Description

高级英语写作•授课对象：13英1•授课教师：李小燕•授课地点：6A102•授课时间：周二1-2节1.Learningobjectives•Toknowthepurposeandthelayoutofadescriptiveessay•Tomastertheessentialfeaturesofadescriptiveessays•Tobeabletowriteeachofthethreepartsofthedescriptiveessays2.Procedures•20’homeworkchecking•5-10’:leadin•40’newlesson:•10’summaryandtimeforquestions•Strategies:presentation,discussion,pairwork,groupwork,individualwork,questionsandanswers,etc.3.SomelearningtasksDefinitionandfeaturesofdescription,typesofdescription,writingskillsofdescription,Figuresofspeech,[e-mail]ting–DescriptionUnderstandingdescription:•Whatisdescription?•Whatarethepurposesofdescription?•Whatisthestructureofdescriptiveessay?•Whatisthemaintaskoftheintroduction?•Howdowedevelopaqualifiedtopicsentencewhenwritingadescriptiveessay?•Whatareweexpectedtodointhebodypart?•Howdowemakethebodypartvivid?•Whatisthemainpatternoforganizationindescriptivewriting?•Whatdowedointheconclusion?•Descriptionisthekindofwritingthataimsatconveyingamentalimageofsomeobject,person,place,orscenethroughaverbalaccountoftheirappearances,movements,actions,orchanges.•Descriptionistheartoftranslatingperceptionsintowords.•Descriptionissomewhatlikepainting.Thewritershouldpresentapicturebeforethereader.Definition•Descriptionisseldomapureform;itismorecommonlyasubordinatepartofanotherformofdiscourse,especiallynarration.•Whatisthesignificanceofdescription?“itwasafrighteningnightoranightcompletelywithoutlightwhenhepassedagraveyard.”“Onawindymoonlessnightoronanightsodarkthatyoucan’tseeyourownhandinfrontofyou,hewalkedbyaburialgroundwhichwassaidtohavebeenhauntedbyghostsforyears.Thisareawasfilledwithweirdsoundsthatcauseone’shairtostandonitsend.”Morevividandeffective!•Adescriptiveessaycanbeobjectiveorsubjective,givingtheauthorawidechoiceoftoneandattitude.•Objective:reportingaccuratelytheappearanceoftheobject;withoutpersonalimpressions;factualdetails;Subjective/impressionistic:withaparticularattitudetowardyoursubject•Example:–Whendescribingadog:•Objective:factssuchasheight,weight,color,etc.•Subjective:yourfeelingtowardthedog,itspersonalities,habits,etc.–Whendescribingatall,thinboy•Objective:Theeighteen-year-oldboywas6’11’’.•Subjective:Theyoungboywasastallandscrawnyasabirchtreeinwinter.Isdescriptionobjectiveorsubjective?•Wheneverourchildrencametostayatmygrandmother’shouse,wewereputtosleepinthesewingroom,ableak,shabby,utilitarianrectangle,moreofficethanbedroom,moreatticthanoffice,thatplayedtothehierarchyofchamberstheroleofpoorrelation.Itwasaroomwithoutpride:theoldsewingmachine,somecast-offchairs,ashapelesslamp,rollsofwrappingpaper,pilesofcardboardboxedthatmightsomedaycomeinhandy,papersofpins,andremnantsofamaterialunitedwiththeironfoldingcotsputoutforouruseandthebarefloorboardstogiveanimpressionofintenseandruthlesstemporality.Thinwhitespreads,ofthekindusedinhospitalsandcharityinstitutions,andnakedblindsatthewindowsremindedusofourorphanedconditionandoftheephemeralcharacterofourvisit;therewasnothingheretoencourageustoconsiderthisourhome.Comparison•Itwasanarrowroom,witharatherhighceiling,andcrowdedfromfloortoceilingwithgoodies.Therewererowsandrowsofhamsandsausagesofallshapesandcolors－white,yellow,red,andblack;fatandleanandroundandlong－rowsofcannedpreserves,cocoaandtea,brighttranslucentglassbottlesofhoney,marmalade,andjam;aroundbottlesandslenderbottles,filledwithliqueursandpunch－allthesethingscrowdedeveryinchoftheshelvesfromtoptobottom.ComparisonWhichparagraphisobjective?Whichoneissubjective?Why?Whichonedoyouprefer?Why?Tip1•Recognizeyourpurpose.–Beforeyoubegindescribinganything,youmustfirstdecideyourpurposeandwhetheritcallsforobjectiveorsubjectivereporting.•Larryisasloppydresser.•Larrywearsdirty,baggypants,shirtstoosmalltostaytuckedin,socksthatfailtomatchhispantsoreachother,andastainedcoattheSalvationArmyrejectedasadonation.ImportanceofdetailsThereadercannotimagineyoursubjectclearlyifyourdescriptioniscouchedinvaguegeneralities.Specificdetailscanturncloudyproseintocrisp,clearimagesthatcanbereproducedinthemindlikephotographs.Importantasdetailsare,theycannotbeheapedtogetherhelter-skelter;theymustbeselected.•Inanydescriptionthechoiceofdetailsdependslargelyonthewriter’spurposeandaudience.•Manydescriptions–esp.themoresubjectiveones–willpresentadominantimpression;thatis,thewriterselectsprimarilythosedetailsthatcommunicateaparticularmoodorfeelingtothereader.•Thedominantimpressionisthecontrollingfocusofadescription.Howtoselectdetails•Downablackwindingroadstandstheabandonedoldmansion,silhouettedagainstthecloud-shroudedmoon,creakingandmoaninginthewet,chillwind.HowtoselectdetailsWhatmoodorgeneralimpressioniscreatedhere?•Downtheblackwindingroadstandstheabandonedoldmansion,surroundedbybright,multicoloredtulipsinearlybloom.Doesthissentencestillconveythemoodofmystery?Whyorwhynot?•Adozenkitesfilledthespringair,andaroundthebrightpicnictablesspreadwithhotdogs,hamburgers,andslicesofwatermelon,TomandAnnieplayedawaythewarmAprilday.HowtoselectdetailsWhatmoodorgeneralimpressioniscreatedhere?•TomandAnniepla