小编寄语:
论写作中的翻译思维:有些小伙伴在英文写作时,往往脑子里先想到的是中文,然后再翻译为英文,但是英文写作与中文写作有其各自特别之处。小编设立此栏目,以小编自己的作文为例(反例或正例),分享自己对于英文写作的看法。
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高考一词,有人畏惧,有人激动,有人怀念,有人感伤。高考将至,小编先祝各位将参加高考的你,以及家里七大姑八大姨的孩子将参加高考的小伙伴,祝科科开挂!!!本篇作文献给那些参加高考的童鞋们,以及曾经高考过的我们。
写在前面:
本篇作文是说明文,主题是“向外国人介绍高考”。说明文的宗旨是说明一件事物是什么,怎么样;因此,首先要弄清楚说明的对象,其特征。对说明文来说,说明的顺序也非常重要,可以按照空间顺序,时间顺序,或者逻辑顺序,甚至是重要性顺序来写。以本文为例,向(没有任何背景的)外国人介绍高考,首先一定要介绍高考是什么?都有谁参加?然后以重要性顺序来介绍高考。
文中标蓝色的为值得积累的表达或能给文章增色的句子(修辞手法)标,红色的为尚待改进的地方。
China’s College Entrance Examination
China’s College Entrance Examination (CEE) is to Chinese high school graduates what American College Test (ACT) is to the American peers. High school seniors who have a desire to further their education, without any exception, must pass the CEE. One can never say that he understands Chinese culture if he does not know a thing about the CEE. There are certain things students should bear in mind when taking this exam.
The first thing one should know is the tested subjects. The students are tested on four subjects: English, Chinese, mathematics, and liberal art synthesis (politics, history, and geology) or science synthesis (chemistry, physics, and biology). The final score is counted by adding the four together. So if you are not good at a certain subject, maybe mathematics, you can make it up by scoring high in English.
Students should also know the date and place of the exam. Unlike the ACT in America, which is held five times a year, the CEE is held once a year. And the date falls on the seventh and eighth of June. For each day, students will be tested on two subjects, one in the morning (from 09:00 to 11:30) and one in the afternoon (from 15:00 to 17:00). And there are many things the students should pay attention to during these two days. Students should never be late for the test, and if students are late for more than fifteen minutes, they will not be allowed to enter the testing place. Usually, students should be ten minutes or fifteen minutes earlier than the prescribed time and wait outside the testing place. And students take this exam in school assigned by the local authorities. If you are assigned, you might want to come to that particular school in advance so that you can easily find your way when the exam day comes.
The most important thing students should bear in mind is that any method of cheating will lead to great consequence. The examination is under close monitoring.Supervision and controlling devices are set up to prevent cheating, two teacher would respectively sit at the front and back of the classroom to make sure everyone is minding their own business, patrolling teachers walk through the hall to make sure that no distraction is admitted. Anyone, who is found out cheating in the CEE, will be banned from taking this exam for at least three years.
College Entrance Examination levels the playing field for kids who come from underprivileged families, and it provides a platform to them to get the opportunity to see the world for themselves as universities are usually built in big cities. For many, it’s a life-changing opportunity, Chinese families take it so seriously that they would go the whole hog to provide their kids such a chance. Many students who failed the exam retake it, and some for several times.
小编点评与吐槽:
第一段:
China’s College Entrance Examination (CEE) is to Chinese high school graduates what American College Test (ACT) is to the American peers. High school seniors who have a desire to further their education, without any exception, must pass the CEE. One can never say that he understands Chinese culture if he does not know a thing about the CEE. There are certain things students should bear in mind when taking this exam.
点评与吐槽:第一句话其实就已经让外国朋友明白了高考是什么。向外国人介绍中国特色事物时,最好的办法就是在他们的文化中寻找相似的事物。介绍完高考的概念意义之后,用一句话引出下文(There are certain things students should bear in mind when taking this exam.)学写作时,相信老师都说过,最好是要有过渡句。
句型分析:A is what B is to C
例句:Tequila is what water is to fish.
译文:龙舌兰之于他,犹如水之于鱼。
第二段:
The first thing one should know is the tested subjects. The students are tested on four subjects: English, Chinese, mathematics, and liberal art synthesis (politics, history, and geology) or science synthesis (chemistry, physics, and biology). The final score is counted by adding the four together. So if you are not good at a certain subject, maybe mathematics, you can make it up by scoring high in English.
点评与吐槽:第二段介绍高考要考的四个科目,以及分数的计算方式。这一段写得比较无聊,非常平淡。但是记住,说明文最重要的是实用,把东西说清楚,这是最基础的。当然如果可以在内容或者表达上有所突破,有所创新,当然是会更加出彩!
考试科目为如何表达:
students will be tested on......
第三段:
Students should also know the date and place of the exam. Unlike the ACT in America, which is held five times a year, the CEE is held once a year. And the date falls on the seventh and eighth of June. For each day, students will be tested on two subjects, one in the morning (from 09:00 to 11:30) and one in the afternoon (from 15:00 to 17:00). And there are many things the students should pay attention to during these two days. Students should never be late for the test, and if students are late for more than fifteen minutes, they will not be allowed to enter the testing place. Usually, students should be ten minutes or fifteen minutes earlier than the prescribed time and wait outside the testing place. And students take this exam in school assigned by the local authorities. If you are assigned, you might want to come to that particular school in advance so that you can easily find your way when the exam day comes.
点评与吐槽:第三段讲高考的时间以及地点,继续以ACT作为对比,便于理解。小编将and标红,是想提醒大家,这一段作文中出现了太多"and"。那么如何优化呢?
第一个and可以直接删除,可以发现,删除后这句话没什么变化,但是会好看很多。第二个 and 可以用 moreover 来替换,因为and前后这两句话有递进关系。第三个and可以删除,然后把逗号换成分号(分号与句号的区别在于,句号表明前后两句无联系,分号表示前后两句有联系,但不明显。)第四个and就let it be吧,第五个and可以直接删掉,不影响。
注意:写作文时,一定要注意段落的美感,每段要差不多长,不能一段长,一段短。小编的第三段,有点过长,因此需要精简:
Students should also note the date and place of the exam. Unlike the ACT in America, which is held five times a year, the CEE is held once a year. The date falls on the seventh and eighth of June. Each day, students are tested on two subjects. Moreover, there are many things students should pay attention to. They cannot be late for more than fifteen minutes, in which case they will not be denied entrance. Rather, they should be ten or fifteen minutes earlier. The place is designated by local authorities. Students can call at the school in advance so as to easily find their way when the big day comes.
第四段:
The most important thing students should bear in mind is that any method of cheating will lead to great consequence. The examination is under close monitoring. Supervision and controlling devices are set up to prevent cheating, two teacher would respectively sit at the front and back of the classroom to make sure everyone is minding their own business, patrolling teachers walk through the hall to make sure that no distraction is admitted. Anyone, who is found outcheating in the CEE, will be banned from taking this exam for at least three years.
点评与吐槽:
any method of cheating 可以直接改为(cheating),因为写作中有一个原则:concise简洁。any method of 显然是redundant的。或者可以换成一个更高级的表达:the most important thing students should bear in mind is that there is zero tolerance for cheating.
patrolling teachers前面需要加 and,三个并列的句子,最后一个句子之前要加and。
be found out cheating用 be found cheating.
find 与 find out的区别:
find是发现,可用于句型find sb. doing sth.
find out 是发现真相,如find out the truth about sb./sth.
第五段:
College Entrance Examination levels the playing field for kids who come from underprivileged families, and it provides a platform them to get the opportunity to see the world for themselves as universities are usually built in big cities. For many, it’s a life-changing opportunity, Chinese families take it so seriously that they would go the whole hog to provide their kids such a chance. Many students who failed the exam retake it, and some for several times.
点评与吐槽:
level the playing field: 创造公平的竞争环境
例句:The anti-corruption campaign will level the playing field for both sides.
译文:反腐败行动为双方创造公平竞争环境。
underprivileged: 弱势的,贫困的 = disadvantaged
例句:Their performance is gauged only by how much they have narrowed the gap between the underpriviledged and the priviledged.
译文:缩小弱势群体与强势群体之间的差异是他们唯一的绩效指标。
go the whole hog to do sth.: 全心全意做某事,全力以赴
例句:I didn't expect him going the whole hog just to give me a surprise.
译文:我没想到他会为了给我个惊喜而这么用心。
go extra mile to do sth. 大费周章
go to the strength to do sth. 大费周章