Writing-explanations英语说明文 修订版本.docxVIP

Lesson 12 Writing explanations (causes and effects) Part I What are explanations? 1. Explanations are about causes and effects of a phenomenon。 2. Explanations are of four general types: they may consist of a simple sequence of causes and effects ； a sequential explanation ； they may involve multiple causes ， a factorial explanation ， or multiple effects ， a consequential explanation ； or the effects may vary depending on variable conditions ， a conditional explanation. 3. In an explanation ， logical relations between events are often shown by transition words and phrases, such as ‘because, so, therefore’, ‘if…then’ ， or ‘however ， but ， nevertheless’, and so on. 4. In written explanations, causal (有因果关系的) relations need not be made explicit ( 明 确的，清楚的) 。 That is, the causality may not be explicitly realised as causal conjunctions like ‘because, so ， therefore’, but can be implicit (不言明的，含蓄的) in the explanation genre. The genre is typically announced in the phenomenon stage ， so the reader can infer ( 推 断，推定) causal relations where they are not stated. Part II Four types of explanation 1. Factorial explanations ? ? Factorial explanations discuss the factors for a phenomenon to exist. Stages： phenomenon + factor 1 + factor 2 + factor 3 + … Sample 1 ： Causes of environmental pollution Several factors can account for environmental pollution 。 The first and foremost factor leading to pollution is industrial production 。 This includes excavating fossils and raw materials from the depths of the planet ， as well as their further refinement ， and emissions from factories and energy plants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons ， and organic compounds. Farming and timber production are the second major reason why pollution keeps spreading around the planet 。 The modern agricultural sector consumes vast amounts of resources, at the same time producing tons of waste. For example, in