注意新SAT写作的细节处理和修辞

2022-06-09 01:12:29

  评卷人想要通过你的作文了解你对英语的掌握能力,但是短时间内,考生写出很高质量的文章着实不容易,所以更加需要考生们注意处理和修辞。

  任何你在文章中提到的论点都要用至少一个论据来支撑。这个论据是否真实(当然,一眼就能看出是瞎编的论据除外),重要的是论据是否能够在逻辑上合理地支撑论点。考生们往往会陷入一个误区:只是简单的陈述观点,而不予以相关的细节用以证明观点。

  不正确:Increased amounts of consumer spending and materialism lead to more greed and government corruption. Also, materialism can lead to social problems.

  正确:When people spend more money and become more materialistic, they tend to become greedier and more selfish. I remember how my aunt went on a shopping spree after she fell into a windfall of money in the form of my grandpa's will. She became angry, violent, and unpleasant. Imagine how people in positions of power take to such increases in spending - they become more powerful and less mindful of their vulnerability, seeking additional wealth and participating in corrupt activities.

  很明显,第一个例子的长度比起第二个例子的长度短得多。你也许会问:所谓的语言的简洁性呢?不能只是简短的说明或称述吗?当然,你可以让你的文章具有简洁性,但是这只是在斟词酌句的时候考虑的事。把文章应该含有的细节或是论据省去一定是不可取的。就像在上面的两个例子,因为第二个例子给予的细节给多,所以更具阅读性,所以评卷人给第二篇文章的分数很可能就要多1、2分。

  一旦你掌握了论据对于文章的重要性,你就可以通过各种修辞手法来展现你的语言功底。

  如何展现语言功底?看看下面的建议你就知道了。

  Figurative language 修辞手法:明喻、暗喻、夸张等等一系列的修辞手法一定是一篇文章的加分点。但是如果你不清楚这些修辞手法到底是什么,那么你有必要查一查了来了解一下。让我们看下面这个例子:“I came home because I was very tired.”这句子未免太乏味了。让我们来加一个明喻: “I came home, tired as an old winless greyhound dog.”这两个句子表达的意思相同,但是通过一个比喻,却显得更为的生动形象。接着,我们把这个意思用夸张手法来表达:“I dragged my toes the entire way home, tired as an old winless greyhound dog.”显而易见,这样讲需要表达的意思更加生动地表达了出来。

  Complex sentence structure复杂的句式:运用复杂的句式同样也能为你加分。看看下面这个句子:“ We sent Tyler to his room.”这就足够了吗?这只是个简单句而已。要是我们加上一个从句效果会怎样呢?我们来看看:“ We sent Tyler to his room when he threw a tantrum.”现在这个句子传达的信息点明显增多了。更重要的是,这就是评卷人想看到的。这两个句子的区别就是添加了一个从句。(“We sent Tyler to his room”/ “when he threw a tantrum”),而这个从句正好为主句提供了更多的信息并且进一步解释了主句。

  Effective Parallel Structure 排比句式:你应该记住ISE/IS课程中的排比结构并且把它运用到写作上。排比如果用得好,会让文章显得格外有力。举个例子:“I know many people think the mentally ill are just lazy or can really help themselves, but let me give you a few examples why they are helpless. My grandmother cannot even bathe herself. Also, my best friends mom can't hold a job for more than a few days because she is so mentally ill.”这样的陈述是让阅读者感到很乏味的。但是我们可以运用排比句式来稍作修改:“ I know many people think the mentally ill are lazy and can really help themselves, but when you have seen my friend's mom struggling to hold a job, when you have seen my grandmother fumbling to bathe herself, when you have seen war-torn veterans lying on the street as drug addicts, then you will understand their suffering.”

  Formal register:当然,这并不是SAT拿高分的硬性标准。拿12分的考生的作文中,也有很多是非正式写作。但是,通常情况下,非正式写作都不是考生的强项。这个时候,写正式点的文章对你来说无疑使更好的选择。所以,你应该更多的使用“WE”和“ONE”而不是“I”和“YOU”而不是。同样,你也应该避免个人感情的流露或者是以个人经历来引出相关论证。举个例子:“When I was young, my dog died and I asked if there was a doggy heaven.”这是不正确的,同样不推荐的还有:“When one is young, one's dog could die and one may wonder if there exists some kind of heaven for dogs.”这种我们称作为过于学究式的:也就是太过学术或泰国正式。你应该采取折中的办法:“Many children experience the death of a pet and wonder if there really is a heaven for dogs.”

  本文是注意新SAT写作的细节处理和修辞,通过细节的处理可以展示出考生的英语水平,所以大家要重视起来。

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