國家考試英文作文的文章分類粗略分為 Argumentation( 議論文) 、 Exposition( 解說文) 、 Narration( 敘述文) 和 Description( 描寫文) 。

本期介紹

分類四：Description(描寫文)

好的描寫文需要作者細心的觀察力＆細節之注意，並且發展須有之邏輯，如：時間之先後，因果形成之關係。最重要的分野在於描寫文是 "without a story" 的。這不是 Narration 之敘述文，不可以有故事在內容裡。

技巧：具體之細節。描寫文要很精準的描述人、地、事、物，故形容詞之拿捏很是重要。

例 1 、描述盜匪時
◎The robber had a nervous manner and sinister face. ( 不好 )
這樣的描述太空泛，不夠精準

◎The robber was about six feet tall, had a limp when he walked, talked with an unusual accent, and wearing old, faded blue jeans and a dark blue pullover sweater with a patch on the left elbow. ( 正 )
( 搶匪六呎高，微跛，口音怪異，牛仔褲破舊，穿頭套毛衣，左手肘有塊補丁。 )

這就是描寫文的第一個特質。形容詞要多、要準、要生動。

例 2 、 Anne Porter 在 Noon Wine 中描寫的 Mr. Thompson 是很經典的 "detailed" 。
Mr. Thompson was a tough weather-beaten man with stiff block hair and a week's growth of black whiskers. He was a noisy proud man who held his neck so straight his whole face stood level with his Adam' apple, and the whiskers continued down his neck and disappeared into a black thatch under his open collar.
(Mr. Thompson 歷經風霜，一頭黑髮，豎直堅硬，常一週不刮鬍子，老愛提當年勇，臉常後仰，脖子豎直，鬍子會從領子穿入胸膛當中。 )

雖然描寫文的考試題目在高普考中不多，但研究所可有不少類似考題，如 101 年東吳英文的 "Describe your room" 便是一例。同時準備兩個方向的同學，可以多著墨於描寫文的練習。在練習的過程中，同學可多參考 " 搭配字典 " ，在一面記憶單字時，一面記其描述之詞彙，可收事半功倍之效。或將分類之單字，加強形容詞的部份。如 a boring journey 這樣的字詞可以用 tiring 、 exhausting 、 fatiguing 、 grueling 、 tiresome 、 wearisome 、 dull 、 tedious 來增加其活潑性。而平靜的心，靜謐的情可用 calm 、 collected 、 composed 、 unruffled 來強化。是故，以修飾語 ( 包括 形容詞與副詞 ) 的精準來增強描述的力道是必須的。

我們拿高考二級 99 年之考題 " The most important piece of advice I ever received" 為例，在描述時所用的修飾技巧做個說明： The advice that I have received always serves as a constant reminder that I must grin and bear and encourages and prompts me to persevere in my efforts to achieve my goals despite huge difficulties or obstacles.

"To dream the impossible dream," which comes from the lyrics of the movie "Don Quixotic" echoes frequently in my ears. From adolescence to adulthood, the motto always consoles me whenever I encounter hardships and frustrations and takes me into contemplation, thus finding a way out in the struggle. I tell myself that, when facing failure, I should preserve my ideal, "nothing is impossible."

As stated in the lyrics, "to reach the unreachable star; to fight the unbeatable foe; to be willing to march into hell with a heavenly cause…" I should keep on trying and never stop fighting for my destination.

I will always remember the spirit inspired by the advice. Confronting dilemma and difficulties, I will preserve and struggle to fight whatever lies ahead till I succeed instead of giving up easily.

在 constant reminder 上，我們看到了 形容詞的力量；若僅用 reminder ，便沒有努力之持續與不妥協的力道。 constant 可以換成 continuous 、 incessant 、 persistent 等更具有不放棄的文字，增強通篇文章之氣勢。