一 words and expressions

1. Language is a fabric that changes from one week to another, adding new strands and dropping old ones.

strand这个词常见的意思是线、绳、毛发等的〕股，缕。文中的意思是：the parts of a story, idea, plan etc〔故事、观点、计划等的〕部分。

strand of thought /opinion / argument

2. “Usage Panel” to help them appraise the new words and dubious constructions that had come knocking at the door.

dubious：probably not honest, true, right etc可疑的，靠不住的

3. It adds a tinge of sarcasm that otherwise wouldn’t be there.

tinge：a very small amount of a color, emotion, or quality淡淡的色调; 些许，一点，一丝〔颜色、情绪或品质

4. under Richard Nixon “launder” became a dirty word.

launder：to put money which has been obtained illegally into legal businesses and bank accounts, so that you can hide it or use it洗〔钱〕〔即把非法得来的钱注入合法的生意中或存入银行，以便隐藏或使用〕:

5. Travel writing is a conspicuous example.

conspicuous：very noticeable or attracting attention, often in a way that is not wanted显眼的；醒目的；显著的

6. One can ride the picturesque ferry from Kowloon

picturesque：〔地方〕美丽的，古雅的，风景如画的

7. Involved? Detached? Judgmental? Ironic? Amused?

Detached：not reacting to or becoming involved in something in an emotional way冷静的，不动感情的，客观的。它的反义词是Involved

8. Writing is no respecter of blueprints.

respecter：be no respecter of sth

■to treat or affect everyone in the same way尊重；遵奉；礼待

•God is no respecter of persons.上帝对众人一视同仁。

二 thoughts

第七章讲的是usage，也是最后一个principle。作者讲到了哪些词的usage是可接受的。并且列举了一些新的usage的来源，非常有趣。并且在最后指出：好的usage就是用一些实际存在的好词去清楚的表达自己的观点。

从第八章进入method的章节。讲的是unity。其中包括人称，时态，语态等等的unity。我觉得这点也十分适用于中文写作，我常常在表达一件事时突兀的引入不同的人称，导致文章很混乱。作者提供的方法是think more，叙事一件事就从一件事的各个细节开始，不要写着这个想着那个。

Just remember that all unities must be fitted into the edifice you finally put together.