A book review tells not only what a book is about,but also how successful it is at what it is trying to do.Professors often assign book reviews as practice in careful analytical(分析的) reading.
As a reviewer,you bring together the two strands of accurate,analytical reading and strong,personal response when you indicate(指出) what the book is about and what it might mean to a reader(by explaining what it meant to you).In other words,reviewers answer not only the WHAT but the SO WHAT question about a book.Thus,in writing a review,you combine the skills of describing what is on the page,analyzing how the book tried to achieve its purpose,and expressing your own reactions.
Most book reviews start with a heading that includes all the basic information about the book,like:
Title.
Author.
Place of publication,publisher,date of publication.
Number of pages.
Like most pieces of writing,the review usually begins with an introduction that lets your readers know what the review will say.The first paragraph usually includes the author and title again,so your readers don’t have to look up to find this information.You should also include a very brief description of the contents of the book,the purpose or audience for the book,and your reaction and evaluation.
Then you move into a section of background information that helps place the book in context and discusses how to judge the book.Next,you should give a summary of the main points,quoting(引用) and explaining key phrases from the author.Finally,you get to the heart of your review—your evaluation of the book.In this section,you might discuss some of the following issues:
?How well the book has achieved its goal.
?What possibilities are suggested by the book.
?What the book has left out.
?How the book compares with others on the subject.
?What specific points are not convincing.
?What personal experiences you’ve had related to the subject.
It is important to use labels to carefully distinguish your views from the author’s,so that you don’t confuse your readers.
Then,like other essays,you can end with a direct comment on the book,and tie together issues raised in the review in a conclusion.
There is,of course,no set form,but a general rule is that the first onehalf to twothirds of the review should summarize the author’s main ideas and at least onethird should evaluate the book.
小題1:According to the text,personal response of a book reviewer refers to “________”.
A.accurate and analytical reading |
B.the reviewer’s indication of what the book is |
C.the reviewer’s indication of what the book meant to a reader |
D.skills of describing what is on the page |
小題2:What is the most important part of a book review?
A.The heading. | B.The evaluation. |
C.The conclusion. | D.The introduction. |
小題3:Readers will get puzzled if ________.
A.there is no heading in a book review |
B.the book review is not complex enough |
C.the reviewer’s point of view is mixed with the author’s |
D.there are some different issues listed in the book review |
小題4:What does the text mainly tell us?
A.Steps to read a book. |
B.Tips for writing a book review. |
C.The way to develop your idea. |
D.Things not to be avoided in a book review. |