0709 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!

2012-07-09
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 traditional musicians played lilting music on their bamboo pipes, the melodies drifting along the five-note scale like swallows w______ on the wind.”

Last Update at 2012-07-10 AM 10:43 | 0 Comments

This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的

2012-07-05
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

“Unlike some countries where people are fewer, China continues to rely on Labor-Intensive Ag Practices. The goal is to increase production from each and every acre of farm land, rather than from each farm worker. Employing many workers to produce crops is not only not a problem in China, it is a Beneficent Strategy designed to help drain the nation’s deep farm labor pool. Therefore, labor-saving machinery that is the hope of farms in more industrialized nations could be ruinous in China. However, this obviously antiquated National Policy can’t go on forever.”

This passage is about a central policy that seems to serve China, but would misserve a nation of different demographics. While the writer makes an interesting point, he does not do so using recommended academic writing practices. One failing is a penchant to capitalize words for no apparent reason; rules of capitalization are not that flexible. “Each and every” is a clichéd phrase; “each” is sufficient. The phrase “not only not a…” is awkward and needs rewriting. The final sentence is presumptuous and colloquial. What other weaknesses do you see in the writing?
本文討論一則中央政策,看起來似乎切合中國的需求,實際上卻忽略了中國各地不同的人口特性。雖然作者的論點很有意思,寫作技巧卻未同樣值得嘉許。一個問題是作者偏好無故用大寫,大寫應該有大寫的規則。“Each and every” 用詞老套,“each” 其實就夠了。另外 “not only not a…” 這個片語看來也很生硬,必須修改。最後一句有點過火,也略嫌口語。你還在文章中看到哪些缺點呢?

Acceptable 認可的文章

“Unlike some less populated countries, China still relies in the 21st century on labor-intensive agricultural practices. Its goal is increased production per unit of farm land, rather than per farm worker. Employing many workers to produce crops is not only a necessity in China, it is a virtue. The strategy helps draw down the nation’s deep and swelling farm labor pool. For this reason, the labor-saving machinery that is the hope of individual farmers in more industrialized nations is problematic in China. In the long run, however, this national policy may not be sustainable.”

Last Update at 2012-07-06 AM 10:48 | 0 Comments

0702 TPS One Word Away From Confusion Contest-Answer and Explanation你能找出混淆字嗎? 正確解答!

2012-07-03
Correct best answer: Replace “flouts” with “flutes.”

“From the flutes of Ling Lun to the mental compositions of Ludwig Van Beethoven, the arc of classical music has played across the ages in perfect harmony.”

Ling Lun is traditionally credited with creating the standard pitch to which all instruments in China were tuned. Beethoven was the 18th century European composer who was said to compose orchestrations in his head. Neither man was in the habit of jeering less fortunate peers, yet the confusing uncorrected sentence speaks of Ling Lun’s “flouts,” or jeers. A quick reading of legend clarifies that Lun set the standard pitch using hollowed bamboo “flutes.” A spell check wouldn’t catch this error; logic and a little research would. Always re-read with brain engaged.
傳說伶倫制定音階,成為所有中國樂器依循的標準;貝多芬則是十八世紀歐洲作曲家,據說他能在腦海中譜寫交響曲。這兩人都不會嘲弄沒那麼幸運的同輩,但這個句子卻用錯了詞,誤把伶倫說成會 “flouts”(蔑視)、嘲笑他人。稍微讀過傳說就會曉得,伶倫是用空心的 “flutes”(竹笛)建立音階。雖然拼字檢查不會發現這個錯誤,但運用邏輯並稍微研究一下就能發現。寫完文章一定要花心思重新讀過。

Last Update at 2012-07-03 PM 12:34 | 0 Comments

0702 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!

2012-07-02
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:
“From the flouts of Ling Lun to the mental compositions of Ludwig Van Beethoven, the arc of classical music has played across the ages in perfect harmony.”

Last Update at 2012-07-03 PM 12:33 | 0 Comments

What does that mean? 你真的瞭解這個慣用語嗎?

2012-06-28
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.

“She became such a staunch advocate for her children that, when confronted with the prospect of their criminality, she was blinded by allegiance and couldn’t see the forest for the trees.”
「她堅定地支持自己的子女,即使他們犯罪的可能橫在眼前,她卻被情義蒙蔽,見樹不見林。」

Forests cover about a third of the world’s land mass, so most people know about them. Yet a forest seen from a distance is less than a full exposure to it. What passing motorists see of a forest is its canopy of green and occasional patches of undergrowth in areas of thinning tree stands. A whole different picture emerges when you walk in a forest and the dense undergrowth, including scrub bushes and stunted trees. It is this close-up view that can obscure the grandeur of unbroken square miles of tall and crowded timber. That overall view is blocked by the trees!
森林覆蓋世界約三分之一的土地,所以大多數人對森林都不陌生。不過從遠處看森林,了解的不如深入接觸來得多。駕車開過一片森林,只能看到綠色的樹冠,偶爾在草木稀疏的林地有幾片矮樹叢。但走入森林與濃密的樹叢中(包括矮小的灌木和樹木),眼前浮現的景象將完全不同。這種近距離的觀察,會遮蔽原本延綿不絕、高聳茂密的宏偉樹林,整體景觀將被眼前的樹木掩蓋。

In comparing immersion in a forest with deep involvement in the lives of children, the writer leans on what admittedly is a cliché about trees. The allusion really is about perspective, about how getting too close to someone can render one’s view of the person incomplete and distorted. Emotional attachment and a personal relationship begin to weigh more heavily in judgment of a situation than do fact and reality. The figure of speech about being able to “see” the forest is strengthened in this usage when the writer says the person is “blinded” by her loyalty.
本句用深入樹林,比喻母親陷入子女的人生,所用的固然是關於樹林的陳腔濫調,但實際上要談的是洞察力,說明與人過份親暱,會讓人的觀點殘缺而扭曲。判斷情勢時,情感依附與人際關係的影響,將大於事實真相的重要。這個譬喻提到能 “see”(看到)樹林,由於句中提到母親因對子女的情義所 “blinded”(蒙蔽),因此更加強了這個譬喻的效果。

Last Update at 2012-06-29 AM 11:19 | 0 Comments

0625 TPS Finish the Sentence Contest-Answer and Explanation你是接龍的高手嗎? 正確解答!

2012-06-26
Answer: We believe the sentence is best completed this way:

“The flower shop was up a short flight of stairs, above a butcher shop, so customers experienced a variety of aromas that ranged from roseate to roast.”

The sentence is about the unusual proximity of a flower shop and a meat-handling shop. One has to do with beauty and fragrance and the other with the dismantling of animals for eating. Both places of business have savory appeal, but the appetites involved are quite different. The finish of the sentence should reflect this dichotomy, this tension between base and exalted senses. To end it with “ranged from roseate to roast” incorporates some pleasing alliteration that also distinguishes neatly between a flower’s scent and the smell of raw meat.
本句說的是一家花店和一家肉店距離特別近,一家店美麗芬芳,另一家則專門支解動物以供食用。兩家店都有誘人的香味,但兩種味道大相逕庭;句子結尾應該反映這種截然不同的差異,表達基本與高級感官對照的張力。以 “ranged from roseate to roast” 結尾,不僅有巧妙的押韻,同時也清楚區別花香與生肉味的差別。

Last Update at 2012-06-26 PM 2:23 | 0 Comments

0625 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!

2012-06-25
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:

“The flower shop was up a short flight of stairs, above a butcher shop, so customers experienced a variety of aromas that ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”

Last Update at 2012-06-26 PM 2:22 | 0 Comments

This is not academic writing 學術文章不是這麼寫的

2012-06-21
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

“When the ordinary fruit fly twists its body and changes its flight pattern in a virtual instant, the insect demonstrates the maneuverability that flight scientists are trying to duplicate in robot models. The design of the bug is being copied in very small radio-controlled machines whose overall dimensions are measured in bytes and centimeters. The miniaturized little machines will be employed to zip into emergency or combat situations way too dangerous for human personnel or way too difficult for larger machinery to enter.”

This passage on efforts to create tiny robots that perform like nature’s flies is interesting, but not exemplary in its word choices. Some of the weakness is in wordiness—“ordinary” in describing fruit flies is superfluous, unless mutant flies are the norm—and in clichés, such as “overall dimensions;” dimensions always are assumed to be the entirety of an object unless a particular segment is the focus. Some errors are more egregious, such as the use of “duplicate” instead of “replicate.” Were the engineers duplicating the fly, they would be trying to make it look, as well as perform, like the insect. What other poor word choices do you see?
這段文章討論科學家努力模仿自然界的果蠅,創造微型機器,內容很有意思,但選詞卻是不良示範。一項缺點是用字冗贅,例如用 “ordinary”(普通)形容果蠅純屬多餘,除非突變果蠅比較常見。另外還有陳腔濫調,例如 “overall dimensions”(整體尺寸),尺寸一般都是形容整個物體,除非特別強調某個部分。有些錯誤比較誇張,例如沒有用 “replicate” 而誤用 “duplicate”。“Duplicate” 一隻果蠅,表示科學家要創造外型與運作方式都像果蠅的機器。還有哪些詞彙選用不當呢?

Acceptable 認可的文章

“When the fruit fly torques its body and radically changes its flight pattern in an instant, the insect demonstrates the maneuverability that flight scientists are trying to replicate in robotic models. The architecture and performance of the fly is being mimicked in supra-compact radio-controlled machines whose dimensions are measured in bytes and centimeters. The miniaturized machinery will be employed to zip in and out of emergency or combat situations too dangerous for human personnel or too inaccessible for larger machinery.”

Last Update at 2012-06-22 AM 11:45 | 0 Comments

0618 TPS Verbalize Contest-Answer and Explanation你能找出關鍵的動詞嗎? 正確解答!

2012-06-19
Suggested answer: “The campus was empty over the holiday, with faculty members closing their offices and the most resolute students temporarily shelving their quests for academic honors.”

Holidays alter routines. The sentence addresses the interruption of routine on a college campus, where a virtual exodus occurs over a national holiday. Professors close up shop. Campus stores hang “Closed” signs on doors. And students take a break from studies—they “shelve” their scholastic pursuit for the duration of the holiday. This is a good choice of verb for this sentence, because the reader can visualize students putting books on a shelf. Other word choices for the sentence include stopping, slowing, and staying, none of which specifically allude to students.
放假會改變日常工作,本句形容國定假日時,大學校園的例行工作中止,人人大撤退。教授打烊了,校園商店門口也掛上「休息中」的牌子,學生暫時放下學業,在放假期間 “shelve”(擱置)研究工作。這個動詞在這裡用的很好,讀者彷彿看到學生把書擱在書架上 (shelf)。其他動詞像是 stopping、slowing、staying 也可以,不過都不會特別讓人聯想到學生。

Last Update at 2012-06-19 PM 3:07 | 0 Comments

0618 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!

2012-06-18
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 campus was empty over the holiday, with faculty members closing their offices and the most resolute students temporarily s__________ their quests for academic honors.”

Last Update at 2012-06-19 PM 3:07 | 0 Comments