What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2012-08-23
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 war hardened those who survived it, with any actual hero an accidental one and The Grim Reaper seemingly everywhere, grimly harvesting his exhausted crop of souls.”
「從真正的英雄到無名英雄，戰爭讓倖存者變得無動於衷，死神似乎無處不在，冷酷地收割筋疲力竭的靈魂。」
The Grim Reaper image of death dates from the bubonic plague of the 14th century that killed millions of people around the world. In dealing with such an enormous loss of human life, some artists turned death into a sinister, skeletal presence in a loose-fitting robe that employed a scythe as a weapon to end the lives of human beings. It was a more gruesome representation of the macabre than was practiced by, say, the Norse culture, which portrayed death as beautiful women. Some other cultures speak of angels appearing to call home the souls of people.
死神的形象源自十四世紀的鼠疫，那場瘟疫奪去數百萬人的生命。有些藝術家在描述這場死亡浩劫時，將死亡轉化為一個陰森凶險的骷髏架，披著寬鬆的長袍，手持鐮刀為武器，奪走人命。斯堪地納維亞將死亡描述為美女，有些文化則將死亡描述為天使出現，將人的靈魂召喚回家，相較之下這個死亡的表徵則相當可怕。
It is not surprising that the writer of this passage called upon the image of The Grim Reaper to illustrate the wholesale death of the battlefield. After awhile, war carnage becomes impersonal to those who are in close proximity to it and The Grim Reaper is anything but personal. Also, it is appropriate to use this image because war is fought with weapons and the scythe is a wicked one and can be utilized to “grimly harvest” victims in bunches, just as modern weapons of war do. The Grim Reaper is cliché, of course; an original allusion or image would have been better yet.
以死神的意象形容戰場大規模的死亡，並不令人意外。對親臨戰場上大屠殺的人來說，過了一陣子看待死亡就能不帶感情，而死神卻似乎如影隨形。此外，由於戰爭是武器間的爭鬥，鐮刀就是邪惡的武器，能用來冷酷地收穫許多受難者的靈魂，就像現代戰爭中的武器，因此死神在此是個適切的意象。當然，死神這個形容缺乏新意，更原創的比喻或意象會更好。
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 war hardened those who survived it, with any actual hero an accidental one and The Grim Reaper seemingly everywhere, grimly harvesting his exhausted crop of souls.”
「從真正的英雄到無名英雄，戰爭讓倖存者變得無動於衷，死神似乎無處不在，冷酷地收割筋疲力竭的靈魂。」
The Grim Reaper image of death dates from the bubonic plague of the 14th century that killed millions of people around the world. In dealing with such an enormous loss of human life, some artists turned death into a sinister, skeletal presence in a loose-fitting robe that employed a scythe as a weapon to end the lives of human beings. It was a more gruesome representation of the macabre than was practiced by, say, the Norse culture, which portrayed death as beautiful women. Some other cultures speak of angels appearing to call home the souls of people.
死神的形象源自十四世紀的鼠疫，那場瘟疫奪去數百萬人的生命。有些藝術家在描述這場死亡浩劫時，將死亡轉化為一個陰森凶險的骷髏架，披著寬鬆的長袍，手持鐮刀為武器，奪走人命。斯堪地納維亞將死亡描述為美女，有些文化則將死亡描述為天使出現，將人的靈魂召喚回家，相較之下這個死亡的表徵則相當可怕。
It is not surprising that the writer of this passage called upon the image of The Grim Reaper to illustrate the wholesale death of the battlefield. After awhile, war carnage becomes impersonal to those who are in close proximity to it and The Grim Reaper is anything but personal. Also, it is appropriate to use this image because war is fought with weapons and the scythe is a wicked one and can be utilized to “grimly harvest” victims in bunches, just as modern weapons of war do. The Grim Reaper is cliché, of course; an original allusion or image would have been better yet.
以死神的意象形容戰場大規模的死亡，並不令人意外。對親臨戰場上大屠殺的人來說，過了一陣子看待死亡就能不帶感情，而死神卻似乎如影隨形。此外，由於戰爭是武器間的爭鬥，鐮刀就是邪惡的武器，能用來冷酷地收穫許多受難者的靈魂，就像現代戰爭中的武器，因此死神在此是個適切的意象。當然，死神這個形容缺乏新意，更原創的比喻或意象會更好。
Last Update at 2012-08-24 PM 3:21 | 0 Comments
0820 TPS One Word Away From Confusion Contest－Answer and Explanation你能找出混淆字嗎? 正確解答!
2012-08-21
Correct best answer: Replace “tracts” with “tracks.”
“Thailand’s rural music tradition dates only to the 20th century, when Latin American melodies were fused with Western movie sound tracks to create a style called Luk Thung.”
What a difference single letter can make. Sometimes the letter can turn a word into gibberish, which is embarrassing enough. Other times it turns a word into another word, which is embarrassing and confusing. A sound track is the part of a videotape that carries the sound of a movie, whereas a sound tract is a fertile or stable area of land. The words are not pronounced exactly alike but are close enough for verbal confusion. Written, the two words can easily pass for one another in the eyes of a skimming reader. Professors and other academic paper readers do not skim, however, so it is important that “almost-correct” words not be subbed for correct ones.
一字之差，差之千里。有時候只差一個字母，原來的詞彙就會變得毫無意義，這已經很窘了，有時候是甚至把原來的詞彙變成另一個詞彙，不僅尷尬還令人費解。「Sound track」（音軌）是電影錄像磁帶中帶有聲音的部分，「sound tract」則是肥沃或堅實的土地。兩字發音不大相同，但是拼法卻很像，容易混淆。掃讀時很容易忽略這兩個字的差別，但教授或閱讀學術文章的人，可不僅是匆匆瀏覽；所以要小心，可別讓「差不多」的字混充正確的字。
“Thailand’s rural music tradition dates only to the 20th century, when Latin American melodies were fused with Western movie sound tracks to create a style called Luk Thung.”
What a difference single letter can make. Sometimes the letter can turn a word into gibberish, which is embarrassing enough. Other times it turns a word into another word, which is embarrassing and confusing. A sound track is the part of a videotape that carries the sound of a movie, whereas a sound tract is a fertile or stable area of land. The words are not pronounced exactly alike but are close enough for verbal confusion. Written, the two words can easily pass for one another in the eyes of a skimming reader. Professors and other academic paper readers do not skim, however, so it is important that “almost-correct” words not be subbed for correct ones.
一字之差，差之千里。有時候只差一個字母，原來的詞彙就會變得毫無意義，這已經很窘了，有時候是甚至把原來的詞彙變成另一個詞彙，不僅尷尬還令人費解。「Sound track」（音軌）是電影錄像磁帶中帶有聲音的部分，「sound tract」則是肥沃或堅實的土地。兩字發音不大相同，但是拼法卻很像，容易混淆。掃讀時很容易忽略這兩個字的差別，但教授或閱讀學術文章的人，可不僅是匆匆瀏覽；所以要小心，可別讓「差不多」的字混充正確的字。
Last Update at 2012-08-24 PM 3:17 | 0 Comments
0820 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!
2012-08-20
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:
“Thailand’s rural music tradition dates only to the 20th century, when Latin American melodies were fused with Western movie sound tracts to create a style called Luk Thung.”
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:
“Thailand’s rural music tradition dates only to the 20th century, when Latin American melodies were fused with Western movie sound tracts to create a style called Luk Thung.”
Last Update at 2012-08-24 PM 3:15 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2012-08-16
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 community pottery place in the country outside Wiggingham was a source of artistic pottery, with potters arriving shortly after sunup for mixing, spinning, and smoothing of their clay materials till midafternoon. The remaining hours of the day were reserved for painting or etching their creations, with distracted conversations mixed in about the craft or their families or the marketplace. Firing was reserved for the evening so that the kilns’ heat could be endured and, in some seasons, enjoyed as a real comfort against the chill of the coming night.”
This passage on a center for the making of potteryware is interesting in its images, but suffers from inexactness in its wording. The writer refers to a “pottery place,” which is a redundancy. “Pottery” says it all, a place where potters craft potteryware. The pottery output is called “artistic,” when in fact much of it probably is purely functional in design but nonetheless is crafted by artisans. “Sunup” verges on being colloquial as opposed to sunrise or dawn. The writer also suggests “the remaining hours of the day” were spent painting and etching, when he meant the remaining daylight hours were thus spent. A day runs till midnight. Other weaknesses?
這篇陶器館的段落描述很有意思，但美中不足的是寫作不精。文中寫道「pottery place」，其實「pottery」一個字就是指陶匠製造陶器的地方。文中又用「artistic」（藝術性的） 形容陶器，不過許多陶器是做來使用的，只不過是由工匠 (artisan) 製作。「Sunup」一字比起 sunrise 或 dawn 顯得口語，另外文中提到「the remaining hours of the day」（一天中剩餘的時間），但其實指的是白天剩餘的時間，從白天到夜晚都可以算是一天。你還看到其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“The communal pottery in the country outside Wiggingham was a source of artisanal potteryware, with potters arriving shortly after dawn to mix, spin, and smooth their clay materials till midafternoon. The remaining daylight hours were given over to painting or etching of creations, interspersed with distracted conversations about the craft, or their families, or the market. Firing was reserved for evening so that the heat of kilns was bearable and, in some seasons, could provide genuine comfort against the chill of approaching night.”
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 community pottery place in the country outside Wiggingham was a source of artistic pottery, with potters arriving shortly after sunup for mixing, spinning, and smoothing of their clay materials till midafternoon. The remaining hours of the day were reserved for painting or etching their creations, with distracted conversations mixed in about the craft or their families or the marketplace. Firing was reserved for the evening so that the kilns’ heat could be endured and, in some seasons, enjoyed as a real comfort against the chill of the coming night.”
This passage on a center for the making of potteryware is interesting in its images, but suffers from inexactness in its wording. The writer refers to a “pottery place,” which is a redundancy. “Pottery” says it all, a place where potters craft potteryware. The pottery output is called “artistic,” when in fact much of it probably is purely functional in design but nonetheless is crafted by artisans. “Sunup” verges on being colloquial as opposed to sunrise or dawn. The writer also suggests “the remaining hours of the day” were spent painting and etching, when he meant the remaining daylight hours were thus spent. A day runs till midnight. Other weaknesses?
這篇陶器館的段落描述很有意思，但美中不足的是寫作不精。文中寫道「pottery place」，其實「pottery」一個字就是指陶匠製造陶器的地方。文中又用「artistic」（藝術性的） 形容陶器，不過許多陶器是做來使用的，只不過是由工匠 (artisan) 製作。「Sunup」一字比起 sunrise 或 dawn 顯得口語，另外文中提到「the remaining hours of the day」（一天中剩餘的時間），但其實指的是白天剩餘的時間，從白天到夜晚都可以算是一天。你還看到其他問題嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“The communal pottery in the country outside Wiggingham was a source of artisanal potteryware, with potters arriving shortly after dawn to mix, spin, and smooth their clay materials till midafternoon. The remaining daylight hours were given over to painting or etching of creations, interspersed with distracted conversations about the craft, or their families, or the market. Firing was reserved for evening so that the heat of kilns was bearable and, in some seasons, could provide genuine comfort against the chill of approaching night.”
Last Update at 2012-08-21 AM 10:20 | 0 Comments
0813 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Answer and Explanation你是接龍的高手嗎? 正確解答!
2012-08-14
Answer: We believe the sentence is best completed this way:
“When the Doberman surprised the bungling intruder, the compactly built dog bounded across the entranceway and threw itself at the man as if it were welcoming him home.”
The dog’s attack on the home invader is a serious matter, for the man and the home owner. A Doberman Pinscher originally was bred as a guard dog, so it is muscled and a genuine physical threat to a person. In this instance, however, it is possible to introduce irony as a way to describe the attack, saying the animal is racing to the man “as if it were welcoming him home.” Were the animal growling as it attacked, such a description would not work. Using the ironic description does two things: It plays off the “bungling” of the intruder, suggesting a comic scene rather than a violent one. And it creates an edgy juxtaposition that startles the reader. Startling is good.
狗攻擊闖入家裡的小偷，對小偷和屋主來說都是很嚴重的事。杜賓犬一開始繁殖是作為守衛犬之用，因此肌肉強健，對人很危險。不過在本句中，卻可以用諷刺的語氣描述杜賓狗的攻擊，形容狗像「迎接他回家」一樣衝向小偷。如果狗一邊攻擊一邊咆哮，這樣的形容就不適合了。諷刺語氣有兩個作用，一是嘲弄闖入的「笨」(bungling) 賊，創造滑稽效果，避免過於暴力；另外，也產生了強烈對比，出乎讀者意料。出人意表是件好事。
“When the Doberman surprised the bungling intruder, the compactly built dog bounded across the entranceway and threw itself at the man as if it were welcoming him home.”
The dog’s attack on the home invader is a serious matter, for the man and the home owner. A Doberman Pinscher originally was bred as a guard dog, so it is muscled and a genuine physical threat to a person. In this instance, however, it is possible to introduce irony as a way to describe the attack, saying the animal is racing to the man “as if it were welcoming him home.” Were the animal growling as it attacked, such a description would not work. Using the ironic description does two things: It plays off the “bungling” of the intruder, suggesting a comic scene rather than a violent one. And it creates an edgy juxtaposition that startles the reader. Startling is good.
狗攻擊闖入家裡的小偷，對小偷和屋主來說都是很嚴重的事。杜賓犬一開始繁殖是作為守衛犬之用，因此肌肉強健，對人很危險。不過在本句中，卻可以用諷刺的語氣描述杜賓狗的攻擊，形容狗像「迎接他回家」一樣衝向小偷。如果狗一邊攻擊一邊咆哮，這樣的形容就不適合了。諷刺語氣有兩個作用，一是嘲弄闖入的「笨」(bungling) 賊，創造滑稽效果，避免過於暴力；另外，也產生了強烈對比，出乎讀者意料。出人意表是件好事。
Last Update at 2012-08-21 AM 10:15 | 0 Comments
0813 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest－Win Your NTD200 Eslite Bookstore and Shopping Mall Gift Certificate! 你是接龍的高手嗎? 有機會獲得200元誠品圖書商場購物禮卷！
2012-08-13
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:
“When the Doberman surprised the unsuspecting intruder, the heavily muscled dog bounded across the entranceway and threw itself at the man as if ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”
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:
“When the Doberman surprised the unsuspecting intruder, the heavily muscled dog bounded across the entranceway and threw itself at the man as if ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”
Last Update at 2012-08-21 AM 10:13 | 0 Comments
What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?
2012-08-09
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 searchers moved into the area in single file, talking quietly forward and backward along the line, before reaching a tree-less area and fanning out.”
「搜索隊成一縱列進入該區域，輕聲前後傳話，接著進入沒有樹木的區域並擴展散開。」
A hand fan is an ancient response to still, warm air and the discomfort that can arise from it. Its roots go back many centuries in both Asia and Europe, dating respectively to the second and fourth centuries BC. Individual crude fans presumably predate those manufactured ones. The fans were made of light but stiffened materials, some constructed from nature (feathers) and some from man’s ingenuity (paper). The devices were of two basic designs: rigid and folding. The latter became a stylistic statement as well as a tool for coquetry and coy flirtation.
古時若空氣凝滯燠熱，令人不適，便會用上手持的扇子。手持扇起源於許多個世紀前，在亞洲可追溯至公元前二世紀，歐洲可追溯至公元前四世紀。個人自行製作、未多加工的扇子，年代大約又早於成批製造的扇子。扇子的材料質輕堅硬，有些取自天然（如羽毛），有些得自人造（紙類）；設計特點有二，一是堅固，二是能折疊。折疊不僅獨具風格，也便於賣弄風騷、掩面調情。
The term “fanning out” is specifically linked to folding fans. The devices are stored with their folding stems collapsed together into a single shaft. In this way a folding fan is easily transported in a pocket. For use, the fan is grasped in the palm of the hand with the thumb pushing sideways upon the top stem to open it, the other stems trailing behind. Thus, one narrow stem becomes several stems spread widely, with the attached covering material ready to move the still air. Similarly, the line of searchers spreads out to cover a broad stretch of ground during one pass.
本句「fanning out」一詞和摺扇有關，摺扇平常扇骨收攏，疊為一柄，方便置於袋中攜帶。使用時，則以手持扇，拇指將最外層的扇骨一推，其餘扇骨也就隨之展開。如此一來，原先一柄細窄的扇子，便舒展出數柄扇骨，覆蓋骨上的扇面就能用來搧風。本句中，搜索隊也同樣四散展開，在一次搜索中搜尋一片廣大區域。
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 searchers moved into the area in single file, talking quietly forward and backward along the line, before reaching a tree-less area and fanning out.”
「搜索隊成一縱列進入該區域，輕聲前後傳話，接著進入沒有樹木的區域並擴展散開。」
A hand fan is an ancient response to still, warm air and the discomfort that can arise from it. Its roots go back many centuries in both Asia and Europe, dating respectively to the second and fourth centuries BC. Individual crude fans presumably predate those manufactured ones. The fans were made of light but stiffened materials, some constructed from nature (feathers) and some from man’s ingenuity (paper). The devices were of two basic designs: rigid and folding. The latter became a stylistic statement as well as a tool for coquetry and coy flirtation.
古時若空氣凝滯燠熱，令人不適，便會用上手持的扇子。手持扇起源於許多個世紀前，在亞洲可追溯至公元前二世紀，歐洲可追溯至公元前四世紀。個人自行製作、未多加工的扇子，年代大約又早於成批製造的扇子。扇子的材料質輕堅硬，有些取自天然（如羽毛），有些得自人造（紙類）；設計特點有二，一是堅固，二是能折疊。折疊不僅獨具風格，也便於賣弄風騷、掩面調情。
The term “fanning out” is specifically linked to folding fans. The devices are stored with their folding stems collapsed together into a single shaft. In this way a folding fan is easily transported in a pocket. For use, the fan is grasped in the palm of the hand with the thumb pushing sideways upon the top stem to open it, the other stems trailing behind. Thus, one narrow stem becomes several stems spread widely, with the attached covering material ready to move the still air. Similarly, the line of searchers spreads out to cover a broad stretch of ground during one pass.
本句「fanning out」一詞和摺扇有關，摺扇平常扇骨收攏，疊為一柄，方便置於袋中攜帶。使用時，則以手持扇，拇指將最外層的扇骨一推，其餘扇骨也就隨之展開。如此一來，原先一柄細窄的扇子，便舒展出數柄扇骨，覆蓋骨上的扇面就能用來搧風。本句中，搜索隊也同樣四散展開，在一次搜索中搜尋一片廣大區域。
Last Update at 2012-08-21 AM 10:10 | 0 Comments
0806 TPS Verbalize Contest－Answer and Explanation你能找出關鍵的動詞嗎？ 正確解答!
2012-08-07
Suggested answer: “The hippopotami surfaced after being submerged for several minutes and, spotting the wayward tourist, churned the water with his powerful, short legs and charged.”
The hippopotamus is a huge, relatively slow-moving mammal with a notably gaping mouth. It doesn’t much care for human beings, particularly when a baby hippo is in the picture. In the sentence, the animal is aroused by the sight of a tourist and immediately pursues it. We believe the best verb to describe the animal’s leg movement is “churned,” meaning to “stir, or agitate violently.” This captures both intent and motion. Other useable words in this context include “chopped” and “cleaved,” but neither as effectively conveys the malevolent attitude of the hippo.
河馬這種哺乳動物體型巨大、行動較為遲緩，對人類沒什麼好感，尤其有小河馬要照顧的時候。本句中，河馬一看到遊客，立刻激動起來，起身追逐。我們認為要形容河馬腿部的動作，最好的動詞是「churned」，意思是翻攪或猛烈的攪動，這個動詞同時展現了河馬的意圖與動作。此處其他可用的動詞包括「chopped」（跺）或「cleaved」（切），但這兩個動詞都沒辦法確實傳達出河馬的攻擊態度。
The hippopotamus is a huge, relatively slow-moving mammal with a notably gaping mouth. It doesn’t much care for human beings, particularly when a baby hippo is in the picture. In the sentence, the animal is aroused by the sight of a tourist and immediately pursues it. We believe the best verb to describe the animal’s leg movement is “churned,” meaning to “stir, or agitate violently.” This captures both intent and motion. Other useable words in this context include “chopped” and “cleaved,” but neither as effectively conveys the malevolent attitude of the hippo.
河馬這種哺乳動物體型巨大、行動較為遲緩，對人類沒什麼好感，尤其有小河馬要照顧的時候。本句中，河馬一看到遊客，立刻激動起來，起身追逐。我們認為要形容河馬腿部的動作，最好的動詞是「churned」，意思是翻攪或猛烈的攪動，這個動詞同時展現了河馬的意圖與動作。此處其他可用的動詞包括「chopped」（跺）或「cleaved」（切），但這兩個動詞都沒辦法確實傳達出河馬的攻擊態度。
Last Update at 2012-08-17 PM 12:28 | 0 Comments
0806 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!
2012-08-06
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:
“The hippopotami surfaced after being submerged for several minutes and, spotting the wayward tourist, c________ the water with his powerful, short legs and charged.”
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:
“The hippopotami surfaced after being submerged for several minutes and, spotting the wayward tourist, c________ the water with his powerful, short legs and charged.”
Last Update at 2012-08-17 PM 12:26 | 0 Comments
This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的
2012-08-02
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
“Climbing a rock wall is a physical challenge, but the greatest challenge is mental. Gravity works against every finger- and toe-hold—dragging down against every heroic effort to pull oneself up—meaning that arm, leg, and back muscles must be constantly working. Even with safety lines, muscle relaxation never really happens till the top is reached. Yet the mental exertion of a climb can be equally hard. Looking up or down a sheer cliff can be disorienting and a little scary. An experienced climber braces himself mentally before starting his climb.”
This snapshot of the rigors of climbing a rocky cliff manages to capture the intensity of the sport. Yet its language is weak. In the first sentence, the writer writes about the “greatest” of challenges. Because the list of challenges number only two, the proper comparative is “greater.” An effort to pull oneself up is termed “heroic;” in the absence of any information to consider it such, the word is inappropriate. Exertion is described as “hard,” when in fact it is a depletable asset that needs replenishing. What other weaknesses do you see in the writing?
這段文字概略形容攀岩的挑戰，努力呈現攀岩運動的激烈，不過遣詞用字卻不夠有力。第一句後半提到「greatest」（最大的）挑戰，不過這裡只列出兩種挑戰，所以比較級「greater」比較適切。文中又用「heroic」（英勇的）形容往上攀爬的動作，但缺乏佐證訊息，因此這種形容並不適當。另外，文中又以「hard」（艱困）形容所費的心力，但心力其實是種會耗費、必須補充的資產。你在文中還看到其他缺點嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Climbing a rock wall is a physical challenge, but the greater challenge is mental. Gravity works against every action of a climber—dragging down against his every effort to pull himself up—meaning that arm, leg, and torso muscles must be constantly tensed. Even with safety lines, muscle relaxation never really occurs on a climb. Yet the mental exertion of the climb can be even more taxing. Looking up—let alone down—a sheer cliff can be disorienting and somewhat frightening. An experienced climber always braces himself mentally before taking his first step.”
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
“Climbing a rock wall is a physical challenge, but the greatest challenge is mental. Gravity works against every finger- and toe-hold—dragging down against every heroic effort to pull oneself up—meaning that arm, leg, and back muscles must be constantly working. Even with safety lines, muscle relaxation never really happens till the top is reached. Yet the mental exertion of a climb can be equally hard. Looking up or down a sheer cliff can be disorienting and a little scary. An experienced climber braces himself mentally before starting his climb.”
This snapshot of the rigors of climbing a rocky cliff manages to capture the intensity of the sport. Yet its language is weak. In the first sentence, the writer writes about the “greatest” of challenges. Because the list of challenges number only two, the proper comparative is “greater.” An effort to pull oneself up is termed “heroic;” in the absence of any information to consider it such, the word is inappropriate. Exertion is described as “hard,” when in fact it is a depletable asset that needs replenishing. What other weaknesses do you see in the writing?
這段文字概略形容攀岩的挑戰，努力呈現攀岩運動的激烈，不過遣詞用字卻不夠有力。第一句後半提到「greatest」（最大的）挑戰，不過這裡只列出兩種挑戰，所以比較級「greater」比較適切。文中又用「heroic」（英勇的）形容往上攀爬的動作，但缺乏佐證訊息，因此這種形容並不適當。另外，文中又以「hard」（艱困）形容所費的心力，但心力其實是種會耗費、必須補充的資產。你在文中還看到其他缺點嗎？
Acceptable 認可的文章
“Climbing a rock wall is a physical challenge, but the greater challenge is mental. Gravity works against every action of a climber—dragging down against his every effort to pull himself up—meaning that arm, leg, and torso muscles must be constantly tensed. Even with safety lines, muscle relaxation never really occurs on a climb. Yet the mental exertion of the climb can be even more taxing. Looking up—let alone down—a sheer cliff can be disorienting and somewhat frightening. An experienced climber always braces himself mentally before taking his first step.”
Last Update at 2012-08-03 AM 10:59 | 0 Comments
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