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因果作文的开篇段落(1)


Cause and effect essay是说明文中的一个重要体裁。在开篇段落的撰写上,不同essay之间其实大同小异。本文以因果文的开篇段落为例,说明Funnel introduction漏斗开篇段的写法。


例文是一篇题为Effects of Socially-Constructed Stress on Women's Health因果文的开篇段。来自MICUSP语料库,是由在美国大学读书的本科生撰写。全文讨论了社会压力对女性健康造成的影响,是被评为优秀的作业。


根据语料库提供的信息,作者就读护理专业,是最后一年本科生,女性,第一语言是中文,全文共2000多词。


整段共有八句话,前七句为general statements, 最后一句是thesis statement。我们将整段按句子为单位分开,分句阅读,看作者是如何从general statements过渡到thesis statements的。


第一句:

In our lives, we all experience stress; these stress come from many factors that include the urgency to perform under pressure, to need to do well in school or at the workplace, or from the multi-faceted roles that we must play within our lives.

以生活中的压力作为切入点。(Stress in life

第二句:

Being a sister, daughter, a team player, a mother, and a wife can cause one to feel overwhelmed.

自然而然的说到女生在生活中的压力。(women’s stress in life)


第三句

Although both men and women experience stress, the negative impacts on health as a result of exposure to stress are different.

从女性的生活压力过度到压力对男女造成负面影响的差异。(Differences in effects of stress on men and women)

第四句

One reason is due to the difference in physiological characteristics such as the presence of reproductive system and its associated hormones in women but not in men.

从性别差异讲到造成差异的生理原因。(Physiological cause)

第五句

Another factor contributing to the difference is due to the fact that each sex faces unique and different quantities of socially-constructed stress such as a woman expected to become a mother.

和造成差异的社会原因。(Social cause)


第六句

Socially-constructed stress is the stress implemented by society based on gender role expectations with culture being a major contributor.

自然而然的过度到社会压力。(Social stress)

第七句

Many stressors that women endure tend to be chronic or repeated nature while for men, the stress is more acute.

再讲到社会压力的性别差异。(Gender differences in social stressors)


引入Thesis statement:

The negative impact of socially constructed stress on women causes a wide range of health issues that can be both physiologically and psychologically.

陈述文章的具体话题,社会压力对女性健康的影响。(Effects of social stress on women's health)


可以看出,作者从生活中的压力这个比较宽泛的切入点入手,从压力讲到社会压力,再过渡到女性的社会压力,一步一步从宽到窄,把泛泛的话题“生活压力”缩小到在文章中要讲的“社会压力对女性健康的影响”这个能够在2000多字的篇幅里大致介绍的较细致的话题。

  • ·Stress in life

  • ·Women’s stress in life

  • ·Differences in effects of stress on men and women

  • ·Physiological cause

  • ·Social cause

  • ·Social stress

  • ·Gender differences in social stressors

  • ·Effects of social stress on women's health

这个开篇段落自然而然地起到了向读者介绍文章话题的作用。由大家都熟悉的现象入手,逐渐引入作者文章要具体讨论的话题,丝丝入扣,严丝合缝,是个漏斗开篇段的好样例。