怎样写好句子（2）
2.多样性(Variety)
任何事情都不是绝对的。写作中如果一味追求短句,追求简洁,有时会弄巧成拙,适得其反。因为一篇文章如果都是千篇一律的简单句,势必导致割裂句(choppy sentence )过剩。文体松散,文章就会粗糙浅显。毫无生气。英语是世界上最富有表达力的语言之一。它的句型变化灵活多样,丰富多彩。同一思想内容可以用多种语言形式来表达。当然句型多样化决不可滥用,造成华而不实。只有在准确表达思想的基础上方可力求句型多样化,以求既有丰富的内涵,又有优美的文字。英语句子的多样性主要体现在以下两个方面:
1)句式变化的多样性
这是语言运用能力的一种表现,也是避免句子单调乏味最简单有效的办法。通过句子变换(transformation of sentence),运用不同结构,选用不同句式来表达相同的内容,使表意手段更为多样化,具有异曲同工之妙。
(1)既可以用主动式也可以用被动式,如:
We certainly should make great efforts.
Great efforts are certainly required.
(2)既可以用肯定式也可以用否定式,如:
The lesson will be firmly rooted in our minds.
We will never forget this lesson.(3)既可以是正常语序也可以是倒装语序,如:
One can't learn anything until he rids himself of complacency.
Only when one rids himself of complacency can he learn something.
(4)某些成分既可以放在句子前面也可以放在后面,还可以放在中间,如:
With a car, people can get around freely. People can get around freely with a car. People, with a car, can get around freely. (5)既可以用简单句(simple sentence)也可以用并列句(compound sentence) 或者复合句(complex sentence)
a.扩展为名词从句
One man's meat is another man's poison.
What is one man's meat is another man's poison.(从句作主语)
The manager is going to some place,but no one knows where.
No one knows where the manager is going.(从句作宾语)
b.扩展为形容词从句
Our present house suits us fine.
The house that we are now living in suits us fine.
Robert was not a man to tell a lie.
Robert was not a man who told a lie.
I placed the book on the table,and it is still there.
The book that I placed on the table is still there.
c.扩展为副词从句
With the continuance of life,there is still hope.
While there is life,there is hope.(表示时间)
The ice was thick enough to walk on.
The ice was so thick that we could walk on it.(表示结果)
Not withstanding the heat of the sun,we must go out.
Hot as the sun is,we must go out.(表示让步)
Mrs Brown was getting older,so her hair turned grey gradually.
As Mrs Brown was getting older,her hair turned grey gradually. (表示原因)
Hold your tongue,or you will be sorry.
Unless you hold your tongue,you will be sorry.(表示条件)
三者各具功能。简单句简洁明快,措辞严谨,直截了当;并列句则表达同样重要的信息;复合句信息量大,轻重有别,结构上有枝有蔓,能体现出层次。这三种不同的句子形态为语言的表达提供了丰富的选择。使用什么样的句子应取决于实际需要,灵活选用。只有句型多样化,才会行文起伏,流畅自然。
