TPS News

Correct best answer: Replace “jousts” with “joists.”

“The floor joists of a mezzanine extend out only a short distance from surrounding walls, thereby framing a mini-floor that shares a ceiling with the floor below.”

Most people do not use the words “joust” and “joist” every day. As with other infrequently used and similar words—such as “craven” and “craving”—we can get our minds and tongues tangled and inadvertently use the wrong one. In this sentence, the writer used ”jousts,” which are contests between two knights on horseback trying to unseat one another with a lance. Obviously, nothing in the sentence corresponds to such activity. The desired word was “joists,” which are boards laid on edge as supports for, in this case, flooring. The only way to avoid such errors is to be aware of vocabulary limitations, use words carefully, and always re-read what has been written.
一般人平常很少使用 “joust” 與 “joist” 這兩個字，就像 “craven” 與 “craving” 等一般較少用而彼此字形類似的字，這些字很容易讓人腦筋、舌頭打結，一不小心就用錯字。本句用了 “jousts” 一字，該字意指兩騎士騎馬比賽，將對方用長矛擊落，顯然與本句無關。正確的字是 “joists”，在本句應指放在邊緣支撐地板的木條。要避免用字錯誤，必須多認識詞彙、注意用字，文章寫完務必再讀一次。