托福寫作對考生的英語書面表達(dá)能力提出了很高的要求,而一些童鞋的不恰當(dāng)表達(dá)往往會導(dǎo)致托福寫作部分低分。本文從詞匯和句型兩個方面入手,列舉了一些托福寫作中需要注意的常見低分表達(dá),各位TOEFLer快點檢查一下自己有沒有躺槍吧!
一、詞匯方面
低分作文在詞匯方面的問題大致分為以下的三種:不準(zhǔn)確,不豐富,不簡潔。
1不準(zhǔn)確
準(zhǔn)確是用詞的第一大原則,沒有準(zhǔn)確的表達(dá),再豐富多變的表達(dá)都是徒勞。
①
【錯誤】 The prices of luxury goods are so expensive that the average families could not afford them.
【修改】 The prices of luxury goods are so high that the average families could not afford them.
【解析】 expensive 的意思是 costing a lot of money,可以用來表示商品貴,而不能用來形容價格。“價格”是個數(shù)值,表示“價格高”時,應(yīng)該用 high 修飾 prices。
②
【錯誤】 The past few decades have witnessed the damage of the environment and the loss of the resources.
【修改】 The past few decades have witnessed the damage to the environment and the loss of the resources.
【解析】 damage of environment 表示“環(huán)境帶來的破壞”,而當(dāng)表示“對什么造成破壞”,damage 后面搭配的介詞是 to。
③
【錯誤】 On the one hand, small corporations are easier to fit in…. On the other hand, cooperating with a few people costs less energy on coordination….
【修改】 For one thing, small corporations are easier to fit in…. For another, cooperating with a few people costs less energy on coordination….
【解析】 短語 on the one hand 和 on the other hand 用來引出對立的兩個事物,不能單純地理解為“一方面,另一方面”,而 for one thing, for another 才能引出表示并列的兩個事物。
2不豐富
保證了用詞的準(zhǔn)確性后,在寫作中我們接下來應(yīng)該追求的就是用詞的豐富度。但是很多考生的用詞要么是太普通就是缺乏變化。
①
【低分】 Many believe that telling the truth is not always the best way to deal with people.
【高分】 Many believe that telling the truth is not always the best policy when dealing with people.
【解析】 在表達(dá)“最好的處世之道”,低分表達(dá)用的名詞是 way,而高分表達(dá)用的則是 policy。Policy 不但可以表示“政策”、“保險”,也能夠表示“原則,為人之道”。
②
【低分】 The basic trust in any relationships will be destroyed.
【高分】 The basic trust in any relationships will be blotched.
【解析】 當(dāng)表達(dá)關(guān)系被破壞的時候,考生們最常用的就是 destroy,其實還可以用 blotch (它既作名詞,意思是“污點”,也作動詞,表達(dá)“弄臟”的意思),它可以形象表達(dá)出信任是如何被玷污的。
③
【低分】 If your friend had worn a newly bought dress on her birthday and energetically asked you if it was a worthy buy…
【高分】 If your friend had worn a newly purchased dress on her birthday and energetically asked you if it was a worthy buy…
【解析】 bought 是 buy 的過去分詞和過去式,既然后面已經(jīng)用到了名詞 buy,為了避免重復(fù),最好將第二句中的 bought 換成 purchased。
④
【低分】 Hiding(entirely or particially) the truth in some situations can be quite useful indeed.
【高分】 Hiding(entirely or particially) the truth in some situations can be quite handy indeed.
【解析】 當(dāng)表達(dá)“有用的”時,很多人用 useful,而其實 handy 也可以表示這個意思。用 handy 更能表現(xiàn)詞匯的豐富度。
3不簡潔
用詞的不簡潔,也就是冗余,也是同學(xué)們在寫作中常犯的一種低級錯誤。
①
【冗余】 In my opinion, I prefer groups will be more helped by those members who are willing to do what other members want.
【修改】 In my opinion, groups will be more helped by those members who are willing to do what other members want.
【解析】 In my opionion 就已經(jīng)表達(dá)了“我”的觀點,而 I prefer 也表達(dá)了“我”的觀點,所以這是一種重復(fù)。
②
【冗余】 Scientists are trying to find a solution to solve the problem of water shortage.
【修改】 Scientists are trying to find a solution to the problem of water shortage.
【解析】 find a solution to solve 意思是“找到解決某問題的解決辦法”,出現(xiàn)了兩個“解決”,語義有重復(fù),所以要么刪去動詞 solve,要么將 find a solution to 換成 solve。
二、句型方面
低分作文在句型方面常體現(xiàn)的一個問題就是句型單一,有些同學(xué)只會運用陳述句,而很少運用感嘆句和反問句,而有些只會運用簡單句,定語從句或者賓語從句,很少使用狀語從句等。
①
【低分】 Right now adults have different points of view about live.
【高分】 Independence! Who doesn’t want independence? But the bigger question is how much of an independence is being discussed here?
【解析】 以上兩句話分別來自一篇 3 分作文和一篇 5 分作文。第一句用了非常普通的簡單句,沒有亮點,而第二句話運用了反問句和感嘆句,能引起讀者極大的好奇心。
一些同學(xué)可能會問:托福作文不應(yīng)是議論文嗎,也可以用反問句和感嘆句這種表達(dá)強(qiáng)烈情感的句子嗎?其實 OG 明確指出,添加一些類似的句子會豐富文章的句式,幫助表達(dá)強(qiáng)烈的感情。
②
【低分】 Although selfless, understanding, thoughtful and loyal behaviors are also important, honesty is the trait that I cherish most.
【高分】 Although I would like to see altruistic, understanding, thoughtful and loyal behaviors from people, an instance of the opposite of these behaviors would not upset me as much as dishonesty would.
【解析】 第一句的主句運用了定語從句,而第二句的主句運用了比較狀語從句 not as much as dishonesty would,這個比較狀語從句的使用比定語從句更能加強(qiáng)作者的語氣。