OWW CH18

WORD AND EXPRESSION

They will trot out the hard-won words of their college education...

trot out

1.PHRASAL VERB 短语动词反复提出，反复说（陈旧的观点或过时的信息）If you say that a person trots out old ideas or information, you are criticizing him or her for repeating them in a way that is not new or interesting.

【语法信息】：V P n (not pron)

【语法信息】：Also V n P

【语用信息】：disapproval

【语域标签】：INFORMAL 非正式

Was it really necessary to trot out the same old stereotypes about Ireland? 真的有必要反复提关于爱尔兰的那套老看法吗？

Criticism is the stage on which journalists do their fanciest strutting.

strut

the act of strutting; vain, swaggering walk or gait.

that old confident strut and swagger has returned. 那种原有的目中无人、昂首阔步、大摇大摆的步态又回来了。

It’s also where reputations for wit are born.

wit

N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词（说话的）风趣，机智，巧妙 Wit is the ability to use words or ideas in an amusing, clever, and imaginative way.

They love her practical attitude to life, her zest and wit. 他们喜欢她务实的人生态度、她的热情和幽默。

It’s also too facile an approach if you want to write serious criticism, for the only epigrams that have survived are cruel ones.

facile 

ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词（主张、建议）肤浅的，粗浅的，轻率的 If you describe someone's arguments or suggestions as facile, you are criticizing them because their ideas are too simple and indicate a lack of careful, intelligent thinking.

【语用信息】：disapproval

The subject of racism is admittedly too complex for facile summarization. 无可否认，种族主义这个话题太过复杂，不可能一言蔽之。

But to say why you think a play is good, in words that don’t sound banal, is one of the hardest chores in the business.

banal

ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词平庸的；平淡无奇的 If you describe something as banal, you do not like it because you think that it is so ordinary that it is not at all effective or interesting.

【搭配模式】：the N

【语用信息】：disapproval

The text is banal... 课文索然无味。

So don’t be deluded that criticism is an easy route to glory.

delude

VERB 动词欺骗，哄骗(自己) If you delude yourself, you let yourself believe that something is true, even though it is not true.

【语法信息】：V pron-refl

【语法信息】：V pron-refl that

【语法信息】：V pron-refl into -ing

The President was deluding himself if he thought he was safe from such action... 总统如果认为这样的行为不会威胁到他，那他就是在自欺欺人。

The reader deserves a movie buff who will bring along a reservoir of knowledge, passion and prejudice.

buff 

N-COUNT 可数名词迷；行家 You use buff to describe someone who knows a lot about a particular subject. For example, if you describe someone as a film buff, you mean that they know a lot about films.

【搭配模式】：supp N

【STYLE标签】：INFORMAL 非正式

Judge Lanier is a real film buff... 拉尼尔法官是个真正的影迷。

SUMMARY

要做一个领域的评论家，必须要有特别的技能和知识，要深入到该领域中去。这样才能辨别好坏，评估作品，评价演出。有人因为评论里的妙语而出名，但是不要误会，评论并不是通往荣耀的途径。首先我们得区分critic和reviewer。Reviewer是为报刊、杂志写作，报道的是产品，他们的工作是报道，而不是美学评价。

作者提出了几个原则，适用于good criticism and good reviewing：

1.评论者要喜欢（最好喜爱）他们报道的媒介。

2.不要透露太多情节。

3.运用特别的细节。

4.避免虚浮夸张的形容词。

什么是criticism？It's a serious intellectual act. 它的任务是评估严肃的艺术作品，并将其置于从前的作品背景中。所以你要深入了解你所报道的领域。

当然，少不了的还有幽默这个润滑剂，善用幽默。

一篇好的criticism要立刻让读者进入你要描述的这个特殊世界。

作者要坚定地表达自己的观点，一篇有争议性的评论比一篇含糊、中庸的评论好太多，没有争议性的评论不值得一写。你对报道的媒介有情感才会写得好，你的文章表达的事你的个性，有血肉有感情的文章才能唤起读者的共鸣和情绪。

最后，我认为写好一篇评论最重要的是对作品和背景的深入了解、真实的情感、坚定的观点。

一篇好的影评、书评应该是让没看过作品的人有看的欲望，看过的人有更深层次的理解。