賀翠玉

（北京電子科技職業(yè)學(xué)院，北京100029）

引言

在絕大多數(shù)英語考試的筆試中都包括寫作一項，而且所占的分值也很大。那么如何在有限的時間內(nèi)寫出思路清晰、條理清楚，并且準(zhǔn)確生動的文章來呢？高水準(zhǔn)的文章除了文字要準(zhǔn)確、嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)以外，還有一個不容忽視卻又常常沒有引起足夠重視的問題：標(biāo)點符號的正確使用。我們目前所使用的各種教材中對寫作文體都有簡要介紹，但卻很少提及到如何正確使用標(biāo)點符號，使之發(fā)揮有時連文字都無法替代的作用。因此，希望通過以下的簡要介紹，補(bǔ)上英文寫作中的這一重要環(huán)節(jié)，僅供有關(guān)英語教師參考。

大多數(shù)人在寫英語文章時都會使用也基本上只用逗號和句號，雖然這樣不會犯什么大的錯誤，但是整個文章看起來卻未免有些單調(diào)和缺少變化。況且逗號和句號也無法完全涵蓋其他標(biāo)點符號的某些獨(dú)特功能。因此了解其他幾種常用標(biāo)點符號的用法并巧妙地運(yùn)用于寫作之中，一定會使文章顯得更加準(zhǔn)確和生動。下面簡要介紹一下英語中常用的冒號、分號及破折號的主要用法：

冒號(colon)

冒號表示的停頓比逗號長，所表示的關(guān)系比分號密切。

1、冒號最主要的作用是引出和提起注意。例如：

He has only one thing on his mind:money.

He has only one thing on his mind:a lot of money.

He has only one thing on his mind:he wants to earn a lot of money.

He has three important things on his mind:a warm family,a lot of money and good health.

由此可以看出冒號不僅可以引出單個的詞或詞組，也可以引導(dǎo)出一個句子或一系列的事物。

My doctor gave me one good piece of advice:to eat less and do more exercise.

冒號可以提起人們的注意。當(dāng)讀到advice時一個冒號一下子使讀者不由自主地停了下來，將注意力集中到后面的內(nèi)容上，起到了強(qiáng)調(diào)的作用。

2、冒號的具體用法如下：

（1）用來引出解釋性或概括性的詞語或句子。例如：

The sentence is poorly structured:it lacks both unity and coherence.

I have some news for you:your sister has passed the entrance examination.

The upper floor contained the bedrooms:each one was beautifully furnished,with a hand-basin for washing,

and both hot and cold running water.

（2）引出同位語。例如：

He had only one pleasure in life:reading.

Only three countries were represented:England,France and Belgium.

The daily newspaper contains four sections:news,sports,entertainment,and classified ads.

（3）用在有引號或沒有引號的直接引語前。例如：

Professor Smith said:we’ll have a picnic this Sunday.

Edgar Brown gave a young writer this advice: “Take your successes seriously,yourself not so seriously.”

（4）用于比分及時間的小時與分鐘之間。例如：

The host team won 25:22.

The final score was 3:0.

The train arrives at 2:20 p.m.

（5）用于比較正式或商業(yè)信件中的稱呼語后面。例如：

Dear Mr.and Mrs.Brown:

注：不用冒號的情況：一般不將冒號加于動詞與它的賓語、動詞與主語補(bǔ)足語以及介詞與它的賓語之間。例如：

（誤）His neighbour lent him:a stove,an ice maker and a wooden table.

（正）His neighbour lent him a stove,an ice maker and a wooden table.

（誤）Her three goals are:to improve her public speaking skills,to increase her self-confidence and to sharpen her sales techniques.

（正）Her three goals are to improve her public speaking skills,to increase her self-confidence and to sharpen her sales techniques.

（誤）We travelled to:London,Wales and Scotland.

（正）We travelled to London,Wales and Scotland.

分號（semicolon）

分號表示的停頓比逗號長，比冒號短。分號常用在兩個關(guān)系較為密切的分句之間。例如：

I do not say these stories are untrue;I only say that I do not believe them.

The holidays are over;we must get down to our studies.

The festival is very popular;people from all over the world visit each year.

分號連接的是兩個完整的句子。用分號代替句號說明這兩個句子的關(guān)系非常密切。

1、分號的基本作用是連接兩個關(guān)系非常密切的句子，可表示為：

即使句子中間含有連接副詞（如however,otherwise,therefore和nevertheless等），前后兩句依然需要用分號連接。例如：

Jim is a good typist;he makes few mistakes.

Ms.Sanchez is a successful real estate salesperson;however,she was unable to sell her own house.

You have to return all the books within two weeks;otherwise,you can’t borrow any more books.

2、分號還可以被當(dāng)作一種“超級逗號”來使用，尤其是句子中已含有一個或多個逗號時。使用分號可使句子的邏輯關(guān)系更加明確。例如：

In recognition of his services to the people,he was given an extra bonus;awarded a medal,a certificate of honour;and promoted once more.

Present at the meeting were Mr.Joseph,Chairman of the Department;Mr.Brown,a visiting scholar from Australia;and all the professors and lecturers who had taught us.

Suncom Corporation has subsidiaries in three cities:New York,the biggest city in the U.S;Washington,the capital of the U.S;and San Francisco in California.

3、不用分號的情況：當(dāng)兩個句子由連詞（如 but,and,or等）連接時一般用逗號而不用分號將兩個句子分隔開。例如：

鉛是一種有毒元素，土壤中過量的鉛通過生物地球化學(xué)循環(huán)進(jìn)入植物和人體后，可使生物體產(chǎn)生不同的慢性和急性中毒現(xiàn)象[19]。

The economy has been sluggish for two years now,but some signs of improvement are finally beginning to show.

In the homes of the wealthy southern planters elaborate parties were frequent,and dancing was the common entertainment.

破折號（dash）

用以表示思想上突然的中斷或轉(zhuǎn)折，有強(qiáng)調(diào)作用。有時與括號相似，但不像括號那樣正式。

1、當(dāng)破折號用于敘述性的文章時其主要功能是表示強(qiáng)調(diào)。試比較：

Linda Simpson,the president’s most trusted economic advisor,will resign her office during today’s press conference.

→Linda Simpson — the president’s most trusted economic advisor —will resign her office during today’s press conference.

2、表思想上的突然中斷或語氣的突然改變。例如：

I’m coming to the next point— but you are not listening at all.

He would tell the world what he had seen there—if he could survive.

3、對一系列事物進(jìn)行總結(jié)。例如：

Mild,wet and cloudy—these are the characteristics of weather in Vancouver.

Chocolate,cream,honey and peanut butter—all go into this fabulously rich dessert.

4、作解釋或補(bǔ)充性說明。例如：

I was neither happy nor unhappy—only amazed.

Most Canadians—but not all—voted in the last election.

5、其他用法：

“But— ”she stopped suddenly.(表示句子未完)

He said hesitatingly,“I— I— I— don’t— like it.” （表遲疑）

But how could I know— how could I know that he would go out alone on a rainy night.(表重復(fù))

The Green Revolution in Asia

—A General Survey（引出副標(biāo)題）

A foreign language is a weapon in the struggle of life.