On Writing Well CH15

I.Words and express

1. Both are unnecessary fears to lug through life, and in this chapter I'd like to help you ease whichever one is yours.

lug  carry with difficulty         

synonymous: transport, carry, clog up

2. Science, demystified, is just another nonfiction subject.

demystify  vt. 使非神秘化   

synonymous: clarify, clear up, elucidate

3. Who doesn't possess some cluster of vivid images that can be recalled from an inconceivably early life?

some cluster of vivid images  "一些栩栩如生的画面"

inconceivably  adv.不可思议地        synonymous:  impossible, out of the question, unimaginable

4. Just because you're dealing with a scholarly discipline that's usually reported in a style of dry pedantry is no reason why you shouldn't write in good fresh English.

pedantry  an ostentatious and inappropriate display of learning

dry pedantry 和 fresh English 对应，干巴巴的卖弄学问和生动的英文。

5. Loren Eiseley was a naturalist who refuse to be cowed by nature as he passed on to us.

cow  v.subdue, restrain, or overcome by affecting with a feeling of awe; frighten (as with threats).

6. Speaking of compression, that paragraph is a gem of tight linear writing.

“若说简明扼要，那一段可谓是紧凑连贯的文章中的精华所在。”

II. Summary

Many people are afraid of writing about science and technology, because they think it's hard to express them clearly. However, Zinsser thought there was nothing difficult, if you could think clearly, you can write clearly.

Science and technology writing is about fact and deduction. The writer should use an upside-down pyramid frame in their article, make the reader easy to accept and continue. Moreover, writer also should put the human element in it. Writing something about themselves or someone else. Then use their enthusiasm and passionateness make the writing vividly and fresh.

Literature is not only the poem, essay and novel we know, the scientific nonfiction is also a kind of literature. When we write it, we shoud make it humanity and interesting.

III. Thoughts

Zinsser在开篇提到，人们对科技写作有种畏难情绪，可谓是一语中的。就我自己而言，在一开始看到第十五章的标题，就觉得这一章一定很枯燥乏味，十分难懂。但事实上，并非如此。在我们一贯的印象中，科技写作就好像是考研阅读中那些可怕的文章，那些高新技术的东西与我们相距甚远，读起来都觉得困难，更不用说动笔去写了，这恰恰是我们的误解。

Zinsser讲述的科技写作，更像是文采斐然、生动有趣的科普。首先，要遵从科技写作本身的事实准确与逻辑严密；其次，在谋篇布局上，层层展开，引人入胜；最后，不要把科技写作当做冷冰冰的文献写作或是透着酸腐气的掉书袋，投入自己的兴趣与热忱，文章自然就变得生动有趣了。Zinsser在举例时提到了《寂静的春天》，的确，这不仅仅是非常棒的科普，还是一篇美文，同样的著作，还有《量子物理史话》，将复杂的量子力学娓娓道来，精彩之极。