0305 TPS One Word Away From Confusion Contest－Answer and Explanation你能找出混淆字嗎? 正確解答!
2012-03-06
Correct best answer: Replace “naive” with “native.”
“Explorers were inoculated against typhus by generational immunity, but the bacterial disease swept through the native population like a rapacious scourge.”
It can be argued that primitive tribes or societies indeed are “naïve” in the sense that they are unaware and unsophisticated. Therefore, the argument goes, using “naïve” in the sentence is not inaccurate. Yet the word is not the appropriate one because it mostly has to do with knowledge and mindset. The bacteria attacked vulnerable bodies, not innocent minds. Even if they had known what was happening to them, the natives had no bodily defenses. Therefore, the proper word in this context is “native” to differentiate the victims from the New World visitors carrying death-dealing bacteria. Choosing words that are almost correct is a poor second choice.
有人認為，原始部落或社會確實是 “naïve”（天真的），因為他們不明世事、思想單純，所以，這句話用 “naïve” 似乎也沒有錯。然而，“naïve” 一字並不恰當，因為這個字多半描述知識或思想，但是細菌攻擊的是缺乏免疫防備的身體，而不是單純的心智；即使當地人知道疫病的原因，身體免疫力也無法抵抗。因此，根據前後文，應該使用 “native”（當地的）一字，區別受害者與帶來致命病菌的新世界探險家。有些詞彙儘管與正確的詞彙相去無幾，但仍然不是理想選擇。
“Explorers were inoculated against typhus by generational immunity, but the bacterial disease swept through the native population like a rapacious scourge.”
It can be argued that primitive tribes or societies indeed are “naïve” in the sense that they are unaware and unsophisticated. Therefore, the argument goes, using “naïve” in the sentence is not inaccurate. Yet the word is not the appropriate one because it mostly has to do with knowledge and mindset. The bacteria attacked vulnerable bodies, not innocent minds. Even if they had known what was happening to them, the natives had no bodily defenses. Therefore, the proper word in this context is “native” to differentiate the victims from the New World visitors carrying death-dealing bacteria. Choosing words that are almost correct is a poor second choice.
有人認為，原始部落或社會確實是 “naïve”（天真的），因為他們不明世事、思想單純，所以，這句話用 “naïve” 似乎也沒有錯。然而，“naïve” 一字並不恰當，因為這個字多半描述知識或思想，但是細菌攻擊的是缺乏免疫防備的身體，而不是單純的心智；即使當地人知道疫病的原因，身體免疫力也無法抵抗。因此，根據前後文，應該使用 “native”（當地的）一字，區別受害者與帶來致命病菌的新世界探險家。有些詞彙儘管與正確的詞彙相去無幾，但仍然不是理想選擇。
Last Update at 2012-03-30 PM 3:09 | 0 Comments
0305 TPS One Word Away From Confusion Contest－Win Your NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Prize! 你能找出混淆字嗎? 有機會獲得200元7-11/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2012-03-05
撰寫學術文章時，每字每句都需要謹慎著墨。改變幾個字就會使完整的一句話變得令人摸不著頭緒。下列的句子中，為使這句話能完整且有意義的表達，請選出你認為會令人感到困惑的字，我們將提供7-11/星巴克咖啡NTD200元禮券，給予挑出混淆字，並寫出最佳替代字的第1位粉絲，最適的解答與獲獎的粉絲姓名，將於明天公佈於本TPS的專頁。請將你的答案寫在下方，獲得免費購物禮券的幸運兒可能就是你哦!
Every word is important in a well-written academic paper. Changing just a word or two can turn a clear sentence into a confusing one. Tell us what word you would change in the following puzzling sentence to render it more meaningful. The first best answer will receive a NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Gift Certificate.
題目Contest Sentence:
“Explorers were inoculated against typhus by generational immunity, but the bacterial disease swept through the naive population like a rapacious scourge.”
Every word is important in a well-written academic paper. Changing just a word or two can turn a clear sentence into a confusing one. Tell us what word you would change in the following puzzling sentence to render it more meaningful. The first best answer will receive a NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Gift Certificate.
題目Contest Sentence:
“Explorers were inoculated against typhus by generational immunity, but the bacterial disease swept through the naive population like a rapacious scourge.”
Last Update at 2012-03-09 AM 10:27 | 0 Comments
What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2012-03-01
很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Ernest Hemingway’s Robert Jordan is introduced to readers on a hillside and ultimately dies on one, a tiny glimpse of the thread of life stitching together For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
「海明威筆下的羅伯˙喬丹在山丘上出場，最後也在山丘上嚥氣，由此可一窺《戰地鐘聲》賴以維繫的生命線。」
A needle and stitching thread surely are among the most ancient of tools. They are employed to join two objects or two parts of a single object. The thread is woven through one edge of each of the two parts and pulled tight, drawing together the parts and holding them in place. Sometimes the weaving is done decoratively because it will be visible in the finished product. Sometimes the joining weave is hidden. In either case, the thread’s strength is in its repetitive coiled shape, which stoutly resists undoing except by cutting of individual coils or brute-force ripping.
針線是最古老的工具，用以縫合兩個物品，或一個物品不同的兩部份。織線穿過兩物品的邊緣、拉緊，就能縫合、固定兩物品。有時候繡線是用來裝飾，會露出成品表面，有時候縫線則藏了起來。無論是哪一種用途，織線由於一再纏繞，所以能縫合物品，堅韌而不會裂開，除非剪斷一條條縫線或猛力撕開。
In writing of the “thread of life stitching together” this novel, a literary critic uses thread as a metaphor to suggest the book has a unifying theme. That is, chapter after chapter, regardless of what is happening on the page, an underlying idea runs through the conversations and actions. Sometimes it is plainly spoken in soliloquy; other times it is hidden in symbol and character. In For Whom the Bell Tolls, the “thread of life” that unifies the disparate parts of the civil war novel is, ironically, death in its many variations.
例句評論小說 “thread of life stitching together”（ 賴以維繫的生命線），以縫線作為隱喻，暗示小說有條共同的主題。翻過一章又一章，無論書頁上情節如何搬演，所有對話與行為蘊含同一個主旨，有時以獨白講明，有時隱藏在象徵與角色中。說來諷刺，《戰地鐘聲》這本內戰小說裡，維繫不同章節的生命線，竟是不同形式的死亡。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Ernest Hemingway’s Robert Jordan is introduced to readers on a hillside and ultimately dies on one, a tiny glimpse of the thread of life stitching together For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
「海明威筆下的羅伯˙喬丹在山丘上出場，最後也在山丘上嚥氣，由此可一窺《戰地鐘聲》賴以維繫的生命線。」
A needle and stitching thread surely are among the most ancient of tools. They are employed to join two objects or two parts of a single object. The thread is woven through one edge of each of the two parts and pulled tight, drawing together the parts and holding them in place. Sometimes the weaving is done decoratively because it will be visible in the finished product. Sometimes the joining weave is hidden. In either case, the thread’s strength is in its repetitive coiled shape, which stoutly resists undoing except by cutting of individual coils or brute-force ripping.
針線是最古老的工具，用以縫合兩個物品，或一個物品不同的兩部份。織線穿過兩物品的邊緣、拉緊，就能縫合、固定兩物品。有時候繡線是用來裝飾，會露出成品表面，有時候縫線則藏了起來。無論是哪一種用途，織線由於一再纏繞，所以能縫合物品，堅韌而不會裂開，除非剪斷一條條縫線或猛力撕開。
In writing of the “thread of life stitching together” this novel, a literary critic uses thread as a metaphor to suggest the book has a unifying theme. That is, chapter after chapter, regardless of what is happening on the page, an underlying idea runs through the conversations and actions. Sometimes it is plainly spoken in soliloquy; other times it is hidden in symbol and character. In For Whom the Bell Tolls, the “thread of life” that unifies the disparate parts of the civil war novel is, ironically, death in its many variations.
例句評論小說 “thread of life stitching together”（ 賴以維繫的生命線），以縫線作為隱喻，暗示小說有條共同的主題。翻過一章又一章，無論書頁上情節如何搬演，所有對話與行為蘊含同一個主旨，有時以獨白講明，有時隱藏在象徵與角色中。說來諷刺，《戰地鐘聲》這本內戰小說裡，維繫不同章節的生命線，竟是不同形式的死亡。
Last Update at 2012-03-02 AM 11:07 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2012-02-23
並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“Most foodstuff eaten by mankind originates in plants. Fruits and vegetables and grains contain nutrients that have been drawn from the soil and turned into edible roots and stems and leaves in a process powered by the sun. Plants’ first-rank importance in nutrition gives them such an important role in human life that plant scientists always are important in university and corporate research centers. Botanists investigate how to improve the productive life of a food-bearing plant and how to slow the growth of weeds. All living things benefit from this important work.”
This exploration of plants as a source of life and a focus of research is slack in its execution. Language is not taut and thinking is sloppy. Using “foodstuff” instead of “food” is evidence of both failings. “Important” or a variation of it recurs with numbing regularity. The writer seems averse to commas—“fruits and vegetables and grains” and “roots and stems and leaves…” And botanists don’t try to “slow” weed growth; they work to stop it. From beginning to end, the writer is guilty of hasty writing and thinking. A final example is in the final sentence: “All living things benefit” from botanists’ work? Tell that to the weeds. What else do you see?
這段文章討論植物作為生命來源與研究領域，但寫作不力，遣詞用字草率，思慮也不夠嚴謹。用 “foodstuff” 取代 “food” 就同時有語言和思慮的瑕疵，“important” 與種種類似的詞彙一再出現，略顯麻木單調。作者好像不太喜歡用逗號，從 “fruits and vegetables and grains” 與 “roots and stems and leaves…” 這兩句就看得出來。另外，植物學家不會 “slow”（延緩）雜草生長，應該是遏止雜草生長。自始至終，作者的文筆和想法都很馬虎，最後一個錯誤出現在最後一句 －植物學家的工作 “all living things benefit”（裨益所有生命）？這種話連雜草也不會信。你還看到其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Most foods consumed by human beings originate in plant life. Fruits, vegetables, grains—they are the source of nutrients that have been drawn from the soil and reconstructed as edible organisms in a process powered by the sun. This primacy in nutrition gives plants such an important role in human existence that plant scientists are in constant demand in university and corporate research centers. There, botanists explore how to enhance the productive life of a food-bearing plant and how to discourage growth of weeds. All animal life benefits from this work.”
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“Most foodstuff eaten by mankind originates in plants. Fruits and vegetables and grains contain nutrients that have been drawn from the soil and turned into edible roots and stems and leaves in a process powered by the sun. Plants’ first-rank importance in nutrition gives them such an important role in human life that plant scientists always are important in university and corporate research centers. Botanists investigate how to improve the productive life of a food-bearing plant and how to slow the growth of weeds. All living things benefit from this important work.”
This exploration of plants as a source of life and a focus of research is slack in its execution. Language is not taut and thinking is sloppy. Using “foodstuff” instead of “food” is evidence of both failings. “Important” or a variation of it recurs with numbing regularity. The writer seems averse to commas—“fruits and vegetables and grains” and “roots and stems and leaves…” And botanists don’t try to “slow” weed growth; they work to stop it. From beginning to end, the writer is guilty of hasty writing and thinking. A final example is in the final sentence: “All living things benefit” from botanists’ work? Tell that to the weeds. What else do you see?
這段文章討論植物作為生命來源與研究領域，但寫作不力，遣詞用字草率，思慮也不夠嚴謹。用 “foodstuff” 取代 “food” 就同時有語言和思慮的瑕疵，“important” 與種種類似的詞彙一再出現，略顯麻木單調。作者好像不太喜歡用逗號，從 “fruits and vegetables and grains” 與 “roots and stems and leaves…” 這兩句就看得出來。另外，植物學家不會 “slow”（延緩）雜草生長，應該是遏止雜草生長。自始至終，作者的文筆和想法都很馬虎，最後一個錯誤出現在最後一句 －植物學家的工作 “all living things benefit”（裨益所有生命）？這種話連雜草也不會信。你還看到其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Most foods consumed by human beings originate in plant life. Fruits, vegetables, grains—they are the source of nutrients that have been drawn from the soil and reconstructed as edible organisms in a process powered by the sun. This primacy in nutrition gives plants such an important role in human existence that plant scientists are in constant demand in university and corporate research centers. There, botanists explore how to enhance the productive life of a food-bearing plant and how to discourage growth of weeds. All animal life benefits from this work.”
Last Update at 2012-02-24 PM 4:20 | 0 Comments
0220 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Answer and Explanation你是接龍的高手嗎? 正確解答!
2012-02-21
Answer: We believe the sentence is best completed this way:
“Oil drilling enthusiasm and environmental awareness are not mutually exclusive mindsets, though zealots on each side seldom see past the mirror image.”
A mirror image reflects an object in reverse. Comb hair with your right hand in front of a mirror and the mirror image has you combing your hair with your left hand. In the same way, people on the opposite ends of a debate look alike except in their espousal of diametrically opposed opinions. Often, they fail to see anything in common. They cannot “see past the mirror image” and appreciate that the other person also has integrity and valid arguments. Looking “past” a mirror is a metaphysical concept that suggests an extra dimension in an image, beyond what can be seen. Skilled scholarly writers can blend reality and abstraction to communicate a point.
物體在鏡中的影像是相反的，在鏡子前用右手梳頭，在鏡像裡梳頭的是左手。同樣的，在辯論中立場相異的兩方其實很相似，只是擁護的意見截然不同。雙方對所有事情的看法完全不同，無法 “see past the mirror image”（看透鏡像），瞭解對方的論點其實合情合理。看「透」鏡子是種抽象的說法，說明表象外還有另一個空間。寫作技巧熟練，就能融合現實與抽象的概念，傳達觀點。
“Oil drilling enthusiasm and environmental awareness are not mutually exclusive mindsets, though zealots on each side seldom see past the mirror image.”
A mirror image reflects an object in reverse. Comb hair with your right hand in front of a mirror and the mirror image has you combing your hair with your left hand. In the same way, people on the opposite ends of a debate look alike except in their espousal of diametrically opposed opinions. Often, they fail to see anything in common. They cannot “see past the mirror image” and appreciate that the other person also has integrity and valid arguments. Looking “past” a mirror is a metaphysical concept that suggests an extra dimension in an image, beyond what can be seen. Skilled scholarly writers can blend reality and abstraction to communicate a point.
物體在鏡中的影像是相反的，在鏡子前用右手梳頭，在鏡像裡梳頭的是左手。同樣的，在辯論中立場相異的兩方其實很相似，只是擁護的意見截然不同。雙方對所有事情的看法完全不同，無法 “see past the mirror image”（看透鏡像），瞭解對方的論點其實合情合理。看「透」鏡子是種抽象的說法，說明表象外還有另一個空間。寫作技巧熟練，就能融合現實與抽象的概念，傳達觀點。
Last Update at 2012-02-21 AM 11:20 | 0 Comments
0220 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Win Your NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Prize! 你是接龍的高手嗎? 有機會獲得價值200元7-11/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2012-02-20
No formula exists for the writing of a superior sentence, but this much is known: The best sentence has no weak part. The following sentence is incomplete. In 5 or fewer words, complete the sentence in a way that strengthens the whole of it. The first TPS Fan to complete the sentence as we believe it is best completed will win a NTD200 7-11 / Starbucks Gift Certificate. Another Starbucks certificate will be awarded to the first Fan to complete it in an alternate way that, in our estimation, also is effective. The explanation and the names of the winners will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page.
怎麼寫出好句子沒有標準答案，不過起碼我們知道，優秀的句子每個環節都很完美。下面有一句未完成的句子，請用五個字以內完成句子接龍，寫出完整的句子。最先完成句子，並寫出最佳解答的一位TPS 粉絲，將獲得兩百元7-11／星巴克禮券；另增設特別獎一名，頒給符合文意又別具創意的粉絲。接龍解答與獲獎粉絲姓名將在明天公布於本 TPS 專頁，敬請密切鎖定、先睹為快！
題目Contest Sentence:
“Oil drilling enthusiasm and environmental awareness are not mutually exclusive mindsets, though zealots on each side seldom ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”
怎麼寫出好句子沒有標準答案，不過起碼我們知道，優秀的句子每個環節都很完美。下面有一句未完成的句子，請用五個字以內完成句子接龍，寫出完整的句子。最先完成句子，並寫出最佳解答的一位TPS 粉絲，將獲得兩百元7-11／星巴克禮券；另增設特別獎一名，頒給符合文意又別具創意的粉絲。接龍解答與獲獎粉絲姓名將在明天公布於本 TPS 專頁，敬請密切鎖定、先睹為快！
題目Contest Sentence:
“Oil drilling enthusiasm and environmental awareness are not mutually exclusive mindsets, though zealots on each side seldom ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”
Last Update at 2012-02-21 AM 11:18 | 0 Comments
What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2012-02-16
很多字詞並非表面所見的意思，字詞的組合會產生不同的解釋。這樣的慣用法，我們稱之為「比喻」。一個成功的比喻，作者本身必須相當瞭解字詞的源起。以下的句子為讀者介紹一個比喻及其來源。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Some of Shakespeare’s plays were ghosts of earlier penmen, original in content but not in theme.”
「有些莎士比亞的劇作是過去作品的鬼魂，內容獨創，但主題不然。」
A “ghost” is a disembodied individual, an apparition of a person previously alive. It lacks flesh and blood so it does not occupy space exclusively. Whether one believes in ghosts or not, they have been a part of the human experience for as long as history has been kept. The standing of a ghost in a society varies among cultures and levels of civilization, but encounters with a ghost always are sensory experiences in keeping with a ghost’s insubstantial nature. A lack of universal awareness of ghostly presences has produced widespread skepticism and disbelief.
“Ghost”（鬼魂）是無形的，是以前活著的人的幽靈，沒有血肉，因此不占據實際空間。不論人信不信鬼，有史以來鬼魂一直是人類經驗的一部分，鬼魂在社會中的地位依文化與文明程度而定。鬼魂沒有實體，遇到鬼魂只會是一種「感覺」。由於不是所有人都能感應到鬼魂，所以談到是否有鬼，許多人總是有所保留。
In giving ghostly attributes to some of William Shakespeare’s works, the writer is saying that the works in question had a previous life. That is, the theme and general plot of a Shakespearean production had been previously conceived and staged, an earlier playwright’s work revived, garbed in new language. Like ghosts, the resurrected nature of the dramas was not universally recognized. Describing Shakespeare’s works as ghostly is particularly interesting because some scholars argue that many of The Bard’s plays were ghost-written by an unknown person.
本句談到莎士比亞部分作品就像鬼魂，意指這些作品有其前身，作品的主題與大致情節過去曾有人構思、演出過。過去劇作家的作品，藉由新的文字還魂重生。並非所有人都相信這些劇作重生自過去作品，就像並非所有人都相信有鬼魂一樣。把莎士比亞的作品描述為鬼魂，還有另一層趣味，因為有些學者認為，莎士比亞許多作品是由不知名人士捉刀代寫 (ghost-written) 的。
Imagery buries itself in language and takes on new meaning. The transplanted and transformed sets of words are called “figures of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.
“Some of Shakespeare’s plays were ghosts of earlier penmen, original in content but not in theme.”
「有些莎士比亞的劇作是過去作品的鬼魂，內容獨創，但主題不然。」
A “ghost” is a disembodied individual, an apparition of a person previously alive. It lacks flesh and blood so it does not occupy space exclusively. Whether one believes in ghosts or not, they have been a part of the human experience for as long as history has been kept. The standing of a ghost in a society varies among cultures and levels of civilization, but encounters with a ghost always are sensory experiences in keeping with a ghost’s insubstantial nature. A lack of universal awareness of ghostly presences has produced widespread skepticism and disbelief.
“Ghost”（鬼魂）是無形的，是以前活著的人的幽靈，沒有血肉，因此不占據實際空間。不論人信不信鬼，有史以來鬼魂一直是人類經驗的一部分，鬼魂在社會中的地位依文化與文明程度而定。鬼魂沒有實體，遇到鬼魂只會是一種「感覺」。由於不是所有人都能感應到鬼魂，所以談到是否有鬼，許多人總是有所保留。
In giving ghostly attributes to some of William Shakespeare’s works, the writer is saying that the works in question had a previous life. That is, the theme and general plot of a Shakespearean production had been previously conceived and staged, an earlier playwright’s work revived, garbed in new language. Like ghosts, the resurrected nature of the dramas was not universally recognized. Describing Shakespeare’s works as ghostly is particularly interesting because some scholars argue that many of The Bard’s plays were ghost-written by an unknown person.
本句談到莎士比亞部分作品就像鬼魂，意指這些作品有其前身，作品的主題與大致情節過去曾有人構思、演出過。過去劇作家的作品，藉由新的文字還魂重生。並非所有人都相信這些劇作重生自過去作品，就像並非所有人都相信有鬼魂一樣。把莎士比亞的作品描述為鬼魂，還有另一層趣味，因為有些學者認為，莎士比亞許多作品是由不知名人士捉刀代寫 (ghost-written) 的。
Last Update at 2012-02-17 AM 10:18 | 0 Comments
0213 TPS Verbalize Contest－Answer and Explanation你能找出關鍵的動詞嗎？ 正確解答!
2012-02-14
Suggested answer: “In her effervescent way, the aging actress bubbled about her career until her captive audience began to feel light-headed.”
To “bubble” in conversation is to speak in a lively way, sometimes endlessly, depending upon the level of energy of the person speaking. The actress is described as “effervescent,” so her speech rather naturally is bubbly. A proud actress might have “bragged” or “boasted” about her career, a spoiled one “bitched” about her career, a querulous one “bellyached.” In short, a described person ought to act in accordance with the description. Choosing the right verb can help unify a sentence.
在對話中 “bubble”（高談闊論）表示說話很生動，如果說話的人精力充沛，有時就會滔滔不絕。句中形容女演員 “effervescent”（生氣勃勃），說起話來自然口若懸河。自豪的女演員 “bragged”（吹噓）或 “boasted”（誇耀），被寵壞的女演員 “bitched”（嘮叨），牢騷滿腹的女演員則 “bellyached”（抱怨）。簡言之，人物的行為應符合人物的描述，選擇適切的動詞能整合句子。
To “bubble” in conversation is to speak in a lively way, sometimes endlessly, depending upon the level of energy of the person speaking. The actress is described as “effervescent,” so her speech rather naturally is bubbly. A proud actress might have “bragged” or “boasted” about her career, a spoiled one “bitched” about her career, a querulous one “bellyached.” In short, a described person ought to act in accordance with the description. Choosing the right verb can help unify a sentence.
在對話中 “bubble”（高談闊論）表示說話很生動，如果說話的人精力充沛，有時就會滔滔不絕。句中形容女演員 “effervescent”（生氣勃勃），說起話來自然口若懸河。自豪的女演員 “bragged”（吹噓）或 “boasted”（誇耀），被寵壞的女演員 “bitched”（嘮叨），牢騷滿腹的女演員則 “bellyached”（抱怨）。簡言之，人物的行為應符合人物的描述，選擇適切的動詞能整合句子。
Last Update at 2012-02-14 AM 11:49 | 0 Comments
0213 TPS Verbalize Contest－Win Your NTD200 7-11/Starbucks Prize! 你能找出關鍵的動詞嗎？有機會獲得200元 7-11/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2012-02-13
The sentence below is missing a verb. However, the first letter of the verb is provided. Insert a word that starts with the given first letter and best fits the tenor of the sentence, and then defend your word choice in five or fewer words. The first TPS Fan to respond with the judge’s choice of verb—or the most effective alternate verb— will win a NTD 200 Starbucks Gift Certificate. The name of the winner will be published tomorrow on this TPS Fans page. Good luck!
以下句子缺少動詞，請加入一個最符合句子意思且符合空格開頭字母的動詞，以及五個字以內的理由，我們將提供7-11／星巴克咖啡禮券兩百元，頒給第一位想出最佳解答或是最佳替代字的第1位粉絲。解答與獲獎粉絲姓名將在明天公布於本 TPS 專頁。請將答案寫在下方，幸運兒可能就是你！
題目Contest Sentence:
“In her effervescent way, the aging actress b______ about her career until her captive audience began to feel light-headed.”
以下句子缺少動詞，請加入一個最符合句子意思且符合空格開頭字母的動詞，以及五個字以內的理由，我們將提供7-11／星巴克咖啡禮券兩百元，頒給第一位想出最佳解答或是最佳替代字的第1位粉絲。解答與獲獎粉絲姓名將在明天公布於本 TPS 專頁。請將答案寫在下方，幸運兒可能就是你！
題目Contest Sentence:
“In her effervescent way, the aging actress b______ about her career until her captive audience began to feel light-headed.”
Last Update at 2012-02-14 AM 11:48 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2012-02-10
並非所有與學術議題相關的文章，就能稱之為「學術文章」。本篇專欄將節錄不同學術議題的內容，分析常見的寫作錯誤，並分享潤修與寫作的技巧。
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“A complete and total education includes physical education, sometimes called physical fitness. This part of a curriculum is put down sometimes because it departs from purely intellectual learning. The thinking is that lessons about exercise and healthy consumption of foods can come just as easily outside classrooms and gymnasiums as inside. However, this attitude doesn’t own up to the reality of modern civilizations, which in their rush-rush lifestyle leave little time for regular exercise. Furthermore, that the mind benefits from aerobic activity is indisputable.”
This excerpt from a paper on physical education fails mostly in vocabulary, but also in fuzzy thinking. The opening phrase, “a complete and total education,” not only contains a redundancy, it is wordy. The second sentence uses slang—“put down”—that doesn’t even have the virtue of being clear in its meaning. (Is the program anesthesized and killed?) The next sentence begins with “the thinking,” which is a colloquial version of “the belief” or “the argument.” And “rush-rush” is such a poor-poor excuse for an adjective. What else can you spot?
本段文章取自體育學論文，主要問題在選詞不當，此外思慮也不夠清晰。第一句 “a complete and total education”（完整而全面的教育）用詞多餘又冗長；第二句用了俚語 “put down”(放下；殺死)，不僅不夠正式，基本的語意也不清楚(課程難道被麻醉了、被殺了？) 下一句開頭 “the thinking”（這種想法）略嫌口語，應用 “the belief”（這種觀點）或 “the argument”（這種論調）。最後，“rush-rush”（匆匆忙忙）這個形容詞，未免過於馬馬虎虎。你是否還找到其他問題？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Holistic education includes physical education, or more specifically, physical fitness. This part of a curriculum is sometimes denigrated because it departs from the purely intellectual realm. The argument is that lessons about exercise and healthy consumption of foods can come as easily outside classrooms and gymnasiums as inside them. However, this attitude doesn’t acknowledge the reality of modern civilizations, which in their skeltering lifestyle leave scant time for systematic exercise. Furthermore, the intellectual benefit of aerobic activity is indisputable.”
Not all articles written on academic topics are written in proper academic English. In this "This is not academic writing" column we examine short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and explain how to correct them.
Unacceptable 不被認可的文章
“A complete and total education includes physical education, sometimes called physical fitness. This part of a curriculum is put down sometimes because it departs from purely intellectual learning. The thinking is that lessons about exercise and healthy consumption of foods can come just as easily outside classrooms and gymnasiums as inside. However, this attitude doesn’t own up to the reality of modern civilizations, which in their rush-rush lifestyle leave little time for regular exercise. Furthermore, that the mind benefits from aerobic activity is indisputable.”
This excerpt from a paper on physical education fails mostly in vocabulary, but also in fuzzy thinking. The opening phrase, “a complete and total education,” not only contains a redundancy, it is wordy. The second sentence uses slang—“put down”—that doesn’t even have the virtue of being clear in its meaning. (Is the program anesthesized and killed?) The next sentence begins with “the thinking,” which is a colloquial version of “the belief” or “the argument.” And “rush-rush” is such a poor-poor excuse for an adjective. What else can you spot?
本段文章取自體育學論文，主要問題在選詞不當，此外思慮也不夠清晰。第一句 “a complete and total education”（完整而全面的教育）用詞多餘又冗長；第二句用了俚語 “put down”(放下；殺死)，不僅不夠正式，基本的語意也不清楚(課程難道被麻醉了、被殺了？) 下一句開頭 “the thinking”（這種想法）略嫌口語，應用 “the belief”（這種觀點）或 “the argument”（這種論調）。最後，“rush-rush”（匆匆忙忙）這個形容詞，未免過於馬馬虎虎。你是否還找到其他問題？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Holistic education includes physical education, or more specifically, physical fitness. This part of a curriculum is sometimes denigrated because it departs from the purely intellectual realm. The argument is that lessons about exercise and healthy consumption of foods can come as easily outside classrooms and gymnasiums as inside them. However, this attitude doesn’t acknowledge the reality of modern civilizations, which in their skeltering lifestyle leave scant time for systematic exercise. Furthermore, the intellectual benefit of aerobic activity is indisputable.”
Last Update at 2012-02-10 AM 10:18 | 0 Comments
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