寫作技巧
一篇好的短文應(yīng)該觀點明確，思路清晰，論述有力、準確，語言正確，文字簡潔、流暢、連貫，結(jié)構(gòu)嚴謹。短文是由段落組成，因此寫好段落是寫好短文的關(guān)鍵。
段落的組成分為三部分，主題句(Topic Sentence),推展句(Development Sentences)和結(jié)論句(Concluding Sentence)。下面分別就這三方面進行詳解。
(一)主題句
1.主題句的作用
主題句是全段的核心句，讀者通過主題句能了解段落的中心思想。一個好的主題句還能限制話題所談?wù)摰姆秶�，表明段落展開的方向及方法。在英語文章中，圍繞主題句展開的段落很多。下面兩段摘自1995年的閱讀試題。
Ajob applicant has the responsibility for ascertaining certain types of information prior to the interview. First,the applicant should know what kind of job he wants and how that job relates to his career objective.It is important that the applicant be able to state his reasons for wishing to work for a particular company.Second,the applicant should seek as much information as possible concerning the company.Relevant information for the applicant to locate includes such items as the location of the home and regional offices,the financial status of the company,plans for expansion,and company philosophy.Information about most major corporations is available in reference books and periodicals.
上段第一句是段落的主題句，句子的大意是：申請工作的人在接受面試前有責任了解某些方面的信息。主題句中的關(guān)鍵詞是ascertaining certain types of information。緊接著，文章圍繞主題句從兩方面展開，論述了申請人應(yīng)了解兩類信息。
If Europeans thought a drought was something that happened only in Africa,they know better now. After four years of below？normal rainfall (in some cases only 10 percent of the annual average), vast areas of France,Spain,Portugal,Belgium,Britain and Ireland are dry and barren .Water is so low in the canals of northern France that waterway traffic is forbidden except on weekends.Oyster growers in Britain report a 30 percent drop in production because of the loss of fresh water in local rivers necessary for oyster breeding.In southeastern England,the rolling green hills of Kent have turned so brown that officials have been weighing plans to pipe in water from wales.In Portugal,farmers in the southern Alentejo region have held prayer meetings for rain-so far,in vain.
上段中第二句是主題句，它點明了全段的中心思想，即：四年來，法國、西班牙、葡萄牙、比利時，英國及愛爾蘭的降雨量低于常年，這些國家的廣大地區(qū)都嚴重缺水。下面的各句都是圍繞這一主題展開的。
從上面兩段中我們可以看到英語的段落只能有一個中心思想，如要再論述其他與該段中心思想無關(guān)的內(nèi)容應(yīng)另起一段。
