论文写作指导：今昔对比类英语写作指导

 今昔对比类作文往往会用表格或图画的形式来表述，因此高考中此类写作常用"少量文字+表格或图画"的形式来命题。
　　写作时，第一句开门见山地交待什么事情在什么时候发生了什么样的变化，接着以具体的事例进行对比，最后阐述结论或提出个人观点或对解决该问题提出建议。
　　今昔对比类作文尤应注意时态的正确使用。一般说来，描述过去的情况应用一般过去式或过去范畴的时态；而描述现在的情况则应用一般现在时或现在进行时等现在范畴的时态。
　　一、常用套语
　　1. 总述何时何地发生了变化。
　　开门见山指出某个地方、某个方面，或某种情况在某个时候发生了变化。多以changes作主语，谓语用take place的现在完成时态。
　　Great changes have taken place in my hometown in the last five year. 近五年来，我的家乡发生了巨变。
　　Quite a few changes have taken place in my school since you left China. 在你离开中国后，我校有了不少的改变。
　　Over the past twenty years or so, great changes have taken place in our life. 在过去的约20年里，我们的生活发生了巨变。
　　Things have begun to improve since schools were called on to reduce learning load. 自从号召学校减负以来，情况有了好转。
　　2. 通过今昔对比描述具体变化。
　　以具体的事例阐述今昔变化。表示对比的常用套语有：
　　(1)...used to..., but now.........曾经......，但现在......
　　(2)...in the past, but now...过去......，但现在......
　　(3)Once..., but now...曾经......，但现在......
　　(4)Things are different now. 现在情况不同了。
　　(5)But now, everything has changed. 但现在，一切都改变了。
　　请看高考范文中出现的句子：
　　(1)Where the playground used to be now stands another new building-our library. 以前的操场现在是另一栋新建筑，我们的图书馆。(顺便说说，这是个倒装句。Where...to be是地点状语从句)
　　(2)I used to have to work even at weekends doing endless homework and attending classes as well but now I have more free time. 我以前周末也要上课并完成不计其数的作业，但现在我有更多的自由支配的时间。
　　(3)My parents contacted others mainly by sending them letters in the past, but now we make long distance calls at home. 过去我的父母主要通过写信与他人保持联系，但现在我们在家就可以打长途电话。
　　(4)Once my parents listened to the radio for news and other information, but now we watch the news and other programs on TV. 从前我的父母听收音机了解时事资讯，但现在我们看电视新闻和其他节目。
　　(5)When they got married about twenty years ago, my parents lived in a small room crowded with furniture, but now we have moved into a big new three-room apartment. 大约20年前我父母结婚时，他们居住在一间挤满家具的小房间里，但现在我们已搬进了一个新的三房的大公寓里。
　　有时在指出变化的同时，还需简单分析变化原因。如：
　　The reasons for these changes are that people's living standard has been improved greatly and they prefer a high-quality and colorful life. 这些改变的原因是人们的生活水平大幅提高，而且人们追求多彩的高质量的生活。
　　3. 结尾常用句型。
　　最后，总结变化结果，或对不利的变化结果提出解决建议。如：
　　(1)In short, changes in our life in the past twenty years have brought us comfort and convenience. 总之，过去20年里我们生活的变化给我们带来了便利和舒适。
　　(2)In a word, people now have an easier life today. 总之，人们今天的生活比以前便利了。
　　(3)I suggest the government take immediate measures to solve the problem of pollution and improve the environment. 我建议政府马上采取措施解决污染问题，改善环境。
　　语篇模板
　　描述今昔通讯方式的变化，以及这些变化给人们生活带来的影响。
　　[总述变化]Great changes have taken place in the way of communication in people's life in recent years. [今昔对比]In the past, people kept in touch with each other mainly by writing letters or using the public telephone, which was inconvenient and took much time. But now with the development of science and technology, mobile phones are widely used and people can get in touch with each other whenever and wherever. What's more，people have easy access to the Internet, which enables them to send and recEive e-mails whenever they like. [变化结果的影响]With these changes, people's pace of life has been quickened and people's work has been made more efficient.