It was a rough week. The price of oil skyrocketed as the temperature dropped sharply in Maine. We were looking at a high of eight degrees that week, and I had missed three days of work so my paycheck was going to be lower than normal. I was stressed, to say the least. I shopped strategically, looking for every possible way to cut pennies so I could buy groceries and keep the house warm.
My eight-year-old son didn't understand when I told him we were struggling that week. He wanted a special kind of yoghurt, but I didn't have the extra three dollars to buy it for him. It was the kind of yoghurt with a cartoon kid riding a skateboard on the front of the box, and a mere two spoonfuls in each cup. It was the kind of product that wastes a parent's money and makes me hate advertising.
I felt guilty as a parent when those big eyes looked at me with confusion, as if to say, “It's just yoghurt. What's the big deal?” So I found a way. I put something back as single mothers often do. He got his yoghurt.
On the way driving back from the grocery store, I noticed a homeless man holding a sign by the side of the road. My heart hurt, and I tried not to look at him. I watched people stay away from him on the street and walk by without even meeting his eyes. My son didn't seem to care much, either. I looked at the man closely then-bare hands grasping a piece of cardboard, snot（鼻涕）frozen to his face, a worn-out jacket. And there I was struggling because I had to buy oil and groceries.
But I decided to help. I pulled over to the man and handed him a five-dollar bill. Paragraph 1：Seeing this, my son became confused and surprised. Paragraph 2: On that day, my son performed an act that most adults wouldn't have done.
读后续写最关键的是：读懂文章，内容融洽、逻辑和完整。最后才是语言。我认为读懂梗概对于绝大部分的学生不是问题，但读后续写不能止步于此，还要学会分析，我总结为四步： Step I: Elements (元素)
圈出文章中的——Intention（人物的意图）、Emotion（人物的情感）、Opinion（散布在文章中的观点或评价）、Items（散布在文章中各种物件，即：人物、时间、地点、天气、概念、物体、性格、外表特征等，既有看得见的具象，也有看不见的抽象）
Intention Items
Theme
Opinion
Emotion
不是每篇文章都有这些，但总会有两个，其中emotion一定有的。 读者可能要问为什么要这样分析？非要这样吗？ 其实我们平常看文章确实没有这样的意识，看完就完事，但是我们面临一个续写就不得不这样做了。很多人没有意识到一个道理：基于给定的词语的联想会比不给定的要容易的多（近似于目前浙江的方式就比较容易，但我更认可给10个词只是作为参考，用不用随你）。道理很简单，给定的词语就是给你思考指明了方向和提供了线索，你可以顺藤摸瓜。而什么提示都没有给你的话，你大脑里一片空白，不知道从何着手，一不小心就会大面积偏题。
譬如Intention，如果文章中你看到了作者从小有个愿望，那么你就有个线索，在最后实现了这个愿望。
譬如Opinion，作者如果透漏了对某人有什么消极看法，那么你最后完全就可以写这个消极
看法没有了。
线索越多，你写得越有信心，而且写的越快，大概率都不会偏题，无非就是前面线索在后面复现或重组或改变。
我不得不说我们学生特别聪明，都非常清楚线索要这样复现，但往往过犹不及，他们恨不得把所有的线索都要照应，其结果就是给人拼凑的感觉。线索照应三个或两个主要的就可以了，没有必要面面俱到，太完美的照应就是有缺陷的照应。 Step II: Theme(主题)
上面的元素把握住了，接下来就是：文章属于Change，Conflict / Problem类，change肯定都是人物从消极到积极。然后探索主题，落实最后一句的大概。 Change类的主题分为两类：
1.突出人物的改变，譬如本文我的儿子知道pass on the kindness了；
2.突出改变的原因，多出现在人物在某人的帮助下实现了改变，那么这里面到底是凸显某人的帮助还是主人公的改变，这个就要好好斟酌了，很多时候我们都是把二者打包处理，譬如有很多续写就是：在父母的陪伴和鼓励下，我终于克服了恐惧。 Conflict / Problem类的主题也分为两类：
1.纯粹求得一个故事的结局。我们很多学生包括老师都陷入一个固定思维，非要在结尾来个主题升华。但实际上，故事更多的是求完整，譬如夫妻俩吵架，妻子迷路，最后续写就是夫妻团圆。这个里面能有什么主题呢？如果非要凑，那就是妻子认识到学会和睦相处，学会妥协等多重要。这也没问题，但给人画蛇添足地画面风，甚至觉得这是一种病态。我多么希望我们的作文批改不要让学生为了迎合去拼凑或故作姿态。
2.通过解决矛盾来凸显人物的性格或感悟。譬如高考题我们和好忘的祖母去旅游，一路上祖母忘记不少东西。这样的作文显然把祖母的性格放在首位。说到底，祖母的性格也是线索了。
这样的分类也有问题的，因为不少续写是在解决Conflict / Problem里实现人物的Change，混合式的此类我认为还是把Change放在第一条。
就本文而言，一开始就说my son didn’t understand me，儿子就知道要好吃的，不明白家里窘境，这是人物的消极开头，那么最后必须是儿子彻底改变了，慷慨，善良。
Step III: Plot (情节)
情节内容永远大于语言。内容如果做到：完整、逻辑（衔接和连贯）、融洽，哪怕语言简单一些，也没有理由低分。这也是八省联考中阅卷的要求，这就是为什么很多学生发现八省联考作文批改分数可能就是自己模考以来的最高分。因为模考中批改，所有老师都没有经过在统一的批改要求下培训，结果批改标准杂乱无章，各自为政。大部分老师总觉得语言要漂亮，内容第二位，而实际上语言是为内容服务的。现代英语的最高标准就是：用简洁易懂的语言来表达出自己的写作目的。但受到中国传统的华丽的骈体文风格影响，很多国人总是走偏了写作道路。我经常看学生的语文作文，看得云里雾里，初看起来各种排比，各种比喻和拟人，特别牛逼的样子，但英语的习惯是：主题在哪里？有效的支撑句在哪里？直接告诉我，千万不要兜圈子，因为读者的时间宝贵。 怎样才能达到内容的三条标准呢？
答案是：根据提示句的关键词进行关联。首段首末句和第二段首句这样可以出来了，每个句子就是一个场景。然后尽量在两个场景之间加一个过渡场景即可。
这个过渡场景是最核心的，因为它就是问题解决的途径。这种途径有三种：（这句话不能超过一行） 1.听到什么 2.看到什么 3.想到什么
读后续写的每段也就是75个词上下，客观上限制了你搞什么曲折（但也会有学生灵感来了，文章中起伏设计得恰到好处，这种属于高手所为，请对自己的英语水平有客观的认识）。 我以本文为例：
Paragraph 1：Seeing this, my son became confused and surprised.
关键词是：my son, confused, surprised
场景1：我儿子问我为什么这样做？（因为confuse，必然会去ask）
（但也有第二种：我看到儿子的困惑，就直接和他说，尤其是提示句经常有对方已经说了什么）
Paragraph 2: On that day, my son performed an act that most adults wouldn't have done. 推测第一段末句是：
场景2：我的儿子准备做什么（因为关键词performed an act）
推测第二段首句：
场景3：我的儿子做了什么？
联系文章标题Yoghurt，结合文章最终是儿子从自私到善良慷慨，我们不难推测，儿子要把Yoghurt给这个男的。
你看三个场景就有了，下面只需要在第一段中间添加一个过渡场景即可。
在场景一里，儿子问了我为什么把钱给这个流浪汉，接下来就是过渡场景：我到底说什么，才会有第三个场景儿子准备出去做一些事。 你看这里就是：我说了什么?
此时能借助文章中线索最好了，文章介绍这个男的bare hands，snot（鼻涕）frozen to his face, a worn-out jacket，这样就可以联系了：我说这个人hungry, cold，买一个yoghurt就可以解决，我们要不要去做呢？ 这样我们就有了如下： 场景1 我儿子问我为什么这样做？ 过渡场景 我说这个人hungry, cold，买一个yoghurt就可以解决，我们要不要去做呢？ 场景2 我的儿子准备做什么 场景3 我的儿子做了什么？（要把Yoghurt给这个男的） 场景4 这个流浪汉的emotion和action 结尾 点题，照应前文线索 事实上就这么简单，这还算好一些，还有很多更简单，譬如八省联考作文，第一段写小女孩给我拿吃的，第二段写我打开食物袋发现什么，最后点题我的感动。 Step IV. Language(语言)
一旦前面工作做好了，剩下的就是ARE：Action – Response – Emotion。
即：人物之间的互动，分为：语言互动、动作互动、情感互动。尤其是情感要体现变化，即：从消极到积极。情感不要大起大落，体现渐进。文章中我很郁闷的话，那么下面应该是看到或听到什么后，开始cheer up了。但是经常也有文章中一直说我很开心，下面就不要写愤怒，要顺着开心写下去。 具体写作我总结出极简六点：
看一看、想一想、笑一笑、说一说、动一动、情感
而看，往往都是：see +情感名词+in one’s eyes / on one’s face, look at sb in / with + 情感，cast(过去式cast)/shoot(过去式shot) a +情感形容词+eye at sb. 说，也是同样得，said with+情感名词
至于情感有直接告知（介词短语），或者简洁告知（通过head, heart, face来体现，必须是极简模式，譬如he lowered his head in shame，这就够了） 但我最喜欢得还是通过介词短语来造句，我觉得这种最简洁，也不会给人千篇一律的套路句感觉。
我写了很多篇，每次写的时候，我都默默心理说：嗯，这句就是说一说，说的同时笑一笑或者看一看。基本上就是各种组合。
但是一篇好的作文如何做到流畅，给人一气呵成的感觉呢？ 答案是：通过时间过渡来转场。 我发现没有比这更好的了方式了。
说了这么多，且看我的行文：
Paragraph 1：Seeing this, my son became confused and surprised.
1.儿子看一看，说一说：He frowned and said disapprovingly/complainingly, “Don’t you know
five dollars is worth another yoghurt?” (Shooting me a disapproving look, My son groaned, “…”) （看的方式和说的方式可以说贯穿于所有的记叙文里，所以无论如何也要牢固把握） 2.我看一看，说一说：Noticing the unhappiness on his face / Seeing the unhappiness in his eyes, I smiled and asked him what he would do if the money spent on a yoghurt could protect one from hunger and cold otherwise.
3.儿子想一想：At this, he lowered his head, lost in thought.
4.儿子笑一笑：After a moment of silence, a slight smile played across his face. 5.儿子说一说：Just before I got the car started, he pushed the door open, “Mum, wait a minute!” Paragraph 2: On that day, my son performed an act that most adults wouldn't have done. 1.儿子动一动：The next minute witnessed him getting off the car, running over to the man and handing him his favorite yoghurt.
2.我的感情：I watched the scene in amazed disbelief.
3.男士动一动：The man hesitated for a while before he took it, tears of gratitude shining in his eyes.
4.点题：Just at that moment, cold as it was, I felt a stream of warmth running through my body. My son knew how to pass on kindness! My son knew that a small kindness could make a big difference!
完整的：
Seeing this, my son became confused and surprised. He frowned and said disapprovingly, “Don’t you know five dollars is worth another yoghurt?” Noticing the unhappiness on his face, I smiled and asked him what he would do if the money spent on a yoghurt could protect one from hunger and cold otherwise. At this, he lowered his head, lost in thought. After a moment of silence, a slight smile played across his face. Just before I got the car started, he pushed the door open, “Mum, wait a minute!”（83）
On that day, my son performed an act that most adults wouldn't have done. The next minute witnessed him getting off the car, running over to the man and handing him his favorite yoghurt. I watched the scene in amazed disbelief. The man hesitated for a while before he took it, tears of gratitude shining in his eyes. Just at that moment, cold as it was, I felt a stream of warmth running through my body. My son knew how to pass on kindness! My son knew that a small kindness could make a big difference! （82）
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