名师谈托福口语应试诀窍:转换原则

来源:微学外语考试频道发布时间:2008-07-22

 春华秋实,花开花谢,转眼间我留美回国已近三年。本来窃以为岁月消磨,已不似当年少年意气,但是还是常常莫名地感动,为那些默默坚持着人生理想的托福学生。很多学生要在周末很冷的早晨六点多就出门等公共汽车,只是为了能够准时赶上上午的课。我总觉得自己有义务为这些可敬的年轻人多做一些事情。所以在从事我喜欢的法律事务(本人是中华人民共和国的执业律师)及讲授托福阅读课程之余,我还想从一名留美青年老海龟的角度,破解一下无聊的托福口语考试,也算是为无数追求理想和尊严的青年学生做一些事。
  新托福口语考试得分标准:1、详细具体(空洞的形容词和花哨的句子结构不能得分);2、词汇量和语法现象要多;3、规定时间内尽可能说快一点,多说一点,信息量大一点。
  我深深知道,中国学生缺乏大量的语言环境,在仅有15至30秒的准备时间内要完美地做到以上几点是基本不可能的。那么,是不是要因为一个小小的口语考试就放弃我们在加州的阳光下散步的权利呢?当然不会!既然我们不能依赖于现场发挥,那么就通过平时准备,来大大减低现场难度要求。其核心就是——转化原则,在充分领会转化原则的基础上,创建自己的模板,以精练的短句,清楚的表达为主。
  独立口语题破解(一)
  新托福口语考试六大题型中的第一种是问你一个你所熟悉的人、地方、东西或者事件,你需要在回答中加入具体的例子和细节。例如:
   choose a place you like and explain why you like this place.
  请看看袁老师是怎么回答的:
   Well, the place I enjoy the most is a small town located in France. I like this small town because it has very charming ocean view. I mean the sky there is so blue and the beach is always full of sunshine. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, when the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   Of course I like this small French town also because there are many great French restaurants. They offer the best seafood in the world like lobsters and tuna fishes. The most important, I have been benefited a lot from this trip to France because I made friends with some gorgeous French girls. One of them even gave me a little watch as a souvenir of our friendship.
  看出奥妙来了吗?
   1、这个回答里用的全部是口语化的短句子;
   2、按照正常的语速念完正好是45秒;
   3、出现了多处非常具体的细节描写(得分点)。
   4、有景色描写(beach)、有人物(French girls)、有事件(make friends),有具体事物(a watch)。为何如此设计,等一下就会讲到。
  然后让我们换一个题目再看看,还是用这些内容怎么进行回答:
  题目:Choose a restaurant you like and explain why you like this restaurant
  参考答案:Well, the restaurant I enjoy the most is a French restaurant located on a beautiful beach. I like this small restaurant because it has very charming ocean view. I mean the sky there is so blue and the beach is always full of sunshine. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   Of course I like this small French restaurant also because it offers the best seafood in the world like lobsters and tuna fishes. The most important, I made friends with some gorgeous French girls in that restaurant. One of them even gave me a little watch as a souvenir of our friendship.

在新托福口语考试中,本题型能够涉及到的范围包括事件、人物、具体事物和地方。现在你是不是开始有些明白为什么袁老师的口语模板要包括人、地、事、物?然后我们再来做一些难度稍大的扩展训练,看看转化原则是怎么能够帮助我们以不变应万变。
   Choose an important event/a favorite activity and give reasons explaining why this event is important/why this activity is your favorite. 从抽象的事物转化成具体的景色描写
   Well, one very important event in my life/my favorite activity is a little trip to France. I like this trip so much because we visited a small French town. The town has very charming ocean view. I mean the sky there is so blue and the beach is always full of sunshine. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, when the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   Of course I like this little trip to France also because there are many great French restaurants. They offer the best seafood in the world like lobsters and tuna fishes. The most important, I have been benefited a lot from this trip to France because I made friends with some gorgeous French girls. One of them even gave me a little watch as a souvenir of our friendship.
  注意一定要有两到三句转化句,也叫点题句,即在文中标注出的句子。
  扩展训练:
   1.Describe one object that is of special value to you and explain why it is of special value to you. Please include specific examples and details in your explanation.
   2.Choose a teacher you like and explain why you like him or her. Include specific details in your statement.
   3.Everyone has a goal to fulfill. What’s your goal and explain why you want to fulfill this goal. Please include specific examples and details in your explanation.
   (在看下面的参考答案之前,请自己先用转化原则处理一下上面的题目。这几个题目是袁老师精心收集的仿真题,仿真度可以达到90%以上,同学们要好好利用)
  参考答案:
   1.Well, the object of special value to me is a little watch. 点题,复述原题 the watch was designed for women and one of my French girlfriends gave it to me as a souvenir of our friendship. This little watch is of very special meaning to me because it always reminds me of those days I spent in a beautiful French town located by the beach. My watch is deep blue, as blue as the charming ocean view on the beach. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, when the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   The most important, I made friends with some gorgeous French girls. One of them gave me this little watch as a gift. I cherish the watch just as much as we cherish our friendship.
   2.Well, the teacher I admire so much is a gorgeous French lady. She was from a beautiful French small town located by the beach. She has very charming deep blue eyes, as blue as the ocean view on the beach. I admire her so much because she is not only a teacher to me but also a very good friend. Last summer, she invited me to travel to her hometown. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, when the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   Also, she brought me to some restaurants offering the best seafood such as lobsters and tuna fishes. Finally, she gave me a little watch as the souvenir of our friendship.
   3. Ever since I was a kid, I had a dream to travel to France. My parents told me that there is a little French town located by the beach. It has very charming ocean view. They told me the sky there is so blue and the beach is always full of sunshine. You know how romantic it can ever be, just relax yourself on the beach, when the sun is setting down, when the ocean breeze is blowing and the seabirds are singing.
   Of course I want to travel to this small French town also because there are many great French restaurants. They offer the best seafood in the world like lobsters and tuna fishes. The most important, there is a good chance to make friends with some gorgeous French girls.
  同学们请谨记一点,袁老师提供的这个模板只是给大家一个参考思路,每个人都要根据自己的具体情况变换模板中的内容,并固定成自己的语言,在地点、事件、人物、事物四个方面多做转化练习。如果只是一味的机械照搬,只能产生一种戏剧化的结果:ETS的老头子们会惊讶的发现原来所有的中国女孩都爱美丽的法国女郎;所有的中国男孩子一辈子的梦想就是到法国乡下的小酒馆里等人送手表!