“仿写”——学英语的好方法

寒假终于快到了，我建议中级班的学生们在快乐阅读英语原版书的基础上“仿写”。我特别喜欢这个方式，为什么呢？

首先想给孩子们一个容易点儿的创作起点。对于多数孩子们来说，原创是非常困难的。其实对成人不也一样？母语原创尚且如此，何况外语？所以我会鼓励孩子们原创，但绝不要求孩子们去原创，那样没有任何意义。逼的结果，还可能有反作用，让他们从此惧怕写作。

其实当孩子们真地找到自己喜爱的书，就像乘着作者造的一艘小舟，在情节或是知识的海洋中遨游。这是何等的享受？然后，自然而然地孩子们也有了造一艘小舟的欲望和热情......带着自己的真情实感，学着造一艘小舟吧，带上自己，邀上朋友们到海洋中去畅游一番......

当然，像任何创作或创造，仿写也不免会碰到困难。这时，看看心爱的作者是怎样写的，对我们有什么启发......

“仿写”给了孩子一个用英语思维组织故事的机会，对非母语的孩子建立英语思维会有很大的帮助。

下面，先和大家分享一个我孩子瑞十岁时写的少年侦探故事。在读了“Encyclopedia Brown”等少年侦探故事后，我建议他学着写个侦探故事，他欣然同意了。于是就有了下面这个天真可爱的故事。我基本上没有做过任何改动。

The Purloined Painting

 

“IT’SGONE!” cried Mr. Millen, the curator of Rill Art Museum. He quicklycalled the police. Soon, the police arrived.

“What was stolen?” a policemanasked.

“A valuable old painting,” Mr. Millensaid in a calmer voice.

“Theglass case doesn’t have any fingerprints on it,” the policemansaid, “and it was opened by a key, not pried.”

“Butonly I, the security, and my friend Charles Chen who owns a Chineserestaurant next to the museum has the key to the glass case,” Mr.Millen said.

“Thenwe will question you three at the station,” said thepoliceman.

“Hey!Where is that old-n-valuable painting?” Mr. Millen’s son, MarkMillen asked when the police were ready to go.

“Itwas stolen,” replied Mr. Millen. “So the cops are going to questionme, the security, and Mr. Chen.”

“Can Ihelp?” Mark asked. He is eleven-year old and loves readingdetective books.

Hedidn’t need to look for the solution at the back of the book. Hecould solve the mystery himself. What he was best at was provingwho lied at questioning. Mr. Millen just wanted Mark to learn thatin case this happens.

“Sure,” said the police. “Maybe you can help us.” Mark waseven a little famous in the town. The police knew himtoo.

Whenthey got to the police station, the police first questioned Mr.Millen.

“Wherewere you last night?”

“Sleeping in my house as normal as ever.”

“Whereis your house?”

“Across the street.”

“Whendid you sleep last night?”

“Justnine o’ clock.”

Theyquestioned the security who worked last night.

“Whendid you start to work last night?”

“Ateleven o’ clock.”

“Didyou ever hear or see anything strange last night?”

“I waswalking around the museum when I heard some vehicle doors and atrunk slam. I didn’t see anything. I thought some people were onthe street late.”

Finally they questioned Charles Chen.

“Wherewere you last night?”

“Sleeping in my house.”

“Whendid you get up?”

“Fiveo’ clock, because my restaurant opens at eight.”

Thequestioning was done. The police had no clue who was thethief.

Sothey asked Mark about it.

“Iknow, the thief is—

WHO?