在写英语作文的结语段的时候,同学们经常会发现自己没话可说。我在写作课上也经常能听到同学们的抱怨,“前面该说的都说了,还要些什么啊?”。这里需要强调的是,结语段并不是可有可无的段落,它和引言段一样,为加深读者对文章主题的理解起着非常重要的作用。
在结构上,我们可以将结语段分成三个部分,同时对应三个目的。
(1)预示结尾段的transition signals,如In summary, To conclude等等。
(2)对文章主要内容的总结或阐述,以便给读者留下一个完整的印象。我们可以通过“总结主体段落中的要点”或“重述中心句”的方式完成该部分的写作。这一部分是结语段的主要组成部分。也是承载作者主要观点的地方。
(3)为读者留下思考和回味的空间。
以Oshima & Hogue (2006:59)这本书上面的例子为例。作文的题目是“Native American Influence on Modern U.S. Culture”,最后一段结语段如下:
①In conclusion, ②we can easily see from these few examples the extent of Native American influence on our language, our art forms, our eating habits, and out government. ③The people of the United States are deeply indebted to Native Americans for their contributions to U.S. culture. (Oshima & Hogue 2006:59)
这一段的写作较为简单,只有两句话。但是完整地实现了以上三个部分的功能。我们可以看到明显的结语段标记语“In conclusion”,也看到了第二部分对作文中心句“Native Americans have made many valuable contributions to modern U.S. culture, particularly in the areas of language, art, food and government.”的重述,以及第三部分为读者留下的思考空间。
其实,第三部分还有好几种写法可供参考,比如,对今后事情的发展进行预测、进行警告、提出建议、给出解决方案、给出结果、呼吁行动、引用名人名言进一步强化主题,或者呼应文章的引言段,等等。
再举一个例子,Oshima & Hogue (2006:97)对“害羞的原因”进行了探讨,最后一段结语段如下:
①To sum up, ②shyness has both genetic and environmental causes. ③Some people come into the world shy, while other become shy as a result of their experiences in life. ④It appears that most have experienced shyness at some time in their lives, and recent research indicates that the number of shy people is increasing. ⑤Therefore, if you are shy, you have lots of company. (Oshima & Hogue 2006:97)
这一结语段中,第二、三部分显然是在重述文章的主要观点。第四部分对未来进行了预测;第五部分则是在预测的基础上,对文章的第一句话“If you suffer from shyness, you are not alone, for shyness is a universal phenomenon.”进行了呼应,为读者留下了深刻的印象。