撰写Assignment的时候要避免歧义

　　由于我们中国留学生初到国外留学不具备国外的写作思维模式和习惯，往往在完成的Assignment会有很多错误被老师诟病，其中模棱两可的歧义现象非常普遍，这是因为我们留学生对单词的理解和使用不够娴熟，之前的中文语法影响，经常出现句意的模棱两可。今天我们小编就通过一些实际的案例来为大家分析该在Assignment写作的时候避免出现的歧义问题。

　　例1：He noticed a large stain in the rug that was right in the center.

　　分析：这一句中的that可以指代rug，表示rug在(房子的)中心;也可以修饰a large stain in the rug这个整体(也就是stain)，表示stain在rug的中心，所以这就会造成歧义现象。

　　我们建议修改为：He noticed a large stain right in the center of the rug.

　　例2：You can call your mother in London and tell her all about George’s taking you out to dinner for just two dollars.

　　分析：这一句中的for just two dollars到底是指George’s taking you out to dinner花了two dollars，还是指call your mother花了two dollars?好像都可以。如果要表示打电话花了two dollars，建议把two dollars放到最前面。

　　我们建议修改：For just two dollars you can call your mother in London and tell her all about George’s taking you out to dinner.

　　例3：There was a stir in the audience that suggested disapproval.

　　分析：这一句的读者也面临着that是修饰audience还是a stir in the audience(即stir)的疑惑。

　　我们建议修改：A stir that suggested disapproval swept the audience.

　　例4：A proposal to amend the Sherman Act,which has been variously judged.

　　分析：看到这句，which是指the Sherman Act还是proposal?用英文来说就是This sentence leaves the reader wondering whether it is the proposal or the Act that has been variously judged.所以可以把关系从句放到前面。

　　小编建议修改：A proposal,which has been variously judged,to amend the Sherman Act….

　　例5：The grandson of William Henry Harrison,who

　　分析：这句话中who的修饰对象也是模棱两可

　　我们建议修改：William Henry Harrison’s grandson,Benjamin Harrison,who

　　例6：All the members were not present.

　　分析：这句话很有迷惑性，感觉是“所有成员都没在场”的意思，但其实它的意思是：“不是所有成员都在场”。如果有要表达“所有成员都没在场”,一般是写成：None of the members were not present.正是由于这种表达实在是别扭，母语人士用得也不多。

　　我们建议修改：Not all the members were present.

　　例7：She only found two mistakes.

　　分析：Only是修饰two的，所以让only和two挨在一起更好：

　　我们建议修改：She found only two mistakes.

　　例8：The director said he hoped all members would give generously to the Fund at a meeting of the committee yesterday.

　　分析：在这句话中，at a meeting of the committee yesterday到底是指give generously to the Fund这个动作发生的时间地点，还是指said这个动作发生的时间地点?如果是指said的时间地点，不如放到最前面。

　　我们建议修改：At a meeting of the committee yesterday,the director said he hoped all members would give generously to the Fund.

　　例9：Major R.E.Joyce will give a lecture on Tuesday evening in Bailey Hall,to which the public is invited on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia”at 8:00 P.M.

　　分析：”My Experiences in Mesopotamia”是lecture的主题，但是现在和lecture相隔很远;public is invited on感觉有点怪异。经过一些列调整，

　　我们建议修改：On Tuesday evening at eight,Major R.E.Joyce will give a lecture in Bailey Hall on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia.”The public is invited.

　　分析：首先把时间放在了句首，由于有了evening，P.M.也可以省去;give a lecture in Bailey Hall on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia.”和give a lecture on“My Experiences in Mesopotamia”in Bailey Hall这两种表达都可以，但是”My Experiences in Mesopotamia”比Bailey Hall长，英文中一般倾向于把较长的结构甩在后面。最后，The public is invited另起一句。

　　总之，大家在Assignment写作的时候要避免歧义，就要保证所写句子在语法层面只有一种理解方式;如果不能保证在语法层面只有一种理解方式，那就要确保通过上下文很容易排除其他的理解方式，且目前的句式更优。