第十三单元 推展段落方法之五——举例法

13．1举例法

举例法（examples）也是推展主题的主要方法。举例法有两种形式，一种是首先陈述自己的观点，然后举出一个或多个例子阐明观点；另一种是先举一个很长的例子，然后转入例子所要阐明的观点。

读下面段落：

Courage is the willingness to take a risk when the outcome is uncertain，and when the risk taken may involve harm，loss，or danger to the one taking it．The courageous person fears no one and nothing．He or she is undaunted by danger or peril．He or she will venture boldly into an uncertain situation，hardly giving a thought to the harm or consequences which may result to his or her person．

以上段落的缺点是乏味、含糊，不能向读者表达作者关于“courage”的看法。请看下面重写后的段落。

示范段落13-1

Courage is the willingness to take a risk when the outcome is uncertain，and when the risk taken may involve harm，loss，or danger to the one taking it．For example，in a Los Angeles suburb，a twelve－year－old girl ran into a burning house to rescue her baby brother，pulled him unconscious out of the burning bedroom，and dragged him down the stairs and outside to safety．This was arousing display of courage．The girl had been safe outside the flaming house when she remembered her sleeping brother．Disregarding her personal safety，she plunged into the flaming house to save him．

13．2示范段落分析

较之上一段落，这个段落更能清晰地传达作者关于“courage”的观点。首先，作者概述什么是“courage”，然后举出一个女孩子从燃烧着的房子中把弟弟救出来的例子阐明这一观点。

13．2关于写举例法段落的建议

1）选择恰当的例子

所选的例子应该能够恰当地支持自己的观点。

2）要表明你的例子所要阐明的观点

大多数作者使用“for example”等短语引出例子。其它常用的短语有：“as an example”，“to illustrate”，“for instance”，“an illustration of it”，“a case in point”（见第34单元）。

3）不要滥用例子

Exercise 13-1

Directions：Read the following paragraph，point out the topic sentence，and find out what example the writer uses to illustrate his point．

Despite her wealth，Madame Rubinstein had a mania for saving money．French President Georges Pompidou once rented a Paris apartment from her．She noticed that he left the building at exactlly8：50 every morning．Madame began ordering her daily taxi for 8：45 so that she could save on cab fare by following Pompidou's motorcycle escort through the heavy Paris traffic．

Topic Sentence：____________________________________________

Example：__________________________________________________

Exercise 13-2

Directions：Choose one of the given topic sentences and use an example to develop the point．

（1）

Doing part－time jobs helps increase our experience．

___________________________________________

（2）

You may have heard the old saying，“Self-help is the best help．”The truth of it has been proved by the successful lives of many great men and women．

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