某日，兒子興沖沖地跟我聊起，英語老師教授的高分寫作原則：盡量使用從句，用詞要新、避免老套，云云。其實不僅中國人在寫作時避簡就繁，美國人也不例外 （Clutter is the disease of American writing. -- By 《On Writing Well》)
聯(lián)想到，平日里研發(fā)所寫技術文檔，時?？吹缴鲜鲋袊接⑽慕逃暮圹E。在此，我摘錄《On Writing Well》中有關Simplicity的精華部分，佐以平時寫作或編輯工作中的修正實例，介紹英文寫作中Simplicity這一基本原則。
The secrete of Good Writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components:
- Every word that serves no function, (去掉每個不必要的單詞）
- Every long word that could be a short word, （有短勿用長）
- Every adverb that carries the same meaning that's already in the verb, （避免使用與verb含義重疊的adverb）
- Every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is dong what. （使用主動態(tài)）
示例1：
在日常寫作中，第一時間出現(xiàn)在腦海的往往是一個簡單的常用詞，但我們總喜歡絞盡腦汁，想個復雜新穎的同義詞。
專家意見：
“The long word is no better than the short word.” “有短勿用長”。
實例解析：
assistance-->help
numerous-->many
facilitate-->ease
remainder-->rest
initial-->first
sufficient-->enough
attempt--> try
referred to as --> called
Currently or at the present time-->now or today
示例2：
我們喜歡用詞組代替單詞，在verb后面通過加adverb或是adjective，來増加語言的生動性。
專家意見：
Make active verbs activate your sentences, and try to avoid the kind that need an appended preposition to complete their work.
實例解析：
We face up to many problems. --> We face many problems.
We free a few minutes up . --> We free a few minutes.
We set up a business. --> We started or launched a business.
The president stepped down. --> The president resigned.
英文技術寫作系列
