「换句话说」(paraphrasing) 是什么?

「换句话说」：使用「不同」的词汇，片语，或句型，表达「相同」的概念或意义。以中文为例，我们可以把「期末考结束了，我要去吃到饱餐厅大吃一顿」，换句话说成「我要去吃到饱餐厅大快朵颐一番，庆祝期末考结束」。用英文的例子，我们可以把The pupils listened attentively to their instructor. 这个句子，换句话说成 The students listened very carefully to their teacher.。

 

雅思写作哪里需要「换句话说」?

雅思写作writing task 1 图表描述题，与writing task 2申论题都有题目。考生开始写答案时，首先就要将题目换句话说，告诉读者写作答案的主题。

Writing Task 1:
The chart below shows the different types of goods and services purchased online in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom in one year.

 

Writing Task 2:
In some countries in the world, the health service is free. Some people feel that smokers should not get free treatment for smoking-related illnesses because they are knowingly harming themselves.

 

考生在解释答案的主题时，如果照抄题目里的句子，这些句子的字数就不会计入答案的字数。

 

「换句话说」为什么重要?

「换句话说」显示考生能够正确了解原始资讯，并且能用自己的话叙述原始资讯里的核心内容。这些能力对考生到国外大学或研究所念书非常重要。因为英美相当重视独立思考，如果学生在报告里只引用某学者说的话，甚至没有引用直接照抄，而缺少「换句话说」或「摘述」(summarize)的能力，那么学生的报告可能会被视为「抄袭」(plagiarism)，甚至整门课程被当掉。因此学习如何换句话说雅思写作题的题目，也就是在培养国外求学的学术技能，重要性不言可喻。

 

「换句话说」的方法

「换句话说」方法一：使用「同义字」(synonym)

最简单的换句话说，是使用同义字，而不改变句型。

Some people think that parents should teach their children how to be good members of society.
→ Some individuals believe that parents should teach their children how to be a positive part of their community.

当我们用这种方法换句话说时，我们要注意不能改变句子本来的意思，因为有些字的意思虽然类似，但并非同义。

Violent crime is on the rise among teenagers.
→ Violent offences are rising among young people.

虽然teenagers(青少年)的意思接近young people(所有的teenager都是young people)，可是它们并非同义字(不是所有的young people都是teenager)。所以比较精确的表达是：

Violent offences are rising among adolescents.

相同的方法也可以用于图表描述题：

The graph compares changes in the birth rates of China and the USA between 1920 and 2000.
→ The diagram contrasts changes in birth rates between China and the USA over an eighty year period.

相对于writing task 2的主题变化较多，writing task 1的图表类型变化较少。以下为大家整理常见的同义字：

• graph, chart = diagram
• show = illustrate, present
• proportion = amount, percentage
• data = information
• increasing = rising

💡小诀窍：
1. 不需要找出每个字的同义字改写。每个字硬著头皮改写反而会让句子变得很不自然。
2. 技术性词汇(technical words)，例如CFC emissions，不需要同义字改写。

 

「换句话说」方法二：改变词性

有时改变词性是很有效的方法。我们可以把动词改成名词，或者把形容词改成副词。

Many people are unhealthy because they don't eat well or exercise.
→ Many people are in poor health because they are not eating well or exercising enough.

The level of crime has increased noticeably in different ways.
→ The increase in the level of crime has been noticeable in different ways.

以下是更多的例子与词性改变方法：

• developing = the development of
• decreasing = a decrease in
• pollution = being polluted
• explain = explanation

 

「换句话说」方法三：改变句型

这是最让人有感的改写方法。如果一个句子是复合句(complex sentence)，也就是使用「从属子句-主要子句」的结构，我们通常可以轻易地改变它们的顺序。

As English becomes more widely used, there is a fear that many minority languages may die out.
→ There is a fear that many minority languages may die out as English becomes more widely used.<>

有时我们也可以合并句子，增加句子的复杂度。

Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans. Other people believe that animals should be used for various needs such as food and research.
→ Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans, while others believe they should be used for various needs such as food and research.

当我们合并句子时，我们务必确认连接词的使用是否正确，否则我们就改变了句子的意思。

例：Some people believe that logging is a serious problem. They believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

✘ 错误合并：Some people believe that logging is a serious problem, while others believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

✔ 正确合并：Some people believe that logging is a serious problem, and it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

 

另一种改变句型的方式，是将句子的语态，从主动改为被动，或者从被动改为主动。

Technological advances have replaced people in the workforce.
→ People in the workforce have been replaced by technological advances.

当我们改变句子的语态时，我们要小心不要改变句子的意思。

例： Children today play very violent video games.

✘ 错误改写：Children today are played by very violent video games.
✔ 正确合并：Very violent video games are played by children today.

 

写作练习

请大家试著利用上述的方法，改写以下的句子：

1. The property developers invested $30 million in the development of the shopping center.
2. The percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15% in the last ten years.
3. The amount of fish eaten in the world has increased dramatically.
4. Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people suggest that people over the age of sixty-five can continue to live full and active lives.





 

参考答案(括弧里是换句话说的方法)：

1. $30 million was invested in the development of shopping center. (改变句型：主动改被动)
2. In the last ten years, the percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15%. (改变句型：时间副词移到句首)
3. The amount of fish consumed in the world has increased dramatically. (同义字改写)
4. Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people are suggesting that people over the age of sixty-five can continue living full and active lives. (改变词性)

结论

我们在本篇学习文章中，讨论了「换句话说」在雅思写作的重要性与方法。如果大家想学习更多雅思写作技巧，可以参考巨匠的雅思课程。巨匠的雅思课程提供写作批改服务，可以有效帮助同学提升写作能力，取得更理想的雅思写作成绩。