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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:
“The document was shredded as directed by the Chief Executive Officer, yet the explosive contents somehow survived to be blown up by print and broadcast Medea.”

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 darling hummingbirds flew to the feeder and floated in the air above it, their wings fanning the evening air, their beaks sucking up sweet water. The ornithologist sat still on a nearby perch and counted how many visits to the feeder the birds made. He watched the water level in the feeder fall lower and calculated how much water was taken on by each tiny bird. After sitting more or less without moving for three hours, the bird-watcher shut down the screen on his laptop and said fare-thee-well to the little gang of migratory birds.”

This writer tried to be endearing. This is evident in the use of such words as “darling,” and such phrases as “the little gang” of birds. Endearment is not a virtue in an academic paper. Other flaws include the assertion that the scientist sat, bird-like, on a “perch.” More likely, it was a chair or stool. The writer says the birds were “sucking up”—a colloquial expression— “sweet water;” when in fact the water was “sweetened.” The scientist is said to have calculated how much each bird drank, which is unlikely because the birds cannot be individually identified. Rather, he calculated the amount of water consumed by an individual bird. The writer clearly was not precise in his description. Can you spot other weaknesses?
作者顯然想討人喜歡，從「darling」（小可愛）與「the little gang」（一幫小傢伙）等用詞就看得出來，但是學術文章不該裝可愛。另一個問題是形容科學家像鳥一樣，坐在「perch」（橫桿）上，但實際上他應該是坐在椅子或凳子上。文中又說鳥兒「sucking up」（喝）「sweet water」（甘甜的水），但前者太口語，後者應改為「sweetened water」（糖水）；說科學家計算「each bird」（每隻鳥）喝了多少水，但不可能一一分辨每隻鳥，因此這說法也不對，而應該說他計算「an individual bird」（一隻鳥）喝了多少水。由此可見作者形容不夠精確。你是否還發現其他問題？

Acceptable 認可的文章

“The hummingbirds darted to the feeder and hovered above its lip, their wings a blur, their beaks delicately drawing from the pool of sugared water. The ornithologist sat unmoving nearby and counted the visits of each bird to the hanging feeder. He watched the level of the water in the feeder slowly drop and calculated from the measurable decline the volume of water taken on by an individual sipping bird. After sitting virtually motionless for three hours, the bird-watcher closed the screen on his laptop and bade goodbye to the menagerie.”

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

“Each motorcycle engine in the test blocks was revved up till a sound like the wrenching of steel plate reverberated off the walls of the testing facility.”

Many are the ways to describe the screeching, keening sound of a small engine being operated at high rpm, usually for short duration. When bolted to a test block, an engine is pushed to its outer limits of operation by engineers who are quite ready to let it fly apart if it cannot withstand the stresses. The writer compares the sound of an engine in extreme distress to the sharp, shuddering sound that erupts when a sheet of steel is violently twisted apart. The metallurgical comparison is effective because it doesn’t ask a reader to leave the shop in his mind for a comparable sound found in nature. Ranging too far afield for descriptions can cause a reader to stumble.
小型引擎以高轉速操作時（通常持續時間較短），會發出尖銳刺耳的聲音，這聲音有很多描述方法。工程師把引擎用螺栓固定到試驗塊上後，會發動引擎並推到最高速限，如果引擎受不了壓力，就會飛散開來。文中把承受極端壓力的引擎發出的聲音，比擬為鋼片猛力撕扯開來時，爆出的尖刺聲響。以金屬來比喻效果良好，因為讀者的想像力不必轉到引擎部門以外，設想另一個自然的聲響。描述若離主題太遠，讀者不易理解。

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.
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！

題目Contest Sentence:

“Each motorcycle engine in the test blocks was revved up till a sound like __ __ __ __ __ reverberated off the walls of the testing facility.”

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.

“In the light of the teacher’s explanation, the classroom of students suddenly saw the anagram that had hidden itself in full view.”
「教師的講解讓教室裡的學生眼睛一亮，原本不甚明白的字謎豁然開朗。」

Anyone with less than perfect eyesight knows how much easier it is to read text when it is fully lit by a direct light source. The shapes of the letters grow crisp, the contrast between the white background and the black lettering becomes stark. Shadow that blurred comprehension retreats and the page is perceived in total clarity. And it all is a result of light illuminating the written matter so that the retinas of your less-than-perfect eyes can function as they are engineered to function. The thing called vision is taken for granted until light fails us and we cannot see.
視力一般的人都知道，如果有充分光線直接照耀，閱讀會容易許多。字體輪廓變得清晰，白紙黑字對比更銳利，干擾理解的陰影退去，能徹底看清書面的字句。這都是因為光線照亮了文字，讓原本不完美的眼睛視網膜徹底發揮原有的功能。我們向來把視覺看得理所當然，但沒有光線，我們也就看不見了。

Writing that the students suddenly perceived the full possibilities of a word “in the light of the teaching’s explanation” does not mean that the teacher literally threw a switch on the classroom wall. Rather, she helped the students “see” the answer by giving them hints or otherwise guiding them in the right direction. In doing so, she enlightened the students as surely as a lamp lights a page. The metaphor is an old one that plays on the concept of “seeing” with the mind’s eye. It is not so commonly used as to be a cliché; it communicates so clearly that it always seems fresh.
文中說明教師的講解讓學生眼睛一亮（in the light of the teaching’s explanation），豁然開朗，頓時了解詞彙所有意思。教師並不是真的打開牆上電燈的開關，而是提點學生，讓學生往正確方向思考，從而「看出」答案。如此一來，就像燈光照亮書頁，教師也啟發了學生。這個隱喻以心智的雙眼所見為發想，雖然並不新穎，但不致常用到成為陳腔濫調，且能清晰地傳達意義，因此總讓人耳目一新。

Suggested answer: “Winter in the coastal city turned to spring and the Pacific waters taunted the earnest marine biology students with salty spray and soft, slippery swales.”

Springtime is not for academic pursuits, as most any young student will tell you. Other pursuits take precedence, such as courting and similar heart-felt endeavors. Students researching next to rhythmically rolling waters might be particularly distracted. Given all that, it is safe to say the salty, soft waters “taunted” the students. In giving the ocean the capacity for acting with intent, the writer enlivens a serious subject without diminishing it. Other “t” words might be “teased” (a less harsh form of mockery) and “tweaked” in the sense of being annoying.
春天不是讀書天，大多數年輕學子都會這麼告訴你。春天有更重要的任務，比如談情說愛，或其他情深意切的事。在規律起伏的海邊做研究，或許特別容易擾亂學生的思緒。因此，適當的說法是輕柔的海水「taunted」（挑動）學生思緒。作者賦予海水意志力，讓原本正經的主題活潑生動起來，同時不減損其威力。其他以「t」開頭的詞包括「teased」（逗弄，較輕微的嘲弄）或「tweaked」（捉弄），同樣會令人心神不寧。

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:

“Winter in the coastal city turned to spring and the Pacific waters t______ the earnest marine biology students with salty spray and soft, slippery swales.”

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

“Among the explorers of earth a long time ago is Wang Dayuan, whose 14th-century sea wanderings around South Asia and Africa produced fascinating material for modern historians. This includes an account of a 1330 trip to a place now known as Singapore. Dayuan wrote about the city’s Chinese and Malaysian people; he went on to compile descriptions of other people, cultures, and the weather in some 100 coastel cities in the region. Dayuan’s home was Quanzhou, which might have been known in his time as Chinchew, Chinchu, or Zayton.”

This passage about an Asia Pacific explorer is interesting but flawed. A reference to the planet we call home (as did the explorer) should be capitalized—Earth. The first sentence refers to the 14th-century explorer in the present tense, though he has been dead for almost 700 years. To refer to sea expeditions as “wanderings” doesn’t give their planners much credit. The writer incorrectly refers to “Malaysian” people, when he meant Malay. He also gets wordy, saying the explorer managed to “compile descriptions of other people,” which might simply have been stated as, he “described other people.” Do you see other errors?
這段文字討論亞太的探險家，主題有意思，但寫作有些瑕疵。若要指我們居住的星球，英文「Earth」應該要大寫。第一句用現在式，但所描述的十四世紀探險家距今已經將近七百年了；而把海上探險稱為「wanderings」（漫遊）則對規劃這場探險的人有失公允。文中用「Malaysian people」指馬來人，正確說法應該是「Malay」。描述探險家努力「compile descriptions of other people」（編寫對其他人民的描述）也太囉嗦，簡單說「described other people」就可以了。你是否還看到其他問題？

Acceptable 認可的文章

“Among the recorded explorers of Earth in eras long gone was Wang Dayuan, whose 14th-century sea travels around South Asia and Africa produced some valuable material for modern historians. This includes an account of a 1330 expedition to what is now Singapore. Dayuan wrote about the city’s Chinese and Malay residents; he went on to describe people, cultures, and the weather in some 100 coastal cities across the region. Dayuan’s home port was Quanzhou, which in his time might have been called Chinchew, Chinchu, or Zayton.”

Corrected sentence:
“The conundrum, which is undisputed among scholars, is that none of the writers of that period were faithful to the strict, traditional rules governing Latin-based syntax.”

This sentence contains four punctuation errors. The dependent clause near the front of the sentence—“which is undisputed among scholars—requires a comma at the front and rear of it. One way to identify the need for a comma is the word “which.” A phrase beginning with “which” always must be separated from the rest of the sentence, as opposed to a similar phrase beginning with the word “that.” The third error is the lack of a comma between “strict” and “traditional.” Combinations of adjectives must be separated. The final error is the absence of hyphenation for the compound adjective “Latin-based.” With the proper punctuation in place, the eye races through the sentence.
本句標點有四個錯誤。首先，句子前半的從屬子句－「which is undisputed among scholars」（學者均認為無庸置疑）前後應該加逗號。要知道是否需加逗號，可以從「which」這個字判斷，以「which」開頭的詞組必須和句子其他部分分開，相較之下，以「that」為首的類似詞組就沒有這個必要。第三個錯誤是「strict」和「traditional」之間也少了逗號；兩相鄰的形容詞也一定要分開。最後則是複合形容詞「Latin-based」之間少了連字號。標點符號用得好，句子讀起來就流暢了。

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.
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。

題目Contest Sentence:

“The conundrum which is undisputed among scholars is that none of the great writers of that period were faithful to the strict traditional rules governing Latin based syntax.”