Ⅰ、vocabulary
1、arduous a.difficult, needing a lot of effort and energy 艰难的,艰巨的;费力的
2、craft n.(需要技术的)行业,职业 You can use craft to refer to any activity or job that involves doing something skilfully.
3、circulate v. (在聚会上)周旋,往来应酬If you circulateat a party, you move among the guests and talk to different people.
4、revelation N-SING 单数名词意想不到的事物;非常好的事物If you say that something you experienced wasa revelation, you are saying that it was very surprising or very good.
5、bewilder VERB 动词使困惑;使糊涂;使不知所措If something bewilders you, it is so confusing or difficult that you cannot understand it.
6、burst N-COUNT 可数名词短暂的突然发作;一阵A burst of something is a sudden short period of it.
7、hassle VERB 动词烦扰;纠缠If someone hassles you, they cause problems for you, often by repeatedly telling you or asking you to do something, in an annoying way.
8、pompous ADJ-GRADED 自负的;自命不凡的If you describe someone aspompous, you mean that they behave or speak in a very serious way because they think they are more important than they really are.
9、ponderous ADJ-GRADED(文章或谈话)严肃呆板的,冗长乏味的,生硬的Ponderouswriting or speech is very serious, uses more words than necessary, and is rather dull.
10、prune .VERB 动词删去;除去;削减If youprunesomething, you cut out all the parts that you do not need.
11、garnish VERB 动词给(菜肴)加装饰菜 If yougarnishcooked or prepared food, you decorate it with a garnish.
12、plunge VERB 动词(尤指向水中)纵身投入,一头进入If something or someoneplungesin a particular direction, especially into water, they fall, rush, or throw themselves in that direction.
13、gnaw .VERB 动词折磨;使不安If a feeling or thoughtgnaws atyou, it causes you to keep worrying.
14、sloppy ADJ-GRADED 马虎的;敷衍的;草率的If you describe someone's work or activities assloppy, you mean they have been done in a careless and lazy way.
15、prune VERB 动词删去;除去;削减If youprunesomething, you cut out all the parts that you do not need.
16、relish VERB 动词喜爱;玩味;欣赏;品味If yourelishsomething, you get a lot of enjoyment from it.
17、rummage VERB 动词搜寻;翻找;乱翻If yourummage throughsomething, you search for something you want by moving things around in a careless or hurried way.
18、mint v, to produce something new, especially to invent a new phrase or word 创造(尤指新词语)
19、exclusive ADJ 形容词 独用的;独有的;独享的 Something that is exclusive is used or owned by only one person or group, and not shared with anyone else.
20、lumber VERB 动词 (缓慢而笨拙地)挪动,移动 If someone or something lumbers from one place to another, they move there very slowly and clumsily.
21、redress VERB 动词 矫正;纠正;改正 If you redress something such as a wrong or a complaint, you do something to correct it or to improve things for the person who has been badly treated.
22、escalate V-ERG 及物/不及物动词 (使)扩大;(使)恶化;(使)升级 If a bad situation escalates or if someone or something escalates it, it becomes greater in size, seriousness, or intensity.
23、vibration v. continuous quick, slight shaking movement 持续振动;轻微抖动
24、hooked ADJ 形容词 (被…)迷住的;(对…)入迷的 If you are hooked on something, you enjoy it so much that it takes up a lot of your interest and attention.
25、nudge VERB 动词(通常指用肘)轻推,轻碰(以引起注意)If younudgesomeone, you push them gently, usually with your elbow, in order to draw their attention to something.
26、moral N-COUNT 可数名词(由故事、事件引出的)道德训诫,寓意The moralof a story or event is what you learn from it about how you should or should not behave.
Ⅱ、Reflection
短短一个星期的阅读,我不敢说自己有多大的收获。若说写作得到如何大的提升,确实没有,毕竟作者提供的一些方法论很多都需要实践去写、去读才能有深刻的体会和真正的提高。但至少,还是学了一些有用的表达,对赏析一些地道英语的感觉也更敏锐了。很喜欢作者给一些例子,再写下评论的方式,读后有种顿悟的感觉——哇,原来这些作家们这么棒!这才是驾驭语言的大魔王啊!然后又去读了一些E.B.White 的其他作品,简直兴味盎然!
Ⅲ、Summary
In part 1, the author introduces the principles of writing to us. At the very beginning, he tells us that the heart of good non-fiction writing actually is the personal transaction. And two of the most important qualities of it are humanity and warmth.
Then, the author points out that the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. To obey this rule, the writer should train the ability to think clearly. The enemy of simplification is the clutter including the laborious phrase, ”experiencing”, the ponderous euphemism, the official language and so forth. Recognizing clutter at a glance, we can try to put brackets around every component in a piece of writing that isn’t doing useful work.
Next, the author thinks the style is not only to deliberately garnish your pose, but just to be yourself. The rule of style is no rule. Style is tied to the psyche, and writing has deep psychological. Once you form your own style, then you are writing primarily to please yourself but not for your audience. It’s unforgivable to lose your audience for your terrible skills; however, your attitude should be firm that you should be loyal to your style.
Furthermore, the author suggests developing a respect for words and taking the time to root around the one you want. Try to form a habit to read the work written by authors in different eras as well as using dictionaries. Sound and rhythm should also be taken into consideration. Gradually, you can harvest a sense of cheap words and good words and technical words and more.
In part 2, we come into discussing the method of writing. At first, unity is the anchor of good writing. Pronoun, tense and mood are all the elements needed united. Enthusiasm is more important than definitiveness complex in keeping you going and keeping the reader in your group. Then we have a look at the lead and the end. A good lead must capture the reader immediately and provide hard details to force the reader to keep reading. Open your horizon to collect material as more as possible so that you can write down wonderful things or stories. As for the ending, taking your readers slightly by surprise and yet seem exactly right is perfect. Nevertheless, there is no established rules of the two.