叙述法（narration）回答了"发生了什么"（what happened）这一问题。叙述经常用于讲述一系列事件。这种方法常用作小说（fiction）、传记（biographs）的支配方法，也可用作其他各种文体的辅助方法。例如，轶事（anecdotes）、寓言（fables）等都是用叙述形式阐述某一观点。
示范段落9－1
I was seven years old when I first became aware of the terrible power of guilt．For piling our toys into the toy box，Mother had rewarded my brother and me with five shiny pennies each．If I had ten pennies instead of just five，I could have bought a ginger bread man with raisin eyes and sugar－frosted hair．The image danced in my head all day，until，finally，I crept into my brother's room and stole his five pennies．The next morning，as my brother and I were dressing to go to school，I had all ten pennies in the pocket of my coat，cramming one of my father's handkerchiefs on top of them．As my brother and I lined up in front of Mother to be kissed goodbye，she looked at my bulging pocket with amazement．"What on earth do you have in your pocket？she asked．"It's nothing，"I said，as offhandedly as I could．"It's nothing at all．"Bewildered，but toobusy to investigate any further，Mother kissed me goodbye I ran out the door and down our gravel path as fast as my feet could carry me．But the farther from home I got，the more miserable I became．The shiny pennies in my pocket felt oppressively like one－ton boulders．And I was haunted by the idea that I had become a thief．Forgotten was the gingerbread man，for whose sake I had stolen my brother's pennies Finally，unable to bear my horrible feeling of guilt，I ran back home to blurt out my crime to my mother．
9．2示范段落分析
在上面段落中，作者在主题句中阐述了他的观点：I was seven years old when I first became aware of the terrible power of guilt．然后用一件轶事作为支持这一观点的细节，叙述发生了什么事，并说明了他的观点。
9．3关于如何写叙述段落的建议
1）只着重叙述有意义的事件和经历
尽量避免日常琐事和无聊事，只使用那些有助于阐明你的观点的事件和经历。
2）保持始终如一的着眼点
不管叙述是以第一人称或第三人称进行，都要尽量使语言从叙述者的着眼点（point of view）反映叙述者的见解和意向。
3）运用细节
写叙述段落时要运用细节，使人物栩栩如生，并在读者的想象中唤起事件发生的那种环境气氛。在描绘人物时也使用细节，使人物血肉丰满，形象生动。
4）使用时间顺序
叙述几乎总是使用时间顺序法来组织细节。（第12单元将讨论时间顺序法）
Exercise 9-1
Directions：Write a paragraph of narration using the given topic sentence．
Not knowing a language well can sometimes be embarrassing．
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Exercise 9－2
Directions：Write a paragraph of narration，telling about one of your memorable trip．
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