平行结构

所谓平行结构（parallelism），就是把一个句子逻辑上应属于同一句法成分的并列事 物用相同的结构来表达。平行结构的使用是一种修辞手法，它不仅能使文章节奏匀称，而且能起篇章纽带作用，这种修辞手段运用得好，能使你的语句表意明确，层 次清楚，读之产生一种和谐的感觉。本文拟将这一修辞手法向读者作以简析，旨在提高学生英文写作的造句能力。 首先让我们来分析一道在TOEFL考题中的改错题： 1．The high school graduate，if he（A）is eighteen or nineteen，has（B）these alternatives（C）：attending college，finding a job，or the army（D）．本文中的错误是（D），因为它不符合英语修辞学中的平等性原则。我们可以看出句中alternatives后面分别跟着（1） attending college（2）finding a job（3）the army，都是对alternatives的具体说明，逻辑上应属于同一成分的并列事物，可是（1）（2）用的是动宾结构，而（3）却用了the army这个名词，即用了一个与（1）（2）不同的结构，改正的办法是将the army改为动宾结构joining the army，以与（1）（2）结构平行。所以，平行结构的使用既是一种语法手段，也是一种词汇手段，既有词汇平行（word with word），也有短语平行（phrase with phrase）和从句平行（clause with clause），同时平行结构可以表达句子的各种成分。现分别阐释如下： 一、主语 1．Knowing how to study and learning how to budget time are important for college students． 懂得怎样学习，学会合理支配时间是大学生应予重视的问题。（主语以动名词短语为平行结构） 2．Tolerance，good temper，and sympathy are no longer enough in a world which is rent by religious and racial persecution，in a world where ignorance rules，and science，who ought to have ruled，plays the subservient pimp． 宗教和种族迫害把人们搞得四分五裂，而本该支配一切的科学却让位给愚昧无知，而充当了阿谀奉承的皮条客。在这样一个世界里，单凭容忍，温存和同情心已不再顶事了。（主语用三个名词为平行结构） 二、谓语 1．Galileo studied，taught and experimented． 伽利略研究，教学并搞试验。（谓语用行为动词为平行结构） 2．The hut was hot in summer and cold in winter． 那茅棚夏天炎热，冬天寒冷。（表语用形容词为平行结构） 3．Earlier in her life，Kate had been a waitress，a nurse，and a teacher． 凯特早先曾当过侍者，护士和教师。（表语用名词为平行结构） 三、宾语 1．The machine makes easy work of the construction of dams，the digging of water channels，and the pumping of water．  该机器使筑坝、挖沟、抽水成为轻活。（of后的宾语分别以名词为平行结构）  2．Politicians today face the difficult tasks of solving the urban problems and finding the money without raising taxes． 当今政治家们面临着解决城市化问题和不依赖税收筹集资金的艰巨任务。（of后的宾语以动名词为其平行结构） 3．I like to be up first in my own camp，to wake the cook myself，to shave while he boils the kettle and then to call the rest of the company with a warm cup of coffee．  我喜欢在自己的营棚里第一个起身，亲自叫醒厨师，并在他烧开水时刮脸，然后叫其余人让他们喝上一杯热咖啡。（like的宾语均以不定式短语为平行结构） 4．Dentists advise brushing your teeth after each meal and avoiding too much sugar in your diet． 牙科医生建议饭后漱口，以及在饮食中不要用糖过量。 5．My employer，informed me that I would be sent to Hong Kong and that I should make arrangement to leave in about two weeks．雇主通知我将被派赴香港，并作安排在约两周后启程。（informed后分别跟由that引导的宾语从句为平行结构） 四、定语 1．The professor has no doubt that it is wrong to overtax the bright，efficient high salary-earner．那位教授确信无疑，对于那些聪明能干的高薪者赋以高税的做法是错误的。（定语用两个形容词作平行结构） 2．Angel Pavement and its kind，too hot and airless in summer，too raw in winter，too wet in spring，and too smoky and foggy in autumn ．．．had blanched the whole man，．．． 天使街以及类似的地方，夏天闷热难受，冬天寒风刺骨，春天雨水太多，而秋天则烟雾弥漫……所有这一切把他的身体搞得虚弱无力，十分单暴?…（定语用四个后置的形容词短语为平行结构） 3．A father who spends time with his son and who thoughtfully answers his son's questions will be respected and loved．  一位在儿子身上花精力并仔细周到地回答他问题的父亲会受到尊敬和爱戴。（定语以两个从句为平行结构） 五、状语 1．They worked every moment they could spare，weighing and boiling and measuring and calculating and thinking．  他们分秒必争的干着，又是称呀，又是煮呀，又是算呀，又是思考呀。（状语以现在分词为平行结构） 2．Late for the dance，Ruth dressed hastily and carelessly．  怕赶不上舞会，鲁思穿得匆忙而又随便地去了。（状语用副词为平行结构） 3．To support his family and to put himself through college，he worked seven hours a day．  他为了养家糊口，并使自己读完大学，一天工作七小时。（状语以不定式短语为平行结构） 4．Fritz passes his time doing cross-word puzzles and building model airplanes．  费雷茨做填字游戏，做模型飞机来消磨时间。（状语以现在分词短语为平行结构） 5．If you write or if you telephone，wait fortwo weeks until I return from Singapore．  你如果写信或打电话，请等我两星期从新加坡回来后再说。（状语以条件从句形式为平行结构） Exercises 将下列不符合平行原则的句子中的相等成分改为平行结构。 1．Going to a professional football game is better than to watch one on TV． 2．Men's clothing styles and the clothes that women wear have grown similar in recent years． 3．Listening to records and attendance at live concerts are both enjoyable． 4．You can either read the original novel，or you can see the film based on it． 5．We asked the store manager to show us a gift that was inexpensive，useful，and looked nice． 6．My uncle spoke with warmth and in a humorous way． 7．The poet wrote not only of Greece but also Asian Minor． 8．The president announced that he would hold a weekly press conference and reporters should submit questions ahead of time． 9．Come to class prepared to take notes and with some questions to ask． 10．My driving instructor told me to keep both hands on the wheel，to use caution at all time，and don't take my eyes off the road． Keys： 1．to watch→watching 2．the clothes that women wear→women's clothing styles 3．attendance at live concerts→attending live concerts 4．you can see the film based on it→see the film based on it 5．looked nice→nice-looking 6．in a humorous way→humor 7．but also Asian Minor→but also of Asian Minor 8．and reporters→and that reporters 9．with some questions to ask→to ask some questions 10．and don't take my eyes off the road →and not to take my eyes off the road