所谓简洁并不意味着越短越好,同时简洁也是在比较完句意及语法错误后才使用的最后一部,但是对于简洁而言,依然有许多规则。

 

1. 动词优于形容词或副词,而形容词和副词又优于名词:

  ◆ Wordy: The townspeople’s REVOLUTION WAS AGAINST the king.

  ◆ Better: The townspeople REVOLTED AGAINST the king.

  ◆ Wordy: The artist WAS INFLUENTIAL TO the movement.

  ◆ Better: The artist INFLUENCED the movement.

  ◆ Wordy: THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF funds for school construction.

  ◆ Better: Funds for school construction ARE ABUNDANT.

因为形容词本身就是用来修饰动词,能用形容词表达的肯定好于名词。而对于动词,其也明显优于句子或短语:

  ◆ Wordy: They are subject to the applicability of rules.

  ◆ Better: Rules apply to them.

  ◆ Wordy: His conception of money was as a goal.

  ◆ Wordy: His conception of money was as a goal.

  ◆ Better: He conceived of money as a goal.

  ◆ Wordy: The cost of storms to the country is billions.

  ◆ Better: Storms cost the country billions.

  ◆ Wordy: Her decision was to go.

  ◆ Better: She decided to go.

  ◆ Wordy: His example was an influence on me.

  ◆ Better: His example influenced me.

  ◆ Wordy: Her example was an inspiration to me.

  ◆ Better: Her example inspired me.

  ◆ Wordy: They made a reference to the strike.

  ◆ Better: They referred to the strike.

  ◆ Wordy: The weight of the apples is a pound.

  ◆ Better: The apples weigh a pound.

 

2. that +v. 优于其他名词短语:

  ◆ Wordy: The hypothesis ABOUT the COMPOSITION OF the universe AS largely dark energy seems strange.

  ◆ Better: The hypothesis THAT the universe IS largely COMPOSED OF dark energy seems strange.

当我们关注一堆名词短语时不如想想that 打头引导的句子,当然这些句子中都含有动词。动词就好比一个句子的心脏,有了动词句子就能更加准确简洁的表达现其意思。

 

3. 形容词好于介词短语:

  ◆ Wordy: Oil prices have fallen, but prices at the gasoline pump have not fallen TO A COMPARABLE EXTENT.

  ◆ Better: Oil prices have fallen, but prices at the gasoline pump have not fallen COMPARABLY.

因为介词短语都有名词,形容词肯定优于介词短语:

  ◆ Wordy: to a considerable extent

  ◆ Better: considerably

  ◆ Wordy: to a significant degree

  ◆ Better: significantly

 

4. 形容词好于带有还有BE 动词的形容词子:

所以可以发现,对于冗余的结构常常用的是to be 的形式,因为用了to be 就会用到形容词名词等,而不会选择用动词或其他词:

  ◆ Wordy: Marcos is a professor WHO IS ADMIRABLE.

  ◆ Better: Marcos is an ADMIRABLE professor.

这条规则特别适用于名词修饰其他名词:

  ◆ Wordy: Joan, WHO IS a FIREFIGHTER, works in Yosemite Park.

  ◆ Better: Joan, a FIREFIGHTER, works in Yosemite Park.

 

5. 对于it is …that… 在不影响句意的情况下尽量不使用:

  ◆ Wordy: IT IS without fear THAT children should play.

我们知道对于第一个句子其实是起到强调作用的,但是在GMAT考试中我们并不喜欢用这种表达方式。

总之,对于简洁而言只是最后的一个方法,不要轻易一开始就使用简洁,不要一看到the fact that, being就把选项删除,现在考试中很多正确的答案都相当冗余但句意和语法上没有太大问题。

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