【摘要】 在论文写作的常用词汇中，有些词看起来很相似，很容易混淆。因为它们不是拼写错误，所以它们经常逃避书写软件的拼写检查。来擦亮你的眼睛，仔细辨认它们！

 

词汇

词汇是语言表达的基础。大学英语四级考试要求掌握4500词汇量，六级6000，专业八级13000。据统计，20岁左右的美国人平均词汇量大概有42000个。对于英语非母语的作者来说，词汇的积累可谓任重道远。

在论文写作的常用词汇中，有些词看起来很相似，很容易混淆。因为它们不是拼写错误，所以它们经常逃避书写软件的拼写检查。来擦亮你的眼睛，仔细辨认它们！

 

administer: to manage and organize the affairs of a company, an organization, a country, etc.; to give drugs, medicine, etc. to sb

administrate: 尽管某些词典有这一词条，同administer的”管理”之义，专家建议尽量不用。

 

The dose was administered to the child intravenously.已给那孩子静脉注射了这一剂量。The Internet opens up new ways of administrating the tax system.互联网开拓了管理税收系统的一些新途径。

 

adverse:unfavorable; harmful

averse:strongly disliking; opposed

This drug is known to have adverse side effects.

众所周知，这种药具有不良副作用。

He was averse to any change.

他反对任何改变。

 

advise: (verb) to recommend

advice: (noun) recommendation

 

The minister advised him to leave as soon as possible.

部长建议他尽快离开。

Take my advice and stay away from him!

听我的忠告，离他远点!

 

affect:(verb) to influence, to have an impact on

effect:(noun) a result, a consequence; (verb) to bring about, to cause

 

Nicotine adversely affects the functioning of the heart and arteries.

尼古丁对心脏和动脉功能有负面影响。

The crisis had a negative effect on trade.

这次危机对贸易产生了很坏的影响。

 

alternate: happening or following one after the other regularly

alternative: available as another possibility

 

Throughout the night, people alternate between passive and active sleep.

整个晚上，人的被动和主动睡眠交替进行。

New ways to treat arthritis may provide an alternative to painkillers.

治疗关节炎的新方法可能会提供一种止痛药的替代品。

 

all together: all in one place; all at once

altogether: completely; on the whole

 

Can you put your books all together in this box?

你能把你的书都放进这个箱子里吗?

The choice of language is altogether different.

语言的选择全然不同。

 

artefact: artificial effect, often due to experimental error

artifact: object produced or shaped by human craft

 

But this does not mean China's economic miracle has been just a statistical artefact.

但是这并不意味这中国的经济奇迹是个统计数字假象。

They also repair broken religious artifacts.

他们也修补破损的宗教手工艺品。

 

bare: naked; not covered

bear: (verb) to carry; to put up with

 

The hills above the valley are bare rock.

河谷上面的山是光秃秃的岩石。

The houses bear the marks of bullet holes.

房屋带有子弹的痕迹。

 

beside: at the side of, next to

besides: other than

 

On the table beside an empty plate was a pile of books.

桌上的空碟子旁摆着一摞书。

We have lots of things in common besides music.

除了音乐，我们还有很多共通点。

 

born: having started life

borne: (bear的过去分词) carried

 

She was born in the fifties.

她是五十年代出生的。

It must be borne in mind that the victory is hard-won.

须知胜利来之不易。

 

cite: quote or mention

site: a place where something is located

 

The officials didn’t cite particular reports.

官员们没有引用特定的报道。

The site is off-limits to the general public

.这个场所不对公众开放。

 

classic: an excellent or defining version of something

classical: descriptions of things like the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome or the orchestral music of the 18th and 19th centuries

 

The book is now recognized as a classic.

这本书现在是一部公认的经典著作。

He plays classical music, as well as pop and jazz.

他演奏流行音乐和爵士乐，同时也演奏古典音乐。

 

complement: to add to so as to improve; an improving addition

compliment: to praise or express approval; (noun) an admiring remark、

 

The team needs players who complement each other.

球队需要能够相互取长补短的队员。

You can do no harm by paying a woman compliments.

对女人讲恭维话不会有什么害处。

 

compose: to combine to form a whole

comprise: to have sb/sth as parts or members (一些保守派学者提倡禁用be comprised of，尽管某些词典承认这种用法)

 

Protein molecules compose all the complex working parts of living cells.

蛋白质分子构成了活细胞所有复杂的工作部件。

The collection comprises 327 paintings.

这部画册收有327幅画。

 

continual: ongoing but with pause or interruption, starting and stopping

continuous: ceaseless

 

Life was a continual struggle for them.

生活对他们来说就是不断的挣扎。

Continuous exposure to sound above 80 decibels could be harmful.

持续曝露于超过80分贝的声音可能有害。

 

discreet:careful not to attract attention

discrete: separate and distinct

 

You ought to make a few discreet enquiries before you sign anything.

你应该审慎地询问清楚再签字。

Atoms are made up of discrete particles.

原子由相互独立的粒子组成。

 

ensure: to make certain that something will happen

insure: to provide compensation for death or loss

 

The book ensured his success.

这本书保证了他的成功。

The painting is insured for $1 million.

这幅油画投了100万元的保险。

 

evoke: to call to mind

invoke: to mention a person, a theory, an example, etc. to support your opinions or ideas

 

The music evoked memories of her youth.

这乐曲勾起了她对青年时代的回忆。

She invoked several eminent scholars to back up her argument.

她援引了几位赫赫有名的学者来支持她的论点。

 

historic: important in history

historical: connected with the past

 

The area is of special historic interest.

这个地区有特别历史意义。

You must place these events in their historical context.

必须把这些事件同它们的历史环境联系起来看。

 

more important: (adjective phrase) what is more important

more importantly: (adverbial phrase) in a more important manner

 

More important, the cancer spread to the liver.

更重要的是，癌症扩散到了肝脏。

In the assessment, the leak was viewed more importantly than it should have been.

在评估中，泄漏事件被看得过于重要了。

 

nauseated: to feel sick to one’s stomach

nauseous: causing one to become sick

 

The fumes caused us to become nauseated.

这废气让我们感到恶心。

The fumes are nauseous.

这废气令人作呕。

 

principal: most important; the head of a school

principle: a fundamental rule or belief

 

The principal reason for this omission is lack of time.

跳过它的主要原因是时间不足。

There are three fundamental principles of teamwork.

团队合作有三个基本原则。

 

它们是不是都长得很像?就连母语是英语的作者有时都会将这些形近词弄错呢。

 

积累词汇有很多方法，比如定期阅读研究领域内的前沿热点文章。不过经验告诉我们，科技词汇不止会出现在科技类文章中，广泛地阅读不仅能扩展知识面，更能扩展词汇量。

 

你能想象下面一段摘自莎士比亚《罗密欧与朱丽叶》的文字中出现了很多科技词汇吗?

 

罗密欧与朱丽叶

“Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes;Being vex’d, a sea nourish’d with lovers’ tears;What is it else? A madness most discreet;A choking gall and a preserving sweet.”

(小编试译：爱是恋人轻叹升起的烟;洗尽铅华，燃作眼中闪耀的火焰;偶遇忧伤，散落一片泪染的海洋;爱是什么?爱是最审慎的癫狂;是难以下咽的苦胆，也是不舍吃掉的蜜糖。)

 

Cigarette smoke contains hundreds of different chemicals.

香烟的烟雾含有上百种不同的化学物质。

 

Traffic fumes are a major source of air pollution.

交通废气是大气污染的主要来源。

 

Many medicines are available to purge the intestines.

许多药物可以使肠胃通畅。

 

Why do diamonds sparkle?

钻石为什么如此光彩夺目?

 

Poorly nourished children will fail to grow.

营养不良的儿童无法正常成长。

‘

Companies try to be discreet about their projects to prevent competitors from gaining an advantage.

企业须尽可能谨慎地实施项目以避免给对手可乘之机。

 

Pumps in nuclear reactors often have a choke to regulate the water supply.

核反应堆中的水泵通常设有阀门以调节供水。

 

Gall is a body fluid which is required to digest fat in the human intestine.

胆汁是一种分解人体肠道内脂肪的体液。

 

Very low temperatures preserved the body of the Tyrolean ice-man.

超低温使蒂罗尔冰人的尸体得以保存完好。

 

看到了吗?这就是你跟莎士比亚的差别。我指的不是词汇量。

 

参考资料：Aliotta M. (2019). Mastering Academic Writing in the Sciences: A Step by Step Guide. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press.Alley M. (2018). The Craft of Scientific Writing. 4th ed. New York: Springer.Dreyer B. (2019). Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style. New York: Random House.[加拿大]白青云. (2012). 生命科学论文写作指南. 北京: 北京大学出版社.[英]蒂姆·斯科恩. (2014). 科技英语写作指南. 北京: 科学出版社.作者简介：刘徽，科技期刊英文编辑，毕业于中国科学院大学外国语言学及应用语言学专业

 

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