三方法學會雅思寫作必備「換句話說」 Paraphrasing

「換句話說」(paraphrasing) 是什麼?

「換句話說」：使用「不同」的詞彙，片語，或句型，表達「相同」的概念或意義。以中文為例，我們可以把「期末考結束了，我要去吃到飽餐廳大吃一頓」，換句話說成「我要去吃到飽餐廳大快朵頤一番，慶祝期末考結束」。用英文的例子，我們可以把The pupils listened attentively to their instructor. 這個句子，換句話說成 The students listened very carefully to their teacher.。

雅思寫作哪裡需要「換句話說」?

雅思寫作writing task 1 圖表描述題，與writing task 2申論題都有題目。考生開始寫答案時，首先就要將題目換句話說，告訴讀者寫作答案的主題。

考生在解釋答案的主題時，如果照抄題目裡的句子，這些句子的字數就不會計入答案的字數。

「換句話說」為什麼重要?

「換句話說」顯示考生能夠正確了解原始資訊，並且能用自己的話敘述原始資訊裡的核心內容。這些能力對考生到國外大學或研究所唸書非常重要。因為英美相當重視獨立思考，如果學生在報告裡只引用某學者說的話，甚至沒有引用直接照抄，而缺少「換句話說」或「摘述」(summarize)的能力，那麼學生的報告可能會被視為「抄襲」(plagiarism)，甚至整門課程被當掉。因此學習如何換句話說雅思寫作題的題目，也就是在培養國外求學的學術技能，重要性不言可喻。

「換句話說」的方法

「換句話說」方法一：使用「同義字」(synonym)

最簡單的換句話說，是使用同義字，而不改變句型。

Some people think that parents should teach their children how to be good members of society.
→ Some individuals believe that parents should teach their children how to be a positive part of their community.

當我們用這種方法換句話說時，我們要注意不能改變句子本來的意思，因為有些字的意思雖然類似，但並非同義。

Violent crime is on the rise among teenagers.
→ Violent offences are rising among young people.

雖然teenagers(青少年)的意思接近young people(所有的teenager都是young people)，可是它們並非同義字(不是所有的young people都是teenager)。所以比較精確的表達是：

Violent offences are rising among adolescents.

相同的方法也可以用於圖表描述題：

The graph compares changes in the birth rates of China and the USA between 1920 and 2000.
→ The diagram contrasts changes in birth rates between China and the USA over an eighty year period.

相對於writing task 2的主題變化較多，writing task 1的圖表類型變化較少。以下為大家整理常見的同義字：

• graph, chart = diagram
• show = illustrate, present
• proportion = amount, percentage
• data = information
• increasing = rising

💡小訣竅：
1. 不需要找出每個字的同義字改寫。每個字硬著頭皮改寫反而會讓句子變得很不自然。
2. 技術性詞彙(technical words)，例如CFC emissions，不需要同義字改寫。

「換句話說」方法二：改變詞性

有時改變詞性是很有效的方法。我們可以把動詞改成名詞，或者把形容詞改成副詞。

Many people are unhealthy because they don't eat well or exercise.
→ Many people are in poor health because they are not eating well or exercising enough.

The level of crime has increased noticeably in different ways.
→ The increase in the level of crime has been noticeable in different ways.

以下是更多的例子與詞性改變方法：

• developing = the development of
• decreasing = a decrease in
• pollution = being polluted
• explain = explanation

「換句話說」方法三：改變句型

這是最讓人有感的改寫方法。如果一個句子是複合句(complex sentence)，也就是使用「從屬子句-主要子句」的結構，我們通常可以輕易地改變它們的順序。

As English becomes more widely used, there is a fear that many minority languages may die out.
→ There is a fear that many minority languages may die out as English becomes more widely used.<>

有時我們也可以合併句子，增加句子的複雜度。

Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans. Other people believe that animals should be used for various needs such as food and research.
→ Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans, while others believe they should be used for various needs such as food and research.

當我們合併句子時，我們務必確認連接詞的使用是否正確，否則我們就改變了句子的意思。

例：Some people believe that logging is a serious problem. They believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

✘ 錯誤合併：Some people believe that logging is a serious problem, while others believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

另一種改變句型的方式，是將句子的語態，從主動改為被動，或者從被動改為主動。

Technological advances have replaced people in the workforce.
→ People in the workforce have been replaced by technological advances.

當我們改變句子的語態時，我們要小心不要改變句子的意思。

例： Children today play very violent video games.

✘ 錯誤改寫：Children today are played by very violent video games.
✔ 正確合併：Very violent video games are played by children today.

寫作練習

請大家試著利用上述的方法，改寫以下的句子：

1. The property developers invested $30 million in the development of the shopping center.
2. The percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15% in the last ten years.
3. The amount of fish eaten in the world has increased dramatically.
4. Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people suggest that people over the age of sixty-five can continue to live full and active lives.

參考答案(括弧裡是換句話說的方法)：

1. $30 million was invested in the development of shopping center. (改變句型：主動改被動)
2. In the last ten years, the percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15%. (改變句型：時間副詞移到句首)
3. The amount of fish consumed in the world has increased dramatically. (同義字改寫)
4. Longer life spans and improvements in the health of older people are suggesting that people over the age of sixty-five can continue living full and active lives. (改變詞性)

結論

我們在本篇學習文章中，討論了「換句話說」在雅思寫作的重要性與方法。如果大家想學習更多雅思寫作技巧，可以參考巨匠的雅思課程。巨匠的雅思課程提供寫作批改服務，可以有效幫助同學提升寫作能力，取得更理想的雅思寫作成績。