四六级写作用词策略

词是写作最基本的语言单位，对词语选用的重要性曾有一个很好的比喻：“Using the right word at the right time is rather like wearing appropriate clothing for the occasion: it is a courtesy to others, and a favor to yourself―a matter of presenting yourself well in the eyes of the world.”在我们汉语中，成语“一字值千金”也说明了同样的道理，有时“一字之差”会造成“失之千里”。如何才能写出一篇条理清晰、通畅顺达、简洁生动的文章，首先得从用词开始，它是写作的基石。

一、选词要准确。就是要根据使用场合选用确切的语言形式。

1. 用词的正式程度需恰当。

例1I’m sending you this letter because I want you to meet with me and give me some info about the job you do. （句中want, info 等词都是口语中的常用词汇，在一封求职信中这句话显得太随便）

改：I’m writing to inquire about the possibility of an interview.

例2The driver education course prepares the student for the skills of handling the vehicle on the highway transportation system.（句中handling，vehicle, transportation system等词过于正式，让人读起来感觉非常生硬）

改：The driver education course teaches the student how to drive.

2. 选词的意义要对应准确。

例1The living level of the people in China has been greatly raised in recent years.（句中level不符合英语的表达习惯）

改：The living standard of the people in China has been greatly raised in recent years.

例2The traffic is crowded in some large cities.（句中crowded 用词有误）

改：The traffic is heavy in some large cities.

3. 注意区分同义词。

例1The wolf rolled over and played dead to escape capture by the farmer.

They lost much time in fleeing the burning hotel.

escape和flee 这两词都表示逃跑，但后者更强调在紧急情况下仓促逃跑之意。

例2They approved of the plan for the development of the inner city.

They agreed to the plan for the development of the inner city.

approve of 用于正式文体中，agree to用于非正式文体中。

二、措辞要具体。就意义而言，词汇可分为抽象、笼统和具体词。抽象词表示思想观点、情感等，而每种抽象概念都有一些具体表现，用具体词表述时会更加生动、形象，笼统词则指意义比较宽泛的词。一般来说，笼统词和抽象词多用于文章的开头和结尾以及段落主题句，而具体词用于细节抽写和对具体事物的说明。

例1 A. Honest labour creates wealth for the society.

B. In the GM contract dispute, labour seeks a five-cent per hour wage increase.

上述A句中的labour为抽象含义，泛指各种社会劳动，B句中labour为具体含义，特指VAW，即美国汽车、飞机、农业机械工人联合会。

例2Chinese people are very good.（句中good给人感觉模糊不清，笼统空谈）

改：Chinese people are very kind/generous/honest/friendly.

三、择词要简洁。写文章要以“言简意赅”为目标，力求做到精练、紧凑，简洁的表达才能起到更加强调的作用。

1. 避免使用空洞、多余的短语和赘词。

例1It is apparent that it is quite feasible to prepare the report on the computer.

改：It seems quite feasible to prepare the report on the computer.

例2Owing to the fact that I had a lot of work to do, it wasn’t possible for me to accept their invitation.

改：I was too busy to accept their invitation.

2. 避免不必要的重复。

例1It was blue in color, round in shape, small in size.

改：It was blue，round, and small.

例2My hometown is a quiet, peaceful place. It is quiet and peaceful because of the small number of people living there.

改：My hometown is a quiet, peaceful place because of the small number of people.

四、用词要灵活。就是要在用词上做到灵活，使句子生动、优美。如果在一篇文章中总是重复出现同一单词，容易使文章单调乏味，缺乏表现力。

1. 交互使用近义词。如表示“大”这一概念，除了用big, 还可以用large, huge, immense, vast, enormous, beautiful,也可用handsome, attractive, pretty, striking来表示。

例1The fog was so thick that we could not see anything.

或: The fog was so dense that we could not see anything.

例2I used to live in the town which is about twenty miles away from our college.

或:I used to live in the town which is some twenty miles distant from our college.

2. 交互使用反义词。如different―not the same, expensive―not cheap.

3. 局部取代整体，但一定要符合上下文情境。

4. 用人称代词、指示代词替代上文出现的人或事物。

例Nowadays, Internet as a new medium has come into our life. Joining and using Internet has become increasingly popular in big cities. It brings us a lot of benefits.

用词的好坏直接关系到作文质量的高低，所以我们在英语四、六级写作中应注重用词，它是作文能否得高分的重要因素。