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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 alarm sounded when the first clouds appeared on the horizon, but the mushrooming frenzy didn’t begin until the leading winds began to ripple treetops.”
「第一簇雲朵出現在地平線上時警報響起，但直到風開始沙沙吹動樹梢，狂亂景象才如蘑菇生發般快速滋長。 」

Mushrooms are a fungus. They crop up outdoors, sometimes in vibrant colors of red and green and purple but more often in white and gray. Sometimes they grow in the traditional shape of the “toadstool,” a short stem with a canopy-like top. Some are edible and are considered delicacies. Others are quite toxic, and still others have hallucinatory powers. In addition, some medical applications have been developed as well as several other commercial applications. All in all, the lowly mushroom has an enduring reputation as a spore of delight and danger.
蘑菇這種真菌生長在室外，有些呈紅、綠、紫等鮮豔的顏色，但多半是白色與灰色；有些外型呈典型的傘狀，有短柄與頂蓋；有些是盤中珍饈，有些是有害毒菌，有些甚至能造成幻覺。此外，有些菇經研發具有醫療價值，另外有些則具商業用途。總而言之，蘑菇看似平凡，但不僅歡樂從中萌發，危險也從中滋生。

In writing about “mushrooming frenzy,” the writer is not alluding to toxicity nor to vibrancy of color, but to speed. That is because many types of mushrooms pop up seemingly overnight to astonish a viewer. In fact, they develop rather slowly but expand quickly once their basic structure has been established. Writers often use the speed with which mushrooms grow visible to describe the speed of something else. Hence, the panic of the crowd “mushroomed” when the wind came ashore, even though a lower level of concern had been felt for quite some time.
本句「mushrooming frenzy」（狂亂景象才如蘑菇生發般快速滋長）指的不是毒性、鮮豔的色彩，而是生長速度。許多種類的蘑菇似乎會在一夜間快速生長，看了令人吃驚。事實上，蘑菇發育緩慢，但只要基本結構成熟，就會快速長大。寫作時常以蘑菇肉眼可觀察的生長速度，來比喻其他事情的速度。所以本句形容，群眾即便長期來一直隱隱不安，風吹上岸時，恐慌才「mushroomed」（如蘑菇生發般快速滋長）。

TPS的編輯教授在此歡迎關於學術文章的所有詢問，當然，其實他並沒有足夠的時間給你。他擁有終身教職的教授身份，也是著名的學術巨作作者。即便如此，他仍大方地接受你們的詢問。將關於學術方面的詢問寫在下方，你將獲得教授的親自指導，陶冶對學術的探索與啟發。
The professor awaits your query on academic writing, though in all honesty, he doesn’t have a lot of time for you. He is a tenured full professor and working on yet another magnificent academic tome. Even so, he has graciously consented to entertain your question. Submit it and prepare to be edified.

QUESTION: My friend Sammy’s professor was unkind, I believe, in writing that Sammy’s last paper was “incoherent.” Sammy is not an idiot and writes very well. For the paper to have been labeled as the work of a person with a screw loose almost destroyed Sammy’s self-confidence. Why would the professor say such a thing?
我朋友山米最近寫了一篇文章，指導教授給的評語是「支離破碎」，我覺得這位教授有點冷血。山米頭腦不錯，文章也寫得很好，獲得的文章評語卻是寫作時頭腦少根筋，對他打擊很大。那位指導教授為什麼要這樣說？

Sammy obviously has someone watching his back. However, if you are going to be a best friend, you should resist jumping so quickly to wrong conclusions. Professors have a hard enough time deciphering and grading the work of their students without having their words twisted against them. Rather than summarily concluding that Sammy’s professor harshly impugned your friend’s intelligence, you would have better served your friend by examining the word “incoherent.” In terms of writing a suitable academic paper, incoherent does not mean the same as unintelligible.
看來山米有個好朋友會照顧他，不過，要真正幫上山米，你不能這麼快就下錯誤的結論。教授要努力讀懂學生的文章和打分數，寫的評語卻往往遭扭曲原意，以為是在針對學生。如果你真的想幫忙朋友，就不能驟下結論，以為教授是苛刻批評山米不夠聰明，而應該探究「支離破碎」這個詞的意思。要討論如何寫出適當的學術文章，「支離破碎」並不等於「不知所云」。

What the professor was saying was that it was difficult, perhaps impossible, to follow the thread of Sammy’s exposition. When valid, that is a legitimate scholarly criticism. A paper that is not coherent—that is, bound together in logic and organization—does not effectively explain or argue its thesis. The words might be beautifully arranged and the topic an absolute zinger, but without orderly progression from introduction to conclusion, the reader of the paper is not well-served. When the reader is the writer’s professor, one can expect comments about incoherency.
教授的意思是，要理清山米文章的條理並不容易，或許根本做不到。如果屬實，這是很合理的學術批評。如果文章缺乏條理，也就是邏輯與組織不連貫，就無法有力地解釋或辯駁論點。即使用字遣詞優美，主題妙趣橫生，假使不能從引言順理成章推展到結論，讀起來就不容易，教授讀了自然會認為支離破碎。

To avoid such complaint, a writer should convey his thoughts in a way that another thinking person can follow without distraction. Not only should the logic and purpose of the paper advance step-by-step, the transition between sentences and paragraphs should be as seamless as possible. In a word, the work should flow. The key words should be repeated as often as needed to help a reader stay on course, and synonyms and substitute phrases should never confuse. In this way, a paper becomes coherent and cohesive and a reader never becomes confused.
寫作的人如果不想遭到這類批評，表達想法時就應該讓人能順利思考理解，不會感到困惑。除了必須按部就班提出文章的邏輯與論證，句子與段落也必須盡量銜接自然，簡單來說要流暢通順。並且應該多重複關鍵詞，讓讀者抓住重心，使用同義詞與代換詞句時也要避免誤解。如此一來，文章就能條理分明、前後連貫，讀起來就容易了。

Suggested answer: “As the ship’s crew scurried in panic, the iceberg swiftly closed on the research vessel till the glacial fragment plastered the vessel with a glistening roar.”

There is no shortage of verbs beginning with “p”. In respect to a waterborne vessel being struck by an iceberg, some verbs spring to mind: pierced, punctured, penetrated, pricked, and so on. In writing that the ship was “plastered” by the iceberg, the writer was being faithful to the description of the initial collision, which was described as “a glistening roar.” In other words, the iceberg’s impact was loud and threw up a sheet of water and shards of ice that “glistened.” Thus, the side of the ship was “plastered” with shiny water as well as “plastered” in the sense of being grievously struck. The lesson is to look at a whole sentence in choosing a verb.
以「p」開頭的動詞不少，提到水上遭冰山撞擊的船舶，腦海自然浮現「pierced」（刺穿）、「punctured」（戳穿）、「penetrated」（穿透）、「pricked」（貫穿）等動詞。不過作者卻用「plastered」（覆蓋、猛烈撞擊）一詞，忠實呈現一開始的撞擊，描述為「a glistening roar」（閃耀的巨響），也就是說，冰山撞上船隻發出巨響，激起大片閃耀的水花與碎冰，船隻不僅遭到「猛烈撞擊」（plastered），一側也「覆蓋」（plastered）了閃閃發亮的水花。從這個例子可以知道，選擇動詞必須考量整個句子。

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:

“As the ship’s crew scurried in panic, the iceberg swiftly closed on the research vessel until the glacial fragment p________ the vessel with a glistening roar.”

Dear Fans,

Friday is Teacher’s Day, a day to honor the selfless people who are dedicated to instructing others. They do so wholeheartedly, in the manner of Confucius, who said, “Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” In the same heart-felt manner may you enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival on Sunday. It is a weekend to remember our teachers and be with family.

Then come on back Monday for more learning from The Published Scholar.

TPS Team

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

“In a happy ending, the chamber orchestra musicians leapt into a movement that took away the breathe of listeners. A piano arpeggio started the movement. The pianist then handed over the piece to the chief violinist for an extended cadenza, who in turn gave it up to the brass section for a crescendoing ending. The affect of these eerily singular, though orchestrated, outbursts from diverse sections of the orchestra was an abandonment of musical tradition and then a welding together of it again in the dramatic ending. It is awesome what talented musicians can do when led by a truly marvelous maestro.

This review or analysis of a orchestral performance does not sing. Indeed, were it graded on its musicality, the writing would be criticized for sometimes being flat, other times slightly off key. It is most dissonant in its misspellings (“breathe” and “affect”). Its imagery of musicians handing over the piece from section to section doesn’t quite work either. In saying that musical “tradition” was abandoned and then welded together again, the writer rather awkwardly mixes metaphors. Finally, the concluding sentence seemed to slog. What else do you see?
這段文章評論分析交響樂團的表演，但本身就五音不全。說真的，若要評斷這段文章的音樂程度，有時太無精打采，有時則有點走音。最刺耳是拚錯字（「breathe」 應為「breath」，「affect」 應為「effect」）。描述吹奏不同樂器的音樂家接力演出時，用的比喻也有點失當，說音樂的「tradition」先是被拋棄，後來又接合在一起，兩個隱喻併用得不怎麼高明。最後，結尾的句子也有點拖沓吃力。你是否還看到其他問題？

Acceptable 認可的文章

“In a surprise ending, the chamber orchestra leapt into a movement that took away the breath of listeners. A piano arpeggio introduced the movement. It seamlessly yielded to an extended cadenza by the chief violinist, which segued into a crescendoing climax by the entire brass section. The effect of these isolated, yet orchestrated, outbursts from diverse stations across the orchestra was a shattering of musical expectations and then a re-fusing of them in the beautiful fireworks of the ending. It is wondrous what talented musicians can do at the drop of a baton.

A writer peering ahead at an academic writing project should respect the task. It not only will require research and writing abilities, it will tax the writer’s endurance and concentration. Learning to become efficient and self-regulating as a researcher and writer is the reason for this series, “7 Ways to Pace Yourself through a Paper.” Each of the suggestions will be presented on the TPS Fan page before being compiled.
若您即將致力於學術寫作專題，應該好好重視這項工作。這不僅需要研究與寫作技巧，也仰賴毅力與專注。「按部就班寫作論文的七大步驟」將教您學會如何自律，提高研究與寫作的效率。每項建議都會刊登在 TPS 粉絲專頁，並在最後集結於 TPS 學術電子報中。

Way # 7 – Don’t tire in the homestretch
建議七：別在最後衝刺時洩氣

Every writing project has an end. You can see it from the beginning, and catch glimpses of it as you move through a paper. Inexplicably, some writers slow their progress with the end near at hand, sometimes stopping altogether. You can tell a professional academic writer from a wannabe: The pro doesn’t quit until he has crossed the finish line. The key to finishing strongly is to establish and maintain a writing pace that finds you still with psychic energy at the end.
每個寫作計畫都有終點，剛開始時你看得見，寫作時也隱約看得見。奇怪的是，終點近在咫尺時，有些人卻會慢下腳步，甚至完全停步。專業學術作者與業餘作者的差別就在這裡：專業人士不到終點不會停止。要全力衝過終點線，關鍵是制定適切的寫作步調，並且保持下去，才能到最後依然保持幹勁。

Long-form projects such as scholarly papers can be exhausting as writers try to wed research data and findings with polished writing that expresses original thinking. This is not child’s play. But what ultimately separates good writers from bad is how they wrap up a paper. A piece that wanders off in its latter stages and concludes weakly gives back all the goodwill it built up in earlier sections. No part of a paper can stand to be weak, especially the concluding section.
學位論文等長期寫作，必須努力用優美精煉的文筆，結合研究數據與發現，表達原創性的想法，過程非常累人，絕非兒戲。而好壞作家間最大的差別，就在他們的文章怎麼收尾。如果後半部分偏離主題，結論疲軟無力，可就前功盡棄了。文章沒有一個部分可以鬆懈薄弱，結論尤其如此。

Psychic energy is what an individual draws on for inspiration and second-effort resolve. It is how a person is able to maintain a high standard of writing when he is dog-tired of a project. Learn to recognize telltale signs of mental weariness, such as a sudden willingness to settle for “good enough” or an unwillingness to check the spelling of a suspect word. These are the letdowns that erode a fine paper into a substandard one. Demand excellence of yourself from beginning to end.
寫作時尋找靈感、嘗試再次解決問題時，就需要幹勁。有了幹勁，才能在寫作後半段疲累不堪時，仍然保持高寫作標準。你應該學會辨認心理疲勞的蛛絲馬跡，例如突然覺得「過得去」就好，或是不想檢查可能有問題的拼字。這樣得過且過會侵蝕原本出色的文章，讓文章變得平庸。記得自始至終都應該要求自己、追求卓越。

Corrected sentence:
“Then comes a no-nonsense chairman of the board-making company, hiring and firing of lathe operators a near certainty in the not-too-distant future.”

Understanding this sentence is totally dependent upon punctuation. Without it, the sentence seems to refer to a “chairman of the board.” Such is the power of clichés and familiar phrases to lead readers astray. In fact, placing a hyphen between “board” and “making” changes the character of the sentence, with it suddenly containing a specific reference to a lumber company. Placing a comma after “company” creates a dependent sentence fragment with an assumed verb (being). The other missing punctuation marks are hyphenated compound modifiers “no-nonsense” and “not-too-distant.” This sentence shows how powerfully punctuation can influence reading.
要了解這個句子一定要仰賴標點符號。沒有標點，句子主語似乎是「chairman of the board」（董事長）－ 套語和熟悉的詞彙就是有這種讓人誤解的力量。但在「board」和「making」中間加上連字號後，句子的主語就突然變成某家木材公司。在「company」後面加上逗點，就形成帶有假定動詞 (being) 的附屬子句；「no-nonsense」和「not-too-distant」這兩個複合修飾詞也應該加上連字號。這個句子顯示標點符號對閱讀理解的影響有多大。

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:

“Then comes a no nonsense chairman of the board making company hiring and firing of lathe operators a near certainty in the not too distant future.”

 親愛的TPS Facebook粉絲與電子報的訂閱讀者，您們好：

「知識送到家」活動已順利圓滿結束，感謝各位粉絲熱情分享，以下表格是我們挑選出的精選填答，凡學術方面的困難與提問，將會安排TPS美籍教授與編輯群陸續於Facebook官網中一一回答。再次感謝參加者無私地分享關於撰寫文章的技巧與建議，希望對英文學習有興趣的粉絲能有所助益，也期許大家在投稿方面都能更得心應手！

撰寫論文或英文文章時所遇到的困難	1. 容易有中式英文。 2. 無法運用夠學術性的字彙和構句。 3. 撰寫學術期刊論文的遣詞用語。 4. 研究領域是社會心理學與本土心理學，經常必須使用到與「文化」有關的詞彙，例如：命運、緣分、關係等等，雖然可以勉強找到一些英文字彙來表達，但實際上卻無法真實反應出本土文化背後的思想與心理意涵，常常只能以漢語拼音來解決這個問題，也就是採取「音譯」，因此中文與英文在某些字義上的差異，是最困難的地方。
撰寫論文或英文文章的小技巧	針對自己要投稿的期刊，多了解其格式與規範，並套用自己想寫的文字預期架構中。
投稿學術期刊的心得	撰寫學術期刊要使用直述句，盡量不要用轉折的語句或過多子句。投稿前，多評比；投稿中，照樣寫；回覆函，要謹慎；被退稿，一笑之；接受後，繼續寫。
給學術同儕或後輩的建議	投稿是有策略的，獨樂樂，不如眾樂樂。但分工得說清楚，講明白。
從TPS Facebook 知識網站中獲得的最大收穫	獲得不少遣詞用字的技巧。

未來TPS將推出更多豐富與實用性的活動，敬請期待！更多內容，請參閱TPS電子報、Facebook與 Blog的最新資訊。


TPS Team