英语摘要的写作

摘要(summary)是一种对原始文献(或文章)的基本内容进行浓缩的语义连贯的短文。它以迅速掌握原文内容梗概为目的，不加主观评论和解释，但必须简明、确切地表述原文的重要内容。

摘要写作(summary writing)是一种控制性的作文形式，它能使学生通过阅读原文，吸收原文的文章结构与语言方面的长处，写出内容一致、结构近似、语言简洁的短文。另外，对培养学生善于抓住文章重点的能力也有很大帮助，有利于他们在实际写作中避免面面俱到，事无巨细，一一罗列的不良倾向。这种写作既要准确理解原文，又要能综合概括;既能培养欣赏能力，又能训练书面表达能力。因此，用英文写摘要，对学习英语写作的学生来说，不失为一种切合实际的方法。下面谈谈如何写好英文摘要。

1)细读原文。

首先要仔细阅读全篇作品，然后对作品进行整体分析，掌握原文总的意思和结构，明确全文的主题(the maintheme)和各段的段落大意(the main idea)。

2)弄清要求。

搞清楚是写全文概要，还是写某一部分的概要，或者就某些问题写出要点。

3)列出原文要点。

分析原文的内容和结构，将内容分项扼要表述并注意在结构上的顺序。在此基础上选出与文章主题密切相关的部分。

4)草拟写作提纲并写出初稿。

将挑选出的要点作为框架草拟详细的提纲，以所列的提纲为依据写出摘要的初稿。在写作时要特别注意下面几点：

(1)摘要应包括原文中的主要事实(main facts);略去不必要的细节(unnecessary details)。

(2)安排好篇幅的比例。摘要应同原文保持协调，即用较多的文字写重要内容，用较少的文字写次要内容。

(3)注意段落的连贯和句子的衔接。要用适当的转折词语贯通全文，切忌只简单地写出一些互不相干的句子。

(4)尽可能用自己的话来写，但不排斥用原文的某些词句。

(5)计算词数，看是否符合规定的词数要求。

请阅读下面这篇约500词的原文。并要求写出约150词的摘要。

How New York Became Americas Largest City

In the 18th century New York was smaller than Philadelphia and Boston.Today it is the largest city in America.How can the change in its size and importance be explained?

To answer this question we must consider certain facts about geography， history，and economics.Together these three will explain the huge growth of Americas most famous city.

The map of the Northeast shows that four of the most heavily populated areas in this region are around seaports.At these points materials from across the sea enter the United States， and the product of the land are sent there for export across the sea.

Economists know that places where transportation lines meet are good places for making raw materials into finished goods.That is why seaports often have cities nearby.But cities like New York needed more than their geographical location in order to become great industrial centers.Their development did not happen simply by chance.

About 1815，when many Americans from the east coast had already moved toward the west，trade routes from the ports to the central regions of the country began to be a serious problem. The slow wagons of that time，drawn by horses or oxen，were too expensive for moving heavy freight very far. Americans had long admired Europes canals.In New York State a canal seemed the best solution to the transportation problem.From the eastern end of Lake Erie all the way across the state to the Hudson River there is a long strip of low land.Here the Erie Canal was constructed. After several years of work it was completed in 1825.

The canal produced an immediate effect.Freight costs were cut to about one-tenth of what had been.New York City，which had been smaller than Philadelphia and Boston， quickly became the leading city of the coast.In the years that followed， transportation routes on the Great Lakes were joined to routes on the Mississippi River.Then New York City became the end point of a great inland shipping system that extended from the Atlantic Ocean far up the western branches of the Mississippi.

The coming of the railroads made canal shipping less important，but it tied New York even more closely to the central regions of the country.It was easier for people in the central states to ship their goods to New York for export overseas.

Exports from New York were greater than imports.Consequently，shipping companies were eager to fill their ships with passengers on the return trip from Europe.Passengers could come from Europe very cheaply as a result.

Thus New York became the greatest port for receiving people from European countries. Many of these people remained in the city.Others stayed in New York for a few weeks，months，or years，and then moved to other parts of the United States.For these great number of new Americans New York had to provide homes， goods， and services.Their labor helped the city be come great. (498 words)

Here is the summary of above passage.

How New York Became Americas Largest City

New York was once smaller than Philadelphia and Boston，but now it is Americas largest city because of geography，history and economics.

New York was located at the seaport where materials were imported to the US and the products of the US were sent abroadacross the sea.The city was further developed when the Erie Canal was completed in 1825.This linked Lake Erie to New York via the Hudson River and the cost of transporting goods to those who had settled inland was cut down.In addition， the Great Lakes were soon linked to the Mississippi.Later，railroads tied New York closer to the central states，whose goods were exported via New York.Fewer goods were imported，so cheap passages were available from Europe.New York became the main port for receiving Europeans，many of whom stayed in the city and helped it become great.(150 words)

初稿完成后要检查修改。看主要内容是否已包含进去，内容是否前后连贯，是否存在语法、拼写、标点符号等方面的错误。另外，在表达方式上要求直截了当、开门见山，不要拖泥带水、迂回曲折。在修改时要注意下面几个具体问题。

(1)省略。

用来说明要点的细节可省略，可去掉修饰性的描述。摘要的特点是质朴、简洁、扼要，因此没有必要采用修辞手法润饰文章中的人或物。

(2)缩减。

如果原文中使用好几个句子来说明某一问题或解释事理，在摘要中只保留一个就可以了。

(3)替代。

在摘要中要使用最简短的承接语，如用but替代较长的表达方式 on the other hand，用 suddenly替代 all of a sudden，用 finally替代 at last等。