英文段落中的各個語句在長度上應該有一定變換，即所謂的長短
句之說。短句給人以精煉強調之感，長句則給人以嚴謹深刻之感。一
般說來，長句有兩種情況，一種是由于結構復雜而形成的長句，多見于
書面語；還有一種是由簡單句擴展而成以使語句表達得更加生動和清
楚，主要出現(xiàn)在口語的表達中。
例如，有人曾請兩個人用英文表達同一內容：“今有一物，不知其
數(shù)，三三數(shù)之余二；五五數(shù)之余三；七七數(shù)之余二。問物幾何?”
第一個人的英文表達很書面化：
We have a number of things which, counted by threes, leave two; by
fives, leave three; and by sevens, leave two. Find the number.
第二個人的英文表達使用了比較長的語句：
We have things of which we do not know the number. If we count
them by threes, they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by fives,
they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by sevens, they leave a re-
mainder of two. How many things are there?
英文寫作不能一味地使用短句。段落中的短句過多，不僅使得段
落顯得單調，而且使得段落非常零散、內容淺薄。如果一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)段落中
盡是寫短句的話，這時就需要將某些簡短的語句擴展成比較長的句子。
語句的擴展主要是在語句的主干上增添修飾成分(如定語、狀語等)。
有些語句適宜用增添修飾成分的方法進行擴展，但增添修飾成分
不應有斧鑿之痕，應該使原句更加感覺有血有肉。
1 )You should stop smoking now.
你現(xiàn)在應該戒煙了。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣進行：
"You should give up smoking now, for the sake of your own health, for
the sake of the health of others, for the sake of your family, and for the
sake of the entire world. "
為了你自己的健康，為了他人的健康，為了你的家庭，也為了整個世界，你現(xiàn)在
應該戒煙了。
2) Doctors think that an active person should have a restful hobby,
while a person who sits at a desk should have a lively hobby.
醫(yī)生認為愛好活動的人應該有安靜型的業(yè)余愛好，而伏案工作的
人應該有著活動型的業(yè)余愛好。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
Doctors think that an active person, such as a baseball player or a
swimmer, should have a restful hobby such as reading, collections of
stamps, dolls, buttons or shells, etc. , while a person who sits at a desk all
day, such as a teacher or a doctor should have a lively hobby such as ten-
nis, golf, swimming or skating.
醫(yī)生認為，像棒球選手或游泳運動員這類愛好活動的人應該有安
靜型的業(yè)余愛好，比如閱讀、收藏郵票、收藏布娃娃、收藏鈕扣、收藏貝
殼等，而整日伏案工作的人如教師或醫(yī)生，就應該有打網(wǎng)球、打高爾夫
球、游泳或者滑冰這類活動型的業(yè)余愛好。
3 )A child with a problem will probably go to his friends for sympathy.
一個碰到問題的孩子有可能到朋友那里尋求同情。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
A child with a problem, then he feels what he will probably get from
his parents is incomprehension or criticism, will go instead to his friends for
sympathy and advice, leaving the parents totally unaware of the problem he
has.
一個碰到問題的孩子，當他覺得他從他的父母那里得到的有可能
是不理解或者批評的時候，就會去找他的朋友們尋求同情和建議，而其
父母對其問題卻全然不知。
4) We can be informed of a lot by reading books.
通過閱讀書籍我們可以了解很多東西。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
By reading scientific books, we can be informed of many facts; by
reading geography, we know the earth' s surface, forms, physical features,
ect.; by reading history, we are told of the growth of the nations.
通過閱讀科技書籍，我們可以了解許多事實。通過閱讀地理，我們知道
了地球的表面、結構和地貌特征等。通過閱讀歷史，我們了解到世界的發(fā)展過程。
5) We'd better to keep company with the true friends.
我們和對我們有幫助的朋友交往。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣進行：
As friends are both helpful and disastrous, it is better to keep company
with the true friends who are helpful, encouraging and loyal, but to avoid
those who are mean, stingy and treacherous.
由于既有有助于我們的朋友，也有有害于我們的朋友，因此我們和
那些對我們有所幫助、有所鼓勵和忠實的真正朋友交往，而要避免和那
些庸的、吝嗇的、*詐的人交往。
句之說。短句給人以精煉強調之感，長句則給人以嚴謹深刻之感。一
般說來，長句有兩種情況，一種是由于結構復雜而形成的長句，多見于
書面語；還有一種是由簡單句擴展而成以使語句表達得更加生動和清
楚，主要出現(xiàn)在口語的表達中。
例如，有人曾請兩個人用英文表達同一內容：“今有一物，不知其
數(shù)，三三數(shù)之余二；五五數(shù)之余三；七七數(shù)之余二。問物幾何?”
第一個人的英文表達很書面化：
We have a number of things which, counted by threes, leave two; by
fives, leave three; and by sevens, leave two. Find the number.
第二個人的英文表達使用了比較長的語句：
We have things of which we do not know the number. If we count
them by threes, they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by fives,
they leave a remainder of two. If we count them by sevens, they leave a re-
mainder of two. How many things are there?
英文寫作不能一味地使用短句。段落中的短句過多，不僅使得段
落顯得單調，而且使得段落非常零散、內容淺薄。如果一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)段落中
盡是寫短句的話，這時就需要將某些簡短的語句擴展成比較長的句子。
語句的擴展主要是在語句的主干上增添修飾成分(如定語、狀語等)。
有些語句適宜用增添修飾成分的方法進行擴展，但增添修飾成分
不應有斧鑿之痕，應該使原句更加感覺有血有肉。
1 )You should stop smoking now.
你現(xiàn)在應該戒煙了。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣進行：
"You should give up smoking now, for the sake of your own health, for
the sake of the health of others, for the sake of your family, and for the
sake of the entire world. "
為了你自己的健康，為了他人的健康，為了你的家庭，也為了整個世界，你現(xiàn)在
應該戒煙了。
2) Doctors think that an active person should have a restful hobby,
while a person who sits at a desk should have a lively hobby.
醫(yī)生認為愛好活動的人應該有安靜型的業(yè)余愛好，而伏案工作的
人應該有著活動型的業(yè)余愛好。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
Doctors think that an active person, such as a baseball player or a
swimmer, should have a restful hobby such as reading, collections of
stamps, dolls, buttons or shells, etc. , while a person who sits at a desk all
day, such as a teacher or a doctor should have a lively hobby such as ten-
nis, golf, swimming or skating.
醫(yī)生認為，像棒球選手或游泳運動員這類愛好活動的人應該有安
靜型的業(yè)余愛好，比如閱讀、收藏郵票、收藏布娃娃、收藏鈕扣、收藏貝
殼等，而整日伏案工作的人如教師或醫(yī)生，就應該有打網(wǎng)球、打高爾夫
球、游泳或者滑冰這類活動型的業(yè)余愛好。
3 )A child with a problem will probably go to his friends for sympathy.
一個碰到問題的孩子有可能到朋友那里尋求同情。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
A child with a problem, then he feels what he will probably get from
his parents is incomprehension or criticism, will go instead to his friends for
sympathy and advice, leaving the parents totally unaware of the problem he
has.
一個碰到問題的孩子，當他覺得他從他的父母那里得到的有可能
是不理解或者批評的時候，就會去找他的朋友們尋求同情和建議，而其
父母對其問題卻全然不知。
4) We can be informed of a lot by reading books.
通過閱讀書籍我們可以了解很多東西。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣來進行：
By reading scientific books, we can be informed of many facts; by
reading geography, we know the earth' s surface, forms, physical features,
ect.; by reading history, we are told of the growth of the nations.
通過閱讀科技書籍，我們可以了解許多事實。通過閱讀地理，我們知道
了地球的表面、結構和地貌特征等。通過閱讀歷史，我們了解到世界的發(fā)展過程。
5) We'd better to keep company with the true friends.
我們和對我們有幫助的朋友交往。
如要擴展此句，可以這樣進行：
As friends are both helpful and disastrous, it is better to keep company
with the true friends who are helpful, encouraging and loyal, but to avoid
those who are mean, stingy and treacherous.
由于既有有助于我們的朋友，也有有害于我們的朋友，因此我們和
那些對我們有所幫助、有所鼓勵和忠實的真正朋友交往，而要避免和那
些庸的、吝嗇的、*詐的人交往。