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Corrected sentence:

“And why should I listen to you?” the policeman asked Harry. Samuelson had seen enough of Harry for one night and walked away from the confrontation.”

These sentences convey two voices and two attitudes. The question is, whose voices are being expressed? By placing a question mark inside quotation marks before “the policeman,” it is clear the policeman is speaking to Harry. Putting a comma after “you,” and the question mark and quote mark after “policeman” makes Harry the speaker. Either decision can be justified. The other person is the observer, Samuelson, who is not impressed with Harry confronting the policeman. Therefore, a period must be placed after “asked Harry.” If the period instead is placed after “asked,” Harry Samuelson becomes both speaker and observer, which makes no sense. Another period is needed at the end of the second sentence. Sorting out sentences can be a challenge.
這些句子表達出兩個聲音、兩種態度。但問題是，發話者到底是誰呢？如果在「policeman」前面加上問號和引號，就會明白是警察在和Harry說話。但若在「you」後面加上逗點，然後在「policeman」後面加上引號，就變成是Harry在說話了。這兩種改法都行得通。句中出現的另外一個人Samuelson則是整件事的目擊者，他對Harry勇於對抗警察可絲毫不感興趣。所以應該在「asked Harry」後面加上句點。相反地，如果在「asked」後加上句點，Harry Samuelson就變成了說話者和目擊者，使句子變得毫無意義。另外，在第二個句子的最後，也應該要加上句點。看來句子的排列可真是一大挑戰呢。

文字就像汽車，需要交通標誌與燈號才不會打結，標點符號可以釋放文字，讓字句能打動、指引、啟發讀者。以下範例可能標點符號不正確，或少了必需的標點符號。注意，句中可能不只有一個標點符號錯誤。最先改正錯誤，並寫出最佳解答的一位 TPS 粉絲，將能贏得兩百元誠品圖書商場購物禮卷。
Words, like motor vehicles, need signposts and signals to keep them from running together. Punctuation frees words to move readers, to instruct and inspire them. The following example of writing either contains inappropriate punctuation or lacks marks that are needed. Note: The example may contain more than one punctuation error. The first TPS Fan to correct the writing sample as we believe it should be corrected will win a NTD200 eslite bookstore and shopping mall Gift Certificate.

題目Contest Sentence:

And why should I listen to you the policeman asked Harry Samuelson had seen enough of Harry for one night and walked away from the confrontation

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 word or set of words is called a “figure of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the word or phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.

“The river gorge cuts so deeply through South China that tourist boat passengers experience vertigo if they let their eyes race to the top of the canyon walls.”
「蜿流過中國南方的河谷切割甚深，讓搭乘觀光船的旅客猛地看向峭壁頂端時，會感到暈眩不已。」

“Race” used as a verb has only one essential meaning: to move rapidly. Cars race around tracks. Children race to the ice cream wagon. Commuters race home at the end of the day. Sometimes the racing is competitive, with one racer trying to cross a finish line before another racer. Sometimes the race is non-competitive and illustrates the generally rapid pace of a moving person or vehicle. In every instance, speed is the essence of the meaning. To race slowly is an oxymoron.
「Race」當動詞使用時，代表的意思為「迅速移動」。譬如賽車繞著軌道競速、孩子衝向冰淇淋車、或是通勤人士下班後趕著要搭車回家。這類迅速移動有時會帶有競賽意味，像是跑者奮力衝過終點線，打敗對手。反之，「race」也可能不具競賽意味，用來描寫移動中的人物快速的步伐。

In saying the eyes of the tourists “race” to the top, the writer obviously is not speaking literally. The tourists are not visually racing to see who can spot the top of the wall first, nor have their eyes somehow grown wings to fly up the canyon walls. Rather, their eye (and head) movement suddenly is heavenward. The single word “race” describes this movement. This act of abrupt vertical scanning, with heads thrown back, can unsettle the senses and bring on dizziness.
文中提到旅客的目光「猛地（race）」看向峭壁頂端，很顯然地並不是字面上的意思。旅客們並非在比賽，看誰能先看到峭壁頂上；他們也不是眼睛插了翅，能飛向頂端。相反地，「race」則是描述了旅客們的動作，說明他們的眼睛（和頭）突然向上望。而這種頭向後仰、猛然向上看的動作，造成一股混亂感，令人覺得暈眩。

Correct best answer: Replace “stooped” with “stopped.”

“When the class lecturer stopped in midsentence and began to gather her papers, we all looked at one another and shook our heads at her slavish regard for the clock.”

It is possible that the lecturer in question indeed “stooped” to gather her papers, but then she might have done so and continued to lecture. One action doesn’t preclude the other. That she notably did something “in midsentence” suggests it was more dramatic than just move. Quitting talking in midsentence is a far more startling turn of events. The writer might have intended to show the lecturer did both—stopped and stooped—but neglected to write that she did. This might also be a simple spelling error. In any event, the choice of words interrupts the flow of the sentence and confuses the picture. That surely was not the intent of the writer.
題目中的講師可能真的「彎下腰（stooped）」收拾報告，但是之後應當會繼續上課。合理的動作之間不應有所抵觸；很明顯地，那位講師在話說到「一半」時做了某件事，讓讀者知道接下來的動作應該更戲劇化。突然停止說話的動作可是相當驚人的轉折呢。或者作者想表達那位講師「停止說話」並且「彎下腰」，不過文句並未詳細說明這點。這也有可能是拼字上的錯誤造成的。總之，作者遣詞上的錯誤打斷了文章的流暢度，造成畫面上的混亂。這肯定不是作者的本意。

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:
“When the class lecturer stooped in midsentence and began to gather her papers, we all looked at one another and shook our heads at her slavish regard for the clock.”

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. This column examines short excerpts from academic texts to illustrate common writing errors and to explain how to correct them.

Unacceptable 不被認可的文章

“Historic records show the hurricane pounded ashore nearly 200 miles further south than forecast, catching businesspeople unawares. Naked plate glass windows shattered when struck by 70 mph winds and airborne projectiles. Flying shards sliced into boxes and stuck in walls and display cabinets. Torrents whipped through the windows and ruined inventory and marketing materials. As in every catastrophe, irony showed its face. The owner of a store selling paper was relieved to find his windows unbroken, yet water ran out the door when he opened it: The violent storm had triggered the store’s sprinkler system and flooded the inside of the building.

The writer is guilty of questionable word choices and assumptions. The very first word in the excerpt is wrong. The records are not “historic,’’ that is, momentous in and of themselves; they are “historical,” meaning they contain history. “Further” does not specifically mean distance (it can also mean time), but “farther” does and would have been a better choice in this sentence. “Naked” plate glass windows? That is a stretch, when the intent of the usage is to show they are unprotected. “Flying shards” could mean shards of wood or brittle plastic; it should have been modified to mean broken glass. The same is true of “torrents” without the words “of water.” In short, the writer reached for brevity and sacrificed clarity in the doing, a bad bargain.
作者在文字的選擇和使用上犯了幾個錯誤，特別是節錄段落的第一個字就是錯的。記錄不該是「historic」；這裡應該將重點放在記錄本身，使用「historical」，表示這些記錄包括過去發生的事件。「Further」並不單指距離上的差異（這個詞也能用在時間上），但是「farther」卻僅能用於實際距離上。因此，這裡比較適合用「farther」這個字。另外，什麼是「naked」玻璃窗？作者應該是想要表示窗戶暴露在外未受到保護，卻誤用錯字。「Flying shards」可能是木頭或塑膠碎片，所以將這個部分加以改寫，強調是碎玻璃。同樣的情形也發生在「torrent」上，少了「of water」。總之,作者為了達到文章簡練而犧牲了文意清晰，可謂得不償失。

Acceptable 認可的文章

“Historical records show the hurricane surged ashore nearly 200 miles farther south than forecast, catching businesspeople unprepared. Unprotected plate glass windows shattered under the force of 70 mph winds and airborne projectiles. Flying shards of glass sliced into boxes and embedded themselves in walls and display cabinets. Torrents of rain whipped through the window openings and ruined inventory and marketing materials. As in every catastrophe, irony showed up. The owner of a paper goods store was relieved to find his windows intact, yet water ran out the door when he opened it: The storm had triggered the sprinkler system and flooded the building.

Answer: We believe the sentence is best completed this way:

“In the season’s sudden chill, the tin-paneled roof creaked like crackling vertebrae as the metal pieces contracted and snuggled up for the winter.”

Buildings, especially old buildings, react to cold and hot seasons like people do. They shiver and shrink, or sigh and relax as parts tighten or loosen when the metallurgy in the buildings reacts to temperature change. Couching the metal’s contraction in human terms, the action is compared to pieces that have “snuggled up for the winter.” In the same way, the writer describes the creaking of the roof panels in terms of the human backbone, comparing the occasional eruption of creaking to the sound of a backbone “crackling.” This effectively describes the muted noise. Giving inanimate objects human characteristics enlivens a subject by inviting a reader to identify with it.
建築物，特別是老舊房屋，就跟人一樣會對季節冷暖有所反應。房屋像人一般地發抖、收縮，甚至在金屬部份因氣溫變換而熱脹冷縮，跟著歎息、放鬆。文中將金屬收縮以擬人化表示，形容屋頂的金屬板「在冬天時相互依偎取暖」。作者也以相同手法描寫屋頂板偶爾發出的聲音，將其比喻為人的脊椎延展時出現的「劈裡啪啦聲」，而這個寫作手法也成功地描寫出微弱的聲音。寫作時若將無生命的物體賦予人的特性，會讓讀者產生共鳴，進而使得無生命的東西活躍起來。

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，將獲得兩百元誠品圖書商場購物禮卷；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！
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 five 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 Eslite Bookstore and Shopping Mall Gift Certificate. Another Eslite 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.

題目Contest Sentence:

“In the season’s sudden chill, the old, tin-paneled roof creaked like __ __ __ __ as the metal pieces contracted and snuggled up for the winter.”

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 word or set of words is called a “figure of speech.” For a figure of speech to be effective, however, a writer must first understand the original meaning of the word or phrase. The following sentence contains a common figure of speech. Its original meaning is explained.

“The branch’s grip on the river oak leaves was loosened by wind gusts, and first one, then 100, then 500 cartwheeled through the sky to smother the ground.”
「陣陣狂風把千頭木麻黃的葉片吹離枝頭，先是一片，接著一百、五百片葉子打著轉捲入空中，再厚厚覆蓋地面。」

Cartwheels are relatively tall, slender wheels with long, slender spokes emanating from the axle. When a cart moves forward, the wheels turned and the spokes rotated with increasing speed as the cart moved faster. This motion of revolving spokes is replicated by the arms and legs of children and acrobats who move laterally by alternately standing on their feet and then their hands and then their feet and so on. The circular sweep of the extended arms and legs catches the eye, just as the spokes of a wheel do, with the center part of the torso functioning as an axle.
車輪的形狀又高又窄，並從車軸向外輻射出細長的輻條；車子前進，車輪跟著轉動，車速愈快，輻條轉動的速度愈快。孩童與體操選手做側手翻時，手掌和腳輪流接觸地面，手臂和雙腿的動作就像輻條的轉動。做側手翻時手臂和雙腿伸直，揮動成迴圈，看起來就像車輪的輻條，而軀幹的作用就好比車軸。

By saying that the leaves “cartwheeled” to the ground, carried along by gusts of wind, the writer calls upon the image of spinning wheels (and similarly spinning acrobats). Many leaves float gently, rocking slightly from side to side, when they ride a gentle breeze to the turf below, a movement commonly described as “fluttering.” But when the leaves are yanked from a branch by a more violent wind, they often are seen spinning end over end, the stem acting like a single axle in its rotation. Choosing descriptive words carefully separates spirited writers from ho-hum ones.
本句形容樹葉被狂風捲起，「cartwheeled」（打著轉）捲到地面，就運用了車輪轉動的意象，以及類似的體操選手轉圈的意象。如果葉子乘著微風，多半輕飄飄地微微左右擺盪，落到地面草皮上，這種動作常稱為「fluttering」（飄盪）。但葉子如果讓狂風由枝頭扯下，多半會以葉柄為單一軸心，頭上腳下地打轉。精心選擇敘述的詞彙，能讓文章生氣勃勃，不再無精打采。

Suggested answer: “Penelope felt perturbed when she opened the assignment folder and learned that the professor had completely rejected her premise.”

The relationship between a student and a professor can sometimes be prickly. Often it is the fault of the professor when a nurturing relationship has failed to develop, but students also can be off-putting. Such failure to connect might explain the surprise Penelope experienced when she discovered her suggestion had been totally dismissed. She was “perturbed,” which is to say the rejection not only upset her, it worried her. Cultivating an open and healthy relationship is a plus, and to Penelope it appeared she and the instructor were seriously out of sync. Other acceptable “p” words in this instance include pressured, paralyzed, peeved, maybe even parboiled. But “perturbed” captures all the dissonance a person feels in such a tense situation.
教授和學生的關係有時不容易處理，建立關係時如果發展不順利，通常是教授的問題，但有時學生也會令人反感。本句中，或許就是因為師生交流不順利，所以 Penelop 發現教授完全拒絕她的提議時，才會這麼驚訝，覺得「perturbed」（心煩意亂）；這表示遭到否決讓她心煩又心慌。培養光明正大的良好關係對兩人都有好處，但看來 Penelope 和指導教授兩人關係非常不和睦。本句還可以填入其他「p」開頭的詞，例如 pressured（感到壓力）、paralyzed（全身無力）、peeved（氣惱），甚至 parboiled（煎熬），不過還是「perturbed」最能表達人在這種緊張關係下感受到的不融洽。