如何表达干净利落：谨慎用字

　　训练有素的学术Essay写作者，能简明扼要表达句意，成功的关键是选用适切的字词。下列句子的画线部分，表达并不俐落简洁，用什么字/字组取代后能更有效率地表达意思呢？

　　题目Contest Sentence:

　　“The baseball player ran all the way around the infield in the pouring rain after he hit the game-ending homer,failing to touch a single base.”

　　正确解答Answer:“ran all the way around”replace with“circled.”

　　“The baseball player circled the infield in the pouring rain after he hit the game-ending homer,failing to touch a single base.”

　　We believe the best word choice is“circled.”Because the hitter splashed around the diamond in the rain,a fun choice might be“circumnavigated,”which often refers to circling via water.Either choice is superior to the wordy“ran all the way around.”That phrase not only is commonplace,it suffers from having an unnecessary modifying phrase in its midst—“all the way.”Unless otherwise specified,running around something implies running“all the way”around it.

　　题目中，最能准确表达画线部分意义的答案，应为circled。除此之外，因为打击者是在雨中绕着内野奔跑，所以也可以使用较活泼的circumnavigated一字，常意指于水面上环航。这两个选择比冗长的ran all the way around好，因为它过于通俗且包括赘述的修饰语all the way。除非需特别说明，对着某物run around通常已包括all the way绕行的意思。Essay写作修改内容：http://australiaway.org/a/hangyedongtai/726.html

　　Sometimes extra words are necessary to convey import or distinction.For instance,were bases on a baseball diamond one mile from each other,to run“all the way”would be a notable feat for someone other than a dedicated runner.Using the phrase in that instance emphasizes the distance involved.And sometimes a longer expression is acceptable because it maintains or interrupts a written cadence and,thus,more expressly conveys a mood or thought.While this is less a consideration in academic writing than in literary writing,it is not to be dismissed as a communication tool.

　　有时传达重要或区分不同意义时，必须多用几个字来强调。比方说在棒球场内，垒包如果相距长达一哩，用all the way加以修饰，表示对非职业长跑者而言，跑这段路相当不简单，也就是说，all the way在例子里的用途是强调距离。有时拉长修饰语，可借以维持或打断句子的韵律，更明确地传达作者的心情与思绪。尽管学术Essay写作不比文学作品，这方面的考量较少，这种技巧仍然是有效且不容忽视的沟通工具。

　　Selecting correct words is,of course,rooted in corollary assets of clear writing,such as vocabulary and knowledge(thorough research).Nevertheless,wordsmiths with copious word lists at their command sometimes fail to select the best word.Knowing many words and knowing how to use them are not the same credential.Choosing a word that most accurately,effectively,and succinctly expresses an intended meaning is a skill that is teachable.Any writer blessed with judgment and a good work ethic can master this technique of concise writing.

　　选择正确的用词当然是为了Essay写作能清楚的表达，所需技巧包括足够的字汇量与知识（可由研究取得）。不过就算脑中随时记住大量字汇，也未必能做出最好的决定，因为知道许多字与知道如何使用这些字是两回事。选出最正确、最有力、最能简洁表达作者本意的字是可以学会的技能。任何具备判断力且认真严谨的作者皆能掌握简洁Essay写作的要领。