高考答题时间比较紧,想在规定时间内有效完成写作任务,就需要采用合适的写作方法。而下文介绍的PREP法就十分有利于考生快速有效地搞定“写人”的记叙文。
一 什么是PREP法
PREP是由四个英语单词的首字母组成的,P、R、E、P各自代表写作的一个段落。我们将以一个具体的写作过程为例来说明什么是PREP法。
P——中心思想(Main Point)
在中文中,我们称main point为“中心思想”。中文写作常常比较含蓄,往往是把中心思想放在文章结尾或者藏于文中,读者通常读到最后才知道作者的真实意图。而英文写作则相反,坦率直接,往往会把最想说的话先亮出来。在高考英语写作中,先亮出中心思想能够使文章主题一目了然,容易给阅卷老师留下好印象。
英语中常用一个句子来表明中心思想,这个句子就是主题句(topic sentence)。主题句一般放在作文最开头,开门见山,直接点题。在写主题句时,应该使句子有鲜明的特点,避免过于平淡。例如,我们要写一篇以“The Best Teacher in My Life”为题的作文,主题句若写为Mr.Yangis my teacher,那就太平淡了。至少应准确地指出你为什么要写Mr.Yang。我们可以把这句话改为Mr.Yang is agood teacher。改后的句子显然好一些,因为Mr.Yang是位好老师,所以才写他。但这似乎还不够好,好老师有很多呀,你为什么要写Mr.Yang?此时不妨再细化一下,精准找到“题点”。所谓“题点”,就是使主题句特点最鲜明的那个亮点,如:Mr.Yang is the best teacher I havemet in my life,很明显,the best teacher I have met in mylife这个“题点”很容易抓住读者的眼球,使读者很想知道你这样说的原因。
由此看来,写好主题句的要诀在于找到能点题的那个“题点”。找到了“题点”,写出主题句,作文的主要方向就清晰明朗了。
R——原因(Reason)
在看过我们精心写的主题句之后,读者自然会问:“Why?”因此,接下来的任务是写明原因:你为什么说Mr.Yang是最好的老师?
跟找“题点”类似,要用一句话点出原因,这个原因句应该是与主题句关系最直接、最有力的句子。比如:Mr.Yang has changed the dtrectton of my life,
点出原因后,需要补充几句话加以说明。为什么说“我”的人生改变了?我们可以这样写:I used to be a trouble maker in my class,Itseemed that nobody liked me,and I also hatedthem,I had almost lost hope until Mr.Yangbecame my new English teacher.
这几句话不仅阐明了原因,还让读者更加好奇:Mr.Yang是怎么改变“我”的?短短几句话便很好地起到了承上启下的作用。由此可见,在第二段阐明原因时,贵在简洁明了,无须过多着墨,一般用两三句话交代清楚就能达到很好的效果。
E——举例子(Example)
举例子是文章的主体部分,不仅是对前面的原因进行进一步说明,也是对文章中心思想最有力的印证。在高考英语作文中,一般举一个例子就够了,但需要注意以下三点:①例子必须具有典型性,要最能说明原因:②例子还要够生动,能给读者留下深刻难忘的印象:③例子与原因需要有直接的关联。
有关Mr.Yang的这篇作文到举例子时可以这样写:
One day, when I was going to bully alittle boy from another class. Mr.Yang, whohappened to be passing by, immediatelystopped me. \"Do you think that you are a braveman?\" he asked me in a kind voice which Ihad never heard from other teachers. \"A braveman never bullies the weak; on the contrary, heprotects them. Bullying your schoolmates onlyshows you are a coward.\" His words, like a bolt,directly hit me. I knew that my behavior wascompletely wrong. From that moment, I began to change myself,and finally I won the respect of my classmates.
很显然,这一例子十分具有说服力,令前面的主题陈述和原因不再是空话,而是有理有据的。由此可知,举例子的这一段是文章的核心和高潮。写好这部分的秘诀就在于,要抓住最具典型性的、最具说服力的、最能说明中心思想的事例进行阐述。
P——再次回到中心思想(Main Point)
在作文中,最后一段往往要回到中心思想,即“扣题”。一篇文章的最后一句话往往让读者印象最为深刻,因此,扣题要有所升华,不能简单重复主题句。在介绍Mr.Yang的这篇作文中,Mr.Yang使“我”认识到了好老师的力量,所以“我”也要向他学习,将来做一名好老师。因此结尾我们可以这样写:I realizedthe power Of a teacher from Mr,Yang,sO l decided tO try mybest to be an excellent teacher in the future,just like him!
经过上述P—R—E—P四个步骤后,作文的主体部分就成形了。为了使文章更加顺畅,我们可以进行适当润色。最后成形的全文如下:
The Best Teacher in My Life
Mr. Yang is the best teacher I have ever met in my life.
As a mischievous boy, I used to be a trouble maker in myclass. It seemed that nobody liked me, and I also hated them. I hadalmost lost hope until Mr. Yang became my new English teacher.
I always remember the day when I was going to bully a littleboy from another class. Mr. Yang, who happened to be passing by,immediately stopped me. \"Do you think that you are a brave man?\"he asked me in a kind voice which I had never heard from otherteachers. \"A brave man never bullies the weak; on the contrary,he protects them. Bullying your schoolmates only shows you area coward.\" His words, like a bolt, directly hit me. I knew that mybehavior was completely wrong. From that moment I began tochange myself, and finally I won the respect of my classmates.
From Mr. Yang, I realized the power of a teacher, so I decidedto try my best to be an excellent teacher in the future, just like him!
二 运用PREP法破解高考真题
了解了PREP法,接下来我们就运用PREP法分别来破解2007年湖南卷和201 0年浙江卷的高考英语作文题目。
2007年高考英语湖南卷书面表达
假设你叫王平,李华是你的同窗好友,请根据下列要点,用英文给李华写一篇毕业留言。要点:
1 简要表述李华在你心目中的印象;
2 用一到两个相关事例进行具体描述;
3 对李华表示美好的祝愿。
【作文分析】这道题实质是考查写人的记叙文,完全可以应用PREP法来写。
P:李华可能给“我”留下很多印象,但是在PREP法中,只写一个印象,因此要选择印象最深的那个来写。我们可以选择李华considerate、warm-hearted为“题点”,将主题句写为:In my eyes,you are the mostconsiderate and warm-hearted boy in ourclass.
R:什么原因使“我”有这个印象?一句话交代即可。如:for you are always ready to give a hand to anyone who needshelp.
E:题目中要求举一到两个事例,实际上举一个就足够了,但这个事例必须充分支持主题句,内容要饱满。我们可以举一个”我”登山受伤,李华照顾和帮助“我”的事情:I clearly remember the day when myright ankle got sprained on the top of a hillduring the spring hike last April. It was youwho carried me to the bottom of the hill andtook me to the hospital by taxi. My parentswere on a business trip, and you took careof me for several days until they were back.
p:重申中心思想,表达祝愿。如:I really appreciated your help, and I alsolearnt a lot from you. Now, it\"s time tosay farewell to high school life, but ourfriendship will last forever. I expect thatwe will meet each other in the sameuniversity-Tsinghua University.
李越被评为你们班的“每周之星”。请你根据她的事迹(在上周六下午,不顾天气的炎热,为班级选购歌咏比赛服装),用英语为班级板报写一篇短文。文章应包括下列要点:
1 李越的事迹及其对同学的影响;
2 你的评论。
【作文分析】本文要求写李越的事迹,也可以运用PREP法来写。
PR:题目已经给出文章的主题句和原因。原句为:Li Yue hasbeen awarded the title Of”Star Student Of the Week'。for what she didforour class.
E:举例子,围绕题目给出的事例“李越不顾炎热去购买演出服装”来写。为了突出李越事迹的意义,可以对“天气炎热”进行渲染,并采用对比的手段,将李越的积极主动与其他同学的推脱做对比。需要注意的是,此处要记得将题目要求的“对同学们的影响”和“你的评论”融入其中。如:It was extremely hot last Saturday,and we were practicing for the coming singing contest. However,the costumes for the singing contest had not been purchased yet. Itwas obvious that nobody was willing to go out and buy the costumesbecause of the hot weather. But, Li Yue, the quietest girl in our class,went out without saying a word. One hour later, with a heavy bag onher shoulder, Li Yue came back. In the bag were the costumes forthe singing contest! The whole class was quiet as a feeling of shamecame over us. Yes, we all talk about how much we love this class,but only Li Yue proved her love by actions instead of empty words!
P:扣题并升华。如:Encouraged by her unselfish devotion toour class, we know that our class can match any class in this school!
写好记叙文很重要,以父母、老师、同学、朋友、笔友等与考生有密切关联的人物为主题的记叙文或记叙性段落都曾多次出现在高考英语作文中,并且以后仍有可能会考。因此,学会PREP法不仅能让你掌握一种新的写作方法,还能让你拥有一把“破解”此类考题的钥匙,何乐而不为呢?