大学英语六级考试中的“作文”是考生“砸不开的核桃”，常常提起笔来不知从何下手。良好的开端是成功的一半。一个好的开篇不但能引人入胜，激起读者的阅读兴趣，而且还会给阅卷老师留下美好的第一印象。开篇是写好整篇作文的关键一环。下面就介绍几种常见的开篇方法：

　　1. 开门见山法

　　文章一开头就点明主题，把中心思想一目了然地呈现给读者。这是六级作文最常用的一种开篇方法。

　　1) Whether you are a smoker or a nonsmoker, you should take measures to protect your lungs.

　　2) Happiness is easy to find and easy to lose. It depends on the way you look at life.

　　3) Communication with other people by telephone is very convenient, especially when you have something urgent.

　　4) It's high time that college students got to know the world outside the campus.

　　5) The dictionary is a living teacher. Whenever you come across a new word, just consult it and you will get a clear definition.

　　2. 交代背景法

　　开篇就把事件发生的时间、地点、人物及情景等交代的清清楚楚。这种方法多用于叙述文和描写文。

　　1) It was cold and bleak in the late winter. The night was dark; not a star was to be seen in the gloomy and dismal sky. The north wind was howling dreadfully outside the house, like the screams of some wounded wild beasts.

　　2) Today is my birthday. It is the first time that I spent my birthday in the United States. Being alone and far away from home, I intended to spend the day quietly all myself.

　　3) I have always been fond of writing. Ever since I was a little child, I like to scribble some meaningless words. Later, when I was a little older, I pored over the famous stories, and...

　　4) Not very far from my house lies seashore in the south. We can go there on foot in about ten minutes. In summer evening when sun is setting, ...

　　例1) 开头通过描写景色展现给读者一幅凄凉的画面：严冬时节，北风呼啸，天上看不见星星。这样的描写让读者有一种如闻其声，如临其境的感受，有助于制造气氛，让人感到悲哀沮丧。例2) 开头就交代了我是在异乡过生日，以及我打算怎样过这个生日，这就给人了一个悬念，我的这个生日是否按我原来的想法过？例3)开篇是以讲故事的方式向读者交代了作者小时候喜欢写作，接下来袒露了自己初次投稿时忐忑不安的心情。例4)在文章开头交代了我家往南不远就是海滩，为后文展开描写海滨散步创造了条件。

　　3. 提出问题法

　　用提出问题的方法引出文章的主题，以激起读者的阅读兴趣。其后可以针对这个问题进行解答，这样也就展开了段落。这种方法可用于各种文体。

　　1) What is success? Different people may give different answers to this question. Some people think that...

　　2) What makes life worth living? There are many possible answers to this question, such as...

　　3) Have you ever said “No” to anyone who asks you for help? Once a close friend of mine asked me to take an English exam for him, ....

　　4) Can wealth bring happiness? Different people have different opinions about this. Some people take it for granted that wealth is source of happiness. Some people...

　　5) Wealth or health, which is more important? Some young people think that they are young and in good health, and that the most important thing for them is to make more money...

　　4. 警句名言法

　　所谓“警句名言”指人们耳熟能详的谚语、习语、俗语、警句、名人名言或伟人的论述等，它们常常具有权威性或其道理已为大家公认。由此开篇可以增强文章的说服力。但要注意你所引述的警句名言一定要“名”，家喻户晓，人所共知，不可引述生僻的名言。另外，一般是用直接引语来引述，所以务必准确无误。

　　1) A proverb says, “Time is money.” But in my opinion, time is even more precious than money. Because...

　　2) As an old saying goes, “Art is long, but life is short.” We have only limited time to obtain unlimited knowledge.

　　3) “Practice makes perfect.” This self-evident proverb means doing something repeatedly is the only way to become very good at it.

　　4) As an ancient Chinese proverb goes, “The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring; the whole day's work depends on a good start in the morning.” That is quite true.

　　5) “Knowledge is power.” Such is the remark made by Francisco Bacon. This remark has been shared by more and more people.

　　5. 数据统计法

　　此方法就是引用一些具体的，已经证实的统计数字来引出文章的主题。然后以这些数据作为证据，来论述、解释、说明你要表达的思想，这样开头可信度高，说服力强。使用此法时，要注意所引述的数据或数字一定要准确，有来源，切不可为了说明某一问题而杜撰数据。此法主要用于说明文和议论文中，图表作文中用的最多。

　　1) Unemployment rose from 7.5% in June 2002 to 7.8% in July 2002, the highest rate since January of that year, the Labor Department reported.

　　2) According to a recent poll, 61 percent of American high school students have admitted to cheating on exam at least once.

　　3) There are 7 billion people in the world (2000 figure), and the smokers are about 1.4 billion, which make up 20 percent of the world's total population.

　　例1)是一篇关于失业问题的短文。文章的一开头就引用了来自劳动部的报告：失业率从2002年6月的7.5%上升到7月的7.8%，达到本年自元月份起的最高点。这一具体的数字有力论证了中心思想——失业问题的严重性。例2)和例3)同样是在文章的开头使用具体的统计数字，分别说明美国中学生作弊的普遍性和世界吸烟人数之多。

　　6. 比较对比法

　　在作文的开头把人们熟悉的人物或事物与其他的人物或事物放在一起分析它们的相似之处或不同之处。通过比较对比，强调某一人物或事物，使读者对其有更为深刻的认识和理解。

　　1) All people will agree that without water no living things can survive. But not all people have realized that fresh water can be used up. Some say: “There is inexhaustible fresh water in river, wells, lakes and so on.”

　　2) The relationship between a teacher and a student can be good or bad, helpful or harmful. Either way, the relationship can affect the student for the rest of his life. A good teach-student relationship will make learning enjoyable and interesting, whereas a bad relationship can discourage the student from learning and make teaching an unpleasant task.

　　3) Are you aware of the striking similarities between two of the most popular U.S. presidents, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy? Lincoln and Kennedy are both remembered for their sense of humor, as well as for their interest in civil rights.

　　4) When listening to a conversation between an American and an Englishman, you will become aware of the most significant differences between the two varieties of the English language.

　　例1) 开头说明了水的重要性，然后用对比的方法，指出并不是所有的人都意识到淡水有用尽的时候，为后文驳斥淡水是取之不尽的观点，做好了铺垫。例2) 用对比的方法开头，通过两种不同的师生关系对教与学产生的截然相反的影响，说明建立良好的师生关系的重要性。例3) 是比较林肯和肯尼迪这两个人物的相同或相似点。例4)是比较英国英语与美国英语的差异。

　　7. 进行定义法

　　就是对文章要阐述的主题先下个定义，或者对文章题目中所用词汇、所持观点或所提事物进行定义，然后通过举例、逻辑推理等方法加以详细说明或论述。这种方法的作用就是解释概念，限定范围，然后引入正文。应该说明的是，文章所下的定义总的来说应该简练，而且也有别于哲学意义上的定义。此法常用于说明文和议论文。

　　1) Psychology is the study of the mind and mental activities. For example, psychologists are interested in why some things make you sad, but others make you happy. They want to know why some people are shy, but others are quite talkative.

　　2) Self-confidence means trust in one's own ability. As a very important psychological quality, it brings your creative power, arouses your enthusiasm and helps you overcome difficulties.

　　3) Democracy is a form of government in which the ultimate authority is vested in and exercised by the people.

　　4) Patriotism means the love of one's country. It makes one ready to sacrifice one's life for his country and to do many other things.

　　例1)文章开头先给心理学下定义。接着通过举例的方法进一步解释这一定义，让读者对心理学的含义有了准确的理解。其他三例是分别对自信、民主和爱国主义进行简单的定义，然后再展开说明或论述。

　　通过以上这几种开篇方法的介绍，希望对于广大学生的应考会大有裨益。

　　(文/李树德；英语通大学英语六级考试版2004年第12期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)