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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 5 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 7-11 / Starbucks Gift Certificate. Another Starbucks 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7-11／星巴克禮券；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:

“After conducting the test three times, the chemist was assured his theorem was fact and his most vocal detractors were __ __ __ __ __.”

Dear TPS Fans,

We are back preparing more features to enhance your academic writing careers. Knowing how to use language most effectively, and what errors to avoid, gives any writer an edge. Look for more tips, beginning Monday. See you then.


TPS Team

Dear TPS Fans,

We are going to honor our ancestors tomorrow on Tomb Sweeping Day. We hope you, too, will take time to remember your ancestors and pray for your family’s safety and happiness.

We’ll be back Thursday, April 5, and our sincere wish is that you will be here, too.


TPS Staff

Correct best answer: Replace “pose” with “poise.”

“The accomplished young pianist performed a little glissando off the piano bench, promenaded to a chair at the rear of the stage, and, poised as ever, sat.”

There is no i in error, but there is one in “poise.” Neglecting to insert it between the o and the s creates a different word and, to some extent, a different characterization. “Poise” is a condition of genuine self-assurance that manifests itself in personal decorum. It is especially notable in the young. On the other hand, “pose” is an affectation, an unnatural display, and is frequently seen in young people. Either word might have been used—though awkwardly in the case of “pose”—but “poise” seems more appropriate for a young, accomplished artist whose skill cannot be affected.
錯誤 (error) 這個字裡沒有 i，但 “poise” 裡有。如果你忘了在o 和 s 中間加上 i，就創造出另一個字，也創造出了不同的性格。“Poise” 是指一個人的舉止泰然自若、充滿自信，特別是在年輕人身上。另一方面，“pose” 則是舉止矯揉造作、裝腔作勢，也經常在年輕人身上看到。兩個字都可以用，但 “pose” 不太恰當，“poise” 比較適合形容年輕有成的鋼琴家，他的琴技可是沒辦法假裝的。

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 accomplished young pianist performed a little glissando off the piano bench, promenaded to a chair at the rear of the stage, and, posed as ever, sat.”

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.

“As Fran walked to the front of the room to receive the coveted and hard-earned prize, the atmosphere in the hall was electric.”
「當法蘭走向大廳前端，領取令人欽羨、得來不易的獎項，廳內氣氛熱烈激動。」

The air around the planet is its atmosphere, which in the case of earth is mostly nitrogen and oxygen. When the mix of gases and water vapor reaches a certain mass, an electrostatic discharge called lightning can dramatically occur. Less dramatic discharges include static electricity and electric current. Whether manmade or naturally occurring, the exhibitions of electric discharge are marked by ionization, sparks, or other indicators of a “charge” that induces attraction in matter or creates visual evidence of electrical transfer.
行星周圍由大氣環繞，地球的大氣主要由氮與氧組成。大氣與水蒸氣混和，質量達到一定程度時，將產生靜電放電作用，可能是驚天動地的閃電，或較不戲劇化的靜電與電流。無論放電是人為或自然形成，都伴隨了電離作用、電光，或其他「帶電」的指標，或吸引物質，或產生可觀察的電荷轉移。

The phenomenon is used symbolically when speaking of the human emotional environment. In “electric” moments, sparks do not literally fly between the individuals in a room, nor is there an actual electromagnetic pull between bodies. Rather, the “atmosphere” in such a setting is likened to a physically “charged” one. Instead of hair literally rising on arms, such moments of tense or tender emotion have hearts beating faster and sensitized nerves being overwhelmed with sensory overload. Writing that moves between physical and emotional descriptions enlivens each world.
描述人類感情時，放電成為一種象徵。在 “electric”（帶電的；緊張激動的）時刻，大廳中的群眾彼此間並沒有真的傳送電光火花，人體也沒有產生電磁吸力，但在這樣的情境下，大廳的 “atmosphere”（大氣；氣氛）就好像物理上 “charged”（帶電）的大氣一樣。雖然人手臂的汗毛並未真的豎起，但在緊張激動的情緒下，人的心跳加速，敏感的神經淹沒在過度強烈的感覺中。這種筆法結合物理與情感世界，讓兩個世界更加生動。

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: I have reread my last paper, which was graded low by my instructor for being shallow, and I guess he is right. How do I know when I am writing a deep paper as opposed to a shallow one?
我重讀了一次最近寫的論文，教授認為這篇論文內容太膚淺，給我的分數很低。讀完後，我覺得教授說得沒錯。我要怎麼知道自己寫的論文是膚淺還是有深度呢？

You seem genuinely interested in learning the difference between depth and shallowness in a scholarly paper. I wonder, though, why interest in these characteristics is blooming so late. Curiosity should be a trademark of someone entering the academic writing learning level. That is what separates scholars from the reluctantly schooled. A scholar is so curious about a subject that he is driven to explore it completely, rather than to skim it for just enough information to satisfy a requirement. It is impossible to skim a topic and come away with an in-depth report.
你似乎真的很想了解學術論文的深淺，不過我在想，這股精神好像發展得遲了些。剛學習學術寫作的人都應該要有好奇心，是認真研究還是勉強交差，差別就在有沒有好奇心。學者總是充滿好奇，這股精神驅使他們深入了解、全面鑽研一個主題，而非僅是點到為止，只求過關。因為如果只是蜻蜓點水，不可能寫出有深度的報告。

So become curious and let your intellect lead you deeper into a subject. However, to manage your curiosity in researching a paper, it is necessary to plan well. That is because a preliminary outline does not allow for discoveries made during research. If you are preparing a paper on Xinzheng, for example, and learn of the unearthed 4,000-year-old Xia dynastic capital in the city limits, your research path must zig and zag to incorporate the ancient material. The uncurious person considers such discovery a distraction; the curious researcher considers it enrichment.
所以你必須充滿好奇，運用智慧尋根究底。不過，寫論文作研究時，要駕馭自己的好奇心，必須妥當計畫，初步大綱並無法涵蓋研究期間的其他發現。若你準備撰寫與河南新鄭有關的論文，並得知在新鄭市郊，出土了四千年前夏朝首都的考古遺跡，你的研究就必須納入這些材料。缺乏好奇心的研究者認為這種發現與研究無關，有好奇心的研究者卻認為這種發現可以讓研究更豐富。

Think of your paper as a layered cake. Obvious and easily collected information is the frosting. It looks good but is thin. An instructor should be able to open your paper and beneath the frosting find two or three layers of cake—that is, two or three levels of content that might not be as sweet as the covering layer but is considerably more textured and satisfying. If your professor is given a thick frosting on a one-layer cake, no wonder he grumbles. You can’t build a multilayered paper unless you are curious, committed to thorough research, and open to discovery.
論文就像有很多層次的蛋糕，顯而易見、容易蒐集的資料像蛋糕上的糖霜，看起來漂亮，但只有薄薄一層。教授閱讀你的論文時，應該能發現糖霜下的蛋糕還有兩、三層，也就是內容還要有兩、三個層次，看起來也許不像糖霜般可口，但結構組織卻更豐富理想。若教授拿到的蛋糕只有一層厚厚的糖霜，當然不會滿意。想寫出層次豐富的論文，一定要充滿好奇，詳盡研究，並對新發現保持開放的態度。

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

“The biographical speech on child abuse was quietly delivered and, in the awkward silence that followed, the listeners mutely shouted their shared outrage.”

The subject of the sentence is the almost unspeakable act of child abuse, especially parental child abuse. The sentence is couched in terms of a long-suffering victim revealing the layers of anguish one painful slice at a time. The response of the audience was uncomfortable and disquieting silence. In saying “listeners mutely shouted their shared outrage,” the writer indicates their actions spoke at least as loud as words. They demonstrated a state of mind somewhere between deep embarrassment and seething anger. Academic writers should not be afraid to turn word usage upside down if it conveys a thought better than it would right side up.
本句主題為令人髮指的虐兒事件，特別是父母虐待兒女的事件。句子描述長期受虐的當事人緩緩道出一件件令人痛苦不堪的往事。聽眾坐立不安，陷入一片尷尬的沉默。句子描述 “listeners mutely shouted their shared outrage”（聽眾無聲地吶喊出共同的憤怒），可見行為能表達的意涵不下於言語，傳達出聽眾介於極為困窘與深惡痛絕的心境。寫作學術文章時，若轉變詞彙的用法，能更貼切傳達訊息，就無需猶豫，可以放心使用。

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 5 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 7-11 / Starbucks Gift Certificate. Another Starbucks 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7-11／星巴克禮券；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 biographical speech on child abuse was quietly delivered and, in the awkward silence that followed, the listeners mutely ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.”

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 painter’s stubbon pride, which had put him ahead of his peers, kept him from acknowledging a chronic condition that threatened to end his colorful career. His eyes were failing—“around the edges,” as he complained to an assistant. While submitting to a neurology doctor’s scrutiny seemed to him a big deal, to anyone with less ego, it was a ho-hum decision. Now his nervous system would be looked at as closely as the artist had scrutinized his own masterpieces. To the sick artist, the doctor’s opinion was the only one that mattered to him.”

The gist of this passage about an artist with a threatening physical condition is that he has been humbled by the condition. The passage is intrinsically interesting. But its appeal is lessened by deadening words. His pride is said to be “stubborn,” a tired phrase. The pride is said to “put” him ahead of fellow artists. “Put” is such a flat verb. A “chronic” condition threatens to “end” his career, but chronic by definition is unending. “Big deal?” Big cliché. “Ho-hum?” Conversational. “Looked at?” Grammatically awkward. This writer’s sin is dullness.
這段文章談論一位藝術家，因為身體狀況而受挫。文章內容本身很有趣，卻因用詞單調而失色不少。以 “stubborn”（頑強）形容畫家的自負太了無新意，說這股自負 “put”（造成）畫家領先其他畫家又太平淡。文章說一種 “chronic”（慢性）病症很可能 “end”（終結）畫家事業，但 “chronic” 本身有無止盡的意思。“Big deal” 太老套，“Ho-hum” 太口語，“Looked at” 文法有問題，整篇文章的毛病就是用詞沉悶。

Acceptable 認可的文章

“The painter’s overweening pride, which had vaulted him ahead of his artistic peers, kept him from acknowledging a physical condition that threatened to end his career: His eyesight was failing—“around the edges,” as he complained to his studio assistant. While submitting to neurological scrutiny seemed to him a Herculean concession, to anyone of lesser ego, it was routine. His nervous system would be examined as closely as the artist had scrutinized his own brushwork. To the ailing artist, the doctor’s opinion now was the only one that mattered.”