说出有个性的英语

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说出有个性的英语

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时间： 2007年01月15日 09:19  作者：苏旭  


对于掌握了一定英文词汇和语法知识的同学们来说，如果最初书本知识的积累和实际应用不同步，到了某个时期，这个矛盾就会集中显现出来。新东方听力口语班上的学员，相当一部分都属于这种情况。在这些学员中，又以面临就业、职业发展和出国留学者居多。经过一段时间的集中训练，尤其是课程比较密集的班级，他们的口语表达往往会有不同程度的提升，但是另一个问题也凸现出来，用学员的话讲，就是“怎么都觉得不够精彩，没有说出来我想说的”。那么，究竟为什么不够精彩，他们的表达里又缺些什么呢？这就涉及了一个口语练习中常常被忽视的问题。那就是：已掌握多种表达法，但话题贫乏，表达中思路中断。




我们来看一个例子。



在开课之初，小休的时候，我常常问学员这样的问题:



Do you have a job? What exactly do you do?




下面是几个典型的回答：



1Yes, my job is a secretary. I answer the phones everyday. I type and send the e-mails to our customers. It’s a boring job. And that’s all.




2My job is a student. (很多学员都这么说！) I go to school everyday. I am in senior two now. So I am very busy. I have much homework to do.




3No. I don’t have a job. I stay at home. I am studying English now. And I hope I can find a good job very soon.




现在我们来看看对于同样问题的另一段回答：



I am a policeman. And I used to be a bartender. When I was a bartender, I felt like a non-person. I was actually nothing. I was a nobody going nowhere. I was in a state of limbo. I had no ups, no dreams, no hopes, no downs, nothing. Being a policeman gives me the challenge in life that I want. Some day I’ll be promoted. Somebody’s gonna say, “Maher has had it for a long time. Let’s give him something.” Some sort of recognition. I’ve proven myself. I don’t think it’s necessary for a man to prove himself over and over and over again. I’m a policeman, win, lose, or draw.



——摘自《王强口语》P132




     前三个回答过于简单，显得平淡无味，不吸引人，看过听过之后也没有特别深刻的印象。显而易见，对于同样的问题，最后一段回答让我们尤为印象深刻。词汇丰富但不艰涩，自然，流畅。我们会得到这样一个印象，说话者Maher，厌倦调酒师一成不变的生活，钟爱警察工作，个性鲜明。




下面我们来细细剖析一下Maher的回答：



I am a policeman. And I used to be a bartender. (为了表达对现在工作的热爱，谈论以前的工作，形成对比) When I was a bartender, I felt like a non-person. I was actually nothing. I was a nobody going nowhere. (接连用non-person, nothing, nobody going nowhere来表达当初的茫然和对调酒的厌倦) I was in a state of limbo. I had no ups, no dreams, no hopes, no downs, nothing.(进一步说明了死水一般的平淡生活) Being a policeman gives me the challenge in life that I want. Some day I’ll be promoted. Somebody’s gonna say, “Maher has had it for a long time. Let’s give him something.” (借用别人的话来表达自己的愿望) Some sort of recognition. I’ve proven myself. I don’t think it’s necessary for a man to prove himself over and over and over again. (评价和观点阐述)I’m a policeman, win, lose, or draw.




其中针对问题的直接答案只有一个：I am a policeman. 但是Maher由这个事实出发，又谈了之前的工作，别人和自己的观点，对将来的期望，从而使回答更加丰满，成功地让听众更加了解他的个性和观点，达到了沟通交流的目的。这是一个典型的由点到面表达的例子。




鉴于此，我提出了“1+X”的练习模式：



“1”是最直接的答案，回答刚才的问题就是：I am a lawyer; I am a student; I am working in NOS etc. “X”是附加信息；换句话说，你的沟通是否有效，就取决于“X”的部分。那么X的内容是什么呢？




我把它总结为：



经历优先，兼有评论；



个人优先，兼顾他人；



精选材料，细节取胜。




解释一下。这就是说，实际交流中，无论遇到什么样的问题，都可以先给出最直接的答案，即“1”的部分。这部分是不随人的意志变化而变化的，也最容易脱口而出。之后就是话题的展开，即“X”部分。在这一部分里，优先谈论自己的经历，也可以附加自己的简短评论；（如：自己目前的做法，之前的经历，喜不喜欢等等）在谈经历的时候，个人经历优先，在个人经历贫乏的时候，也可以谈及其他人的经历作为补充（如：身边同事对此事的做法和看法）；材料不需要杜撰，但是对事实材料要根据交流的目的做一筛选（如：曾经从事过多种行业，和朋友交流时可以谈大部分，但面试时只着重谈相关行业），同时谈及有代表性的细节会更有趣。




为了更加直观，我将前三段回答稍加改动，大家做一对比：



1Yes, my job is a secretary. I answer the phones everyday. I type and send the e-mails to our customers. And that’s all.



à Yes, I am a secretary. (“1”) I’ve been doing this for 2 years. (个人经历) Most people think it’s a boring job. You know, picking up phone calls, checking and sending e-mails, scheduling the interviews. (对boring的进一步解释) But I like this because I’ve learned a lot from doing this. I used to be a salesgirl. (对比经历兼有评论) I had to travel from one place to another, meeting different people. I used to travel between Beijing and Guangzhou 3 times a week! (有代表性的经历，生动感人) Every night when I got back home, I was exhausted. Then I decided to change. I’m pretty lucky to have my current job. I know It’s not easy. But what is? (《走遍美国》经典展示句型)




印象：勤奋好学，热衷文秘工作。




2My job is a student. (很多学员都这么说！) I go to school everyday. I am in senior two now. So I am very busy. I have much homework to do.



àI am a student. (“1”) I will graduate from senior middle school next year. (清楚表明身份) I am pretty busy for the moment. Tests, classes, assignments. I get up very early in the morning and never go to sleep before 1:00 a.m.(有代表性的细节经历，生动有趣) Look at the people around me. The only thing they are talking about is how to conquer college entrance exam and universities and everything.(兼顾身边人的经历) Funny I still have time for English study here in NOS. But I know English is what I am really interested in. I wish I could be a journalist in future. Whenever I think about this, it makes me feel all the troubles are just worth it.(个人评价，点睛之笔)




印象：朝气蓬勃的中学生，繁忙，为理想奋斗




3No. I don’t have a job. I stay at home. I am studying English now. And I hope I can find a good job very soon.



à No. (“1”) I am out of work for the moment. (比I stay at home要好得多) I used to be a production manager in a small company. The business was not good. Then one day I was told I would have to wait another month for the salary. (细节描述，令人印象深刻) And then for the first time, I began to worry about my future. I made a plan. Here it is—improve myself, including language skill, and get another job. I will work hard and hopefully I’ll be able to have my own business in future.(由过去到未来，强调了ambitious的一面)




印象：乐观坚强，吃苦耐劳，成长中的年轻人




前后的对比十分鲜明。总结成一句话就是：听众决定材料取舍，经历、细节制胜。但是口语练习者往往会忽视这个层面的练习，从而难以达成预期的表达效果。



还要说明的一点是，前述的文字公式只是给出了一个大体的思路，以供大家在练习时使用。大量的亲身练习和体验是绝对不可替代的。同时还必须不断加强积累，积极模仿。当练习到一定程度之后，大家就会自然而然地驾轻就熟、灵活运用了。



练习口语就是练习讲话，生动有趣的语言给你带来的将是周围人更多的关注和无尽的潜在机遇。如果你已经掌握了词汇、语法等语言要素，那么现在正是时候，为你的口语表达加点盐吧！


(苏旭，新东方优秀口语培训师、CCTV杯全国大学生演讲赛培训教练及赛区评委。长期致力于进行口语教学的改革和创新，研究英语教学法和教学模式，以专业的培训、前瞻的思维、创新的理念、执著的热情解决中国人的英语问题。）