一招改善英文寫作：重要的字放後

【明報專訊】今日叔叔同大家講寫作。叔叔今天所講，只是讀、寫、教英文多年的一點點心得，並非絕對真理；尤其是文筆純屬個人品味和判斷，絕無對錯之分。緊記學語文的所謂規則，都有無數例外，不要死學，不要走火入魔，要用自己的good sense and judgment。好，講完前言，入正題。今天講一個常見的寫作方法：重要的字放後。

好多人寫的英文難看，原因是詞序鋪排欠佳。寫英文，通常愈重要、愈想傳遞、愈unexpected的信息，在句子中愈放得後。相反，不重要或意思同上句重疊，只為敘述背景而存在的字，通常放前。多講無謂，請看例子。

例一：I would say to the house, as I said to those who have joined this government. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

蕭叔叔短評：英國前首相Winston Churchill的名句，重點在於四個語氣好重的單音節字blood, toil, tears and sweat。留意如果把四個字置前，句子立即變得軟弱無力。

反面教材：Blood, toil, tears and sweat are what I have to offer.

例二：We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.

蕭叔叔短評：繼續看Churchill同一篇演說的下一句，留意這句詞序有點奇怪。學英文，稍遇到奇怪的地方，要即刻問：點解要咁寫？這句正常的詞序是把before us放最後，但這樣會浪費了語氣最重的最後位置。整句最重要的，是grievous，是of the most grievous kind，所以Churchill故意把它放到最後，讀起來有氣勢得多。又看看把grievous置前的反面例子，氣勢頓失：

反面教材：A grievous ordeal is before us. Many, many long months of struggle and of suffering is before us.

例三：I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information.

蕭叔叔短評：廣告大亨David Ogilvy的書Ogilvy on Advertising的第一句。這個人，寫作很有力，很簡潔。留意以上句子分開兩部分，都是把重點置於最後：art form和medium of information。又看看蕭叔叔改寫的反面教材。

反面教材：Acting as a medium of information is the aim of advertising, in my opinion.

例四：When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative'. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.

蕭叔叔短評：繼續看Ogilvy。廣告的主旨，是令人買該產品（buy the product），這也是以上兩句的主旨，所以放最後。

反面教材：I want you to buy the product because you find it interesting after seeing the advertisement that I wrote.

那麼，重要的字放最前又可以嗎？當然可以。有時強調語氣，重要的字放前，以達震懾的效果，也是有的。總之，今天所說只是蕭叔叔多看好文章後歸納的觀察，並非絕對真理，so feel very free to depart from it. And be guided by your own good sense and judgment.

蕭叔叔

PS：舊文一篇，見有網友問到寫作，就再放上來呃呃like😌

一招改善英文寫作：重要的字放後

【明報專訊】今日叔叔同大家講寫作。叔叔今天所講，只是讀、寫、教英文多年的一點點心得，並非絕對真理；尤其是文筆純屬個人品味和判斷，絕無對錯之分。緊記學語文的所謂規則，都有無數例外，不要死學，不要走火入魔，要用自己的good sense and judgment。好，講完前言，入正題。今天講一個常見的寫作方法：重要的字放後。

好多人寫的英文難看，原因是詞序鋪排欠佳。寫英文，通常愈重要、愈想傳遞、愈unexpected的信息，在句子中愈放得後。相反，不重要或意思同上句重疊，只為敘述背景而存在的字，通常放前。多講無謂，請看例子。

例一：I would say to the house, as I said to those who have joined this government. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

蕭叔叔短評：英國前首相Winston Churchill的名句，重點在於四個語氣好重的單音節字blood, toil, tears and sweat。留意如果把四個字置前，句子立即變得軟弱無力。

反面教材：Blood, toil, tears and sweat are what I have to offer.

例二：We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.

蕭叔叔短評：繼續看Churchill同一篇演說的下一句，留意這句詞序有點奇怪。學英文，稍遇到奇怪的地方，要即刻問：點解要咁寫？這句正常的詞序是把before us放最後，但這樣會浪費了語氣最重的最後位置。整句最重要的，是grievous，是of the most grievous kind，所以Churchill故意把它放到最後，讀起來有氣勢得多。又看看把grievous置前的反面例子，氣勢頓失：

反面教材：A grievous ordeal is before us. Many, many long months of struggle and of suffering is before us.

例三：I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information.

蕭叔叔短評：廣告大亨David Ogilvy的書Ogilvy on Advertising的第一句。這個人，寫作很有力，很簡潔。留意以上句子分開兩部分，都是把重點置於最後：art form和medium of information。又看看蕭叔叔改寫的反面教材。

反面教材：Acting as a medium of information is the aim of advertising, in my opinion.

例四：When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative'. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.

蕭叔叔短評：繼續看Ogilvy。廣告的主旨，是令人買該產品（buy the product），這也是以上兩句的主旨，所以放最後。

反面教材：I want you to buy the product because you find it interesting after seeing the advertisement that I wrote.

那麼，重要的字放最前又可以嗎？當然可以。有時強調語氣，重要的字放前，以達震懾的效果，也是有的。總之，今天所說只是蕭叔叔多看好文章後歸納的觀察，並非絕對真理，so feel very free to depart from it. And be guided by your own good sense and judgment.

蕭叔叔

PS：舊文一篇，見有網友問到寫作，就再放上來呃呃like😌

《米桶發財法》(English version below)
STRIKING RICH WITH THE RICE BIN

年少時，吾突然意思到，吾的身段似乎「過於苗條」了，是時候讓它「蓬勃發展」。一來，能保護身邊的人，二來，在整體上，較爲健康，較爲好看些。於是，吾在食量上加倍，向同班同學借來一對九公斤重的啞鈴，勤做仰臥起坐、伏地挺身，以及使用其他運動器材。這些是吾室內強身健體的部份。至於室外的部份，較常較多的當屬游泳了。當年吾最喜用蛙式與蝶式，且每一次來回，喜「上岸」做仰臥起坐，及伏地挺身。吾不敢說吾的身材有多好多好，可確實有男女稱讚過，也起碼沒有多餘的贅肉。

除了室內室外的強身健體以外，吾還有一種獨特增強體魄的方法，那就是扛米。是的，妳你們沒聽錯，吾也沒搞錯。家父是位智慧型的嚴父，對他真的是又敬又怕。有一天吾鼓起勇氣，向他說吾想去幫家裡買米，他卻微笑的應允。這也是吾降生娑婆世間，首次體驗十公斤重，左右手各扛五公斤米的滋味。再加上那段路段來回，彷彿心中有首非常著名的詩在吟著，那即是：

鋤禾日當午，
汗滴禾下土。
誰知盤中餐，
粒粒皆辛苦。（一笑）

這種滋味實在是有夠勁！回到家時，家父依然微笑以對。雖然這初次買米的覺受，既新鮮又「夠勁」，吾並沒有退縮的心念，吾認爲這是很好的回報機會，也確實達於強健體魄。

吾，玳瑚師父，忠心祝願大家智慧增長，能辨別真偽，破除邪說歪道，無有恐怖，無顛倒妄想，快樂自在，究竟離苦。好些著重於外表的人，爲了擁有曼妙的身段，得以達於人衣合一的境界，（一笑）破釜沉舟式「棄米投美」，尤其是女有情眾。事實是她們不懂米，對於人體的益處。米是含著天上的甘露，地中的靈氣而生，是人類生存能量重要的來源。它可用來解毒、除煞、化煞、開光、治病、美容、護膚等等。很多女性瘦身減肥後，成功後身體卻有恙，原因雖有幾個，但不離因沒食米飯。潮州多出美女是事實，潮州美女的特徵在鳳眼膚白。爲什麼？因爲潮州人多以粥，及清蒸食物爲飲食習慣。米所含之豐富礦物質，乃人體所需重要礦物質。

米的種類有多種，一般我們較常看見的有，珍珠米、印度米、泰國香米、糙米、糯米，等等。這些米種皆有它們各自所屬之五行。若妳你確實清楚，妳你本身所需之喜用神，妳你可以選購旺妳你的米種，天天食之天天旺。這招本是發財的第一步，如此簡單如此實惠，可憐愚夫愚婦迷信不通，花巨額亂搞瞎搞的，搞了精疲力盡，始終搞慘自己及家人。如今吾，玳瑚師父，憐憫眾生而傳授此法，願得者利己亦利她他，多積陰德才好。買對了米，就將米用木質米桶裝起，再貼上一個滿字於米桶外。這是發財第二招。若妳你想將米桶置於櫥櫃的外上方，就請妳你將米桶隔離窗口，較聚氣處爲好。這是發財第三招。米桶發財法，人人能做，家家戶戶能做。豐衣足食的日子，已不遠啦！

............................

When I was still a youth, one day, I suddenly realized that I was perhaps too thin and it was time to beef up my physique. Firstly, I would be able to protect the people around me, and also look better and healthier on the whole. Thus, I increased my food intake, borrowed a pair of 9kg dumbbells from my classmate, diligently did push-ups and sit-ups, as well as used other exercising equipment. These were my indoor exercises. As for my outdoor activities, I mostly and frequently did swimming. My favorite strokes in the pool then were breast-stroke and the butterfly stroke. After every lap, I liked to get onto dry land and do sit-ups and push-ups. I dare not say how great my body was, however I did received praises from other men and women. At the very least, I did not have excess fat hanging off me.

Besides those indoor and outdoor body-building activities, I also had a special training method: carry rice sacks. Yes, you heard it correct. My father was an intelligent but strict disciplinarian, and I was often afraid yet in awe of him. One day, I summoned my courage and told him that I would like to help buy rice for the household. He agreed with a slight smile. Ever since my birth into this Samsara world, this was my first time experiencing the weight of lifting 10kg rice, with my left and right hands carrying 5kg respectively. Coupled with the journey to and fro, a famous Chinese poem seemed to sing from my heart:

Neath the midday sun he hoes his crops
His sweat moistens the soil between the stalks
Of food on the table who recalls
Each grain is produced through bitter toil

This experience was indeed something! As I got home, my dad still greeted me with a slight smile. Although my first experience of buying rice was refreshing and tough, I did not have any thought of backing off. I considered it as a good opportunity to repay my parents, and to strengthen my physique at the same time.

Master Dai Hu sincerely wish that everyone would gain wisdom and discern the true from the false, destroy evil speech and dishonest practices, not have fear and deranged delusions, have bliss and freedom and finally leave the realm of sufferings. There are many people who place a huge self-importance on their physical appearance. To have a graceful figure so as to reach the level of being one with their clothing, (laughs), they would burn their boats and forsake eating rice, all in the name of beauty. This is especially common among the ladies. The fact is that these ladies do not understand the benefits of eating rice for the human body.

The rice grain is birthed from the dew of Heaven and the spiritual qi of earth. It is an important source of survival energy for humans. It can serve as an antidote to poison, for removal and transformation of vile energies, consecration, curing of illnesses, beauty care, skincare, etc. After losing weight successfully, many ladies get stricken with ailments. Although there are several reasons to this, it is not far from not consuming rice. The city of Chao Zhou is famed for producing beauties, renowned for their distinctive elegant and almond-shaped eyes and porcelain skins. Why is that so? Because rice porridge and steamed food are staple foods of the people in Chao Zhou. The rice minerals prevalent in rice are vital minerals that the human body needs.

There are numerous types of rice, with the commonly seen grains like the pearl rice, Indian basmati rice, the Thai jasmine rice, brown rice, glutinous rice, etc. These various grains each have their own elemental types. If you are very clear about your favourable elements in your Bazi, you can purchase the suitable grain type, to gain prosperity everyday through your daily consumption. This is the first technique to striking great wealth. It is simple yet brings practical benefits. I pity the misbelieving men and women, who spent huge money only to act ignorantly, get drained of energy, and at the end, brought nothing but trouble to themselves and their families.

Today, I, Master Dai Hu, impart this method out of compassion for the sentient beings, and hope that those who benefits pay it forward to accumulate more hidden merits. After purchasing the right type of grains, store it in a wooden rice bin, and paste a paper, with the Chinese character "滿" written on it, onto the bin exterior. This is the second technique to more riches.

If you wish to place the rice bin on top of a cabinet, please place it away from the window, even better if it is at a spot that can accumulate Qi. This is the third step to greater wealth. This method of striking riches with your rice bin is applicable for everyone and every household. Get ready to welcome the days of great harvest and rice clothing!

************************

【開放預購】PRE-ORDER OPEN
《向善向上 2》Towards Kindness, Towards Betterment 2

30則真人真事的度眾故事 30 real-life deliverance stories of Master Dai Hu
全彩色的漫畫 Comics in full colour illustration
中英文翻譯 In both English & Mandarin
約200頁 About 200 pages

此書將於2018年11月底抵達新加坡，目前開放預購，預計11月30日之前以Smartpac寄出 （本地郵寄），屆時也會在台灣金石堂書局同步上架。價格大眾化，包涵全球運送，無需再付郵資。
歡迎大家踴躍支持，人手一冊，也可將此書贈送給鄉親父老、親朋好友，帶領他們向善向上，迎接更美好的未來！

https://booklaunch.io/masterdaihu/towardskindness2
.

This book will reach the shores of Singapore in end-November 2018. Right now, the pre-order is open and the books are estimated to be mailed out through Smartpac, by 30 November. At the same time, it will be on the shelves of Taiwan KingStone bookshop.

The economical price includes global delivery (Smartpac mailing for Singapore addressees, registered mail for overseas mailing).

https://booklaunch.io/masterdaihu/towardskindness2