英文写作手册中文翻译(15)

In the first row are common words and in the second formal words. It can be seen at a glance that those common words are used in everyday conversation and in informal writing like personal letters, diaries and stories. Those in the second row are used only in formal writing like articles documents, research papers, manuals and in public speaking.

第一行是常用词，第二行是正式词。那些一目了然的常用词被用于日常会话和非正式写作，如私人信函、日记和逸事。第二行那些词仅用于正式文献，如法规文件、研究论文、说明书和公共演讲。

The difference between these two types of words is very important, for their presence or absence has much to do with style,

区分这两类词汇很重要，使用与否更多是和风格有关。

Compare:

比较：

I saw a ghost, and I was frightened to death.

我看到一个幽灵，被吓得要死。

I saw an apparition, and it reduced me to a condition of mortal terror.

我看到一个幽灵，使我陷入极度恐慌的状态。

The first sentence is informal and colloquial, and the second is much more formal, because it contains such formal words as