第三節(jié)　典型的篇章結(jié)構(gòu)

語篇通常是指在交際功能上相對獨(dú)立，在邏輯上自成一體，在內(nèi)容上相對完整的語言片段。語篇雖然可長可短，但是必須符合兩個(gè)條件：在意義上相互關(guān)聯(lián)，在結(jié)構(gòu)上互相黏著，這兩個(gè)條件缺一不可。英語考試中的閱讀文章雖大多是節(jié)選，但是卻相對獨(dú)立地討論某個(gè)話題，有自己獨(dú)立的論點(diǎn)、論據(jù)、較完整的論證過程，因此也是自成一體的語篇。英語正式文體的典型文章架構(gòu)非常固定，特別是用于閱讀考試中的，絕大多數(shù)都采用先總述、后分述的結(jié)構(gòu)，而且大多數(shù)段落的內(nèi)部結(jié)構(gòu)也是如此，因此就每篇閱讀文章而言，最重要的是文章的第一段；就段落而言，最重要的就是段首句。

例1：

Diego Chiapello，legally blind since birth，isn’t one of Italy’s famous“mama’s boys”who live with their parents into adulthood.The 27-year-old lives alone in Milan，works as a network administrator，loves diving and dreams of sailing across the Atlantic with a sightim paired（有視力障礙的）crew.

Obviously，he’s not your average disabled person—but especially so in Italy.The country has more barriers to integration than almost anywhere else on the Continent：among European countries，Italy ranks third from the bottom in accessibility for the disabled，ahead of only Greece and Portugal，people who use wheelchairs，especially，find it difficult to navigate the country’s cobblestone（鵝卵石）streets，ride buses or visit restaurants，shops and museums.Less than a quarter of Italy’s disabled hold jobs compared with 47 percent for Europe.

But the biggest obstacle for the country’s physically challenged may，in fact，be the fabled Italian family.Because of the social defect that still attaches to disabilities，“they tend to keep disabled people at home”and out of public view，explains Giovanni Marri，head of an employment training center in Milan that caters to the handicapped.Thus while 15 percent of the country’s families include a disabled person，according to surveys，only 2 percent of Italians report going to school with a disabled person and only 4 percent work with one.

Italians are beginning to recognize the problem.Over the past decade，the government has passed laws targeting everything from workplace discrimination to accessibility requirements.A recent study by the European Union found that 85 percent of Italians admit that public transportation and infrastructure（基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施）are inadequate for the handicapped，and 97 percent say action is needed.But the biggest barrier is psychological.“Italian companies are afraid of hiring disabled people.”says Chiapello.The only way to alter that，he says，is for Italy’s disabled to do what he did—get out of the house and demand change.（2004年第三篇）

上面的這篇文章是典型的問題分析型論說文。此類文章通常第一段引出要討論的問題，這里是通過舉例的方式開篇，也可以通過描述現(xiàn)象或講故事的方式，也有的開門見山，直接入題。隨后，通常會(huì)分析問題的起因、可能引起的后果或指出解決的辦法。在閱讀中，考生除了要掌握這一主要脈絡(luò)外，還應(yīng)重視每段主題句的概括作用和承上啟下的段首句的關(guān)聯(lián)作用以及各種關(guān)聯(lián)詞語的作用。

例2：

Nowadays，we hear a lot a bout the growing threat of globalisation，accompanied by those warnings that the rich pattern of local life is being undermined，and many dialects and traditions are becoming extinct.But stop and think for a moment about the many positive aspects that globalisation is bringing read on and you are bound to feel com forted，ready to face the global future，which is surely inevitable now.

Consider the Internet，that prime example of our shrinking world.Leaving aside the all-too-familiar worries about pornography and political extremism，even the most narrow minded must admit that the net offers immeasurable benefits，not just in terms of education，the sector for which it was originally designed，but more importantly on a global level，the spread of news and comment.It will be increasingly difficult for politicians to maintain their regimes of misinformation，as the oppressed will not only find support and comfort，but also be able to organize themselves more effectively.

MTV is another global provider that is often criticized for imposing popular culture on the unsuspecting millions around the world.Yet the viewers’judgment on MTV is undoubtedly positive；it is regarded as indispensable by most of the global teenage generation who watch it，a vital part of growing up.And in the final analysis，what harm can a few songs and videos cause？

Is the world dominance of brands like Nike and Coca-Cola so had for us，when all is said and done？Sportswear and soft drinks are harm less products when compared to the many other things that have been globally available for a longer period of time—heroin and cocaine，for example.In any case，just because Nike shoes and Coke cans are for sale，it doesn’t mean you have to buy them—even globalisation cannot deprive the individual of his free will.

Critics of globalisation can stop issuing their doom and gloom statements.Life goes on，and has more to offer for many citizens of the world than it did for their parents’generation.（2003年第五篇）

這是一篇典型的駁斥型論說文，文章在第一段首先樹起批駁的靶子，然后再提出自己的觀點(diǎn)，進(jìn)行論證。在這類文章中，第一段段末句或第二段段首句的觀點(diǎn)往往能體現(xiàn)出作者的真正觀點(diǎn)。本文采取的是先總述，后分述，最后再總述的格局，在考試文章中相對比較少見。閱讀此類文章要特別注意表示對比轉(zhuǎn)折意思的關(guān)聯(lián)詞語。

有了對文章結(jié)構(gòu)的把握，考生既可以高屋建瓴地縱觀全局，掌握文章的主旨大意，也可以了解各段局部的意思，了解文章的重要細(xì)節(jié)。