Book Note 3 on《中式英语之鉴》

悦悦悦

Reader: 赵悦
Reading Time: 2天
Reading Task: Chapter 5-6
Summary of the Content:
Chapter 5: Repeated References to the Same Thing
This chapter delves into the issue of redundant repetition in writing, especially in Chinese - English translation. It points out that in Chinese, repetition is often used for emphasis, while in English, such repetition can make the text clumsy. The author provides numerous examples to illustrate different types of unnecessary repetition. For instance, repeating nouns like "the prices of grain, cooking oil and cotton yarn are rather high this year, so the prices of these products should be readjusted" can be simplified to "the prices of grain, cooking oil and cotton yarn are rather high this year, so those of these products should be readjusted". The chapter also introduces various techniques to avoid repetition, such as using pronouns, synonyms, or substituting nouns with verbs.

Chapter 6: Summing it all up
Chapter 6 focuses on the importance of providing summaries in writing. It explains that summaries help readers grasp the main ideas quickly, especially in long - winded texts. The author gives examples of how to create effective summaries at different levels, from summarizing a single paragraph to an entire document. It emphasizes that a good summary should be concise, covering only the essential points. For example, when summarizing a passage about a new environmental protection policy, the summary should highlight the key measures and goals of the policy rather than going into too much detail about the background or implementation process.

Evaluation:
Practicality: The content of both chapters is highly practical. The examples provided in Chapter 5 are extremely helpful for translators and English - learners. They can directly apply the techniques to their writing and translation work to make their English more concise and native - like. In Chapter 6, the guidance on creating summaries equips readers with a useful skill that is applicable in academic writing, report - writing, and even daily communication.
Clarity: The author’s explanations are clear and easy to follow. Each point is elaborated with simple and straightforward examples, which makes it accessible to readers with different levels of English proficiency.
Reflection:
After reading these two chapters, I realize that my own English writing has been plagued with the problems of unnecessary repetition. I often over - rely on repeating nouns, which makes my writing less fluent. For example, in my previous essays, I might have written “The new project requires a large amount of investment. The investment should come from multiple sources”, while now I know I can use “The new project requires a large amount of investment, which should come from multiple sources”.
Regarding summarization, I have learned that I need to be more selective when summarizing texts. In the past, I sometimes included too many details in my summaries, which defeated the purpose of summarization. Now, I will focus on extracting the most important information and presenting it in a concise manner. This will not only improve my writing skills but also my reading comprehension as I practice summarizing different texts.