英文写作手册中文翻译

英语写作讲义

Part One Manuscript Form 第一部分 文稿格式

As we are learning to write, we should have a clear idea of what is good manuscript form. We should do everything—writing the title, leaving margins, indenting, capitalizing, and dividing words—according to generally accepted rules. Whenever we write something, we should work carefully, write neatly and clearly, and try to make as few mistakes as possible. Before handing in our essay or exercise, we should proofread it once or twice, because we may need to make some final corrections and changes. If we always work in this way, we are sure to make to progress.

当我们学习写作的时候，应该清楚地知道什么是好的文稿格式。我们应该做的每件事是——写标题，留页边距，缩进，首字母大写，并拆分单词——根据普遍接受的规则。每当我们写东西时，应该仔细，字迹工整清楚，尽可能少犯错误。在上交我们的文章或练习前，应该校对一或两次，因为我们可能需要一些最后的修正和变更。如果我们总是用这种方式工作，肯定能取得进步。 Ⅰ. Arrangement

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一、排版

Writing in correct manuscript form is very important, because it makes it easy to read what is written and prevents misunderstanding. We should follow the general practices in writing the title, leaving the margins, paragraphing, capitalizing, and dividing words.

用正确的文稿格式书写是非常重要的，因为它使文章被写的易于阅读并防止误解。我们应该按照一般惯例写题目，留页边距，分段，首字母大写，并拆分单词。

When we write an essay to be read by the teacher, we should write on every other line so that there will be room for corrections. It is necessary to leave a margin of about two centimeters at the top and the bottom of the page, and one of a centimeter and a half on the right and left side.

当我们按照老师阅读的要求写一篇文章时，应该隔行书写以便于有改正的空间。必须在页面顶端和底部留出大约两厘米，右侧和左侧分别留出1.5厘米的页边距。

We cannot make the right margin straight or neat, unless we are using a computer, but we should never write to the very edge of the page. When the space left near the end of a line is not or barely enough for the word we are going to write, we should write the word on the next line or divide the word if it is a long one. There

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must be a blank space on the right side of the page.

我们不能使右边距整齐，除非正在用电脑，但绝不该写到页边缘。当接近行尾，剩下的空间不够或勉强够写一个长单词，应该写在下一行或拆分单词。页面右侧肯定有一处空白。

The title or topic of the essay should be placed in the middle of the first line. Every word of the title (including words following hyphens in compound words) should be capitalized. Except articles, short prepositions, coordinating conjunctions(and, or, but, so, yet, nor, and for) and to in infinitives. But if one of these words is the first or last word of the title, it should be capitalized. Topics are generally noun phrases(nouns with their modifiers), though other forms are possible. No full stop should be used at the end of a title. A question mark is needed if the topic is a direct question(but an indirect question is not followed by a question mark). The title of a book within the topic should be underlined(italicized in printing), and the title of an article put between quotation marks.

文章的标题或主题应该在第一行居中。标题的每个单词（包括复合词中连字符后的单词）应该首字母大写。冠词、简短介词、并列连词（and, or, but, so, yet, nor和for）和不定式中的to除外，但如果是标题的第一或最后一个单词，应该首字母大写。主题一般是名词短语（名词加修饰词），不过可能有其他形式。标题结尾应该不用句点。如果主题是一个直接问句需要加问号

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（但间接问句不能跟问号）。主题中包含书名应该强调（斜体印刷），文章的标题应该放到引号中间。

Below are some examples: 下面是一些例子：

My Impressions of Beijing

北京印象 The Wall Between

Where Do All the New Words Come From？

所有生词从何而来？ What Traditions Mean to the Chinese

什么习俗对中国人很重要 A Clean, Well-Lighted Place 一个干净、明亮的地方 Different Views on Jane Eyre

对简?爱的不同见解

Interpretations of Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice” 解读罗伯特·弗罗斯特的“火与冰”

The first line of every paragraph should be indented(started after a space of four or five letters).

每段的第一行应该缩进（从四或五个字母的空格后开始） Arabic numerals are generally used for paging. They can be put either in the upper right-hand corner or in the middle below the last

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line of every page.

阿拉伯数字通常被用于分页。它们被放到每页的右上角或最后一行下方居中。

A line is never begun with a comma, a period, a semicolon, a colon, a question mark or an exclamation mark; a line never ends with the first half of a pair of brackets, quotation marks, or parentheses. The hyphen that shows a word is divided is put at the end, not at the beginning, of a line.

一行从不起始于逗号、句点、分号、冒号、问号或感叹号；从不结束于上半个方括号、引号或圆括号。出现连字符的拆分词被放在行尾而不是行首。 Ⅱ. Word Division 二、拆分单词

The following hints may be helpful to us in the division of words:

下面的提示可能对我们在拆分单词时有所帮助。

One-syllable words such as count, health and thought cannot be divided. Words with two or more syllables can be divided according to the formation of syllables: re-peat-ed, in-sist, punc-tu-al, san-dal, de-cline, trans-la-tion.

单音节词例如count, health和thought不能被拆分。有两个或更多音节的单词可以根据音节的构成被拆分：re-peat-ed,

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in-sist, punc-tu-al, san-dal, de-cline, trans-la-tion。

A stressed close syllable usually takes a consonant with it: ded-i-cate, grat-i-fy, la-bor-a-to-ry, fin-nish.

一个重读闭音节通常带一个辅音字母：ded-i-cate, grat-i-fy, la-bor-a-to-ry, fin-nish。

A consonant plus -le is treated as a syllable: min-gle, peo-ple, no-ble, gig-gle.

一个辅音字母加-le被视为一个音节：min-gle, peo-ple, no-ble, gig-gle.

A single letter cannot be put at the end or at the beginning of a line: e-voke, heart-y.

一个单独的字母不能被放在一行的结尾或开头：e-voke, heart-y.

A two-letter ending should not be put at the beginning of a line: hund-ed, hard-en.

一个双字母的末音节不应被放在行首：hund-ed, hard-en. Divisions that may mislead the reader should be avoided: re-ally, lay-man.

可能误导读者的拆分应避免：re-ally, lay-man。

Words with hyphens should be divided only at the hyphen: broad-minded, broken-hearted.

带连字符的单词应只从连字符处拆分：broad-minded,

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broken-hearted。

Two-syllable words with double consonants in the middle are as a rule divided between the two consonants: strug-gle, lat-ter.

双音节且中间双辅音的单词通常从两个辅音中间被拆分：strug-gle, lat-ter。

Division of proper names should be avoided: Dickens, Paris. 专有名词的拆分应避免：Dickens, Paris。

The last word of a page should not be divided. It should be written on the next page.

页面的最后一个单词不应被拆分，应写在下一页上。 Division of words at the ends of several consecutive lines should be avoided.

在几个连续行结尾处的单词拆分应避免。

Division of words is not always easy. When we are not sure, we should consult a dictionary. In some dictionaries syllabication is indicated by a dot; as in the examples given above, in others by a space: to geth er, sum mer.

单词拆分不总是容易的。当我们不确定时，应该查字典。在一些字典中，音节的划分被通过一个点表示出来；照上述例子的形式，其他字典是通过一个空格来表示：to geth er, sum mer。 Ⅲ. Capitalization 三、字首大写

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Capitalized words are used mainly in three places: proper names, key words in titles, and the first words of sentences.

字首大写的单词主要被用于三个地方：专有名词，标题关键词和句子的第一个单词。

Common words used as parts of proper names are capitalized: 常见词汇被当作专有名词的一部分要首字母大写:

Third Ring Road 三环路 Northwestern university 西北大学 Women’s Day 妇女节 the National Library of Beijing 北京国家图书馆 the Middle Ages 中世纪 the Yellow River 黄河 Words derived from proper names are usually capitalized: 从专有名词衍生出的词汇通常首字母大写：

Marxist 马克思主义者 Darwinism 达尔文主义 Freudian 弗洛伊德学说 Dickensian 狄更斯学者 Taoist 道士 Latinize 拉丁化 Some proper names or their derivatives have become common words:

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一些专有名词或其衍生词已成为常见词汇。

mackintosh ( a raincoat; after Charles Macintosh who invented it )

橡胶雨衣（一种雨衣；以发明者查尔斯·麦金托什名义命名） quixotic(like Don Quixote, hero of the novel of the same name)

不切实际的空想（与同名小说中的男主角堂吉诃德类似） All sentences, including sentence fragments treated as sentences, should begin with capital letters. In this regard, we should pay special attention to the use of capital letters and punctuation in quoted words and sentences.

所有句子，包括当成句子来看的不完全句，应首字母大写。在这点上，我们应该特别关注引用词、句中大写字母和标点符号的专用法。

Miss Johnson said,“When you write an essay, you should pay attention to both content and language.”

约翰逊小姐说，“当你写一篇文章，应该同时注重内容和语言。”

“When you write an essay,” she said,“you should pay attention to both content and language.”

“当你写一篇文章时，”她说，“应该同时注重内容和语言。” “When you write an essay, you should pay attention to both

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content and language,”the teacher said.

“当你写一篇文章时，应该同时注重内容和语言，”老师说。 Miss Johnson advised us to“pay attention to both content and language”when we wrote an essay.

当写一篇文章时，约翰逊小姐建议我们要“同时注重内容和语言”。

These examples show:⑴ the subject and verb of saying before the quotation are followed by a comma;⑵ a complete sentence within quotation marks after the verb of saying begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop;⑶ if the quoted sentence is broken into two parts and put between two pairs of quotation marks, with the subject and verb of saying placed between them, the first part ends with a comma, the second part does not begin with a capital letter(unless the first word is a proper name), and the whole sentence ends with a full stop;⑷ if the quoted sentence is put before the subject and verb of saying, it ends with a comma, and the verb of saying is followed by a full stop;⑸ if the quoted words are a phrase instead of a complete sentence, the phrase is treated as part of the whole sentence.

这些例子显示：⑴引文前是主语加说话的谓语动词，要在引文前跟逗号；⑵说话的谓语动词后面引出一个完整句，引文首字母要大写，结尾加句点；⑶如果引用句被分为两部分并分

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别置于两对引号之中，主语和说话的谓语动词被放在两部分中间，第一部分末尾加逗号，第二部分不以大写字母开头（除非第一个单词是专有名词），整句结尾加句点。⑷如果被放到主语和说话的谓语动词之前，引用句结尾加逗号，说话的谓语动词跟句点。⑸如果引用词是一个词组而不是一个完整句，词组被当作完整句的一部分。 Ⅳ. Handwriting 四、书写

There are two common ways of writing the letters: to form loops and to print(to write without joining the letters in imitation of printed words). Both are good, but we had better stick to one of the two styles.

有两种常见的书写字母方法：手写体和印刷体（模仿打印字，书写字母时笔画不连接）。两者都好，但我们最好坚持其中一种风格。

We should always try to write neatly so that our handwriting can be read easily. We should make capital letters bigger and higher than small letters, a’s different from o’s, n’s different from u’s, and we should not forget to dot i’s and j’s, or cross t’s. A little space(about that of one letter)should be left after a comma, and a slightly bigger space(about that of two letters)after a full stop.

我们总会力求书写整洁以便笔迹容易阅读。应该把大写字

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母写的比小写字母更大更高，a与o不同，n与u不同，不该忘记写i和 j的圆点，或让t十字交叉。逗号后应该留一个小空格（大约一个字母），句号后留更大一点的空格（大约两个字母）。

When we want to cross out a word, we should draw a thick line through it. It is be misleading to put it between brackets, because that means the word is an explanatory remark. When we want to add a word, we should write it above, not below, the line of words we have written with a clear sign showing where it is to be inserted.

当我们要划掉一个词，应该从头到尾画一条粗线。把它放到方括号中有误导之嫌，因为那意味着这个词是一个解释性的备注。当我们要补充一个词，应该写在一行之上，不是之下，已写好的这行字要加一个明确的符号表明那里被插入。

Part Two Diction

第二部分 措辞

Ⅰ. Types of Words 一、单词类型

There are tens of thousands of words in the English language, and along with social and scientific progress, new words appear frequently. The total number of English words, if it could be found

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out, must be surprisingly large. But we need not be worried about the impossibility of learning all of them, for only a few thousand words are used by ordinary people for ordinary purposes. These are the most useful words, or the common words, words that form the core of the English vocabulary. They are the words we must learn and remember.

英语语言中有数万个单词，随着社会和科学进步，新词汇频繁问世。如果都能被发现，英语词汇的总数一定是出人意料的庞大。但我们不必苦恼无法全部学会，就普通用途而言，普通人仅会用到几千词汇，这些用途最广或常见的词汇组成了英语词汇的核心，我们必须学会并牢记。

Apart from the common words, there are words used by people of special professions or fields on special occasions or for special purposes. Among these are political, legal, scientific, technical, business and literary words. It would be good for us to know some very useful words in various fields, and many of the words related to the field we will work in or be associated with. These words are generally formal, and may be called formal and technical words.

除常见词汇外，还有一些单词由特殊专业或领域的人在特定场合或为特殊目的而使用。其中包括政治、法律、科学、技术、商业和文学词汇。这将有益于我们了解一些很有用的不同

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领域的单词，其中很多都和我们将从事或关联的领域相关。这些词汇通常是正式的，可以称之为正式语和术语。

There is another type of words: those used by people who are not well educated or by people of special groups, such as people of a particular region or an age group. Some of these words may not be understandable to people in general, and may disappear after a short period of time. Some of them may continue to be used, become acceptable to all people and join the common words. Among these words are slang, jargon, dialectal and obsolete words. They may be called nonstandard words. We need to understand them but should avoid using them, unless in special situations.

另有一类词汇：那些没受过良好教育或特殊群体的人在使用，例如某个特定区域或年龄段的人。其中一些词汇可能对一般人来说不好理解，短期内就消失了。还有一些可能被继续使用，为大家所接受并纳入常用词汇。其中包括俚语，术语、方言和陈旧的词语，可以称之为不规范语。我们需要理解但应避免使用，除非在特殊情况下。

Here are examples of the first and second kinds of words: 如下是第一和第二种的例词：

same speech learned destroy stiff try piece identical oration erudite annihilate rigid endeavor fragment

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In the first row are common words and in the second formal words. It can be seen at a glance that those common words are used in everyday conversation and in informal writing like personal letters, diaries and stories. Those in the second row are used only in formal writing like articles documents, research papers, manuals and in public speaking.

第一行是常用词，第二行是正式词。那些一目了然的常用词被用于日常会话和非正式写作，如私人信函、日记和逸事。第二行那些词仅用于正式文献，如法规文件、研究论文、说明书和公共演讲。

The difference between these two types of words is very important, for their presence or absence has much to do with style,

区分这两类词汇很重要，使用与否更多是和风格有关。 Compare: 比较：

I saw a ghost, and I was frightened to death. 我看到一个幽灵，被吓得要死。

I saw an apparition, and it reduced me to a condition of mortal terror.

我看到一个幽灵，使我陷入极度恐慌的状态。

The first sentence is informal and colloquial, and the second is much more formal, because it contains such formal words as

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apparition, reduce, condition, mortal and terror. The two sentences are similar in structure and meaning, so it is the words in them that make them different in style. Of course, people seldom say anything like the second sentence in daily conversation.

第一句是非正式和口语化的，第二句更加正式，因为它包含诸如apparition（幽灵）, reduce（ 使…陷入某种状态中）, condition（状况、状态、环境）, mortal（极度的、极大的） 和terror（惊恐、恐惧）等正式词。这两个句子结构和意思相似，所含词汇使它们呈现不同的风格。当然，人们很少会在日常会话中象第二句那样说话。

As we make progress in our study of English, we certainly learn more and more words. It is a good policy to find a common word of similar meaning when we learn a formal of “big” word.

当我们在英语学习上取得进步，肯定学习了越来越多的单词。当学习一个正式的“大”词时，找出近似含义的常用词为上策。

Below are examples of nonstandard words: 以下是不规范语的实例： ain’t (am not, is not, has not) jolly (very) cool (very good) hot (angry; fast)

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deal (agreement) damn (very) neat (nice)

Since such words are nonstandard, we need not use them either in speech or in writing.

既然这些词不规范，我们也不必在演讲或写作时使用。 II. Choice of Words 二、单词的选择

When we write on common topics for the general audience, we may achieve accuracy and appropriateness by bearing in mind the following guidelines about the choice of words:

当我们写一个大众常见的主题，通过牢记选择单词遵循的指导原则，会如愿以偿选出准确得体的单词。

(1)Use common or informal words for general purposes; use formal or nonstandard words only on special occasions or for special purposes;

(1)常见或非正式词用于一般用途；正式或不规范词仅用于特殊场合或特殊目的。

(2)Use specific and concrete words when giving details; use general or abstract words when making summaries;

(2)使用特指、具体的词汇描写细节；使用概括或抽象的词汇进行总结。

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(3)Use idiomatic expressions and words in acceptable collocations; avoid combinations that are unidiomatic;

(3)使用习惯表达和可接受的词语搭配，避免组合与习惯不符。

(4)When there are synonyms, choose the word that expresses the meaning most exactly and that suits the content and style.

(4)当用同义词时，选择的单词要表达含义最贴切，与内容和风格相匹配。

We have given examples of common, formal and nonstandard words. Here are examples of general and specific words:

常用词，正式词和不规范词的实例已经给出，如下是概括词和具体词的实例。

General Specific

animal tiger, horse, fox, cat, mouse, bird, butterfly, insect laugh chuckle, guffaw, giggle, roar, smile, grin, beam big huge, great, large, vast, immense, enormous, tremendous scientist physicist, chemist, biologist, astronomer, geologist,

mathematician

Words are general or specific by comparison. Animal is general when compared with tiger, horse, etc, but horse is more general than steed, stallion, etc.

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词汇通过对比有了概括或特指的概念。动物和老虎、马等相比是概括词，而马比战马、种马等更笼统。

Both general and specific words are useful in writing. When we describe or explain things, or when we give details, we should try to use specific or concrete words wherever possible, for they are vivid, exact and interesting; when we summarize or generalize, we may find general or abstract words useful.

在写作中概括和特指词都有用。当我们形容或讲解事情、描述细节时，应该尽可能试着用特指或具体词，因为它们生动、确切、有趣；当我们总结或归纳时，会发现概括或抽象词大有帮助。

When we are trying to enlarge our vocabulary and learn to use effective words, we need to pay special attention to concrete and specific words. We usually think of general words first when we write, but we should remember that there are many specific words which are similar in meaning but are more colorful and impressive. They are the words we should make an effort to learn and use.

当我们试图扩大词汇量并学会实际应用单词，需要特别关注具体和特指词。写作时，通常首先想到概括词，但应记住许多特指词含义相近却更加生动感人，是我们该努力学习和运用的词汇。

Idiomatic expressions are those habitually used by native

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speakers. Foreign learners of English often have difficulty in telling what is not idiomatic from what is, because they have not been brought up in the language, and also because they are likely to use English words in the way they use words of their mother tongue. Word-for-word translation from Chinese into English generally results in unidiomatic expressions. That is something we should be on guard against.

习惯表达是那些以英语为母语人士的习惯性用法。外国英语学习者经常在表达方面遇到困难，从什么符合到什么不符合语言习惯，因为他们不曾在这种语言中成长，也因为他们对自己母语词汇的用法可能阻碍其对英语词汇的运用。逐字汉译英通常会导致不合习惯的表达，这是我们应该警惕的。

Take for instance the Chinese expression meiyou guilv. If literally translated, the English equivalent might be “to have no law” But this phrase would be very unidiomatic if it is used to describe a person’s daily life or habits, though the above Chinese expression can be used. Instead, the word regular is much better:“ he does not live a regular life;” or “he is not a man of regular habits.”

以中文表达没有规律为例。如果照字面意思翻译，相应的英文或许为“to have no law”。但如果这个短语被用来形容一个人的日常生活或习惯，可能很不地道，尽管上述表达在汉语中是

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可以的。而单词regular（有规律的）要好得多：“he does not live a regular life（他过着没有规律的生活）；”或“he is not a man of regular habits（他不是一个生活习惯规律的人）.”

Another thing we should learn is what words can be used together, or collocations. Again, collocations in English are often different from collocations in Chinese. We say in Chinese, for instance, da xue, while in English the word snow is modified not by big but by heavy.

另一件应学习的事是什么单词能被联合或搭配。此外，英语搭配往往与汉语搭配不同。例如用汉语表达大雪，而在英语中，单词snow（雪）不能用big（大）修饰，只能用heavy（量大的、厚实的）。

It is said that English grammar is not too complicated, but the idiomatic use of English words and expressions is quite difficult for foreign learners. We must give special attention to the study of idiomatic English if we want to improve our writing.

有人说英语语法不太复杂，但对外国学习者来说，英语词汇和表达的习惯用法是相当难的。如果想提高写作，必须格外专注于英语习惯用法的学习。 Ⅲ. Synonyms 三、同义词

The English language is very rich in synonyms. This is partly

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due to the fact that English has over the centuries borrowed or absorbed tens of thousands of words from other languages, mainly Greek, Latin and French. Words of Anglo-Saxon origin are generally colloquial or informal, and they form a great part of the vocabulary that people use daily. Many of the words of Greek, Latin and French origin are formal, learned or “big;”and are mainly used in formal writing or speech.

英语语言有大量同义词，这在一定程度上归功于一个事实，几世纪以来，英语从其他语言中借入或吸收了数以万计的词汇，主要有希腊语、拉丁语和法语。盎格鲁-撒克逊语的词汇起源于一般口语或非正式语，在人们的日常用语中占很大比重。希腊语、拉丁语和法语中的许多词汇来源于正式语、学术语或“大词”，主要用于正规写作或演讲。

We should remember that words are only roughly or approximately synonymous. It is difficult to find two words that have exactly the same meaning, carry the same implication, are used in the same collocation, or have the same stylistic value.

我们应牢记词汇只是大致或近似同义。很难找到两个词具有完全相同的含义、承载相同蕴涵、被用于相同搭配或有相同的文体价值。

Little and small are both common words, and can be called synonyms. But they are slightly different in implication: little may

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imply a feeling of fondness, while small is objective. Small is often used to modify amount, mistake, number, etc, but little is seldom used with these words.

Little和small都是常用词汇，可称为同义词。但它们在蕴涵上稍有不同。Little 可能暗示一种宠爱之情，而small是不带感情的。Small常用于修饰数量、错误、数字等等，但little很少用来修饰这些词。

Similarly, big, large, huge and great are not the same in the degree of emphasis and collocation. Large is more emphatic than big; huge is the most emphatic of the three words. Great can be used to modify abstract nouns like courage and wisdom, and persons with special qualities, such as a great leader, a great strategist and a great composer, while the other three words are not used in this way.

类似地，big, large, huge 和 great强调的程度和词语搭配也有所不同。Large 比big更有力；huge与其他三个词相比最有力。Great可用来修饰抽象词，象勇气、智慧；人的特殊品质，如a great leader（一位伟大的领袖）, a great strategist （一位卓越的军事家）和a great composer（一位杰出的作曲家），而其他三个词没有这种用法。

Suitable and appropriate, lucky and fortunate, dangerous and hazardous, many and myriad, have similar meanings, but are

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different in style: of each pair the second word is more literary than the first.

Suitable和appropriate，lucky和fortunate，dangerous和 hazardous，many和myriad，分别具有相似的含义，却风格迥异：每对词中，第二个词比第一个词更适于写作。

Laugh, smile, chuckle and giggle are verbs and nouns with similar meanings, but they denote different ways of laughing. To laugh is to smile with sounds of the voice, and to smile is to show amusement with an expression of the face without producing any sound of the voice, to chuckle is to laugh quietly with a closed mouth, and to giggle is to laugh repeatedly in an uncontrolled way, especially when one is amused, nervous or embarrassed. To describe a certain person’s smile or laugh on a certain occasion perhaps only one of these words is most suitable.

Laugh、smile、chuckle和giggle是意思相近的动词和名词，但它们意味着不同的笑法。laugh是指 smile（微笑）并笑出声来。smile是脸上露出快乐的表情，没有发出任何笑声。chuckle是抿嘴轻声笑。giggle是止不住地反复笑，特别用在一个人被逗笑、神经质或尴尬的时候，在某个特殊场合形容某个人的smile 或 laugh时，这些词中或许只有这个是最恰当的。

All this shows that it is important to study useful synonyms and their minute differences, so that we may choose the best word

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to express an idea. A good dictionary with explanations of synonyms may be helpful.

这一切表明，学习有益的同义词和区分细微差异很重要，以便我们选出最适合的词汇表达思想。一本有同义词注释的好词典可能会帮上忙。

In understanding the meaning of words we should avoid equating an English word with a Chinese one. It is hardly possible to find an English word which has exactly the same meaning and implication as a Chinese word. Book and shu, strike and da, land and tudi, family and jia, are synonymous only in one of their many senses, and are different in others. Take family for instance. The word refers to people who are closely related, especially father, mother and their children. It does not refer to the house where a family lives, while the Chinese word jia has this meaning. We have to be careful when we use those English words which we think are equivalent to certain Chinese words.

理解单词含义时，应避免将英语和汉语词汇等同看待。几乎找不到哪个英语单词的含义、蕴涵和一个汉语词汇完全相同。book和书，strike和打，land和土地，family和家都是同义词，只是在其众多含义中，有某个相同，其他不尽相同。以family为例，这个词指有密切亲戚关系的人们，尤指父亲、母亲和孩子。并不是指一家人居住的房子，而中国字家有这个意思。当

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在考虑哪些中文词汇与要用的英语单词相对应时，必须谨慎。 IV．Idioms 四、习惯用语

Refined and sanctified by long usage, idioms have been described as the crystallization of language. Without idioms our language would become dull and dry, whereas an appropriate use of them in our speech and writing will add to the strength and vividness posed of few words, contain an extremely profound and rich meaning; for another most idioms carry a vivid image.

历经久远的提炼和升华，习惯用语已被形容为语言结晶。若没有习惯用语，我们的语言将变得单调而枯燥。而恰当地在演讲和写作中应用它们，会增添说服力，构成生动的一些话，包含极其深远而丰富的内涵；另一方面，大多数习惯用语包含一个生动的比喻。

An idiom is a fixed group of words with a special meaning which is different from the meanings of the words that form it. To “read a book”, for instance, is not an idiom, for the meaning of the phrase is the meanings of the three words put together, and “a book” can be replaced by other words like “a newspaper” or “a magazine”. To “read between the lines” is different. The four words that form the idiom give no hint as to what it means and none of the words can be changed to form another understandable phrase.

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习惯用语是一个有特殊含义的固定词组，含义和字面不同。例如“read a book（读一本书）”不是一个习惯用语，因为这个词组的意思是将三个词的含义合为一体。“a book（一本书）”可换成其他词如“a newspaper（一份报纸）”或 “a magazine（一本杂志）”。“read between the lines（体会言外之意）”则不同，四

个词构成的习惯用语，暗示的含义不是字面意思，不能换词，那会构成另一种可理解的词组形式。

English is rich in idioms. The following types of idioms are most common:

英语包含丰富的习惯用语，以下是最常见的类型： 1.Phrasal verbs短语动词

put up with turn out look forward to 容忍 生产，出动 期待 carry on come across 继续、执行 碰到，遇到 2．N.+prep.+n.名词+介词+名词

a straw in the wind the apple of one’s eye

蛛丝马迹 掌上明珠 like a fish out of water like a fish in of water

不自在 如鱼得水 in a world of one’s own 不管他人、我行我素

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Prep.+n. 介词+名词

in kind on the air at length 以物交易 广播中 详细 (come off/through)with flying colors 彩旗招展

3．V.+n.动词+名词

won’t hold water slip one’s mind 站不住脚 不留神忘了 kill two birds with one stone go to the dogs 一石二鸟 大不如前 4．As…as…

as big as life as easy as pie/ABC 千真万确 小菜一碟、易如反掌 as different as night and day/black and white 天壤之别、截然不同

as poor as a church mouse as innocent as an angel 一贫如洗、家徒四壁 像天使一样纯洁 as wise as Solomon as cunning as a fox/an ape 像所罗门一样聪明 像狐狸/猿猴一样狡猾 as greedy as a Jew/bear as cruel as a tiger 像犹太人/熊一样贪婪 残暴如虎

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as stubborn as a bear/mule as hard as rock/stone 其犟如熊/骡子 铁石心肠 as steady as iron as round as a ball 稳如铁 圆如球 as light as air/a feather as red as rose 轻如鸿毛 红如玫瑰

as silent as the Sphinx as rich as a millionaire 沉默如雕塑 非常富有

as soft as silk as white as snow as cold as ice 软如缎 白如雪 冷若冰霜 as dark as coal/pitch/ink as proud as a peacock/rooster 伸手不见五指 像孔雀/公鸡一样骄傲 as cool as cucumber as heavy as lead 头脑冷静 重如铅 as swift as an antelope/wind as mute as a fish 快如羚羊/风 默不作声 as merry as a lark/cricket/king/prince 非常快活

as silly as an ass/a goose as strong as a horse/an ox 蠢极了，呆头鹅 壮如牛

as nimble as a goat as clear as crystal 身手灵活，举动敏捷 水落石出

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as brave as a lion as blind as a bat as good as gold 勇猛如狮 有眼无珠 很乖、规规矩矩 as scarce as chicken teeth as busy as a bee 少得可怜 忙的团团转 as slippery as an eel as firm as rock 圆滑 坚如磐石 as timid as a hare/rabbit as fit as a fiddle 胆小如鼠 非常健康、精神很好 5.Pairs of words

(to stand)wear and tear high and dry 磨损、消耗 船搁浅；人孤立无助 touch-and-go Tweedledum and Tweedledee 结果未明 难以区分的两个人、两件事;半斤八两 neither fish nor flesh 不伦不类

(to have sth. done)in black and white hither and thither 白纸黑字、把……记录下来 到处 safe and sound fair and square vim and vigor 安然无恙 公平合理 精力、活力 fair or foul pots and pans odds and ends 好坏 锅碗瓢盆 七零八碎 weal and woe thicks and thins at sixes and sevens

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祸福相依 风风雨雨 乱七八糟 to mind one’s P’s and Q’s 谨言慎行 6.Sayings

One man’s meat is another man’s poison. 萝卜青菜各有所爱 A stitch in time saves nine. 小洞不补大洞吃苦 Take it or leave it. 取舍自便、不要讨价还价

Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. 不要过早的乐观

First catch your hare, then cook it. 先把野兔抓住，然后再吃

To run after two hares, you can catch neither. 不要三心二意、脚踏两只船必定落空 When the cat’s away, the mice will play. 山中无老虎，猴子称大王；猫不在，鼠成精 Jack of all trades and master of none. Grasp all, lose all. 样样通，样样不精 Man proposes, God disposes. 谋事在人，成事在天

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Once bite/bitten, twice shy. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳 A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 力不从心；心有余而力不足 Where there is a will, there is a way. 有志者事竟成

When there is life, there is hope. 世上无难事，只怕有心人 The child is father of the man. 三岁看到老

There is no smoke without fire. 无风不起浪、无烟不起火

Don’t you see the writing on the wall? 难道你不知道要大难临头了吗？ No cross, no crown. 吃得苦中苦、方为人上人 As you sow, so will you reap. 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆 An idle youth, a needy age. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲

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Follow love, and it will flee; flee love, and it will pursue. 有心栽花花不开，无心插柳柳成荫 Many a pickle makes a nickel. 积少成多

Money makes the mare to go. 有钱能使鬼推磨 Ⅴ. Figures of Speech 五、修辞格

Words used in their original meanings are used literary, while words used in extended meanings for the purpose of making comparisons or calling up pictures in the reader’s or listener’s mind are used figuratively.

词汇使用原义应用于文学作品，当为了作比喻或唤起读者、听众脑中的记忆而象征时，要使用引申义。

As a Chinese idiom goes,“With all its beauty the peony needs the green of its leaves to set it off.”The rich and colorful content of writing can be expressed through such artistic devices as figures of speech, which contribute much to its expressive and emotional power.

例如一个汉语习语说，“With all its beauty the peony needs the green of its leaves to set it off.（牡丹虽好尚需绿叶陪衬）” 通过如此艺术的手法、以有助于增加表现力和感染力的修辞形式，

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表达出丰富而生动的写作内容。

A knowledge of various figures of speech commonly used in writing will help us not only to appreciate beauty of language, but also learn to use the various rhetorical figures in our own writing.

通常用于写作的各种修辞格知识，不仅有助于语言的审美，还使我们学会了在写作中使用各种修辞形式。

The most common of figures of speech are the following: 如下是最常用的修辞格： 1.Simile明喻

Simile is a direct comparison, in which subject, reference and indicator of resemblance are all present, its formula being:

Subject +indicator of resemblance +reference.

明喻是一种直接比喻，其中的本体、喻体和相似的指示词全部用现在时，其公式是：

本体+相似的指示词+喻体 Time flies like an arrow.光阴似箭。

One day apart seems like three years.一日不见，如隔三秋。 like a duck to water如鱼得水 as dry as saw dust枯燥无味 like a cat on hot bricks热锅上的蚂蚁

He is something of a musician/a political chameleon. 他有点像音乐家/政治变色龙。

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soft as dove’s down——William Shakespeare free as mountain winds (Ibid.)

象鸽子绒毛一样柔软——威廉?莎士比亚如山风般自由(如上)

rapid as the shadow of a cloud——Thomas Hardy 如云影般迅速——托马斯?哈迪

happy as a rose tree in sunshine——William M. Thackeray 如阳光下的玫瑰树般快乐——威廉?梅克皮斯?萨克雷 I wandered lonely as a cloud——William Wordsworth 我像一朵云般孤独地漫游——威廉?沃兹沃斯

A Red, Red Rose 一朵红红的玫瑰

O my luve’s like a red, red, rose, That’s newly sprung in June; O my luve’s like the melodie

That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, So deep in luve am I; And I will luve thee still, my dear, Till a’ the seas gang dry.

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Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear, And the rocks melt wi’ the sun; And I will luve thee still, my dear, While the sands o’ life shall run.

And fare thee well, my only luve, And fare thee well awhile! And I will come again, my luve, Tho’ it ware ten thousand mile! ——Robert Burns 我的爱人象朵红红的玫瑰

——罗伯特?彭斯（王佐良

呵，我的爱人象朵红红的玫瑰， 六月里迎风初开；

呵，我的爱人象支甜甜的曲子， 奏得合拍又和谐。

我的好姑娘，多么美丽的人儿！ 请看我，多么深挚的爱情！ 亲爱的，我永远爱你， 纵使大海干涸水流尽。

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译）

纵使大海干涸水流尽， 太阳将岩石烧作灰尘， 亲爱的，我永远爱你， 只要我一息犹存。

珍重吧，我惟一的爱人， 珍重吧，让我们暂时别离， 但我定要回来， 哪怕千里万里！

备注：“A Red, Red Rose”这首诗的作者是苏格兰乡村诗人罗伯特·彭斯，也是著名歌曲“友谊地久天长”的作者，纽约曼哈顿岛的中央公园里还有他的塑像。

从格律来说，比较工整。全诗分四节，每节又有四行，大都采用抑扬格，即“弱强弱强弱强弱强”的节奏，非常适合朗读和吟诵。

从诗意来说，热烈而理智，奔放而又深沉，让人久读不厌。由明喻开篇，第一节将爱人比成六月玫瑰和琴上乐曲；再转暗喻，第二节指自己对她的爱延续至海枯石烂；第三节心态复杂，暗指时间的流逝，爱也会有变化，让人回想起第一节中“六月玫瑰”，终有凋零之时；第四节更将复杂心态推向高潮，既需短暂分手，又承诺必将归来。

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从用词来说，多用古语，更增添了诗的严谨和华美。比如：thou=you(主格,“你”，相当于中文古字“君”或“卿”）,thee=you（宾格，“你”，亦相当于中文古字“君”或“卿”），fare thee well=farewell to you=say good-bye to you（“再见”）

亦用方言，较显亲切。如：luve=love（“爱人”，“爱”）, melodie=melody（“乐曲”）, gane=gone（“逝去”）, ware=were（are过去式，“是”）

2. Metaphor 2. 隐喻

Metaphor is an implied comparison in which both subject and reference are used, but no indicator of resemblance. Metaphor is more advanced than simile, for comparison is implied in the structure, instead of being expressed by an indicator of resemblance. It’s formula is: Subject+ to be + reference:

隐喻是一种应用于本体和喻体的隐含比喻，但没有相似的指示词。隐喻比明喻更高级，因为在句子结构中比喻是隐含地，而不是通过一个相似的指示词来表达。它的公式是：本体+to be+喻体

Time is money. An inch of time is an inch of gold. 时间就是金钱。一寸光阴一寸金。

With money you are a dragon; without it you are a worm. 有钱就是龙，没钱就是虫。

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Money becomes the king. 金钱成为主宰一切的真正权威。 Many retirees are couch potatoes. 许多退休者成天窝在沙发里看电视。 The newspaper is a jungle of ads. 报纸上尽是杂七杂八的广告。 It takes two to tango.

孤掌难鸣（一个巴掌拍不响） It’s lonely at the top. 高处不胜寒

Some special interest groups hijack the people through uncontrolled profit and inflation.

他们通过无休止的通货膨胀和利益最大化的特殊团体来榨取金钱。

My life is one long curve, full of turning points. 我的生命犹如一条长长的曲线充满转折。 All the world is a stage. 世界是个大舞台。

Sometimes you go into what I call a bubble boom. Every bubble bursts.

有时你会进入一种泡沫式的繁荣，但泡沫终究要破灭的。 Efficiency is undermined in a jungle of red tape.

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效率淹没在使人如入迷津的繁琐手续之中。 The scandal took a lot of luster off the president’s status. 这一丑闻使总统的地位失去了很多光彩。 Life is but a dream. 人生如梦。

Life’s but a walking shadow.——William Shakespeare 人生如一个行走的影子。——威廉?莎士比亚 TOEFL/IELTS is a bridge to foreign universities. 托福/雅思考试是通往外国大学的桥梁。 His friend has become a thorn in his side. 朋友成了他的眼中钉。 You are your mother’s glass. 你长得酷似妈妈。

cf. He sat all the evening as silent as the Sphinx. 比较：他整晚坐在那儿，像雕像般沉默。

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow.

他像一只以为太阳出来是为了听它啼声的雄鸡。

Sometimes the moon looks like a bow, and sometimes like an O.

有时月亮看起来像张弓，有时像字母O。 3. Personification

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3. 拟人

Personification is a figure of speech in which human beings are compared to inanimate things or vice versa. Being new, original and impressive, personification can make an abstract truth more vivid and expressive.

拟人是一种修辞方法，把人比喻为无生命的事物或正相反。因其新颖、独特、感人，拟人使抽象的事实更生动并富有表现力。

In the following sentences human attributes are given to abstract qualities, to objects or to animals:

下列句子中人的特征被描写成抽象的品质、物体或动物： Action speaks louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。

Walls have ears. 隔墙有耳。

Failure is the mother of success. 失败是成功之母。

a walking dictionary(cf. a living dictionary; know-it-all) 活字典（比较a living dictionary：活字典; know-it-all：万事通）

an old stick-in-the mud(cf. old diehard; old fogey)

一个老顽固(比较old diehard老顽固；old fogey老顽固）

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A rolling stone gathers no moss. (cf. constant change of one’s profession accumulates no wealth.)

滚石不生苔（比较constant change of one’s profession accumulates no wealth.转业不聚财）

The autumn wind is sighing. 秋风在叹息。

Spring awakened, and all nature smiled. 春天苏醒了，万物笑逐颜开。 Clothes can make the man. 人要衣装。 Dusk came stealthily. 黄昏悄悄地来了。

This time fate was smiling to him. 这次命运朝他微笑了。

Thunder roared and a pouring rain started. 雷声轰鸣，下起倾盆大雨。

A lie goes halfway around the world before truth has time to get its trousers on.

真相还来不及穿上裤子，谎言已经传遍了半个世界。 The match will soon be over and defeat is staring us in the face.

比赛很快就要结束了，失败正盯着我们的脸。

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Money won’t buy time. 寸金难买寸光阴。

Fortune smiled on me; I got the scholarship. 命运之神对我微笑；我得到了奖学金。

Flu/SARS stalked about, touching one here and there with his evil finger.

流感/严重急性呼吸道综合症猖獗蔓延，用邪恶的手指到处伤人。

In poetry personification is very common: 诗歌中拟人很常见： Edelweiss, edelweiss, Every morning you greet me. Small and white, Clean and bright,

You look happy to meet me. 雪绒花，雪绒花， 每天清晨迎接我 小而白， 洁又亮，

见到我你面露喜色。 Youth is hot and bold, Age is weak and cold;

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Youth is wild, and Age is tame. 青春热烈鲁莽， 年老软弱冷漠； 青春狂野，年老温顺。

（cf. The old man is like the setting sun;

the young man, the morning sun.

The old man is like a lean ox;

the young man, a cub tiger.

The old man is like a monk; the young man, a knight. The old man is like a dictionary;

the young man, the text of a play.)

——William Shakespeare

（比较：老人如落日；

青年如晨光。 老人如瘦牛； 青年如幼虎。 老人如僧侣； 青年如骑士。 老人如字典； 青年如剧本。 ——威廉?莎士比亚）

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4. Metonymy 4. 转喻

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which the name of one thing is substituted for another associated with or suggested by it. The thing spoken of and the thing meant may be wholly unlike, but the relation between them is such that the mention of one suggests the other,

转喻是一件事物的名称被另一个相关事物代替或暗示的比喻形式。提到的事物和意味着的事物可能完全不像，但它们间的关联已到了提及一个暗示另一个的程度。

e.g. “The drunkard likes his bottle.” Here there is no resemblance, but very close relation.

例如“酒鬼爱杯中物。”这里的酒瓶和酒并无相似之处，但关系非常密切。

In writing when metonymy is well employed, brevity and vividness may be achieved:

恰当使用转喻，体现作品的简洁生动： The early bird catches the worm. 早起的鸟儿有虫吃。 Rats desert a sinking ship. 船沉鼠先逃（树倒猢狲散）

Any ox that can pull the plough is a good ox, whether it’s red

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or black.

任何牛只要能拉犁就是好牛，无论红色或黑色。 a drowned rat 落汤鸡 a rat in a hole 瓮中之鳖 a black sheep

败家子、败类、害群之马

a wolf in sheep’s clothing(a dressed-up beast; a beast in human of form)

披着羊皮的狼、伪装善良的坏人（a dressed-up beast衣冠禽兽; a beast in human of form人面兽心a friend in human shape）

The kettle is boiling. 壶里的水烧开了。 He drank a cup. 他喝了一杯。 He ate another bowl. 他又吃了一碗。

Gray hairs should be respected. 老年人应受到尊敬。 The gray-haired have my sympathy. 我向这位老人表示慰问。 from the cradle to the grave 从摇篮到坟墓，从生到死 from the womb to the tomb 从生到死

Have you ever read Lu Xun?你读过鲁迅的作品吗？ Who is the best pen of the day? 谁是当代最伟大的作家？

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He has never earned an honest penny in his life. 他这一生从未用正当手段赚钱。 I’ve come to pick your brains. 我来请教你的专业知识。

Her behavior when her husband is away causes the neighbors to raise their eyebrows.

当丈夫离开时，她的行为惹起邻居的非议。 As a player, he spent most games on the bench.

作为一名球员，大多数比赛时间他在替补席上度过。 The whole city went out to hail him, for he succeeded in having caught the criminal.

倾城而出为他欢呼，因为他成功地抓住了罪犯。 Are you fond of the bottle? 你喜欢喝酒吗？ He indulged in glass. 他任凭自己沉湎于酒杯。 What’s your favorite dish? 你最喜欢吃什么菜？

A fair face may hide a foul heart.(a beast in human shape) 人不可貌相；漂亮的面孔可能掩盖着邪恶的心（人面兽心） Is there anybody in our class who is going to enter the Bar after college?

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我们班有没有大学毕业后要当律师的？ Do you have an ear for music? 你喜欢听音乐吗？ Please be all ears to me. 请专心听我说。

The whole class love me because I’m a bit stupid. 全班喜欢我，只因我有点傻。 Uncle Sam(cf. Washington/Beijing)

山姆大叔、美国政府、美国人（比较：华盛顿—美国政府/北京—中国政府）

Fleet Street舰队街，佛里特街，英国伦敦新闻界 Foggy Bottom雾谷，美国国务院 Hollywood好莱坞，美国影坛

10, Downing Street唐宁街10号，英国首相府 Ivan伊万，俄国人民 the girl in red红衣少女

women in furs or men in grand coats有钱人 black gown有学问的人，学者；黑衣教士 the egg head 书呆子

the ivory tower象牙塔，大学校园，世外桃源

Any cat that can catch the mouse is a good cat, whether it’s white or black.

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无论黑猫白猫，能抓住老鼠的猫就是好猫， (cf. The end justifies the means. The end crowns all.)

（比较：The end justifies the means.为达目的不择手段。The end crowns all.结果决定一切）

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 心有余而力不足。

Only a knife could save him.(cf. Two heads are better than one. )

只有动手术才能救他。（比较：三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮。） 5. Synecdoche 5. 提喻法

Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part is used for a whole, or vice verse.

提喻法是一种修辞方法，部分用来做整体或正相反。 The factory employs 100 hands. 这家工厂雇了100名工人。 The farmer sold 50 head of cattle. 这名农夫卖了50头牛。

China(the Chinese table tennis team)beat Japan (the Japanese TTT)at table tennis.

在乒乓球赛中，中国（中国乒乓球队）击败日本（日本乒乓球队）

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Two heads are better than one. 三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮。 Many hands make light work. 众人拾柴火焰高，人多好办事。 He toiled all day long to earn his bread. 他为了赚钱整天劳碌。

Class 1is superior to Class 2 in the crossword games. 一班学生做填字游戏的水平超越了二班学生。 He won her hand in marriage. 他赢得她的芳心。

The world is still ignorant of the fact. 世界被蒙在鼓里。

He has many mouths to feed in his family. 他家里有好几口人要养活。 They counted fifty sails in the harbor. 他们在港湾里数出50艘船。 He is a valiant heart. 他是一名勇士。

The poor man is now left without a roof. 可怜人无家可归。 a glib tongue三寸不烂之舌

The doctor cut me open and took out the appendix and stitched

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