切忌过于依赖从句

中国人喜欢使用"but"从句：同中文一样，在英文中这也是连接两个短句的简单方法。要避免单一的"but"从句，可以考虑采用以下这些变化形式：

Plain:Thechildren at school were familiar with many games, but Li Hua had nevereven heard of them.

Interesting:Thechildren at school were familiar with games Li Hua had never even heard of. 

Plain:Theroom was silent, but suddenly there was a clap of thunder outside.

Interesting:Thesilence of the room was broken by a sudden clap of thunder outside.

Plain:Theywere passionate lovers not only onstage but also off stage.

Better:Theywere passionate lovers onstage and off.

Plain:Outsidethe cinema, she lit a cigarette, not necessarily because she had a desire tosmoke, but because she felt the need for warmth.

Better:Outsidethe cinema, she lit a cigarette, as much from the need for warmth as from anydesire to smoke. 

Plain:It wasmeant to be a brief kiss, but it turned into a long, lingering one.

Interesting:Whatwas meant to be a brief kiss turned into a long, lingering one. 

Plain:Musiclightens life, but literature deepens it.

Interesting:Musiclightens life; literature deepens it. 

Plain:Thefilm "Chariots of Fire" is about some young runners, but it ismore than just that.

Interesting:Thefilm "Chariots of Fire" is much more than just a story of youngrunners. 

Plain:It isnot his height but his weight that prevented him from competing in therace.

Interesting:Hisweight, not his height, prevented him from competing in the race. 

Plain:Susanseemed unsuitable for the part, but she turned out to be the bestactress in the production.

Interesting:Susanseemed unsuitable for the part, yet she turned out to be the best actress inthe production.

Plain:OldWang is often described as a happy-go-lucky person, but the last halfhour of the hike home he was interested in nothing but a bath and a bed.

Interesting:OldWang, an otherwise happy-go-lucky person, thought of only two things the lasthalf hour of the hike home: a bath and a bed.

除了"but"从句，很多学英语的人还会过多使用"if … then"或是"if"从句。这些从句本身并不是不好。但我们这里讨论的是多样性及其必要性。看看下例：

Before:If you fail to pass the drug test, we will have to dismiss you from your job.

After:Failure to pass the drug test will result injob dismissal.

修改后的句子语气显得稍强一些。同时因为句中省掉了"you"，使句子在语气上减少了对抗性。这个解题对策适用于每种人称，不单单指"you"。 

Plain:If one imitates, one cannot expect tobe great.

Interesting:No person ever yet became great byimitation. 

Plain:If we want to end a war quickly, wemust lose it.

Interesting:The quickest way to end a war is to lose it.

Plain:If we were directed from governmentbureaucracy when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.

Interesting:Were we directed from government bureaucracywhen to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread. 

Plain:Several staff members have checked themanuscript to see if it is accurate and easy to use.

Interesting:Several staff members have checked themanuscript for accuracy and ease of use. 

Plain:If words are taken out of context, theyare not very likely to mean the same as they do when they are in context.

Interesting:Words taken out of context do not alwaysmean what they do in context.

另一个被广为使用的从句是"even though"或"although"。请注意在此谈论的并不是句子的错误，我们强调的是文体风格问题。 

Plain:Althoughthey were very important in California, laundries were even more significant inother parts of the United States, for laundering was one of the four"pioneer" occupations that enabled Chinese to move eastward acrossthe continent.

Interesting:Important as they were in California, laundries were even moresignificant in other parts of the United States, for laundering was one of thefour "pioneer" occupations that enabled Chinese to move eastwardacross the continent. 

Plain:Eventhough the summer of 1889 was the warmest on record, the winter of the sameyear was cold.

Interesting:The summer of 1889 was the warmest on record, followed by a coldwinter.

中国老师们经常大段大段地教授这些形式，并要求学生们不断练习。结果学生们过度依赖这些句式，就不怎么考虑别的用法了。 

Plain:Thecomedian was so funny that as soon as he started talking peoplelaughed.

Interesting:Thecomedian soon had them all laughing. 

Plain:Thisis such an indispensable book that anyone who wants to speak andwrite with clarity, effectiveness, and individuality should possess one.

Interesting:Thisis an indispensable book for anyone who wants to speak and write with clarity,effectiveness, and individuality. 

Plain:Theprofessor was so quick-witted and so knowledgeable of the theaterthat he was instantly recognized as the best critic in his country.

Interesting:Theprofessor's quick wit and his awesome knowledge of the theater had won himinstant recognition as the best critic in his country.

Plain:JackieChan was such a wonderful singer that his songs held eleventhousand people breathless.

Interesting:JackieChan's songs held eleven thousand people breathless. 

Weak:Manypeople in Shanghai used to live in attics, so they could see only ablank wall surrounding them.

Better: Manypeople in Shanghai used to live in attics, their only vista* a blank wall. 

Plain:It wassuch an exhilarating experience that he felt dazed the wholeevening, well after the concert.

Interesting:Itwas an exhilarating experience, one that left him dazed the whole evening, wellafter the concert.

Plain:Inorder to advance his or her career, a genius needs strong financial support.

Interesting:All geniuses need a millionaire to further their careers.

Plain:Duringrush hours in Hanoi, cars often scoot into bike lanes in order to get ahead ofthe traffic jams. This forces bikers to hug the curbs*.

Interesting:During rush hours in Hanoi, cars often scoot into bike lanes tocut through traffic jams, forcing bikers to hug the curbs.

Plain:Inorder to prepare for millions of visitors for millennium celebrations, the cityhas launched many projects, some ambitious, some modest, to beautify andmodernize itself.

Better:Someprojects are ambitious, others modest, and all will beautify and modernize acity expecting millions of visitors for millennium celebrations.

Plain:Wedecided to take a taxi because we missed the bus by a second.

Interesting:Missingthe bus by a second, we decided to take a taxi. 

Plain:Becausemy schedule was so busy, I was not able to attend Susan's birthday party.

Better:Myschedule did not allow me to attend Susan's birthday party. 

Plain:BecauseI am dealing with the subject at the moment, let me give you a few statistics.

Better:WhileI am on the subject, let me give you a few statistics. 

Plain:DengXiaoping initiated the responsibility system in the countryside and because ofthat he took the rural reform program to the next step.

Better:DengXiaoping initiated the responsibility system in the countryside and furtheredthe cause of rural reform.