□ 卢上
在学习英语单词过程中,我发现单词的形态变化有很多,其中我们最经常用到的变化就是词缀的变化,而词缀的变化又导致词性的变化,所以经常通过前后缀的加减来改变词性。由于具有词性的变化,英语可以用多种句式表达同一种意思。
例如:If you are able to finish the job, you must have enough power and money to do it.
Only enough power and money can enable you to finish the job.
Let’s discuss the details of the party.
Let’s have a discussion about the details of the party.
We make a division of the profits among us.
I doubt what he has told me.
I feel doubtful about what he has told me.
我们知道这些以后就可以通过改变词性的方式,改变一个句子的结构,这样在写作过程中,我们就可以让我们的句型变得丰富多彩错落有致了。
当问别的同学“我很高兴。”用英语如何表达,同学们的答案一般有如下几种:
I am happy.
I am very happy.
I am glad.
I am delighted.
经过观察,我们可以发现这几个句型其实没有什么本质的变化,那么我们尝试一下改变句子中个别的词性来看一下。在这几个实例中,不同变化的是形容词,那么咱们把这几个形容词变为名词,也就是让happy变为happiness,然后让这个名词变为主语,那么这个句型就可以变为 :
Happiness floods every corner of my heart.
这个句子这时已焕然一新了,我们对这个句型是不是还可进行进一步的改变呢?答案是肯定的。
咱们先把原来的句子进行改变,“你来这里,我很高兴。”用英语如何表达呢?常见的回答就是:
You came here, and I was happy.
那么我们就让 you came here,作为主语,这时句子可以为:“你来这里让我很高兴.”
That you came here made me happy.
而这时的happy可以采用刚才的原则转化为名词,那么句子就可以变为:
That you came here made happiness flood every corner of my heart.
仅仅是这样还是不行的,咱们还可以利用it的形式主语用法,让句子接着发生变化:
That you came here made happiness flood every corner of my heart.
It made happiness flood every corner of my heart that you came here.
我们经过提炼发现,我们在表达所有心情的时候,都可以使用这个句型了,It made … flood every corner of one’s heart +心情原因.
如:交通堵塞弄的我心情烦闷。It made happiness flood every corner of my heart that there was a heavy traffic jam.
当得知班长赢得比赛的时候,全班都很激动。
It made surprise flood every corner of our classroom when we knew our monitor won the game.
孩子没有通过考试,父母很伤心。It made sadness flood every corner of his parents’ hearts when the kid failed in the exam.
我还发现了除了这种形容词(happy)通过变化成名词(happiness)之外,其实其余的词类之间也可以转换,然后带来句型的转化。
比如:一看到那座古堡,我便想起了许多童年的乐事。
When seeing the castle,I thought of many joyful things in my childhood
这里的动词see可以变为名词sight,这样整个句子就变为:
The sight of the ancient castle reminds me of many joyful things in my childhood.
同样,这种句式变化也在以下这个句子中体现了出来:
人们由于需要外出谋生以至于扔下孩子不管。
People need to make a living,so they have to neglect their children.
可以变为:The necessity of making a living away from home results in neglect of children.
这种通过改变词性来改变句子结构的情况有很多很多,我们一起接着看看下面这个段落:Reading books is an important part of our life. We can learn much from books. Our life becomes more colorful because of books. Besides, reading books can make us enjoy ourselves. I believe if we often read, we will become more and more intelligent.
我们一起试改写这段话:我们用抽象名词reading,enjoyment, importance, belief,intelligence分别代替现在分词reading,动词enjoy,形容词important, intelligent。使句式既丰富又简练,而且更像英语。
下面是修改后的段落:Reading is of great importance in our life. It can provide us much knowledge, and enjoyment, so that our life becomes more colorful. I hold the belief that reading will increase our intelligence.
于是,我们是不是也可以利用这种情况来改写句子呢?
Today the crime rate in some cities of our country is rising. Many citizens often complain about the thefts and robberies that have taken place in the areas they live in and appeal to the governments at all levels to take effective measures to reduce the crime rate. Facing with criminals, some people are so frightened that they turn a blind eye to them. However, some people are brave enough to risk their lives to fight the criminals. Their fearless actions prevent the criminals from doing evils, save the victims, and protect the public properties.
看看我的小更改:These days have seen the sturdy rise of the crime rate in some cities. Many complaints are made about the thefts and robberies, and governments at all levels are urged to take effective measures to reduce the crime rate. In this situation, some people are so frightened by criminals that they just turn a blind eye to their crimes. However, courage is still with some others, who risk their lives to fight the criminals. Thanks to their heroic actions, crimes are prevented; lives are saved, and public properties are protected.
在第一句中,用了these days 作主语,这样比起原句来就更有拟人的味道,读起来更活泼,看起来也更地道。同时,sturdy 的使用不仅有了原来现在进行时的含义,还强调了犯罪率不断提高这一情况。第二句改为了两个并列的被动句,这样既表达了原来的意思,句式也不拖沓了,而且对情况的描述显得更客观了。同时,appeal被换成了urge,更显出了事态的紧急。(注:原句第二句使用了有灵主语的主动句,而且其宾语还带有两重宾语从句,它的两个谓语动词就隔得太远了,虽然由于英语重形合,这种句子结构不会太松散,但读起来不连贯了。而且,由于使用的是有灵主语的主动句,其句子对事情的描述就显得没那么客观。)倒数第二句中,courage作主语,这样读起来也更有趣。最后一句采用了副词短语thanks to作状语,除此之外,整句话由三个并列的被动句组成。这样整个句子不仅显得干净利落,而且也很好地强调了人们英勇的行为产生了制止犯罪的显著效果。总之依据词形转化更改后的句子,句式是不是发生变化了呢?希望我的这些小小发现也能够对你们的英语学习有帮助。
小小的词汇变化,给我们不仅仅是单词量的增加,在常年的单词背诵中如果可以注意这些现象,并把他们用到我们的写作中,我们的思维也会发生创新的变化,那何乐而不为呢?
(作者系:中央民族大学附属中学高三(2)班学生,蒙古族,自幼对英语学习有浓厚兴趣,曾在北京市中学生英语竞赛中获奖)