The application of proverbs in compositions. 

                                                                          宋立秋

What’s a proverb?

A proverb is a simple and concrete saying, popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical.

eg:  Hasty love, soon cold

A leopard cannot change its spots.

Being convincing and fascinating, Proverbs are always welcomed in compositions.

The structure for quotation: as the old saying goes.

Eg: As the saying goes, experience is the father of wisdom and memory the mother.

Do you still remember the following proverbs?

患难见真情

A friend in need is a friend indeed

条条大路通罗马

All roads lead to Rome

一天一苹果，不用请医生

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

入乡随俗

Do as the Romans do.

失败是成功之母

Failure is the mother of success

自助者天助   

God helps those who help themselves

一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

闪光的不一定都是金子

All that glitters is not gold

Briefly three categories:

1: have the Chinese counterparts

2: structure symmetry in grammar or words

3: rhyming words

Category  1:

A young idler, an old beggar

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲

Beauty lies in the love's eyes

情人眼里出西施

Every mother's child is handsome

孩子还是自家的好

Every potter praises his pot

王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸

 Category 2:structure symmetry in grammar or words

1.      Far from eye, far from heart.

    眼不见，心不烦

2.      Blood will have blood.

血债血偿

3.      Business is business.

公事公办

4.      Do well and have well.

善有善报

5.      First come, first served.

先到先得

6.      Habit cures habit.

心病还须心药医

7.      Harm set, harm get.

恶有恶报

   8.Diamond cuts diamond.

     强中自有强中手

Category 3: rhyming words

1.      A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.

吃一堑，长一智

2.  A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

光说空话不做事，犹如花园光长刺

2.      Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.

不要自找麻烦

4. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

早睡早起身体好

5. Health is better than wealth.

健康胜过财富

谚语在作文中的使用：

例一：董卿主持的《朗读者》掀起了读书热潮，现你校要举办一次朗读大赛，意在激发同学们的读书热情，培养好的读书习惯，假定你是你校学生会主席李华，写一则通知，告知大家此事。

      1.大赛的目的

      2.时间地点及先关事项

要求：100词左右，可适当增加细节使文章连贯。

A sentence to describe the benefits of reading :

By reading, we can enrich our knowledge and broaden our horizon

Proverbs available:

A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.

一本好书，相伴一生。

By reading we enrich the mind, by conversation we polish it.

读书使人充实，交谈使人精明。

例二：encouragement

Proverbs:

God helps those who help themselves

自助者天助

Genius is nothing but labor and diligence

天才不过是勤奋而已

Confidence in yourself is the first step on the road to success

自信是走向成功的第一步

Care and diligence bring luck

谨慎和勤奋才能抓住机遇

例三：好的生活习惯可以让你身体健康，好的学习习惯可以让你不断取得进步。假设你是学生会主席李华，就好习惯的培养及好处写一篇倡议书。

Why should we have good habits?

Proverb: Custom makes all things easy

Proverbs available:

生活习惯:

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise

Health is better than wealth

学习习惯：

Don't put off till tomorrow what should be done today

今日事，今日毕

好的习惯要持之以恒

Constant dripping wears away a stone.

水滴石穿，绳锯木断