关于开头(行文结构),虽然评分标准里没有具体谈到怎样的开头段才好,但是我们可以从OG的第六章(writer's handbook)中找到相关说明。在organization and development中就有一节专门探讨introduction. 其中关于“What is introduction”中就给出了“A good introduction paragraph does several things” 。即“It makes the reader want to read the essay”,“It tells the reader the overall topic of the essay”,“It tells the reader the main idea, (thesis)of the essay”.下一个关于“How do I write an introduction?”中也提供了几种方案,比如“Background about the topic”, “Narrative”, “Quotation”, “Dramatic statistics/facts”, “Shocking statement”, “Questions that lead to the thesis”,而且其后还给了每种开头具体的说明。可见,对于具体的开头方式,其实可以有多种,他们本身并没有优劣可言。如果要说标准,能满足“A good introduction paragraph does several things”就行了。
再说词汇,独立写作的评分标准里就有提到。5分一栏的要求是“displays consistent facility in the use of language, demonstrating syntactic variety, appropriate word choice, and idiomaticity, though it may have minor lexical or grammatical errors”,4分一栏是“displays facility in the use of language, demonstrating syntactic variety and range of vocabulary,though it will probably have occasional noticeable minor errors in structure, word form, or use of idiomatic language that do not interfere with meaning” 3分一栏是 “may demonstrate inconsistent facility in sentence formation and word choice that may result in lack of clarity and occasionally obscure meaning”以及“may display accurate but limited range of syntactic structures and vocabulary”2分一栏是“a noticeably inappropriate choice of words or word forms”。 所以,不难看出,对于用词,在ETS的要求中可以找到两个要求——“多样性”和“准确性”。用词是否简单,原本和这两个要求无关。但是如果要达到这两个要求,一定程度的词汇量则是必需的。至于是否“高级”,倒未必,但是如果要达到“准确性”,那么一些比较“简单”的词汇可能就不如“高级”词汇了。(这一点,对比过朗文词典和牛津辞典的词条解释的朋友应该都有体会)。而且,词汇量的增加,本身就会导致“高级词汇”的增加。当然,具体到写作,词汇不仅要能认识,还要能用对。这就需要我们认真查阅原版字典,踏踏实实学习。对“高级词汇”不求甚解,随意运用到作文中其实是危险的事情。
关于开头(行文结构),虽然评分标准里没有具体谈到怎样的开头段才好,但是我们可以从OG的第六章(writer's handbook)中找到相关说明。在organization and development中就有一节专门探讨introduction. 其中关于“What is introduction”中就给出了“A good introduction paragraph does several things” 。即“It makes the reader want to read the essay”,“It tells the reader the overall topic of the essay”,“It tells the reader the main idea, (thesis)of the essay”.下一个关于“How do I write an introduction?”中也提供了几种方案,比如“Background about the topic”, “Narrative”, “Quotation”, “Dramatic statistics/facts”, “Shocking statement”, “Questions that lead to the thesis”,而且其后还给了每种开头具体的说明。可见,对于具体的开头方式,其实可以有多种,他们本身并没有优劣可言。如果要说标准,能满足“A good introduction paragraph does several things”就行了。
斑斑有点曲解我的意思了。我说的simple is the best不是对开头而言,而是指整体写作思路和行文方法。我认为的开头应该是指切主题。尽快的把主题表现出来,才会让读者想去读,在说出自己观点后,再列出要说的理由的关键词。开头段中间可以适当加一句background的话。这样足以。