寫段落的方法 (三)
(6) 因果關(guān)系法（Cause and Effect）：
?這方法是以因與果構(gòu)成一段落，顧名思義，文句必須分析事件或陳述句的因果關(guān)系，而邏輯性的理據(jù)占最重要，但要說清楚卻不容易，原因是一個"因"可以引來很多后果，而一個"果"也可能來自很多原因，所以在撰寫時，必先考慮那些因或果最有說明力。
I) 由因到果（From Causes to Effect）：
Example 1:
A lack of exercise is one of the major factors contributing to obesity（過度肥胖）. When we eat, we consume energy(measured as calories). When we exercise, we expend energy or burn up calories. For example, when we run for an hour, we burn up approximately 450 calories, depending on our body size. When the number of calories we consume exceeds the number we burn up, the excess energy is stored in the body in the form of fat. If a person is inactive, it is more likely that he will not burn up all the calories consumed, so obesity can result.
本段思路清晰，說明引致過度肥胖的其中一個原因是缺少運(yùn)動，并以跑步為例，指出運(yùn)動可以燃燒熱量（卡路里），若果一個人缺少運(yùn)動，便無法把進(jìn)食所吸收的熱量去除。當(dāng)然，如果這是一篇文章，作者還可寫出其它引致肥胖的原因，如：過度進(jìn)食（Overeating），遺傳影響（Hereditary influences），以及新陳代謝緩慢（Slow metabolic rate）等。
Example 2:
Cigarette smoke contains nicotine（尼古?。? several cancer producing or irritating substances, and carbon monoxide gas（一氧化碳?xì)猓? Damage to the lining of the bronchial tubes（支氣管） is much more common among cigarette smokers than non-smokers, even when there is no obvious disease. Some of these changes are considered to be pre-cancerous. Lung function is generally reduced among cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoking is a greater danger than other factors － such as community air pollution － in the causation of lung cancer and chronic bronchitis（慢性支氣管炎）
本段說明吸煙帶來許多后果，同上一段近似，用吸煙與不吸煙者作出比較，更加強(qiáng)主題的說服力。
II) 由果及因（From Effect back to?Cause）：
We all know the story "Dong Shi blindly imitated Xi Shi"(東施效顰). Dong Shi, an ugly woman, heard that Xi Shi was as beautiful as a fairy. One day she went to see for herself. however, Xi Shi happened to be sick that day with stomachache. She knitted her eyebrows and wore a painful expression, yet she was still surprisingly beautiful. Dong Shi mistakenly thought that her beauty derived form the painful expression on her face. Therefore Dong Shi knitted her eyebrows in imitation of Xi Shi. Of course, she looked even uglier. The story shows us that in the pursuit of beauty we must bear in mind that truth, only truth, is beautiful. Anything artificial or false is ugly.
本段從表面看，是由故事的鋪寫到寓意，而實質(zhì)上，寓意是因，而故事則是果。
寫作技巧：
在撰寫因果關(guān)系的段落或文章時，可從以下幾種方向思考：
1) Multiple Causes?→Effect?
???就以上述過度肥胖癥為例：
形成過度肥胖癥的原因有很多種，有些人因為缺少運(yùn)動，有些人因為遺傳，有些更可能是社會或環(huán)境因素，所以，當(dāng)你要寫此題目時，必須對每種成因作出解釋，才能有說服力，你可以用facts, examples, data, case study等來支持自己的論點。
Example:?Outline for an essay:
?2)?Cause →Multiple Effects
某些題目是說明陳述句的影響，即一個"因"可引致很多"果"，我們要從多角度去看題目，才能全面兼顧，而且要清楚說明因果兩者的關(guān)系，例如：
3) The Causal Chain 連鎖因果關(guān)系
連鎖關(guān)系意指一個果引來一個因及另一個果，如是者，因果相連。
例如：一個超重的吸煙者有呼吸問題，如何改善此情況呢？
Exercise:
Below is a set of effects that are given in no particular order. Decide which of the effects are immediate and which are remote. Then organize them into an outline for an essay. Choose one of effects to develop a paragraph.
The Effects of Watching Television:
1. People get fat.
2. There are more divorces.
3. More people get eyestrain.
4. There is more violent crime in our cities.
5. People are lonely.
6. People are more afraid of each other.
7. People do not like reading anymore.
