『超级神作』英文小说文的深度情感、思维与结构超精解

作者：卢小咖

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This passage is from LydiaMinatoya, The Strangeness of Beauty. Copyright1999 by LydiaMinatoya. The setting is Japan in1920. Chie and her daughter Naomi are members of the House of Fuji, a noble family.

Para.1

Akira came directly, breaking all tradition. Was that it? Had he followed form—had he asked his mother to speak to his father to approach a go-between—would Chie have been more receptive?

Para.2

He came on a winter’s eve. He pounded on the door while a cold rain beat on the shuttered veranda, so at first Chie thought him only the wind. The maid knew better. Chie heard her soft scuttling footsteps, the creak of the door. Then the maid brought a calling card to the drawing room, for Chie.

Para.3

Chie was reluctant to go to her guest; perhaps she was feeling too cozy. She and Naomi were reading at a low table set atop acharcoal brazier. A thick quilt spread over the sides of the table so their legs were tucked inside with the heat.

新SAT阅读文章的一开始都会有一段引言介绍（Introductory Words/Background），这些引言是文章的坐标与向导，大部分引言内容包括：文章作者，题目，出版时间，主要发生地点，主要人物和主要事件说明，通过引言的阅读可以了解宏观的文章主题，掌握文章必要的阅读前提信息。这篇文章的地点背景在20世纪20年代的日本，介绍了两个人物和家庭情况：Chie→母亲；Naomi→女儿；贵族家庭。

第一段就用了两个问句开头，问句在英文小说中是非常有内涵的，一般在语篇结构中，通过问句引导的主题句，作者起码想要透露出的首先这是一篇观点交互式的语篇，作者是对其他人的观点产生疑问或是对事件背后的评论与看法。这种以问句开头的语篇行进模式一般有几种：（1）以问句开头，承接事件描述，交互式的通过作者观点，他人观点和事件串联进行语篇发展。（2）以问句开头，串联着作者的观点描述，以具体事件—他人观点—作者观点熔合式的行进方式来拓展语篇。这两种方式的简化语篇结构是：事件—观点；事件—作者和他人观点比较；问句出现在第一段，通常是为了划出语篇重点，对小说体的阅读文章来说，是一种突出场景，突出行文主题，突出小说的事件方向。

第一段第一句描述主语Akira，SAT节选的小说文章，如果首段出现人物，文章的行进模式，动作形态，细节过程，段与段的衔接都穿插与人物相关的信息点。描述Akira行动的这句话作者用了一个强调性副词：directly 直接地以及一个动词词组：break tradition 打破传统，破除习俗，接着作者产生反问：真的是这样吗？第二句作者接着另外一个反问，通过第二句的问句，文章的主要描述事件就很清楚了：Akira去Chie家求婚，求婚对象是Chie的女儿Naomi。

新SAT的文章都比较长，看文章的时候要很智慧的去提炼句子中主要的语态，描述方法和关键核心词，在思维中形成一种串联和印记，注意这些核心信息词提供的重点信息，比如第二句go-between这个文章的点题词，意思是媒人，中间人，直接点透了文章主题与结婚或求婚相关。

第二段开始具体的细节描写，包括Akira到来的天气以及具体一连串的动作状态，Chie的状态描述以及女仆人的动作，美语小说非常喜欢在文章中加入动作状态的描述，增强文章的感染力，增加语境气氛。

第二段先介绍了Akira在一个冬季的傍晚来到了Chie的家里，第二句用while引导的时间状语从句表达了动作的延续性，Akira猛敲着门，冷雨敲打着有百叶窗的门廊；后面描述了Chie和女仆人的动作。

用心观察下美语小说是怎样体现意境，传达语篇的细节的：（1）首先是动作与具体的名词相结合；（2）其次是对第三方事物的融合性表意的强调，比如第二段雨打在有百叶窗的门廊，轻软而急促的脚步，门的嘎吱嘎吱声。

第三段切换主语到Chie，以作者的视角描写Chie在家的一些状态；英文中有很多隐藏否定结构的表达，这种结构不一定直接用否定词not，barely，little，few等表达，而是用实意词与组合的方式来表达否定意思，比如第一句的be reluctant to......；美语小说中对人的状态与动作描写在语态上是比较随意的，句与句之间会有不少的时态变化；比如这段的过去完成进行时和过去时。

SAT美语小说文的语篇写法

【单词词组用法】

pound on 猛敲；猛打

shuttered veranda 有百叶窗的门廊

scuttlingadj. 疾走的，快跑的

like the autumn wind scuttling fallen leaves 好似秋风扫落叶

drawing room 客厅，会客厅

quilt n.被子；被褥

Para.4

“Who is it at this hour, in this weather?” Chiequestioned as she picked the name card off the maid’s lacquer tray.

Para.5

“Shinoda,Akira. Kobe Dental College,” sheread.

Para.6

Naomi recognized the name. Chie heard a softintake of air.

Para.7

“I think you should go,” said Naomi.

Para.8

Akira was waiting in the entry. He was in hisearly twenties, slim and serious, wearing the black military-style uniform of astudent. As he bowed—his hands hanging straightdown, a black cap in one, a yellow oil-paper umbrella in the other—Chie glancedbeyond him. In the glistening surface of the courtyard’s rain-drenched pavingstones, she saw his reflection like a dark double.

小说文体中不可避免地会遇到人物之间的对话，『对话在小说文体中是为了传递感情，在文体架构的平衡角度是一种润色原文，在静态的描写与动态的对话之间切换语篇节奏变化的一种内容体现。』

美语小说文的渐进发展节奏

新SAT小说文中出现对话主要考察方向主要是人物情感的归纳，言语透露的含义的推断，对话与细节描写的意群模块总结。

第四段到第八段的主要意群节奏是Chie和Naomi母女之间的对话，穿插了第八段人物的进行体态动作的描述。这里的对话Naomi建议Chie应该出去与Akira见面。

第八段作者重点描写了Akira的容貌，英文描写容貌的方式在这一段体现的很地道：年纪→身材→穿着→状态→附属物件，形成了一个人物描写的写作串联描述法。

平常在观察美语对话时应该怎么看？

看对话中动词与形容词扎推的地方，重点抓住动词与形容词体现出的情感。通过大量美语小说篇章化的积累，形成模块化，意群化的视角。在考试中没有足够时间将原文全部读完，建立在大量文章的基础上，效率速度化的可以将原文切割为一种模块化，集群化层次，让阅读变得既快又有效率。

【单词词组用法】

lacquer tray 油盘，托盘

rain-drenched 雨水浸透的

Para.9

“Madame,” said Akira, “forgive my disruption, but I come with a matter of urgency.”

Para.10

His voice was soft, refined. He straightened and stolea deferential peekat her face.

Para.11

In the dim light his eyes shone with sincerity. Chie felt herself starting to like him.

Para.12

“Come inside, get out of this nasty night. Surely your business can wait for a moment or two.”

Para.13

“I don’t want to trouble you.Normally I would approach you more properly but I’ve received word of aposition. I’ve an opportunity to go to America, as dentist for Seattle’s Japanese community.”

Para.14

“Congratulations,” Chie said with amusement. “That is an opportunity, I’m sure. But how am I involved?”

地道的英文小説发展节奏不可能是单一的语篇发展节奏，必须是多种语篇形态的组合，这篇文章的语篇组合以对话为主线，作者的观察与补充为辅助。

第九段Akira先表达了自己的莽撞和仓促，递进到第十段作者对他声音和神态的补充，他的声音是轻柔文雅的，他的神态是充满敬意看着Chie脸部表情的，这句话用了一个很地道的动词：stole，与后面的peek at连在一起，明确体现出偷偷一憋的那种动作传递的意境。美语的文章如果缺少深度的语境意义理解，情感与态度就缺少了深邃的传递意境。

第十一段借助灯光，体现出人物情绪的细微变化，比如眼睛中闪现出诚意，Chie觉得开始喜欢上Akira。

★英文小说的发展非常讲究句与句之间的联系性，单一的语篇发展节奏大部分应用于英文的说明文，议论文文体，多重的节奏应用于小说，散文，诗歌，传记文体。★

美语文章层次逻辑的铺垫与切换思维图

小说中的对话是英文节奏的核心体现，作者的第三方观察与评论可以作为针对性补充，衔接对话的发展，文体构成上可以随意一些，但是对话必须有结构性，延续性，层次性的点对点，面对面的串联，所以对话的构成是很有讲究的，是非常体现英文语篇的延续和交集思维的。

第十二段Chie的话语中有一个business，这个词在英文中体现的意思很广，不仅仅是商业，生意的意思，在大量语境中需要结合具体的语态背景来理解，这里的Surely yourbusiness can wait for a moment or two可以理解为：你想说的话可以稍等一小会。Akira表示他在美国获得了职位，要去美国当牙医，Chie随即表现出疑问：But how am Iinvolved? 但是你到我这儿想说什么呢？

【单词词组用法】

nasty adj. 糟糕的，讨厌的；肮脏的，下贱的；天气恶劣的

deferential adj.恭敬的，表示敬意的

Para.15

Even noting Naomi’s breathless reaction to the name card, Chie had no idea. Akira’s message, delivered like a formal speech, filled her with maternal amusement. You know how children speak so earnestly, so hurriedly, so endearingly about things that have no importance in an adult’s mind? That’s how she viewed him, as a child.

Para.16

It was how she viewed Naomi. Even though Naomi was eighteen and training endlessly in the arts needed to make a good marriage,Chie had made no effort to find her a husband.

Para.17

Akira blushed.

Para.18

“Depending on your response, I may stay in Japan. I’ve come to ask for Naomi’s hand.”

Para.19

Suddenly Chie felt the dampness of the night.

Para.20

“Does Naomi know anything of your...ambitions?”

Para.21

“We have an understanding. Please don’t judge my candidacy by the unseemliness of this proposal. I ask directly because the use of a go-between takes much time.Either method comes down to the same thing: a matter of parental approval. If you give your consent, I become Naomi’s yoshi.*We’ll live in the House of Fuji. Without your consent, I must go to America, to secure a new home for my bride.”

英文小説的描写有很修辞手法和技巧的使用。

第十五段作者的描写中Even在句首表示强调，noting在这里是一个现在分词做伴随状语的用法，主语是后面的Chie。描述Akira言语信息的句子用了明喻（simile）的修辞手法，将Akira的话比喻成了一场正式演讲；三个so连接的是一种排比与平行（Parallel Construction）的修辞结构，that引导定语从句修饰先行词things，阐述在Chie眼中，Akira只是个孩子。

接下来的对话Akira阐述了主题，希望来到Chie家里的目的，是为了娶Naomi，Chie立刻觉得这个夜晚充满压抑。Chie反问Akira是否Naomi知道他的愿望，Akira随后的表述既有自己的坚定，也有言语中传递出的急促与幼稚，急于让Chie达成这个愿望。

【单词词组用法】

dampness n.1.潮湿，湿气；2.抑制(或消沉)因素，压抑

unseemliness n.不得体，不体面，不适宜

Para.22

Eager to make his point, he’d been looking her full in the face. Abruptly, his voice turned gentle. “I see I’ve startled you. My humble apologies. I’ll take no more of your evening. My address is on my card. If you don’t wish to contact me, I’ll reapproach you in two weeks’ time. Until then, good night.”

Para.23

He bowed and left. Taking her ease, with effortless grace, like a cat making off with a fish.

Para.24

“Mother?” Chie heard Naomi’s low voice and turned from the door. “He has asked you?”

Para.25

The sight of Naomi’s clear eyes, her dark browsgave Chie strength. Maybe his hopes were preposterous.

Para.26

“Where did you meet such a fellow? Imagine! He thinks he can marry the Fuji heir and take her to America all in the snap of his fingers!”

Para.27

Chie waited for Naomi’s ripe laughter.

Para.28

Naomi was silent. She stood a full half minute looking straight into Chie’s eyes. Finally, she spoke. “I met him at my literary meeting.”

Para.29

Naomi turned to go back into the house, then stopped.

Para.30

“Mother.”

Para.31

“Yes?”

Para.32

“I mean to have him.”

*Endnote

Yoshi: a man who marries a woman of higher status and takes her family’s name.

★小说的收尾阶段是怎样布局的呢？（1）切换对话的主要人物，由Akira和Chie的对话切换为Chie与Naomi母女之间的对话；（2）随着时间的进阶，以Akira的话语作为这个人物的主要结束点，以母女之间对话为主要的小说结尾。

★ 注意观察这些由1-2句话组成的短对话段落，阅读的策略是整合与提炼，抓住对话的讨论主题以及说话人的性格与态度。

怎样对这几段话进行层次概况和情感把握呢？

作者通过Akira的话进行对这个人物的总结，Akira表达了三层意思：打扰的歉意→给Chie自己的地址→表达再联系的意愿。随后是Chie与Naomi的对话，中间插入了不少作者站在第三方角度对对话的意群补充，★以人物对话为主题的小说文重点补充的是哪些成分呢？人物神态，动作，修辞手法的多样性，事物的细节化，场景的语境化。这篇文章母女对话的结果是Naomi同意了求婚。

★小说文的对话很有连贯性，对话的逻辑组成一般也具有主题性和集中性的特点，所以在处理以对话为主的语篇时，宏观把握的难度要低不少，核心是在语境中理解句子的意思，以语言的情感态度串联的体会出人物性格。★

【单词词组用法】

preposterous adj. 荒谬的；可笑的