VOA慢速英语2014 学校论文有问题?

 

Having Problems with a School Paper? 学校论文有问题?

Today we welcome a return visit from Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, assistant professor of The Practice in Writing Studies at Duke University in North Carolina. Ms. Ahern-Dodson serves as outreach director and language arts and media program director for the university’s Thompson Writing Program. She helps many students and professors organize writing groups. 

Jennifer Ahern-Dodson says that probably everyone has had difficulty writing an essay or paper at some time. She says when writing seems easy, it is usually because he or she has something important to say. Today she provides some tips about how to get those important points into the computer.       

Suppose you have done some research for your paper, but you still have more research to do. Ms. Ahern-Dodson says try some writing before you’re ready to write the completed paper. 

“Don’t wait until you’ve done all the research for the research paper or you’ve figured out in your head exactly what you want to say before you get started. Sometimes just stopping in the middle and writing something about where you are at that moment, you can discover your ideas and think about what you want to express or understand.” 

The teacher advises that you note what information other people have already presented about the subject. And she urges you not to get discouraged if you find that others have seemed to have used a lot of that information. 

”There’s so much research  that’s been done already that it can be intimidating¹ once you start figuring out, well, what have other people said about my topic (subject)? And so I might just keep researching and never stop, and say, ‘Well, What do I have to contribute? People have said everything already.’ “

Instead, she suggests taking some time to think about what you’re noticing in the research. What points and thoughts of your own might you develop?

“You don’t have to be an expert on everything.  What is it you find interesting in the middle of this process?”

This should help you decide what you want to write in response to what others have said. Or it can help you decide what additional research you might need if you are dealing² with the subject in a different way from others. 

As you progress, Ms. Ahern-Dodson strongly advises working with other writers. 

“Who can give me good feedback (reaction) on my ideas as I’m developing them – and to not make me feel like I’m alone in the universe? So much of our anxiety about writing stems³ from sharing our writing in high-stakes (extremely important) situations like submitting to a college or turning it in at the end (of a school term). And we cannot really do anything about it once we submit it.” 

She spends a lot of her time helping⁴ students and professors form writing groups. She says the reaction of others can tell you if you are communicating your ideas. It can show if your writing is interesting. 

“Better to find out that no one is interested in that one paragraph before you submit it than after you submit it.”

Words in this Story

essay -- n. an analytic⁵ or interpretive⁶ literary⁷ composition usually dealing with a subject from a limited or personal point of view

tips -- n.  suggestions

discourage -- v. making someone less determined⁸, hopeful or confident

intimidate⁹ -- v. to make (someone afraid

application -- n. a formal and usually written request for something

experience -- n. skill or knowledge that you get by doing something

universe -- n.all of space and everything in it including stars, planets, galaxies¹⁰

dormitory -- n. a room for sleeping

figure out -- v. discover, determine, solve

anxiety -- n. feeling of nervousness about what might happen

submit -- v. to present or propose for another for review, consideration or decision 

1 intimidating   

vt.恐吓，威胁( intimidate的现在分词)

参考例句：

• They were accused of intimidating people into voting for them. 他们被控胁迫选民投他们的票。
• This kind of questioning can be very intimidating to children. 这种问话的方式可能让孩子们非常害怕。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 stems   

n.（花草的）茎( stem的名词复数 )；词干；（高脚酒杯的）脚；烟斗柄v.遏制[阻止]（液体的流动等）( stem的第三人称单数 )；封堵；遏止

参考例句：

• The present wave of strikes stems from discontent among the lower-paid. 当前的罢工浪潮起因于低工资雇员们的不满情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her interest in flowers stems from her childhood in the country. 她对花卉的兴趣产生于她在乡下度过的童年时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 analytic   

adj.分析的，用分析方法的

参考例句：

• The boy has an analytic mind. 这男孩有分析的头脑。
• Latin is a synthetic language,while English is analytic.拉丁文是一种综合性语言，而英语是一种分析性语言。

6 interpretive   

adj. 说明的，解释的

参考例句：

• This irrigation project requires a highly developed technical and interpretive expertise. 这项灌溉工程需要高度发展的技术和推理的专门知识。
• The exemptions for interpretive rules, policy statements, and procedural rules have just been discussed. 有关解释性规则、政策说明和程序规则的免责我们刚刚讨论过。

7 literary   

adj.文学（上）的

参考例句：

• Literary works of this kind are well received by the masses.这样的文学作品很受群众欢迎。
• The book was favourably noticed in literary magazines.这本书在文学杂志上得到好评。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

10 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。