What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2011-11-17
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.
“Developed sometime between the appearance of the Phoenician and Latin alphabets, the Greek system of written language is a shard of a living civilization.”
「希臘文字由腓尼基文字與拉丁字母發展而來，外型有時介於兩者之間，是活文明的碎片。」
A “shard” most often is used as an archaeological expression and refers to any piece of pottery found at an archaeological dig. The method of manufacture, design, and surface decoration of the piece of pottery gives scientists clues about a society, including its ability to construct useful utensils, its advancement as a social order, and its level of artistry. While “shard” also has a more general meaning as a fragment of a breakable object, the word most often is used in the archaeological sense.
“Shard”（碎片）通常是考古用語，意指出土於古代遺址的陶器碎片。陶器製造的方式、設計以及表面裝飾，能讓考古學家一窺當時的社會，明白彼時製造用具的能力，以及社會制度與藝術程度的發展。雖然 “shard” 也可以指一般物體的碎片，但通常用在考古上。
The sentence about languages uses “shard” in a metaphorical and ironic sense. First, languages are not made of clay, so they cannot fracture into pieces. However, individual letters and words can said to be fragments of a language, so it is obliquely relevant. Second, the Greek civilization still exists; therefore, while the language is a link to antiquity, it also has currency in modern Greece. This explains the otherwise curious phrase, “a shard of a living civilization.” Using familiar words in unfamiliar ways gives language a liveliness that captures readers.
本例句討論語言，“shard” 一詞既是隱喻，也是奇言巧思。首先，語言不是陶土製成，不會破碎成一片片，但是個別文字與詞語可說是語言的片段，所以換個角度來看確實說得通。其次，希臘文明如今依然存在，雖然希臘文字讓人聯想到古代，但也在現代希臘社會普遍使用。如此一來，原先有點奇特的片語 “a shard of a living civilization”（活文明的碎片）就解釋得通了。如果能以別出心裁的方式使用熟悉的詞彙，語言就能生動活潑，吸引讀者注意。
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.
“Developed sometime between the appearance of the Phoenician and Latin alphabets, the Greek system of written language is a shard of a living civilization.”
「希臘文字由腓尼基文字與拉丁字母發展而來，外型有時介於兩者之間，是活文明的碎片。」
A “shard” most often is used as an archaeological expression and refers to any piece of pottery found at an archaeological dig. The method of manufacture, design, and surface decoration of the piece of pottery gives scientists clues about a society, including its ability to construct useful utensils, its advancement as a social order, and its level of artistry. While “shard” also has a more general meaning as a fragment of a breakable object, the word most often is used in the archaeological sense.
“Shard”（碎片）通常是考古用語，意指出土於古代遺址的陶器碎片。陶器製造的方式、設計以及表面裝飾，能讓考古學家一窺當時的社會，明白彼時製造用具的能力，以及社會制度與藝術程度的發展。雖然 “shard” 也可以指一般物體的碎片，但通常用在考古上。
The sentence about languages uses “shard” in a metaphorical and ironic sense. First, languages are not made of clay, so they cannot fracture into pieces. However, individual letters and words can said to be fragments of a language, so it is obliquely relevant. Second, the Greek civilization still exists; therefore, while the language is a link to antiquity, it also has currency in modern Greece. This explains the otherwise curious phrase, “a shard of a living civilization.” Using familiar words in unfamiliar ways gives language a liveliness that captures readers.
本例句討論語言，“shard” 一詞既是隱喻，也是奇言巧思。首先，語言不是陶土製成，不會破碎成一片片，但是個別文字與詞語可說是語言的片段，所以換個角度來看確實說得通。其次，希臘文明如今依然存在，雖然希臘文字讓人聯想到古代，但也在現代希臘社會普遍使用。如此一來，原先有點奇特的片語 “a shard of a living civilization”（活文明的碎片）就解釋得通了。如果能以別出心裁的方式使用熟悉的詞彙，語言就能生動活潑，吸引讀者注意。
Last Update at 2011-11-17 AM 10:14 | 0 Comments
1114 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Answer and Explanation你是接龍的高手嗎? 正確解答!
2011-11-15
Answer: We believe the sentence is effectively completed this way:
“The snobbish playwright is almost Malthusian in his belief that higher ticket prices will limit the size of the audience in the small theater at the same time it winnows the riffraff.”
Those three words enhance the sentence in several ways. First, snobs believe people beneath their perceived position in society are “riffraff.” By keeping prices high, the poorer members of society are kept from entering a theater simply because they cannot afford the ticket. Second, one of the core ideas of the 19th century English economist the Rev. Thomas Malthus was that the population is naturally kept down by the earth’s limit to feed it. So the use of “winnows” not only conveys the idea of getting rid of undesirables, it does so in agrarian language: Winnowing can refer to the process of separating wheat and chaff.
填上這三個字，在各方面都讓句子的意思更加完整。首先，勢利的人認為社會地位比他們低的人都是「死老百姓」。提高劇院的票價，貧窮的人負擔不起，就不能進戲院看戲。其次，十九世紀英國經濟學家馬爾薩斯 (Thomas Malthus) 主張，人口數量自然會因為地球供給糧食有限而受到限制；“Winnows”（篩選）是指分離小麥的穗實與穀糠，除了表示排拒不受歡迎的人，也呼應了隱含的農業意義。
“The snobbish playwright is almost Malthusian in his belief that higher ticket prices will limit the size of the audience in the small theater at the same time it winnows the riffraff.”
Those three words enhance the sentence in several ways. First, snobs believe people beneath their perceived position in society are “riffraff.” By keeping prices high, the poorer members of society are kept from entering a theater simply because they cannot afford the ticket. Second, one of the core ideas of the 19th century English economist the Rev. Thomas Malthus was that the population is naturally kept down by the earth’s limit to feed it. So the use of “winnows” not only conveys the idea of getting rid of undesirables, it does so in agrarian language: Winnowing can refer to the process of separating wheat and chaff.
填上這三個字，在各方面都讓句子的意思更加完整。首先，勢利的人認為社會地位比他們低的人都是「死老百姓」。提高劇院的票價，貧窮的人負擔不起，就不能進戲院看戲。其次，十九世紀英國經濟學家馬爾薩斯 (Thomas Malthus) 主張，人口數量自然會因為地球供給糧食有限而受到限制；“Winnows”（篩選）是指分離小麥的穗實與穀糠，除了表示排拒不受歡迎的人，也呼應了隱含的農業意義。
Last Update at 2011-11-15 AM 10:36 | 0 Comments
1114 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元統一超商/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2011-11-14
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，將獲得兩百元統一超商／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:
“The snobbish playwright is almost Malthusian in his belief that higher ticket prices will limit the size of the audience in the small theater at the same time it ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.”
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，將獲得兩百元統一超商／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:
“The snobbish playwright is almost Malthusian in his belief that higher ticket prices will limit the size of the audience in the small theater at the same time it ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.”
Last Update at 2011-11-15 AM 10:33 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2011-11-10
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
“Siddhartha Gautama’s influence grew for 2,500 years until today it claims millions and millions of adherents, mostly but not exclusively in Asia. According to tradition, what began as a personal religious quest became an obsessive search to discover true enlightenment and then to teach it to mankind. The meditations of Guatama govern modern Buddhism’s approach to understanding life. The monastic existence of many followers of Buddha epitomizes the yearning of Buddhists: to rid themselves of the earthly desires dwelling in their hearts and minds and to liberate themselves from suffering and the pressures of ordinary life. Consequently, many Buddhist practitioners inside and outside of monasteries are marked by ethical character and moderate behavior.”
This passage from a paper on Buddha’s founding teacher is unrefined. That is, while it is an acceptable second draft, the paper would have benefited from another round of polishing. Writing that the founder’s “influence grew for 2,500 years until today” implies a steady progression that may or may not be true, whereas it is safe to write that it “has grown across 25 centuries.” In the same sentence, the writer uses the phrase “mostly but not exclusively,” which is a redundancy. Terming the search “obsessive” suggests connotations that “determined” does not. Farther on, a colon in a sentence is punctuation, and “life” is subjectively modified as “ordinary life.” What other unpolished examples do you see?
這段文章討論佛教始祖，但文字有點粗糙，品質接近第二版草稿，如果能再加潤飾會更好。文章說佛祖 “influence grew for 2,500 years until today”（持續影響了兩千五百年，直到如今），暗示佛祖的影響力與日俱增。由於此點無法確定，寫成 “has grown across 25 centuries”（影響力橫跨二十五個世紀）會比較保險。同一句中，“mostly but not exclusively”（多數，但不完全是）顯得多餘。以 “obsessive”（執著）形容佛祖尋求開悟一事似乎別有暗示，改用 “determined” 就沒有這種問題。下一句有個不必要的冒號，另外以 “ordinary” 形容生命則帶有主觀判斷。你還找得到其他未經修飾的句子嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Siddhartha Gautama’s influence has grown across 25 centuries and claims hundreds of millions of adherents, mostly in Asia. According to tradition, what began as a personal religious quest became a determined search to discover true enlightenment and then to teach it. The meditations of Guatama govern modern Buddhism’s approach to understanding life and rebirth. The monastic existence of many followers of Buddha exemplifies the yearning of Buddhists to expunge earthly desires from their natures, thereby liberating themselves from suffering and the pressures of life. Consequently, many Buddhist practitioners in and out of monasteries are characterized by ethical character and moderation.”
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
“Siddhartha Gautama’s influence grew for 2,500 years until today it claims millions and millions of adherents, mostly but not exclusively in Asia. According to tradition, what began as a personal religious quest became an obsessive search to discover true enlightenment and then to teach it to mankind. The meditations of Guatama govern modern Buddhism’s approach to understanding life. The monastic existence of many followers of Buddha epitomizes the yearning of Buddhists: to rid themselves of the earthly desires dwelling in their hearts and minds and to liberate themselves from suffering and the pressures of ordinary life. Consequently, many Buddhist practitioners inside and outside of monasteries are marked by ethical character and moderate behavior.”
This passage from a paper on Buddha’s founding teacher is unrefined. That is, while it is an acceptable second draft, the paper would have benefited from another round of polishing. Writing that the founder’s “influence grew for 2,500 years until today” implies a steady progression that may or may not be true, whereas it is safe to write that it “has grown across 25 centuries.” In the same sentence, the writer uses the phrase “mostly but not exclusively,” which is a redundancy. Terming the search “obsessive” suggests connotations that “determined” does not. Farther on, a colon in a sentence is punctuation, and “life” is subjectively modified as “ordinary life.” What other unpolished examples do you see?
這段文章討論佛教始祖，但文字有點粗糙，品質接近第二版草稿，如果能再加潤飾會更好。文章說佛祖 “influence grew for 2,500 years until today”（持續影響了兩千五百年，直到如今），暗示佛祖的影響力與日俱增。由於此點無法確定，寫成 “has grown across 25 centuries”（影響力橫跨二十五個世紀）會比較保險。同一句中，“mostly but not exclusively”（多數，但不完全是）顯得多餘。以 “obsessive”（執著）形容佛祖尋求開悟一事似乎別有暗示，改用 “determined” 就沒有這種問題。下一句有個不必要的冒號，另外以 “ordinary” 形容生命則帶有主觀判斷。你還找得到其他未經修飾的句子嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Siddhartha Gautama’s influence has grown across 25 centuries and claims hundreds of millions of adherents, mostly in Asia. According to tradition, what began as a personal religious quest became a determined search to discover true enlightenment and then to teach it. The meditations of Guatama govern modern Buddhism’s approach to understanding life and rebirth. The monastic existence of many followers of Buddha exemplifies the yearning of Buddhists to expunge earthly desires from their natures, thereby liberating themselves from suffering and the pressures of life. Consequently, many Buddhist practitioners in and out of monasteries are characterized by ethical character and moderation.”
Last Update at 2011-11-10 AM 10:06 | 0 Comments
1107 TPS One Word Away From Confusion Contest－Answer and Explanation你能找出混淆字嗎? 正確解答!
2011-11-08
Correct best answer: Replace “rousted” with “roused.”
“When the colonies roused themselves and began to agitate for independence, the colonial authorities misread the depth of their agitation and dismissed it as insignificant.”
What a difference a single letter can make in a word. In this case, a “t” inserted in “roused” subtly alters the meaning of the word. Both “rousted” and “roused” imply an awakening, a stirring, yet the two words are commonly used for opposite purposes. Rousting always is done by one person to another; rousing can be, and often is, done to oneself. People in the colonies, in this example, were “aroused” by frustration with their political condition and began to incite revolt. The words sometimes are used interchangeably, but only in an ironic sense. Examining words carefully as they are spilled onto a paper leads to cleaner and more vigorous exposition.
只差一個字母，詞彙的意思就大不相同。例句中，將 “t” 插入 “roused” 一詞，詞意就有了微妙的轉變。“Rousted” 和 “roused” 都有喚起、鼓動的意思，但兩者多半用於不同的情況，一個人會 “rousting”（鼓吹、激勵）另一個人，但通常只會 “rousing” （激發、喚醒）自己。本句中，殖民地人民對自身的政治狀況不滿，受到 “aroused”（引發），因而鼓動革命。這兩個詞有時可以互換使用，但會產生諷刺的效果。寫論文時應該仔細檢視用字措辭，論述方能更清晰有力。
“When the colonies roused themselves and began to agitate for independence, the colonial authorities misread the depth of their agitation and dismissed it as insignificant.”
What a difference a single letter can make in a word. In this case, a “t” inserted in “roused” subtly alters the meaning of the word. Both “rousted” and “roused” imply an awakening, a stirring, yet the two words are commonly used for opposite purposes. Rousting always is done by one person to another; rousing can be, and often is, done to oneself. People in the colonies, in this example, were “aroused” by frustration with their political condition and began to incite revolt. The words sometimes are used interchangeably, but only in an ironic sense. Examining words carefully as they are spilled onto a paper leads to cleaner and more vigorous exposition.
只差一個字母，詞彙的意思就大不相同。例句中，將 “t” 插入 “roused” 一詞，詞意就有了微妙的轉變。“Rousted” 和 “roused” 都有喚起、鼓動的意思，但兩者多半用於不同的情況，一個人會 “rousting”（鼓吹、激勵）另一個人，但通常只會 “rousing” （激發、喚醒）自己。本句中，殖民地人民對自身的政治狀況不滿，受到 “aroused”（引發），因而鼓動革命。這兩個詞有時可以互換使用，但會產生諷刺的效果。寫論文時應該仔細檢視用字措辭，論述方能更清晰有力。
Last Update at 2011-11-08 AM 10:16 | 0 Comments
1107 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元統一超商/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2011-11-07
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，我們將提供統一超商/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:
“When the colonies rousted themselves and began to agitate for independence, the colonial authorities misread the depth of their agitation and dismissed it as insignificant.”
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:
“When the colonies rousted themselves and began to agitate for independence, the colonial authorities misread the depth of their agitation and dismissed it as insignificant.”
Last Update at 2011-11-07 PM 3:43 | 0 Comments
What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2011-11-04
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.
“The works attributed to Homer are ancient, influential, and in all likelihood a compilation of oral traditions woven together by desire for the immortal.”
「歸於荷馬名下的作品古意盎然、具感染力，很可能集結了許多口述傳統，此乃對永世流傳的渴求所編織而成。」
Weaving is the process by which individual threads become a piece of fabric. The process involves interlacing strands at right angles to one another in such a way that they become interlocked. With loose ends affixed, the woven threads become one piece and remain such unless tediously disassembled strand by strand. The tighter the weave, the greater the strength of the woven fabric. The pieces of cloth have been fabricated for many, many years from various organic materials and can be preserved for centuries under suitable conditions.
編織讓個別的絲線變成一塊布料，過程中，絲線以正確的交織角度彼此交錯，從而緊密相繫。將懸而未結的尾端固定後，編在一起的絲線就成了一整塊布料，除非不厭其煩地將絲線一縷一縷拆解，否則就會保持完整。編織得愈緊，織就的布料愈強韌。許多許多年以來，各種有機材料被用來織布，若條件適當，可以保存數百年。
The author of the sentence wrote of “oral traditions” being woven together. Obviously, the weaving of uttered words is an impossible task given the insubstantiality of breath and sound. Nevertheless, the reader can see an image of spoken words being gathered and preserved orally from generation to generation until such time as the stories were written down by, apparently, Homer. A “desire for the immortal”—the hope that the thread of the stories would not be lost—kept them intact until they could be “woven” into a more-or-less permanent written record.
本句描述「口述傳統」被織就在一起。顯然，說出口的話並無實體，只是氣息與聲音，本來就不可能編織在一起。然而，讀者可以從句中看出一個意象，明白口述的故事被收集並保存下來，代代相傳，最後可能由荷馬將故事記錄下來。由於「對永世流傳的渴求」，也就是希望故事的線索不會失傳，故事因而被完整保存下來，直到織就成近乎永恆不朽的書面紀錄。
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.
“The works attributed to Homer are ancient, influential, and in all likelihood a compilation of oral traditions woven together by desire for the immortal.”
「歸於荷馬名下的作品古意盎然、具感染力，很可能集結了許多口述傳統，此乃對永世流傳的渴求所編織而成。」
Weaving is the process by which individual threads become a piece of fabric. The process involves interlacing strands at right angles to one another in such a way that they become interlocked. With loose ends affixed, the woven threads become one piece and remain such unless tediously disassembled strand by strand. The tighter the weave, the greater the strength of the woven fabric. The pieces of cloth have been fabricated for many, many years from various organic materials and can be preserved for centuries under suitable conditions.
編織讓個別的絲線變成一塊布料，過程中，絲線以正確的交織角度彼此交錯，從而緊密相繫。將懸而未結的尾端固定後，編在一起的絲線就成了一整塊布料，除非不厭其煩地將絲線一縷一縷拆解，否則就會保持完整。編織得愈緊，織就的布料愈強韌。許多許多年以來，各種有機材料被用來織布，若條件適當，可以保存數百年。
The author of the sentence wrote of “oral traditions” being woven together. Obviously, the weaving of uttered words is an impossible task given the insubstantiality of breath and sound. Nevertheless, the reader can see an image of spoken words being gathered and preserved orally from generation to generation until such time as the stories were written down by, apparently, Homer. A “desire for the immortal”—the hope that the thread of the stories would not be lost—kept them intact until they could be “woven” into a more-or-less permanent written record.
本句描述「口述傳統」被織就在一起。顯然，說出口的話並無實體，只是氣息與聲音，本來就不可能編織在一起。然而，讀者可以從句中看出一個意象，明白口述的故事被收集並保存下來，代代相傳，最後可能由荷馬將故事記錄下來。由於「對永世流傳的渴求」，也就是希望故事的線索不會失傳，故事因而被完整保存下來，直到織就成近乎永恆不朽的書面紀錄。
Last Update at 2011-11-04 AM 11:41 | 0 Comments
1031 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Answer and Explanation你是接龍的高手嗎? 正確解答!
2011-11-02
Answer: We believe the sentence is effectively completed this way:
“The chemistry laboratory bristled with activity, with the students worrying over individual experiments and the lab professor moving among them with calming encouragement.”
Those three words complete the picture of a busy student lab overseen by an instructor with reassuring influence. Each of the words is important and effective. The “with” suggests that it was not the presence of the instructor that was important; it was the professor’s accompanying attitude. The professor’s “calming” character offset classroom anxiety wherein nerves “bristled” like raised hackles. Finally, the instructor’s “encouragement” perfectly mitigated the “worrying” of the students. The sentence conveys a picture of a well-functioning class laboratory. Academic writers employ words with the same precision as bricklayers use bricks. Each word is important.
填上這三個字後，就完成這樣一幅景象：學生在實驗室裡忙著操作，老師一邊巡視，一邊安慰學生。每個字都很重要，每個字都有它的效果。“With” 一字暗示教授在場並不是重點，重點是教授與學生同在。學生原本神經緊繃，就像貓狗緊張時，頸背毛髮直豎 (“bristled”)；教授 “calming”（撫慰人心）的角色，則減輕了教室中瀰漫的焦慮氣氛。最後，教授的 “encouragement”（鼓勵）適當緩和了學生的 “worrying”（憂慮）。句子描寫的景象，是實驗室課堂運作良好的寫照。寫作學術文章時，遣詞用字必須像水泥工砌磚一樣精確，每個字都很重要。
“The chemistry laboratory bristled with activity, with the students worrying over individual experiments and the lab professor moving among them with calming encouragement.”
Those three words complete the picture of a busy student lab overseen by an instructor with reassuring influence. Each of the words is important and effective. The “with” suggests that it was not the presence of the instructor that was important; it was the professor’s accompanying attitude. The professor’s “calming” character offset classroom anxiety wherein nerves “bristled” like raised hackles. Finally, the instructor’s “encouragement” perfectly mitigated the “worrying” of the students. The sentence conveys a picture of a well-functioning class laboratory. Academic writers employ words with the same precision as bricklayers use bricks. Each word is important.
填上這三個字後，就完成這樣一幅景象：學生在實驗室裡忙著操作，老師一邊巡視，一邊安慰學生。每個字都很重要，每個字都有它的效果。“With” 一字暗示教授在場並不是重點，重點是教授與學生同在。學生原本神經緊繃，就像貓狗緊張時，頸背毛髮直豎 (“bristled”)；教授 “calming”（撫慰人心）的角色，則減輕了教室中瀰漫的焦慮氣氛。最後，教授的 “encouragement”（鼓勵）適當緩和了學生的 “worrying”（憂慮）。句子描寫的景象，是實驗室課堂運作良好的寫照。寫作學術文章時，遣詞用字必須像水泥工砌磚一樣精確，每個字都很重要。
Last Update at 2011-11-02 AM 10:24 | 0 Comments
1031 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元統一超商/星巴克咖啡禮券!
2011-11-01
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，將獲得兩百元統一超商／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:
“The chemistry laboratory bristled with activity, with the students worrying over individual experiments and the lab professor moving among them ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.”
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，將獲得兩百元統一超商／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:
“The chemistry laboratory bristled with activity, with the students worrying over individual experiments and the lab professor moving among them ____ ____ ____ ____ ____.”
Last Update at 2011-11-01 AM 10:40 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2011-10-27
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
“The Demoiselle crane flies across the Himalayas in its migratory flights, some of the most ambitious flights of any migrating bird. Its wings are nearly six feet long and it flies 20,000 feet above the ground, winging its way north and south in the spring and autumn, respectively. The birds flock in large numbers, often several hundred, before flying off in military formation. Though the Demoiselle breeds exclusively, it sometimes chooses to congregate with other cranes. The bird’s numbers are sufficiently numerous to be considered unthreatened by extinction.”
This beautiful bird deserves to be beautifully written about. While the writing is not ugly, neither is it uplifting. Mostly it is imprecise. Using “Himalayas” as shorthand for Himalaya Mountains is slangy, at least in first reference. The crane’s wings are, in fact, not six feet long—its wingspan is that length, which is to say, wingtip to wingtip. Characterizing the birds as flocking in “large numbers” doesn’t stand up in comparison to migrating flocks of other birds that are numbered in the tens of thousands. And who, exactly, deems the Demoiselle unthreatened by extinction? What other shortcomings are evident in the writing?
簑羽鶴很優雅，描寫時也應該優雅一點。這段文章寫得不算笨拙，但也稱不上風範雍容。文章主要問題是用辭不精確，用縮寫 “Himalayas” 表示喜馬拉雅山脈 (“Himalaya Mountains”) 不夠正式，起碼第一次提到時不該用縮寫。此外，簑羽鶴的翅膀實際上沒有六呎長，應該說展翅時身長六呎，也就是兩翼尖相距六呎。還有，其他鳥類遷徙時，往往聚集成千上萬，相較之下，簑羽鶴遷徙時只聚集數百隻，實在稱不上 “large numbers”（大量）。最後，文章說簑羽鶴並未瀕臨絕種，究竟是從哪個標準來看？你還找得到文章其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“The Demoiselle crane migrates across the Himalaya Mountains, a strenuous flight for any migrating bird. Its wingspan of nearly six feet can propel it to heights of more than 20,000 feet as it instinctively heads north and south in the respective seasons. The birds congregate in flocks of several hundred before taking their seasonal flights in militarily-precise formations. Though the Demoiselle is socially exclusive by nature, it sometimes chooses to congregate with other cranes. The Demoiselle is not considered threatened by extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.”
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
“The Demoiselle crane flies across the Himalayas in its migratory flights, some of the most ambitious flights of any migrating bird. Its wings are nearly six feet long and it flies 20,000 feet above the ground, winging its way north and south in the spring and autumn, respectively. The birds flock in large numbers, often several hundred, before flying off in military formation. Though the Demoiselle breeds exclusively, it sometimes chooses to congregate with other cranes. The bird’s numbers are sufficiently numerous to be considered unthreatened by extinction.”
This beautiful bird deserves to be beautifully written about. While the writing is not ugly, neither is it uplifting. Mostly it is imprecise. Using “Himalayas” as shorthand for Himalaya Mountains is slangy, at least in first reference. The crane’s wings are, in fact, not six feet long—its wingspan is that length, which is to say, wingtip to wingtip. Characterizing the birds as flocking in “large numbers” doesn’t stand up in comparison to migrating flocks of other birds that are numbered in the tens of thousands. And who, exactly, deems the Demoiselle unthreatened by extinction? What other shortcomings are evident in the writing?
簑羽鶴很優雅，描寫時也應該優雅一點。這段文章寫得不算笨拙，但也稱不上風範雍容。文章主要問題是用辭不精確，用縮寫 “Himalayas” 表示喜馬拉雅山脈 (“Himalaya Mountains”) 不夠正式，起碼第一次提到時不該用縮寫。此外，簑羽鶴的翅膀實際上沒有六呎長，應該說展翅時身長六呎，也就是兩翼尖相距六呎。還有，其他鳥類遷徙時，往往聚集成千上萬，相較之下，簑羽鶴遷徙時只聚集數百隻，實在稱不上 “large numbers”（大量）。最後，文章說簑羽鶴並未瀕臨絕種，究竟是從哪個標準來看？你還找得到文章其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“The Demoiselle crane migrates across the Himalaya Mountains, a strenuous flight for any migrating bird. Its wingspan of nearly six feet can propel it to heights of more than 20,000 feet as it instinctively heads north and south in the respective seasons. The birds congregate in flocks of several hundred before taking their seasonal flights in militarily-precise formations. Though the Demoiselle is socially exclusive by nature, it sometimes chooses to congregate with other cranes. The Demoiselle is not considered threatened by extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.”
Last Update at 2011-10-27 PM 4:36 | 0 Comments
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