进一步的示例

Further examples

If you are beginning to think that it might be difficult to write a good introduction, you’re right. More botches are made of introductions than of any other part of a person’s writing. However, by reading enough examples you should get a sense of when an introduction sounds ‘right,’ and keep working at yours until they do.

翻译：

如果你开始认为写好引言可能很困难，那么你是对的。引言部分比写作的任何其他部分更容易出错。然而，通过阅读足够多的示例，你应该能够感觉到什么时候引言听起来是“合适的”，并继续调整自己的引言，直到达成这种效果。

信件示例

LETTER

In his article ‘Japanese Businessmen: The Yen Is Mightier Than the Sword,’ James Sterba credits the Sony Corporation with leading the way in commercial exploitation of the transistor while the inventor, Bell Telephone Laboratories, ‘didn’t know what to do with it except sell it to the Pentagon.’

The statement is neither descriptive truth nor objective metaphor. Bell Laboratories knew what to do with the transistor before the device was invented.

翻译：

在他关于《日本商人：日元比剑更强大》的文章中，詹姆斯·斯特尔巴称赞索尼公司引领了商业开发晶体管的潮流，而发明者贝尔电话实验室“除了将它卖给五角大楼外，不知道该如何使用”。

该陈述既非描述性事实，也非客观隐喻。贝尔实验室在设备发明之前就知道如何处理晶体管。

新闻文章示例

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

The Nixon Administration has launched a phony attack on the television networks, and the networks have responded with a bogus defense. Uninstructed people, as a result, have the impression that freedom and liberty are under serious fire in this country.

In fact the issue is what kind of society we want to shape through television. It is a question of whether we want a self-indulgent society with anarchic tendencies, or a society of tighter common bonds including a touch of elitist culture.

翻译：

尼克松政府发动了一场针对电视网络的虚假攻击，而这些网络则以虚假的辩护回应。结果，缺乏指导的人产生了这样一种印象：自由和权利在这个国家正受到严重攻击。

实际上，问题在于我们希望通过电视来塑造什么样的社会。这是一个问题：我们是想要一个带有无政府主义倾向的自我放纵的社会，还是一个包括精英文化元素的更加紧密的社会纽带？

报告示例

REPORT

Adequate supplies of cheap phosphorus are the key to maximizing Greenwalt’s profits, since phosphorus and its derivatives account for 75 percent of the company’s sales and profits. However, a stable source of cheap phosphorus will not be available until 1996, when the Newfoundland plant comes on-stream. In the interim the high cost of United Kingdom production will adversely affect the company’s profit levels.

Given that few major opportunities are likely from non-phosphorus-based business, it is necessary to review our phosphorus position, to ascertain whether anything further can be done to reduce substantially the cost of this material until the end of 1992. Examination indicates that a considerable profit opportunity is available to us. Achieving these savings is the subject of this report.

翻译：

充足的廉价磷酸盐供应是最大化格林沃尔特公司利润的关键，因为磷酸盐及其衍生品占该公司销售和利润的75%。然而，直到1996年，新建的纽芬兰工厂才会投入使用，因此在此期间英国生产的高成本将不利于公司利润水平。

考虑到从非磷酸盐业务中获得的机会不多，有必要对我们的磷酸盐生产进行审查，以确定是否有进一步减少这种材料成本的可能性。研究表明，我们可以获得相当大的利润机会。实现这些节省是本报告的主题。

散文示例

ESSAY

The world has been slow to realize that we are living this year (1930) in the shadow of one of the greatest economic catastrophes of modern history. But now that the man in the street has become aware of what is happening, he, not knowing the why and the wherefore, is as full today of what may prove excessive fears as, previously, when the trouble was first coming on, he was lacking in what would have been a reasonable anxiety.

He begins to doubt the future. Is he now awakening from a pleasant dream to face the darkness of facts? Or dropping off into a nightmare which will pass away? He need not be doubtful. The other was not a dream; this is a nightmare, which will pass away with the morning.

翻译：

公众花了很长时间才意识到我们正在经历现代历史上最严重的经济灾难之一的阴影下生活。然而，如今街头的普通人已经知道了正在发生的事情，但他不知道其中的原因，也不清楚未来将会发生什么变化。我们比以往任何时候都更加意识到，可能会产生多余的恐惧，因为当最初的危机来临时，我们缺乏足够的警觉。

他开始对未来产生怀疑。他是从美梦中醒来面对事实的黑暗，还是从噩梦中坠入会消散的黑暗？他不必怀疑。这不是一场梦，而是一场将在早晨结束的噩梦。

书籍示例

BOOK

In the second century of the Christian Era, the empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valour.

The gentle, but powerful, influence of laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces.

Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantage of wealth and luxury. The image of free constitution was preserved with decent reverence. The Roman Senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of government.

翻译：

在公元二世纪，罗马帝国领土最美丽的部分和最文明的人类组成了帝国的疆域。这个辽阔的帝国边境受到了古老威望和纪律严明的英勇保卫。

温柔而强大的法律和礼节逐渐将省份联合起来。

他们的和平居民享受并滥用财富和奢侈的优势。自由宪政的形象被庄重地保留。罗马元老院似乎拥有最高权力，并将所有行政权力交给了皇帝。

总结性评论

These examples demonstrate that the length of an introduction is not necessarily related to the length of the writing to follow. Rather, it is related to the needs of the reader. What does he have to be told not only to comprehend fully the significance of your main point, but also to want to read on to learn how you arrived at it?

翻译：

这些示例表明，引言的长度不一定与后续写作的长度相关，而是与读者的需求相关。