, “respected”, “appreciated”, “shared internationally”, 句子使用了連續(xù)排比的動詞,很有氣勢。隨著論述的層層深入,逐步提到了“globalization”的概念,使得作文大氣成熟,沒有停留在簡單文化現(xiàn)象的表面。