carry out the task of fighting on exterior lines B:the main forces of the East China Field Army marched south into the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu plains to fight on exterior lines [-"To carry out the task of fighting"="to fight"(pattern: unnec.verb unnec.noun third word). -(Note that "in order"is often superfluous with a following infinitive. 9)A:instead of introducing the method of confiscation,we have adopted a policy of redemption to change the capitalist ownership B:instead of confiscating property to change capitalist ownership,we have adopted a policy of redeeming it [-"Introducing the method of confiscation"="confiscating" (pattern:unnec.verb unnec.noun third word). ."Adopt a policy of"was retained because in this context it is an important element of the meaning,not just a thoughtless cliche. Note how changing the nouns"confiscation"and "redemp- tion"to gerunds(“confiscating"and“redeeming"）en- ables us-indeed,requires us-to clarify the sense by adding direct objects ("property"and "it").] 10)A:it is therefore imperative,both politically and economically, to attach importance to promoting the work in the old base areas B:it is therefore imperative,both politically and economically, to promote the work in the old base areas [What is imperative is not to"attach importance to promoting 0
the work"(i.e.,to recognize its importance in principle) but to promote it (i.e.,to take practical action).] 11)A:we must attach great importance to the role of scientific re- search institutes B:we must attach great importance to (or:recognize the great importance of)scientific research institutes [-If"the role ofis dropped,the sentence means exactly the same thing. But here "attach great importance to"expresses the cen- tral idea;it can be modified but not edited out.Compare the use of the same phrase in the preceding example, where it is merely a superfluous introduction to the main action. 12)A:the target of capturing Changsha failed to be achieved B:they failed to capture Changsha [“To achieve the target of capturing”=“to capture'"(pat- tern:unnec.verb +unnec.noun third word).] 13)A:the Japanese army concluded that in suppressing the Commu- nist Party the dependence on the armed forces alone could not achieve success B:the Japanese army concluded that it could not depend on the armed forces alone to suppress the Communist Party [“To achieve success in suppressing”=“to suppress""(pat. tern:unnec.verb unnec.noun third word).] 14)A:in order to accomplish this,an approach of gradual transition will be adopted B:we shall accomplish this by a gradual transition [.The structure "adopt an approach of"can be dropped
without any loss of meaning. -（The sentence was changed from passive voice一“this will be accomplished"-to active voice-"we shall ac- complish this"-in accordance with the English prefer- ence.Active voiee is more natural,more direct,more forceful,and more readily understood. -(Here again,as in example 8,"in order"can be eliminat ed.)] 15)A:departments of scientific research should take steps to make a proper readjustment of. B:departments of scientific research should readjust. [-"Take steps tois another empty introductory phrase. _“Make a readjustment'"=“readjust'”(pattern:unnec。 verb noun). -(It goes without saying that the readjustment should be “proper.")] 16)A:the national economic strength experienced the most rapid in- crease during this period B:the economy grew most rapidly during this period [-.“To experience increase”-“to increase”=“to grow” (pattern:unnec.verb +noun). -(As in example 3 above,"economic strength"was changed because it is only a further abstraction for "the economy,and "national"was omitted because it can be taken for granted.)] 17)A:the work of clearly stipulating their functions,organization and personnel should be done well B:their functions,organization and number of personnel should 31
be clearly stipulated [-“The work of”=unnec.category noun. -"Should be done well"is a variant of "do a good job." The point here is not that the work should be done well but that it should be done.In any case,the sense of “wel"is expressed in“clearly."] 18)A:a good job must be done in medical-care work for the urban residents too B:good medical care must be provided for city people too [-Here,on the contrary,the point is indeed that the work must be done well,so the standard phrase is not just a mindless addition.It can be tightened by eliminating “job",but“good”has to be retained. Note,incidentally,how the revision turns a vague,ab- stract statement into one that is precise and concrete. 19)A:plunging yourselves into practical work is very important for you to find solutions to all sorts of problems B:if you want to solve problems,it is important for you to plunge into practical work [,To“find solutions to”=“tosolve”(pattern:unnec. verb +noun). Like "a series of,"mentioned at the beginning of this chapter,"all sorts of,""various kinds of,"etc.are often redundant with a plural noun. -("Very"was removed because it only weakens the force of “important.")] 20)A:it is essential to make vigorous efforts to reform the system for determining the purchasing and selling prices of grain 名
and take further steps to establish the institution of regu- lating the reserves of grain,cotton,and other such major products B:it is essential to reform the system for determining the prices at which the state purchases and sells grain and to take further steps to regulate the stockpiling of grain,cotton, and other major (ar:basic)products [-"Make vigorous efforts to"is a variant of "make great ef- forts to." -“To establish the institution of regulating”=“to regulate"(pattern:unnec.verb unnec.noun third word). -(The phrase "the purchasing and selling prices of grain" was slightly expanded to make the system of distribution clearer to foreign readers."Such"was omitted because in this sentence it means the same thing as"major.")] Twenty exercises Here are twenty more examples for you to practice on.Appro- priate revisions will be found in the Key to Exercises beginning on page 526.As mentioned in the opening note to the reader,your own versions do not have to be exactly the same as the ones proposed. 1)the new state we have just inaugurated is unusual in character, entirely different from the empire of the Qing dynasty 2)throughout this period there was a severe shortage in the supply of a great variety of goods 3)Comrade Chen Yun paid constant attention to analyzing his expe- rience 23