12月英语四六级写作技巧之平行结构

　　Parallel Structure

　　平行结构

　　相似的思想应用相似的形式表达出来。句子的成份相近，则也应以相似的形式出现。请注意以下标有NO的句子是不规范的。

　　No: The school bus skidded, turned sideways, then comes to a stop.

　　Yes: The school bus skidded, turned sideways, and came to a stop.

　　No: I dont know why I married someone who is miserly, sloppy and a bore.

　　Yes: I dont know why I married someone who is miserly, sloppy and boring.

　　No: In the wreck the circus lost a panda and elephant.

　　Yes: In the wreck the circus lost a panda and an elephant.

　　No: I debated whether I should give the beggar money or to offer him food.

　　Yes: I debated whether to give the beggar money or to offer him food.

　　No: They would lie on the battlefield for hours and sometimes days.

　　Yes: They would lie on the battlefield for hours and sometimes for days.

　　No: Michaels vacuum cleaner squealed loudly, shook violently, and dust filled the air.

　　Yes: Michaels vacuum cleaner squealed loudly, shook violently, and filled the air with dust.

　　No: The mechanic explained the problem, method, and the tools that he was going to use.

　　Yes: The mechanic explained the problem, method, and tools that he was going to use.

　　No: He retired respected by his associates, admired by his friends, and his employees loved him.

　　Yes: He retired respected by his associates, admired by his friends, and loved by his employees.

　　No: As a young man he had been to Shanghai, fighting in the Anti-Japanese War, and following the Nationalist Party to Chongking.

　　Yes: As a young man he had been to Shanghai, had fought in the Anti-Japanese War and had followed the Nationalist Party to Chongking.

　　No: Jane is pretty, with brown hair, and has a graceful manner.

　　Yes: Jane is pretty, brown-haired, and graceful.

　　No: He left the city because of his lack of success in business, the departure of his friends and because his health deteriorated rapidly.

　　Yes: He left the city because of his lack of success in business, the departure of his friends and his rapidly failing health.

　　No: They bought the house for location and affordability.

　　Yes: They bought the house because of its location and its affordability.

　　No: Why did you make Xiao Zhang feel useless and as if he was unimportant?

　　Yes: Why did you make Xiao Zhang feel useless and unimportant?

　　No: This could be a problem for both the winners and for those who lose.

　　Yes: This could be a problem for both the winners and losers.

　　No: The prisoner was not only found guilty of bribery but also adultery.

　　Yes: The prisoner was found guilty not only of bribery but also of adultery.

　　为使平行结构清楚明了，随时都可以重复介词、冠词、助动词、不定词标志，或者长的短语或句子的介绍词。

　　Awkward: I admire Tennyson for the ideals in his poems but not his style.

　　Improved: I admire Tennyson for the ideals in his poems but not for his style.

　　Awkward: The sentences are difficult to understand, not because they are long but they are obscure.

　　Improved: The sentences are difficult to understand, not because they are long but because they are obscure.

　　Awkward: He explained that the advertising campaign had been successful, business had increased more than forty per cent, and additional capital was sorely needed.

　　Improved: He explained that the advertising campaign had been successful, that business had increased more than forty per cent, and that additional capital was sorely needed.

　　在商业和正式文件写作中，越来越多的用到圆点散句。除了更易读之外，它们更能从视觉上引起人们注意。作者需要决定在圆点之后用什么形式来写，是用名词，动词，形容词，副词，还是介词短语，定语从句甚至完整的句子。应该记住的是它们相互间应该保持一致。平行结构较多用。

　　Examples:

　　Our recommendations for improving computer-user comfort are as follows:

　　 Anti-radiation screens should be available for computer monitors.

　　 Wrist supports should be used to help maintain proper wrist position during computer use and possibly reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.

　　 Employees need adjustable chairs with a stronger back support.

　　What makes me different from other job applicants?

　　 Ability to converse in English, Japanese in addition to my native Mandarin

　　 Completion of two-month customer satisfaction training

　　 Impeccable medical report card

　　 Outgoing personality and eager desire to help

　　Awkward: At Yi Xin Associates, we have 15 years of combined legal experience in all types of injury cases one can think of. Other areas we handle are wrongful death, automobile accidents and medical malpractice. If you slip and fall in a public building, we can represent you in filing a law suit against the owner. Also, our clients come to seek our help in handicap discrimination and denial of insurance claim cases.

　　Better: At Yi Xin Associates, we have 15 years of combined legal experience in:

　　 All injury cases

　　 Wrongful death

　　 Automobile accidents

　　 Medical malpractice

　　 Slip and fall

　　 Handicap discrimination

　　 Denial of insurance claims

　　Incorrect: The duties of the Executive Secretary of the Administrative Committee are:

　　 To take minutes of all meetings (不定式短语)

　　 The Executive Secretary answers all the correspondence; and (句子)

　　 Writing of month reports. (话题)

　　Correct: The duties of the Executive Secretary of the Administrative Committee are:

　　 To take minutes of all meetings;

　　 To answer all the correspondence; and

　　 To write monthly reports.