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眾所周知，不管中文還是英文寫作，不管風(fēng)格華麗還是樸實(shí)，好文字都是要言不煩，簡潔明了的。初寫作者或是無意之間，或有意炫耀，往往平添周折，冗余繁瑣，反倒辭不達(dá)意。事實(shí)上，寫作中有一些技巧，可以讓你避免最基本的誤區(qū)和陷阱。 本期將引介一些常見的應(yīng)當(dāng)予以避免的冗余詞句：
有些人可能會(huì)認(rèn)為花里胡哨的詞匯能讓你的文章更好看，但實(shí)際上更重要的是詞語的質(zhì)量，而不是數(shù)量。字?jǐn)?shù)、詞匯過多會(huì)使寫作不清晰，沒有耐心的讀者會(huì)很快放棄。相比之下，更緊湊簡潔的寫作會(huì)使人讀完留下更清晰、更難忘的印象。下面分成三類介紹哪些詞匯是多余從而可以被刪掉或者替代的。 有些介詞是多余的，因?yàn)樗鼈儽话趧?dòng)詞的定義中。寫作水平的提高與我們能從其中剔除的不應(yīng)該存在的詞匯數(shù)量成正比。比如，"free up "中的 "Up "就不應(yīng)該出現(xiàn)。下面舉一些可以被刪掉的介詞例子：| 原詞 | 替代 | beat out | beat | start off | start | match up | match | head up | head | finish up | finish | enter into | enter | exit out of | exit | depart from | depart | permeate through | permeate | escape from | escape | flee from | flee | orbit around | orbit | clean up | clean | shout out | shout | jump up | jump | sit down | sit |
不僅僅介詞可被消除，還有一些常見的短語是可以被簡化而不影響意思的，如：| 原詞 | 替代 | as per | per | share the same | share (or have the same) | both agree | agree | laptop computer | laptop | cheaper price | cheaper (or lower price) | on sale for a discounted rate | on sale (or discounted) | debut of a new product | product debut | collide into each other | collide | crammed close together | crammed | insist adamantly | insist | tragically sad | tragic | tall skyscraper | skyscraper | urban city | city | a little bit | a bit (or a little) | small bits | bits | hotter temperature | hotter (or higher temperature) | colder temperature | colder (or lower temperature) | once used to do | did (or used to) | used to at one time | used to | used to in the past | used to | deceptive lie | lie | dark, black sky | black sky | scrutinize very carefully | scrutinize | wander around aimlessly | wander, roam |
冗長的句子會(huì)使用許多無用的詞，使文章顯得雜亂無章。好的寫作簡單而直接，它使用盡可能簡短的詞句來表達(dá)同樣的意思。那么，我們怎么知道一段話是否足夠簡潔呢？——可以試著從每個(gè)句子中刪除單詞。一個(gè)詞是必要的，意味著它：對構(gòu)成一句話的語法不可或缺；或它構(gòu)成一個(gè)關(guān)鍵的想法、事實(shí)、感覺或描述成分。如果你能在保持句子意思不變的情況下刪除一些詞匯，那這個(gè)句子就是繁瑣的： For all intents and purposes, the reason Mr. Henderson arrived late for work was due to the fact that he stopped at very many traffic lights that were red in colour.（31 words）Mr. Henderson arrived late for work because he stopped at many red lights. （13 words）
繁瑣冗長的詞匯類型眾多，下面舉出五個(gè)最常見的例子并給出修改意見： 1. 消除多余的內(nèi)容Eliminate redundancy | redundant | Better | each separate incident | each incident | many different ways | many ways | dash quickly | dash | as to whether | whether | tall skyscraper | tall | blue in colour | blue | free gift | gift | advance notice | notice | he is a man who is | he is | appear to be | appear | completely finished | finished | the reason . . . is because | because
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2. 刪除空洞的單詞和短語Delete empty words and phrases | generally | tend to | really | apparently | in my opinion | very | basically | I think that | various | essentially | I feel | in some ways | virtually | I believe | for all intents and purposes
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3. 選擇最簡潔省力的表達(dá)方式Avoid expressions that can be more clearly said in another way | outlaw | rehabilitated | at this point in time | at this time/now | in the neighbourhood of | of about | had an effect upon | influenced | due to the fact that | because | in order to | to | for the purpose of | for | it is important that | must | until such time as | until | at the same time as | while | with the possible exception of | except
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4. 刪除以下短語和變體：there is . . . that；it is . . . thatDelete the following phrases and variations There are many students who like reading. | Many students like reading. | It is the desk that is uncomfortable. | The desk is uncomfortable. |
5. 避免使用被動(dòng)語態(tài)：被動(dòng)語態(tài)往往比主動(dòng)語態(tài)使用更多的詞。Avoid using the passive voice 6. 用不需要介詞的動(dòng)詞代替有介詞的動(dòng)詞。當(dāng)你可以寫 "discover"時(shí)，千萬不要寫 "find out"。Substitute verbs with prepositions with verbs not needing prepositions 記住，重中之重在于，當(dāng)一個(gè)較短的詞就可以完成表達(dá)時(shí)，要克制住使用更長、更復(fù)雜表達(dá)方式的沖動(dòng)。以下有一些需要避免的詞組，以及更簡潔的替代詞：
| Replace with | | in terms of | regarding (or recast the sentence) | | when it comes to | | as far as [X] is concerned | | at the present time | now, currently | | as of this writing | | at the time of publication | | at the current time | | at this point in time | | has the ability to | can | | is able to | | is capable of | | has the capability to | | in the near future | soon (or, better yet, be more specific about when) | | not too long from now | | the fact that | Delete “the fact”” and/or recast the sentence | | despite the fact that | although, even though | | the reason why is that | because | | be aware of the fact that | note, understand | | the fact that it doesn’t have | its lack of, its omission of (or recast the sentence) | | in light of the fact that | considering | | less than great | subpar, mediocre, OK | | less than spectacular | | not very good | | comes with it right out of the box | includes, comes with, is preinstalled, is preloaded | | comes equipped with | | it’s important to note that | Notably | | in the direction of | toward | | make a choice | choose, decide | | the thing is that | (Nothing; delete these words) | | the truth is that |
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