📚 Quick Guide to Literary Terms for Year 7 SQA English Literature | 七年级SQA英语文学词汇术语速记指南
Studying English Literature at Year 7 level means learning to talk about books, poems, and plays with the right words. This guide will help you memorise key literary terms quickly and easily. Each term is explained with a clear definition, an everyday example, and a simple memory trick to make it stick. By mastering these terms, you will be able to discuss texts confidently and improve your written responses for SQA assessments.
七年级的英语文学课程要求你学会用正确的词汇去谈论书籍、诗歌和剧本。本指南将帮助你快速轻松地记忆关键文学术语。每个术语都配有清晰的定义、日常例子和简单的记忆小窍门，让你记得更牢。掌握了这些术语，你将能自信地讨论文本，并提高在 SQA 测评中的书面表达。
1. Simile | 明喻
A simile compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'. It helps the reader picture something more vividly. For example, 'The clouds were as fluffy as cotton wool' creates a clear image of soft, white clouds. When you read a simile, ask yourself what two things are being compared and what they have in common.
明喻用“像”或“如同”等词语来比较两种不同的事物，帮助读者更生动地想象。例如，“云朵像棉絮一样蓬松”就让人联想到柔软、洁白的云。读到明喻时，问一问自己：哪两种事物被比较了？它们有何共同点？
- Memory trick: Think of a simile as a 'similar'ity – both words begin with 's' and both involve comparison.
- 记忆窍门：把明喻想成“相似”的“似”——两个词都有相近的意思，都包含比较。
2. Metaphor | 隐喻
A metaphor directly calls one thing something else, showing they are alike in a powerful way. It does not use 'like' or 'as'. For instance, 'The classroom was a zoo' suggests that the room was noisy and chaotic, not literally filled with animals. Metaphors often appear in poetry and prose to create strong images without many words.
隐喻直接把一个事物说成另一个事物，以一种有力方式表明两者相似，不使用“像”或“如同”。例如，“教室是个动物园”暗示房间里吵闹混乱，并不是真的有动物。隐喻经常出现在诗歌和散文中，用简洁的文字营造强烈的画面感。
- Memory trick: Metaphor sounds like 'more than four' – it goes beyond the literal meaning, more than just words.
- 记忆窍门：隐喻（Metaphor）听起来像“超过四个”——它超越了字面意思，不仅仅是文字本身。
3. Personification | 拟人
Personification gives human qualities or actions to non-human things, such as objects, animals, or ideas. When we say, 'The wind whistled through the trees,' we are treating the wind as if it can whistle like a person. This technique makes descriptions more engaging and helps readers connect emotionally with the non-human world.
拟人将人的特性或行为赋予非人的事物，如物体、动物或抽象概念。当我们说“风在树间呼啸”时，我们就把风当作了会吹口哨的人。这种手法能让描写更吸引人，帮助读者在情感上与非人的世界建立联系。
- Memory trick: Personification contains the word 'person' – you are turning a thing into a person.
- 记忆窍门：拟人（Personification）里面有“人”（person）——你是把事物变成人。
4. Alliteration | 头韵
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of several closely connected words. A classic example is 'She sells seashells by the seashore.' It is often used in poetry, tongue twisters, and advertising to create rhythm, mood, or emphasis. When spotting alliteration, focus on the sound, not the spelling – 'kite' and 'cat' alliterate, but 'kite' and 'knife' do not, because 'knife' starts with an 'n' sound.
头韵是指几个相近单词开头辅音相同。经典例子如“她在海边卖海贝”。头韵常用于诗歌、绕口令和广告中，以营造节奏、气氛或突出重点。识别头韵时要注意发音而非拼写——“kite”和“cat”是头韵，但“kite”和“knife”不是，因为“knife”以 n 音开始。
- Memory trick: Alliteration starts with 'a' like 'alphabet' – think of letters at the beginning of words.
- 记忆窍门：头韵（Alliteration）以 a 开头，就像字母表（alphabet）一样——想想单词开头的字母。
5. Onomatopoeia | 拟声词
Onomatopoeia refers to words that imitate the natural sounds of things. Examples include 'buzz', 'hiss', 'splash', and 'bang'. These sound words help the reader hear what is happening in the text. They are popular in comics ('pow!', 'wham!') and poems. Using onomatopoeia can make your own writing livelier.
拟声词指模仿事物自然声音的词语，如“嗡嗡”、“嘶嘶”、“哗啦”和“砰”。这些声音词能帮助读者听到文中发生的事情。它们常见于漫画（如“啪！”“轰！”）和诗歌中。运用拟声词也能让你自己的写作更生动。
- Memory trick: Onomatopoeia is a long word that sounds like its own definition – noisy and full of sounds!
- 记忆窍门：拟声词（Onomatopoeia）是个很长的词，听起来就像它自己的定义——嘈杂、充满声音！
6. Imagery | 意象
Imagery uses descriptive language to appeal to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. When an author writes, 'The golden sun melted into the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink,' they are creating visual imagery. Strong imagery helps readers feel immersed in the world of the text.
意象运用描写性语言调动五种感官：视觉、听觉、嗅觉、味觉和触觉。当作者写道“金色的太阳沉入地平线，把天空染成橙红和粉红的色带”，他们就在创造视觉意象。强烈的意象让读者沉浸在文字的世界中。
- Memory trick: Imagery is like an 'image' in your mind – a picture created by words.
- 记忆窍门：意象（Imagery）就像你脑海中的“图像”（image）——由文字创造出来的画面。
7. Rhyme | 押韵
Rhyme occurs when two or more words have the same or similar ending sounds, such as 'light' and 'night'. It often appears at the end of lines in poems, but internal rhyme (within a line) also exists. Rhyme can create a musical quality, make poems easier to remember, and emphasise certain words.
押韵指两个或多个词语结尾音相同或相似，如“光”和“方”。它通常出现在诗行的末尾，但也有行内押韵。押韵能增添音乐感，让诗歌更容易记忆，并突出某些词语。
- Memory trick: Rhyme and 'chime' sound alike – words that rhyme chime together.
- 记忆窍门：押韵（Rhyme）和“合鸣”（chime）读音相近——押韵的词像和谐地鸣响在一起。
8. Rhythm | 节奏
Rhythm is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry or prose. It creates a beat, much like music. For example, the well-known rhythm 'da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM' can be heard in Shakespeare's 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' Recognising rhythm helps you understand the flow and mood of a poem.
节奏指诗行或散文句中重读和非重读音节的模式。它创造出一种节拍，很像音乐。例如，著名的“轻-重 轻-重”节奏就可在莎士比亚的“我能否将你比作夏日？”中听到。识别节奏有助于理解诗歌的流动和情绪。
- Memory trick: Rhythm moves like a 'rhythmic' drum – tap it out with your fingers.
- 记忆窍门：节奏（Rhythm）像一面“有节奏的”鼓——用手指敲击出来感受它。
9. Theme | 主题
A theme is the big idea, message, or central topic of a story. It is not the plot summary but the deeper meaning, such as love, courage, friendship, betrayal, or growing up. For instance, in 'Charlotte's Web', themes include friendship, loyalty, and the cycle of life. When asked about theme, think about what the author wants us to learn or feel.
主题是故事的大思想、信息或核心话题。它不是情节梗概，而是更深的含义，例如爱、勇气、友谊、背叛或成长。在《夏洛的网》中，主题就包括友谊、忠诚和生命轮回。被问到主题时，想一想作者想让我们学到或感受到什么。
- Memory trick: Theme sounds like 'team' – what big idea brings all the parts of the story together as a team?
- 记忆窍门：主题（Theme）听起来像“团队”（team）——是什么大思想把故事的所有部分像团队一样凝聚在一起？
10. Characterisation | 人物塑造
Characterisation is the way an author creates and develops characters. This can be done through direct description, the character's actions, speech, thoughts, and interactions with others. A well-rounded character often changes or grows throughout the story. Pay attention to what a character says and does to understand their personality.
人物塑造指作者创造和发展人物的方式。可以通过直接描写，也可以借助人物的行为、言语、想法和与他人的互动来展现。一个丰满的角色通常会在故事中变化或成长。留意人物的言行，以理解他们的性格。
- Memory trick: Characterisation is how the author 'characterises' or paints the character for you.
- 记忆窍门：人物塑造（Characterisation）就是作者如何为你“刻画”或描绘人物。
11. Plot | 情节
The plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. It typically follows a structure: exposition (beginning), rising action (conflict builds), climax (turning point), falling action, and resolution (ending). Knowing these parts helps you summarise a story and explain how tension is created and resolved.
情节是构成故事的一系列事件。它通常遵循这样的结构：开端（引入背景）、发展（冲突积累）、高潮（转折点）、下降和结局。了解这些部分有助于你概括故事，并解释紧张感是如何建立和化解的。
- Memory trick: Plot a story like plotting points on a map – each event leads you from start to finish.
- 记忆窍门：情节（Plot）就像在地图上标出路线点——每个事件引导你从开头走到结尾。
12. Setting | 场景
Setting is where and when a story takes place. It includes the location, time period, weather, and social environment. A story could be set in a busy modern city, a quiet Victorian village, or a futuristic spaceship. Setting can create atmosphere, influence characters, and symbolise ideas. Notice how descriptions of setting shape your feelings as a reader.
场景是故事发生的时间和地点。它包括地点、时代、天气和社会环境。一个故事可能设定在繁忙的现代都市、宁静的维多利亚乡村或未来的宇宙飞船上。场景可以营造氛围、影响角色并象征某种观念。注意场景描写如何影响你作为读者的感受。
- Memory trick: Setting is the 'set' where characters play their scenes, just like on a stage.
- 记忆窍门：场景（Setting）就是人物上演戏份的“布景”，就像舞台上一样。
Published by TutorHao | English Literature Revision Series | aleveler.com
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