1.2 如何寫好主題句中的關鍵詞
段落的主題句對主題的限定主要是通過句中的關鍵詞來表現(xiàn)的。關鍵詞要盡量寫得具體些。對“具體”的要求包括兩個方面:一是要具體到能控制和限制段落的發(fā)展;二是要具體到能說明段落發(fā)展的方法。準確地把握關鍵詞是清楚地表達段落主題、寫好段落主題句的重要前提之一。在上面的例1,例2中,主題句的關鍵詞分別為:depends very much on energy; no one can avoid being influenced. 我們再看下列例句:
原句1: He can fix a bicycle himself.
斜體部分應為主題句中的關鍵詞。但它只是限制了段落發(fā)展的部分內容,并沒有告訴讀者該用哪種方法展開,是用因果關系法還是用分類法?
修正:He can fix a bicycle himself in several simple steps. 的
修正:There are several reasons why he can fix a bicycle himself.
原句2: She tries to improve her looks.
斜體部分應為主題句中的關鍵詞。她試著改變她面容的理由是什么?或者她采取什么方法來改善呢?我們無法從關鍵詞中清楚得知。
修正:She tries many ways to improve her looks. 的
修正:There are some reasons why she tries to improve her looks。
1.3 如何寫好主題句的中心思想
主題句由兩部分組成,即主題(topic)和中心思想(controlling idea)。中心思想的作用是導向(control)和制約(limit)。我們前面談到的關鍵詞就反映了中心思想。所謂導向就是規(guī)定段落的發(fā)展脈絡,所謂制約就是限制主題的覆蓋范圍,兩者不可分割。沒有導向,內容就會離題或偏題;沒有制約,內容就可能超出一個段落所能容納的范圍。
對于初學寫作的人來說,“導向”的重要性容易理解,但如果由他們自己來構思一個主題句,就可能忽視“制約”這一面。例如:
There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it.
本段的主題句如果沒有in which 引出的定語從句,那么two ways 不僅不能起制約作用,而且也不能起導向作用,句子本身讀起來也就使人覺得欠缺點什么。
Exercise is beneficial to your heart. A 22-year study was conducted by doctors in California. They found that people who work at physical jobs experience fewer heart attacks than other people. These active people work all the time at moderate speeds, their daily routine gives them an adequate amount of exercise and helps them stay in shape.
“Exercise is beneficial”這是毫無疑義的。但主題句中如不加上“to your heart”來加以 control 和 limit,那就流于空泛。
因此,緊緊把握主題句中controlling idea的導向和制約作用,是短文寫作成功關鍵之一。
段落的主題句對主題的限定主要是通過句中的關鍵詞來表現(xiàn)的。關鍵詞要盡量寫得具體些。對“具體”的要求包括兩個方面:一是要具體到能控制和限制段落的發(fā)展;二是要具體到能說明段落發(fā)展的方法。準確地把握關鍵詞是清楚地表達段落主題、寫好段落主題句的重要前提之一。在上面的例1,例2中,主題句的關鍵詞分別為:depends very much on energy; no one can avoid being influenced. 我們再看下列例句:
原句1: He can fix a bicycle himself.
斜體部分應為主題句中的關鍵詞。但它只是限制了段落發(fā)展的部分內容,并沒有告訴讀者該用哪種方法展開,是用因果關系法還是用分類法?
修正:He can fix a bicycle himself in several simple steps. 的
修正:There are several reasons why he can fix a bicycle himself.
原句2: She tries to improve her looks.
斜體部分應為主題句中的關鍵詞。她試著改變她面容的理由是什么?或者她采取什么方法來改善呢?我們無法從關鍵詞中清楚得知。
修正:She tries many ways to improve her looks. 的
修正:There are some reasons why she tries to improve her looks。
1.3 如何寫好主題句的中心思想
主題句由兩部分組成,即主題(topic)和中心思想(controlling idea)。中心思想的作用是導向(control)和制約(limit)。我們前面談到的關鍵詞就反映了中心思想。所謂導向就是規(guī)定段落的發(fā)展脈絡,所謂制約就是限制主題的覆蓋范圍,兩者不可分割。沒有導向,內容就會離題或偏題;沒有制約,內容就可能超出一個段落所能容納的范圍。
對于初學寫作的人來說,“導向”的重要性容易理解,但如果由他們自己來構思一個主題句,就可能忽視“制約”這一面。例如:
There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you have made it a part of yourself and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it.
本段的主題句如果沒有in which 引出的定語從句,那么two ways 不僅不能起制約作用,而且也不能起導向作用,句子本身讀起來也就使人覺得欠缺點什么。
Exercise is beneficial to your heart. A 22-year study was conducted by doctors in California. They found that people who work at physical jobs experience fewer heart attacks than other people. These active people work all the time at moderate speeds, their daily routine gives them an adequate amount of exercise and helps them stay in shape.
“Exercise is beneficial”這是毫無疑義的。但主題句中如不加上“to your heart”來加以 control 和 limit,那就流于空泛。
因此,緊緊把握主題句中controlling idea的導向和制約作用,是短文寫作成功關鍵之一。