博士导师最近给组里所有的学生都买了一本书<<The elements of style>>,我仔细读了,觉得适合研究生阅读,推荐给大家。
<<The elements of style>>(作者是William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White)是一本关于英文写作的小册子,适合想提高英语写作水平的研究生阅读。这本书内容十分精炼,列举出很多英文写作的常见弊病,比如没用的词语太多,降低整个句子的清晰度以及力度;尽量用主动语态而不是被动语态,主动语态更加有力度,能更有效的表达作者的意思。
书中有几个例子,比如:
She did not think that studying Latin was a sensible way to use one's time.
直接改成 She thought the study of Latin a waste of time.
前者用了很多词,这些词对中心意思都没有贡献,放在那里只能分散读者的注意力。
另外一个例子关于主动语态和被动语态的。主动语态明显要直接,清楚和简洁。
被动语态: My first visit to London will always remembered by me.
主动语态: I shall always remembered my first visit to London.
最后再举书中两个例子阐释主动语态的有效性。
非主动语态: There were a great number of leaves lying on the ground
主动语态: Many dead leaves covered the ground. 后者只有5个词就表达出了前面11歌词要表达的意思。
非主动语态: It was not long before she was very sorry that she had said what she said.
主动语态: She soon repented her words. 更加明显的体现出了主动语态的强大。