原则2 要关注考点,不图一时之快
—— 王赫
美本封闭集训项目SAT阅读教师
北京外国语大学高翻学院硕士
考场上读小说和平时读小说的重点应该不同,这也是为什么很多在美国生活的/读过一些英文原著的同学们也不能够拿到一个理想的SAT分数:没有抓住真正的考点,只顾着自己读着开心。
小说读起来最吸引人的地方,莫过于场景的变换、情节的发展和人物之间的对话。如果不带任何的考试目的,学生大可以只读这些内容,然后让自己沉浸在梦幻的想象或感人的情感中。但如果我们是带有考试目的且想要有意识地锻炼自己的考试能力的话,还需要在平时阅读和考试的时候理智地寻找考点:作者叙事视角的转换。比如:
Apparently, he himself was not aware that there had been any change. He straightened his tie self-consciously and … he gestured with it so that the two women at the next table would notice the diamond ring on the fourth finger of his right hand. Both of these things, …, one can blame on the young man who …. The young man had never for one second deserted Mr. Peters. He was always there, …, making him do things that were not becoming in a man of forty-five. (line 80-94 from OG5 The Folded Leaf)
The main idea of the last paragraph is that Mr. Peters (Question 8)
A) neglects to spend any time with his family members.
B) behaves as if he is a younger version of himself.
C) is very conscious of symbols of wealth and power.
D) is preoccupied with the knowledge that he is growing old.
本文最吸引人的地方是动作描写(Peters正了正领带,挥了挥钻戒,指甲还精细修剪过),然后问Peters的相关特征。如果只关注这些吸引人的细节,我们会很自然地认为衣着体面、有意地挥舞钻戒和修剪指甲是财富和地位的象征而误选C。但事实上我们要记住:要想在复杂的叙述里抓到层次,分段突破,要依靠一个重要的概念——视角转换。
在第三人称写作的小说里,作者语言主要分为几种:描述场景、陈述主角动作/对话、或从全知视角评述主角心理或干预故事情节。如果对于复杂对话或情节理解有困难的话,抓住视角转换,就会对文章的层次和情节走向有更准确的预判。
以本题为例,如果我们能直接抓住作者叙事视角的转换(both of these things, and the fact …, one can only blame on the young man… The young man had never for one second deserted Mr. Peters. He was always there … making him do things that were not becoming in a man of forty-five)就不难发现作者是在通过相对文学性的语言告诉我们,老Peters的心里,其实一直住着“那个年轻人”。
再来一个简单的例子: “Madame,” said Akira, “forgive my disruption, but I come with a matter of urgency.” His voice was soft, refined. He straightened and stole a deferential peek at her face. (L31-36 from OG1 The Strangeness of Beauty )这是典型的借助夹杂在对话和人物动作中的全知视角评述来获取关于主角性格、态度的信息,这里也是经常出现考题的地方。
“事态紧急”这个词没有任何感情色彩,能展开的联想就很多:台风登陆?亲友离世?金榜题名?所以此时Akira的状态是慌慌张张?还是难掩悲伤?还是暗藏喜悦?作者为了防止我们继续胡乱脑补下去,将叙事的语气从陈述转化为作者评述,通过一个全知视角来告诉我们:他的声音是温柔有礼的,表情是恭敬的(his voice was soft and refined…), 因此他口中的紧急事件大概不是迫在眉睫的,而Akira却将它们称之为urgency。这其实更多地是为了体现出Akira对于Chie充满尊敬的态度。