如何寫好英文說(shuō)明文

1、如何寫好英文說(shuō)明文就“說(shuō)明對(duì)象”而言，英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文可分為對(duì)“客觀具體事物”的說(shuō)明和對(duì) “主觀抽象觀念”的說(shuō)明兩大類，比如:對(duì)“LASER（激光）"、"Computer Problem of Year 2000（計(jì)算機(jī)2000年問題）”等等的說(shuō)明都是對(duì)客觀或者具體 事物的說(shuō)明，而“The Successful Interview（談成功的面試）"、"How to Write Good English Composition（如何才能寫好英語(yǔ)）”等是對(duì)主觀抽象觀念 的說(shuō)明。對(duì)我們中學(xué)生朋友來(lái)說(shuō)，在漢語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文的教學(xué)中似乎比較側(cè)重前者， 即解釋客觀具體事物的說(shuō)明文

2、。但在英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文中，闡述和說(shuō)明“主觀抽象觀 念”的說(shuō)明文占了很大的比重，其中有些類似漢語(yǔ)中的議論文。但是無(wú)論是對(duì) “客觀具體事物”的說(shuō)明還是對(duì)“主觀抽象觀念”的闡述，英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文從結(jié)構(gòu) 上看大致可分為三個(gè)部分：第一部分一般是文章的、第一段，提出文章的主題， 也就是說(shuō)，文章想要闡述、說(shuō)明的主要內(nèi)容;笫二部分是文章的主體，可由若干 個(gè)段落組成，對(duì)文章的主題進(jìn)行展開說(shuō)明；笫三部分是結(jié)尾段，對(duì)文章的主題作 歸納總結(jié)。從英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文的結(jié)構(gòu)可以看出，要寫好英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文的關(guān)鍵在于第二 部分如何對(duì)文章主題進(jìn)行展開說(shuō)明。在英語(yǔ)中，常見的用來(lái)展開文章主題的方 法有下列幾種：1 .羅列法（listing）在文章開始時(shí)提出

3、需要說(shuō)明的東西和觀點(diǎn)，然后常用first, second, -and finally加以羅列說(shuō)明。羅列法廣泛地使用于各類指導(dǎo)性的說(shuō) 明文之中，下面這篇學(xué)生作文就是用羅列法寫成的：Early RisingEarly rising （早起）is helpful in more than one way. First, it helps to keep us fit （健康）。We all need fresh air. But air is never so fresh as early in the morning. Besides, we can do good to our health f

4、rom doing morning exercise （做早操）。Secondly, early rising helps us in our studies. We learn more quickly in the morning, and find it easier to remember what we learn in the morning.Thirdly, early rising enables （使能夠）us to plan the work of the day. We cannot work well without a good plan. Just as the p

5、lan for the year should be made in the spring, so the plan for the day should be made in the morning.Fourthly, early rising gives us enough time to get ready for our work, such as to wash our faces and hands and eat our breakfast properly.Late risers may find it very difficult to form the habit of e

6、arly rising. They ought to make special efforts to do so. As the English proverb says, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. ”羅列法經(jīng)常用下列句式展開段落，我們可以注意模仿學(xué)習(xí)：There are several good reasons why we should learn a foreign language. First of all, Secondly, And finally, We sho

7、uld try our best to plant more trees for several good reasons First of all, Secondly, And finally,必須指出的是，有時(shí)羅列法并不一定有明確的first, second等詞，但 文章還是以羅列論據(jù)展開的。2 .舉例法（examples）舉例法是用具體的例子來(lái)說(shuō)明我們要表達(dá)的意思，常用for example, for instance, still another example is等詞語(yǔ)引出。下面這篇學(xué)生作文 就是用舉例法寫成的：RecreationIt is impossible to keep

8、in good health unless we take enough recreation （娛樂）。 The mind, too, needs change to make it fresh and vigorous （有活力的）There is much truth in the old saying, All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”There are many games which boys and girls can play after their school work is done, for instance, f

9、ootball, tennis, and kiteflying. Other examples of recreation are boating, fishing, gardening, cycling, walking, chess-playing, and reading. Persons who sit much at their business should take a kind of recreation that will supply their muscles （肌肉） with exercise. Those who spend most of their time i

10、n the open air and do manual work （體力活）should adopt （米納）reading or some other quiet form of recreation.Cycling is said to be an important means of recreation, but many persons foolishly tire out themselves by cycling too much. The same may be said in regard to football. Tennis is a pleasant form of

11、recreation. Many persons take great delight in boating. Fishing requires much patience, and there is much danger of taking cold by sitting still on a cold day too long. A good brisk （輕松） walk is one of the finest forms of exercise. For persons engaged in outdoor labor, chess-playing is another excel

12、lent form of recreation.可以看出，舉例法和羅列法有時(shí)可以結(jié)合使用：即用羅列法來(lái)列出例子， 用例子充實(shí)羅列的說(shuō)明。3 .比較5去（comparison and contrast）比較法是對(duì)兩個(gè)對(duì)象進(jìn)行比較，從而進(jìn)行說(shuō)明的寫作手法。比較法乂可細(xì) 分為比較相同點(diǎn)（comparison）和比較不同點(diǎn)（contrast）兩種方法，比如：From Paragraph to EssayAlthough they are different in length （長(zhǎng)度）， the paragraph and the essay are quite similar in structur

13、e （結(jié)構(gòu)）° For example, the paragraph starts with either a topic sentence （主題句）or a topic introducer followed by a topic sentence. In the essay, the first paragraph sets up the topic focus （主題所在）Next, the sentences in the body of a paragraph develop the topic sentence. Similarly, the body of an es

14、say consists of a number of paragraphs that discuss and support the ideas given in the introductory （弓I導(dǎo)的）paragraph. Finally, a concluding sentence （結(jié)束句）whether a restatement,conclusion, or observationends the paragraph. The essay, too,has a concluding paragraph which ends the essay logically and sa

15、tisfactorily. Although there are some exceptions （例夕卜）， most well written expository （說(shuō)明文的）paragraphs and essays are similar in structure.可以看出，在比較相同點(diǎn)的時(shí)候,常用到similarly, also, too, in the same case, in spite of the difference 等這樣的詞語(yǔ)。European Football and American FootballAlthough European football is t

16、he parent of American football, the two games show several major differences. European football, sometimes called association football or soccer, is played in 80 countries, making it the most widely played sport in the world. American football, on the other hand, is popular only in North America （th

17、e United States and Canada）o Soccer is played by eleven players with a round ball. Football, also played by eleven players in somewhat different positions （位置）on the field, is played with an elongated （拉長(zhǎng)的）round ball. Soccer has little body contact （接 觸）between players and therefore needs no special

18、 protective equipment. Football, in which players make the greatest use of body contact to stop a running ball-carrier and his teammates, needsspecial protective equipment. In soccer, the ball is advanced toward the goal by kicking it or by butting （頂）it with the head. In American football, on the o

19、ther hand, the ball is passed from hand to hand or carried in the hands across the opponent's （對(duì)手）goal. These are just a few of the features which distinguish （區(qū)別） association and American football.這是一篇用比較不同點(diǎn)的手法寫的說(shuō)明文。從文章中可以看出：however, on the other hand, in contrast, but, nevertheless 等表示轉(zhuǎn)折的詞語(yǔ)常 用

20、來(lái)引導(dǎo)對(duì)不同點(diǎn)的比較。4 .定義法（def inition）定義法也是英語(yǔ)說(shuō)明文中常用的寫作手法，特別是在對(duì)具體事物概念進(jìn)行 說(shuō)明時(shí)經(jīng)常使用。定義法的基本要素是定義句。英語(yǔ)中常見定義句的模式是：被定義對(duì)象is所屬類別+限制性定語(yǔ)可以看出，定義句中限制性定語(yǔ)越詳細(xì)，定義就越精確，比如：A bat is a small mouse-like animal that flies at night and feeds on（以為食品）fruit and insects but is not a bird.其實(shí)，在英一英詞典中，對(duì)英語(yǔ)單詞的英文解釋就是定義法的典型例子。 比如，看看Longman詞典對(duì)s

21、tudent和teacher的定義是很有意思的：A student is a person who is studying at a place of education or training. A teacher is a person who gives knowledge or skill to sb. as a profession （專業(yè)）。5 .M頁(yè)J于去（sequence of time, space and process）順序法是指按時(shí)間、空間或過程的順序進(jìn)行說(shuō)明的一種寫作手法。比如按 照時(shí)間順序介紹一個(gè)科學(xué)家的生平，用空間順序闡述逐漸開發(fā)西部的重要意 義，用過程順序法解釋

22、葡萄酒的生產(chǎn)過程等等。下面這篇學(xué)生作文就是用順序法寫成的：CoalCoal underwent （經(jīng)受）many changes before it became the bright, brittle （脆的）， black substance which we now use. During ancient times （在上古時(shí)代）， when the earth enjoyed a very warm and wet climate, the land was covered with large forests and big plants. As time went on, the

23、 ground changed and began to sink （下沉）a little. These very large numbers of trees and vegetables received a deposit （沉淀）of sand and clay. This layer of sand and clay pressed upon the layer beneath and prevented it from contact with air. These trees and plants received the pres sure and changed its a

24、ppearance.Generations after generations （兒世紀(jì)后）, as the ground kept gradually sinking, another layer of sand and clay was again deposited （積聚）above the layers already formed. A great pressure was thus exerted （作用）and the peat （泥煤）was changed into the black and brittle substance which is known as coal

25、.Coal is a kind of mineral which is formed by nature as above stated. It is an important industrial material and is chiefly used as fuel. It is very valuable in the industrial world. The place where coal deposit is called a coal mine （煤礦）。 In China, coal mines are largely found in the north-west part of the country. Shanxi is a famous province for producing coal. It has the most coa