我们可以有以下几种思路：
词性转换: disastrous; disastrously
近义词：catastrophe; calamity; suffering; misfortune, misery
下义词：
disaster→
natural disaster →
flood; tsunami; earthquake→
quake-scattered area→
victims→the injured; the missing; the death toll; the wounded soldiers; the affected; suffering; loss; the trapped; the buried, the homeless→orphan; the old without any family members;
survivor; survival
rescuer; aid; help; rescue; relief operation; relief donation; supplies; relief cash and material; red cross; emergency aid; first aid kit; emergency shelter, food , medical care, emergency response team; evacuate
condolence; mourn
通过这种思维方式，我们还可以想出很多能体现“灾难“的语言。尤其是下义词的有效使用，即可掩盖词汇量不大的缺陷，还可以让文章生动，说理性强。
官方给出的高分文章也可以体现这一特点。
Children of poor parents are prematurely exposed to the problems of adult life eg. learning to survive on a low family income and sacrificing luxuries for essential items. These children begin to see the ‘realities’ of life in their home or social environment. Their parents own struggles serve as an example to them.(53words)
引自IELTS Scores Explained DVD (http://www.ielts.org/general_pages/media_centre/ielts_scores_explained_dvd.aspx)
Cohesive device:
通过同意转换和代词的使用，该段每句话主语紧扣题目主题信息：children from poor families,
Children of poor parents;These children;Their parents
句子之间没用使用明显的连词或连接短语，但通过 problems of adult life; the ‘realities’ of life; parents own struggles’凸显该段分论点“生活艰难“另外，首句中的‘prematurely’由第二句的 ‘begin to’第三句的 ‘serve an example’对应，使得该段的信息环环相扣，读起来浑然一体。该段使用最突出的”cohesive device”是信息对应。即用下义词，反义词等与主题句的分论点相关的各种具体形像化和相关性的词来展开论证。这是paraphrasing的最高表现。也是确保“cohesion”的最佳方案。
以上是笔者对“cohesive device(衔接手段)”的一些新的认识，并在课堂教学中进行了初步的尝试。尤其是同义转换中通过下义词来强调文章中心论点的思维方式，让不少学生不再畏惧无话可写的困境。
