例证文(exemplification)是一种用实例说明、证实或论证一个道理、一种观点、一种意见和一个理论的篇章形式。这种文章常以说服他人改变其看法和提供信息为主要目的。在报刊文章中举例，可让读者了解情况，产生兴趣；在科技文献中举例，能使定律清晰易懂；文学评论中举例，会使文章有理有力。法庭证明更应以实事为根据；教课书没有实例，无法施教。总之，在人们的信息交往中，无例不成言，无例不
成理，无例不自明。
示例分析
由于其论证本质，上海道正认为任何例证文都由必不可少的两部分构成；需要证实、解释、说明的中心思想和对这一中心思想加以证实，解释，说明的实例。有的中心思想表明一个事实：
1. The price Of gasoline is rising．
一种推测：
2．The price Of gasoline will be rising．
一种看法：
3． It is unfortunate that the price of gasoline is rising中心思想还可能是一种广义的看法和经验，例如：
实例主要来自两个方面：作者的亲身经历和作者的观察。上海道正认为好的例证篇章最重要的一点是文章的中心思想和实例安排有序，布局合理，关系密切。
一般来说，英语的例证文具有以下结构形式：
在举例时往往大量使用以下词语和词组：
4. All men are created equal.
5. Some politicians are dishonest.
6. Many people are fed up with white-collar crime.
7. Political writing is generally bad writing.
首段 Introduction (a'generation)
例证 (Example) 1
例证 (Example) 2
例证 (Example)3, 4, 5'"
尾段. Conclusion
for example, for instance, to illustrate, as proof, as a matter of cause, to cite, to quote, typically, generally, on the whole, 等。例8就是按以上结构形式写成的例证文:
8. In this century, the presidents are much more cut off from contact with the people than in earlier times. Ordinary citizens, for example, could get
实例 1 to see Abraham Lincoln directly in the White House and make their requests to him in person.
实例 2 Quite the opposite, President Nixon was hard to
实例 3
reach, even by his own staff. As for President Jimmy Carter, although he made some efforts to be available by visiting several private citizens in their homes, the president and his home the White House--are hardly accessible. Time has made a change in the contact between the presidents and their people in this country接着请读以下例文
Be a Touchable Is American society full of untouchables?
From my own experiences, I would say no. In fact, it never even occurred to me that some people might be repelled by a friendly pat on the shoulder. But after our discussion about this in class the other day, I did some visiting with several friends on the matter.
My family and I seem to be somewhat in the minority.
For example, my family, while not being made up of the GREatest cheek-kissers, has always been very generous with the hugs, hand squeezes, arm-in-arm walks, and comforting shoulder pats. All of this is spontaneous. Nobody has ever said to me, "Now, Linda, go kiss your Aunt Ada. It just so happened I thought enough of my Aunt Ada to want to kiss her now and then when she had been especially nice. When Dad introduces me to anyone, he always has that big protective arm right around my shoulders that tells me he is proud of me far better than his words could.
I wouldn't think of walking into Grandma's house without grabbing both of
her hands in a tight squeeze and smiling into her eyes so that she can get a good look at her granddaughter.
My husband and i went bowling with my cousin and his wife the other night, and
he often threw his arm around my shoulders or Virg's as we visited. I didn't think that was queer at all. In fact, I thought it was very sweet the way. he has accepted Virg in the family.
How comforting it was to have my aunt's arm around me after my Grandpa's funeral! She knew how very close we were, and here words could never have been as warm and understanding as that arm was.
Several of the people I talked to about this had different thoughts. One lady I work with said she didn't like people "pawing" her. A girlfriend said she had no reservations about kissing her husband. but couldn't kiss her parents, although she wished she could.
My answer to that would be for heaven's sake TRY!!! Don't reGREt it later that you didn't. I was uneasy about going into a swimming pool for the first time, and even after that first step was taken, it was a long time before I felt comfortable in my role as a swimmer. Now I love to swim and I think what a loss it would have been if I had been afraid to try, then follow through. I think the analogy holds for life. If you want to be more affectionate with your loved ones, just try, and keep at it. Soon it may become so natural you will wonder what all the fuss was about.
Don't be like my' cousin Jo, who loved her father dearly but just couldn't show it.
When she was 18, she finally brought herself to kiss him, but it was too late; he was in his coffin, unable to feel the delightful sense of touch the living have to share, if we only will.这篇文章的实例大都来自作者的亲身经历和观察。作者用大量的实例对文章的主旨进行了详尽的说明。此文的中心思想包含两层意思，文章亦集中了与之相关的两类实例：肯定的和否定的例子。这两者对应有序，联系紧凑，是一篇很好的例证文。
有的例证文以例证开头，以主旨句结尾亦能收到很好的效果，如下例：
10. A New Trend of Free Enterprise In many ways, Dick Quillen appears to have it made.
Still in his thirties, he heads his own data-processing company housed in an attractive five-room suite with wall-to-wall carpeting and modern equipment, including a $ 500, 000 computer. When I talked with him recently across a gleaming director's table in his book-lined conference room, he exuded confidence, know-how, and success.
What is not enviable about Quillen is his legal status.
He is a convicted murderer, serving a life sentence. And his offices are in the state prison at Framingham, Massachusetts.Quillen, s company highlights a significant trend: the arrival of free enterprise in our correctional system...
From Reader5 Digest, June, 1979
最后我们读--篇主题为大家所熟悉的例证文。文章的中心是：现在许多体育项目的职业运动员捞的钱比以前多。此后，作者以高尔夫球、篮球、垒球、足球运动员为例说明文章的这一主旨思想，该文中心思想与实例分析关系紧凑，阐述清晰，是--篇值得效法的例证文。
11 Playing for Pay
Recent years have been golden ones for professional
主旨句 athletes. Professional athletes in a number of fields are making more money than ever before.
实例1 For example, in golf there have been three professional golfers who topped the one-million dollar mark in lifetime earnings.
实例2 In basketball, one player recently negotiated a contract providing him with an annual income of $ 200, 000. And within the past year, several college All-Americans signed basketball contracts which made them millionaires overnight. Today the least amount that a pro basketball player can receive annually is in excess of $13, 000.
实例3 Baseball's rosters contain a number of stars who receive $100, 000 or more to play for a single season. Six-figure bonuses are commonplace.
实例4 The same is true in football. College stars sign contracts which guarantee them financial security before they have proven themselves on the field as professionals. Well-established players receive salaries comparable to the stars in the other sports.
结尾句 All of the big names in the major sports profit handsomely from product endorsements, personal appearances, speaking engagements, and business opportunities made available to them. It all adds up to a highly lucrative business to those who possess the ability to participate.By Bruce
(from Patterns of Short Prose Reader)
