英文书信主要分为事务书信和个人书信两种,前者是单位与单位之间或个人与单位之间来往的信件,后者是亲朋好友之间的来往信件。事务书信包括申请信、推荐信、求职信、订购信等等;个人书信包括慰问信、祝贺信、道歉信以及一般的个人信等等。在格式和语体方面,事务书信比较正规,而个人书信则比较随便。在这部分中,我们结合信函的实用程度和考研作文对篇幅的一般要求选取了五种我们认为有可能成为考研作文命题对象的信函。
⑴ 求职信 求职信是用来向某一单位求取一份工作的信函,它属于广义的申请信的一种。之所以将求职信与其他类型的申请信分开来写,是因为其目前应用的普遍性和重要性,因此希望考生给予足够的重视。
写求职信时,要注意以下几点:
首先,措辞要礼貌,对求职单位要加以一定的褒扬,并表示对该单位的向往之情,希望能到该单位工作。
第二,简洁、明了、具体地说明自己的能力和条件。因为求职信通常是跟简历一起寄给用人单位的,所以在信中提到自己的能力和条件时,不是要简单重复简历中已有的内容,而是要用简洁、明了、具体的语言提出自己特别突出的或者可能引起用人单位特别的注意的能力和条件。
第三,对于要求取的工作岗位,要特别写明,给用人单位一个考虑选择的机会。
第四,要突出招聘者的利益,不要一味强调自己的需要和期望。
求职信一般分为三个部分来写,至于分成几段,没有严格的要求。第一部分说明从哪里得到的关于这份工作的信息,又或者写信人只是投求职信碰碰运气。
第二部分主要是推销自己,表达自己对应聘职位的兴趣以及介绍自己的最突出的能力和条件。如果求职者对应聘职位没有太多的了解,可以特别表达一向愿意接受新挑战的愿望,并强调一下自己在适应新环境、处理人际关系方面的能力。
最后一部分当然是表达一下希望,例如希望能得到面试的机会。
下面给出一封齐头式的求职信,省略了信头和信内地址,从称呼开始。
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing in response to the advertisement you placed in the Sunday paper for a sales manager in your company. Your company has a reputation for producing high-quality products like Mandolin network system. I am interested in joining such a professional organization.
As you can see from the enclosed resume, my previous work in an export company has provided me with lots of opportunities to contact all kinds of customers and suppliers home and abroad. By communicating with them, I have got very familiar with the international trade and the current market. Besides, my educational training at university concentrated also on international trade which equipped me with a solid foundation in sales and trade.
As such, I believe that my service could be of great benefit to your company in terms of customer relation and new business connections.
I hope to have an opportunity to meet your human resource manager in order to let you know more about me. I enclose a resume and could be available for an interview at your convenience. Looking forward to hearing from you and thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
J.S. Wu
⑵ 其他申请信 当一个人想得到某种机会或某些东西,如申请得到奖学金、求学、申请出国签证等,往往通过申请信来请求。
写申请信的时候一般应注意以下几点:
首先,语气要诚挚友好,措辞要严谨,千万不要表现出强求的意思。
第二,对于申请的内容和原因一定要写得非常清楚,不能含糊。
第三,尽管不能表现出强求的意思,但是期望得到的心情一定要表达出来。
申请信如何分段,也没有严格的规定,其内容一般应包括以下几个部分:明确是在写申请;申请的具体内容和缘由;自己的情况和条件;提出要求,如回信、面试等等。每一部分都要做到清晰、简明。
对于不同的申请内容,在介绍自己情况的时候也要有不同的侧重。例如在求学信中,应比较侧重介绍自己已有的学位及专业情况;在申请留学经济资助的信中,应着重介绍自己的学业及学术水平,因为国外很多学校颁发奖学金是以此为标准的。
以下是两封申请信,第一封是求学信,另一封是申请留学资助的,第一封信用的是齐头式,第二封信用的是缩进式,信头和信内地址都已省略。
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing to apply for admission to your university to pursue my M.S. degree. I have read the annual prospectus issued by your university and found that it has the best graduate program of chemistry. I am greatly interested in the program.
I graduated in 1997 from Beijing University, majoring in Chemistry and holding a B. S. degree. At university, I took many fundamental courses in Chemistry and my English is excellent as I had served as the head of English Association for two years. Since then I have been teaching Chemistry in Beijing Normal University. Through my teaching experience, I have not only deepened my understanding in this field, but mastered many complicated research skills as well.
Two of my former professors and the present dean of our department have kindly written letters of recommendation for me, as enclosed with this letter.
Could you please send me the necessary forms and any information about financial aid in your program?
Thank you very much. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Fan Wei
Dear Sir or Madam:
I wish to apply for admission to your department as a graduate student. I am writing to ask whether it will be possible for you to grant me a full scholarship, considering my academic record and the fact that I have no relatives or friends in America who can act as my sponsor.
I completed a four-year course in chemistry at Beijing University last June. During my four years in the university, I have passed all the required courses of study with satisfactory marks. With Chemistry as my major, I minored in Physics and Mathematics. Enclosed herewith is my transcript from the department concerned.
My English is very good. I have been learning English since early childhood with the help of my father who is a professor of English in Fudan University, Shanghai. I therefore believe that I will not have language difficulties while studying in the United States.
I should be most grateful if you would give my request favorable consideration. Thank you very much and look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Wu Li
最后列举一些写申请信常用的表达法,供考生参考:
I am writing to you because I wish to …
I am writing to ask whether you could send me some information about your college and the application forms …
I am a graduate from …,I am very interested in …
Please send me all relevant information concerning the program you offer.
I should be most grateful to you if you would send me …
I would appreciate very much if you could send me …
Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your favorable reply.
Enclosed in this letter please find three letters of recommendation and a certified copy of my transcript.