英语修辞与写作·18.2　句子的一致（Sentence　Unity）

18.2　句子的一致（Sentence Unity）

18.2A　句子一致的含义

1） 一致性是指句子所表示的思想是一个完整的统一体。例如：

Jane sat down, picked up her pen and started to write her composition:

“I got up early. Mom told me that there was always traffic jam and our car was a little bit too old and we need buy a new one.”

例中Jane的作文的开头两句话就不够一致：第一句意思欠完整，需补上动作发生的时间；第二句所表示的思想不统一，因为没有讲明两个分句之间的联系，也同第一句割裂，故它们没有形成一个完整的统一体。

2） 一致性是对句子结构的首要要求，全句使用的词语都要紧密地围绕一个中心思想，凡未达到这项要求的句子都应改写。例如对上面例子中那个学生的作文可作必要的增删：

“I got up early Monday morning. Mom told me that there was always heavy traffic, and as our car was a bit old and couldn't run fast, we'd better start earlier.”

18.2B　对缺乏一致性句子的两种处理方法

1） 为了取得句子的一致性，对句中与中心思想无关的内容应加删减。例如：

Parking space on the compass, which is one of the most beautiful in the state, has become completely inadequate, and recently the city council voted to increase bus fares again.

此句的中心内容是讲停车场已经非常紧张，市府决定再次提高公共汽车费，势必使更多的人用私人汽车，从而加剧停车场紧张的局面。由于which引导的从句同本句中心内容无关，故应删去。

2） 对于结构过于松散，未能明白地表示中心思想的句子应加以改写。例如：

I worry about whether I will get a job, and I am convinced that new opportunities will open up before the end of spring.

上例中的两个分句由逗号and连接，形式上是一个完整的句子，但实际上两个分句之间并未形成有机的连接，中心思想未得到明确的表述，为此应当改写。一种办法是把并列分句改为主从分句：

I worry about whether I will get a job, though I am convinced that new opportunities will open up before the end of spring.

也可以再增加一个分句，从而使全句的中心思想明白地表现出来：

I worry about whether I will get a job. Although I am convinced that new opportunities will open up before the end of spring, I still can't help being anxious about my prospects.