让步段是一种实用性很强的写作段落,对话题的支持会起到非常好的效果。根据多年的教学经验和实践,笔者发现让步段非常适用于五段式的雅思大作文里。本文中,专家将就让步段的主要写法作一个系统的小结:
一、 五段式中用于第三个主体段
在五段式的大作文中,三个主体段一般都是以“单边”的方式,“一边倒”的支持某一个观点。而若将最后一个主体段写成让步段,不仅可以照顾到反方的论点,而且更有利于进一步支持和强化本段的观点,从而起到强化论述的效果:
Obviously, not every celebrity is generous. Some, I am sure, keep all their money for themselves. But there are people like Bill Gates who are well known for making donations, attending charitable functions and taking part in a range of activities that support people less fortunate than themselves。
在写让步段的时候,我们必须要使用表“转折”的连词,常用的有but, however, nevertheless, nonetheless等。有时候我们还可以使用让步状语从句来引导让步段,涉及的连词有:despite, in spite of, although, though, even though, even if等。在上面这个例子中,我们看到作者用了2个简单句来描写反面的观点,对于用来描写反面观点的句子,建议一般以1—3句话为宜,而转折后的句子,通常在长度上要超过前面的句子。下面我们再来看一个让步段:
题目:Very few school children learn about the value of money and how to look after it, yet this is a critical life skill that should be taught as part of the school curriculum. Do you agree with this statement?
It is possibly true that schools could try to make children understand the importance of all these areas, but children are young and cannot look into the future or predict the skills that they will need。
上面这个让步段非常简洁,请注意作者使用的句型:“It is possibly true that.……”,这是我们在让步段里经常用来开头的句型。下面我们再来看看如何用让步状语从句引导让步段:
Although watching TV or playing computer games do enrich children‘s spare time and broaden their horizon to some extent, a sedentary lifestyle reduces healthy outdoor activities and will have long-term medical consequences for children. An increasing number of children suffer from obesity and near-sightedness as a result of spending too much time in front of a flashing screen。
在这个段落中,作者使用了让步状语从句,在继续论述“久坐”的生活方式对孩子健康方面的弊端前,先说了一下它的优点,进而反驳,从而起到了鲜明的对比反差效果,突出了这种生活方式对孩子健康造成的巨大伤害。