一、英文书信的结构
第一节英文书信的结构
英文书信一般由以下六部分组成:信头、信内地址、称呼、正文、结尾、签名。
1.信头(Heading)
信头是指发信人的地址和日期,通常写在第一页的右上角。行首可以齐头写,也可以逐行缩进写。地址的书写顺序由小到大:门牌号、街道、城市、省(州)、邮编、国名,最后写发信日期。私人信件一般只写寄信日期即可。例如:
123 Tianhe Road
Tianhe District
Guangzhou 510620
Guangdong Province
P. R. C.
Jan 8,20xx
2.信内地址(Inside Address)
信内地址要写收信人的姓名和地址。在公务信件中要写明这一项,在私人信件中,这一项常常省略。该项写在写信日期下一行的左上角,格式与寄信人地址一样。
3.称呼(Salutation)
称呼是对收信人的`称谓,应与左边线对齐,写在收信人姓名、地址下面1—2行处。在称呼后,英国人常用逗号,美国人则常用冒号。在私人信件中可直呼收信人的名字,但公务信件中一定要写收信人的姓。大部分信件在称呼前加“Dear”。如:
Dear Professor/Prof。 Bergen:
Dear Dr。 Johnson,
对不相识的人可按性别称呼:
Dear Sir:或Dear Madam:Dear Ladies。
如果不知收信人的性别则可用Dear Sir or Madam:
4.正文(Body of Letter)
正文是书信的主体。与中文信件不同的是,英文书信的正文的开头不是先写一些问候语,再阐明写信的目的,而是直接说明写信人的身份及写信的目的,然后提出写信人的情况、想法或要求,并加以必要的解释或说明。英文书信陈述目的时,应该直截了当,意思明确,层次清楚,言简意赅。
书信正文的第一句话或第一段,通常被称为起首语。一般说来,人们习惯用一些客套的写法作为书信正文的起始,即先将对方来信的日期、主题加以简单描述,以便使对方一看便知该信是回答哪一封信的。如果是第一次给别人写信,也可用开头语作必要的自我介绍,并表明自己写信的主要目的。
5.结尾礼词(Complimentary Close)
公务信件的结尾礼词包含两部分:发信人的结尾套语与署名。结
尾套语写在签名上面一行,第一个字母要大写,套语结尾后面要加逗号。在公务信件中,发信人常用的结尾套语有:
Yours truly,Yours sincerely,Respectfully yours,Cordially yours,Yours cordially等。
私人信件中,发信人常用的结尾套语有:
Sincerely yours,Lovely yours,Your lovely,Your loving son/daughter等。
6. 签名(Signature)
写信人的签名常位于结尾礼词正下方一二行。除非是给很熟悉的人写信,签名一般须写出全名。签名常常较潦草,不易辨认,因此在签名的正下方须打印出全名。
第二节书信作文的出题形式和写作要领
1990年到20xx年1月之间的四级考试作文题中,书信作文共出现两次(20xx年6月和20xx年1月)。下面,我们先来看看20xx年6月四级考试的作文题:
Directions:For this part,you are allowed thirty minutes to write a letter。 Suppose you are Zhang Ying。 Write a letter to Xiao Wang,a schoolmate of yours who is going to visit you during the week—long holiday。 You should write at least 120 words according to the suggestion given below in Chinese:
1.表示欢迎
2.提出对度假安排的建议
3.提醒应注意的事项
A Letter to a Schoolmate
June 23,20xx
Dear Xiao Wang,
__________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________.
Yours,
Zhang Ying
从上面的例子可见,书信作文不仅给出正文部分的内容的提纲,而且还给出书信各部分的结构的框架。也就是说,我们只要考虑如何表达提纲部分的内容,而不用考虑书信的结构。
在写书信作文时,首先要把书信正文的提纲内容细化,扩展成更细的英文提纲,然后用简洁、明了、礼貌、正确和得体的语言表达出细化了的提纲内容。例如前面的那封信就可以列出下面的提纲:Topic:A Letter to a SchoolmateQuestion:What are the holiday arrangements and points for attention?
Outline:
I.Extending my welcome
II.Holiday schedule
1.1st day – campus
2. 2nd day – the art gallery & music hall
3. 3rd day – mountain climbing4。 next 3 days – other places of interest(Swan Cave,Golden Lake?)
4. Last day – departure
III.Points for attention
1.Train number & time of arrival
2. Sunglasses
IV. Looking forward to seeing you。
1.Conclusion
范文:
A Letter to A Schoolmate
June 23,20xx
Dear Xiao Wang,
I’m very glad to learn that you’re going to visit me during the week—long holiday.My parents will also be happy to see you again.I am sure you will enjoy every minute here.
I have arranged our schedule for the holiday as follows.On the first day you arrive,I’ll show you around our campus. On the second day,we’ll visit the art gallery and the music hall. Next day,we’ll climb a hill in the northeastern part of the city.On the top of the hill,we can have a wonderful bird’s eye view of the city. During the next three days,we’ll make some short trips to some places of interest.
Yours,
Zhang Ying
本文格式正确,意思表述完整,行文流畅自然。作者在写作过程中注意长短句并用,还使用了以‘which,’引导的非限定性定语从句,从而使文章层次分明,富于变化,不愧为考场佳作。
I like the carefree life in the countryside, the peaceful field road, roadside farm courtyard, a flowing stream... All is not desirable.
The morning the sunrise, singing yet, will the people wake up, sleep has injected new vitality for them, hard-working farmers began to a day of activities. Occasionally, walk the path in the field, there are a few root of wheat quietly into his trousers, slight shaking, like a naughty ground say "hello" with me. Wayside brook, there are a few small tadpoles swam in merry, a few dragonfly flying through the surface, rapid fly to the sky, with one, happy and comfortable. Then, several children run from the front of the past, what are they doing? Oh, the original is chasing the dragonfly. In the blink of an eye, they are submerged in the dense grain, but the scream of joy still legible.
At noon, yellow pink sunflower blossoms against the midday sun. Sitting in the yard of a peasant, listening to the cicadas on the buttonwood tree birds, occasionally there will be a flower cat through the legs. At this time, walk the crook, will feel at ease and pleasure.
Evening, on that day a small hillside, a dwarf tree, is a layer of golden rays of the sun on the plating, seems to be a picture of a frozen xieyi painting, a beautiful memories. In the last fading light in that moment, everything in the world and becomes quiet, birds don't call the dog bark, even forget the old cow is eating grass, quietly staring at the direction of the setting sun...
Rural night, the stars in the sky like the people of the earth, and the number is countless. At this point, lying in a rocking chair and looked at the bright sky, felt at ease. Quiet comfortable night, overworked of a day of men in blast a cry, the exhaustion of the end of the day, sweet to sleep.
What a beautiful country life! So intoxicating, so desirable! I pursue the country life is full of poetic!
我喜欢无忧无虑的乡村生活,那宁静的田间小路,路边的农家院落,潺潺流动的`小溪……无一不令人向往。
晨光微曦,一声声清脆的鸟鸣,将睡梦中的人们唤醒,为他们注入了崭新的活力,勤快的农民开始了一天的活动。行走在田间小路上,偶尔有几根麦子悄悄地钻进裤腿,轻微的晃动着,像是在调皮地跟我打招呼。路旁的小溪里,有几只小蝌蚪在快活的游动着,几只蜻蜓从水面上掠过,急速的飞向天空,你追我赶,快乐而又惬意。紧接着,几个孩子从面前飞奔过去,他们在干什么呢?哦,原来是在追那些蜻蜓。一眨眼的工夫,他们就淹没在了浓密的麦穗中,但那快乐的叫喊仍清晰可辨。
中午,一朵朵粉色的太阳花迎着正午的烈日绽放。坐在农家的院落里,听着那棵梧桐树上的蝉鸣鸟叫,偶尔会有一只花猫从腿间穿过。此时,漫步溪边,一定会感到轻松,愉悦。
黄昏,在那洒落日的小山坡上,一棵矮树,被太阳的余辉镀上了一层金黄色,似乎一幅被定格的写意画一样,美得令人心醉。在最后一抹余晖消逝的那一瞬,世间的一切仿佛都变得安静了,鸟不叫了,狗不吠了,连正在吃草的老牛也忘记了一切,静静的注视着落日的方向……
乡村的夜幕降临了,天上的繁星就像地上的人,数也数不清。此时,躺在摇椅上,望着那璀璨的星空,心情无比舒畅。寂静安逸的夜晚,劳累了一天的农人们在阵阵蛙鸣声中,结束一整天的疲惫,进入甜美的梦乡。
多么美好的乡村生活啊!那么令人沉醉,那么令人向往!我追求充满诗情画意的乡村生活!
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