Part I
Student: So Professor Tibets, your notes said that you want to see me about my Hemingway paper. I have to say that grade wasn't what I was expecting. I thought I'd done a pretty good job.
Professor: Oh, you did. But do you really want to settle for pretty good when you can do something very good?
Student: You think it can be very good?
Professor: Absolutely!
Student: Would that mean you'd...I could get a better grade?
Professor: Oh, sorry! It's not for your grade. It's...I think you could learn a lot by revising it.
Student: You mean, rewrite the whole thing? I'm really swamped. There're deadlines wherever I turn in and...and I don't really know how much time I could give it.
无论我要交什么作业都快到截止日期了，我真的不知道我能给它多少时间。
1. Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway 海明威，1899-1961，美国小说家，曾获1954年诺贝尔文学奖，代表作《老人与海》、《丧钟为谁而鸣》
2. settle for sth
to accept sth that is not exactly what you want but is the best that is available 勉强接受；将就
E.g.: I couldn't afford the house I really wanted, so I had to settle for second best.
我真心想要的房子我买不起，所以只得退而求其次了。
3. swamp|swɑ:mp|
verb. to make sb have more of sth than they can deal with 使不堪承受；使疲于应对；使应接不暇
E.g.: The department was swamped with job applications.
面对纷至沓来的求职申请，这个部门疲于应对。
4. turn in
to give sth to sb in authority 上交；呈交；提交
E.g.: I haven't even turned in Monday's work yet.
我连星期一的作业还没交呢。
Part II
Professor: Well, it is a busy time, with spring break coming up next week. It's your call. But I think that with a little extra effort, you could really turn this into a fine essay.
Student: No...yeah...I mean, after I read your comments, I...I can see how it tries to do too much.
Professor: Yeah. It's just too ambitious for the scope of the assignment.
Student: So I should cut out the historical part?
Professor: Yes. I would just stick to the topic. Anything unrelated to the use of nature image has no place in the paper, all that tangential material just distraction from the main argument.
Student: Yeah, I never know how much to include. You know...where to draw the line?
Professor: Tell me about it! All writers struggle with that one. But it's something you can learn. That will become more clear with practice. But I think if you just cut out the...emm...
Student: The stuff about history, but if I cut out those sections, won't it be too short?
在我读了您的点评后，我也发现这篇文章想要论述的内容有点太多了。
任何与使用自然意象无关的东西都不该在论文中出现，所有这些关系不大的材料只会分散主要论点的注意力。
1. spring break
a week or more of recess during the spring term at school 春假是北半球各大学或学校短期假期。春假处于初春，易与春节混淆。
E.g.: Two friends and I drove to Florida during college spring break.
我和两个朋友在大学春假期间开车去了佛罗里达。
2. call|kɔ:l|
noun. a decision 决定
E.g.: That's a tough call.
那是个艰难的决定。
3. scope|skoʊp|
noun. the range of things that a subject, an organization, an activity, etc. deals with （题目、组织、活动等的）范围
E.g.: These issues were outside the scope of the article.
这些问题不属本文论述范围。
4. stick to
to continue doing or using sth and not want to change it 坚持；维持；固守；坚持保留
E.g.: He promised to help us and he stuck to his word (= he did as he had promised) .
他答应过帮助我们，他没有失信。
5. tangential|tænˈdʒenʃl|
adj. having only a slight or indirect connection with sth 关系不大的;不直接相干的
E.g.: Too much time was spent discussing tangential issues.
太多的时间花在了讨论那些无关紧要的问题上。
6. draw the line
to distinguish between two closely related ideas 划界线；区分（两个密切相关的思想）
E.g.: Where do you draw the line between genius and madness?
天才和疯狂之间如何划界呢？
7. tell me about it
used to say that you understand what sb is talking about and have had the same experience 你算说对了；的确
E.g.: Where do you draw the line between genius and madness?
天才和疯狂之间如何划界呢？
Part III
Professor: Well, better a short well-structured paper than a long paper that's poorly-structured and wanders off topic.
Student: So all I have to do is to leave those sections?
Professor: Well, not so fast. After you cut out those sections, you'll have to go back and revise the rest, to see how it all fits together. And of course, you'll have to revise the introduction too, to accurately describe what you do in the body of the paper. But that shouldn't be too difficult. Just remember to keep the discussion focused. Do you think you can get it to me by noon tomorrow?
Student: Wow...emm...I have so much...er...but I'll try.
Professor: OK, good! Do try! But if you can't, well, shoot for it after spring break, OK?
在你删掉这些部分之后，你必须再回头去修改剩下的部分，看看它们怎么才能很好地结合在一起。
1. structure |ˈstrʌktʃə(r)|
verb. to arrange or organize sth into a system or pattern 使形成体系；系统安排；精心组织
E.g.: The exhibition is structured around the themes of work and leisure.
展览是围绕工作与休闲的主题来布置的。
2. wander|ˈwɒndə(r)|
verb. to move away from the place where you ought to be or the people you are with 偏离（正道）；走失；离散
E.g.: The child wandered off and got lost.
那孩子走散后迷路了。
3. body |ˈbɑ:di|
noun. the main part of sth, especially a building, a vehicle or a book, an article, etc. （尤指建筑、车辆或书、文章等的）主体，主要部分
E.g.: Give an introduction, followed by the body of the material, then a brief summary.
首先写序言，接下来是内容的主体部分，然后作简短的总结。
4. shoot for sth
to try to achieve or get sth, especially sth difficult 力争达到；努力获取
E.g.: We've been shooting for a pay raise for months.
几个月来，我们一直在争取加薪。
