《纽约时报》观点文:写作是极度消耗脑力的认知训练,当 AI 承诺替学生‘卸下痛苦’,三分之二到九成学生已欣然接受——但被省下的,远不止语法。
《纽约时报》观点版 | 作者 Leo | 168 词 · 难度 ★★★★☆ 学生用 AI 写作,省下的远不止语法——写作本身就是一场认知训练,而 AI 正悄悄接管它。
英文原文 After years of studying how human beings write, the cognitive psychologist Ronald T. Kellogg concluded that drafting a basic persuasive essay was as mentally exhausting as digging a ditch was physically exhausting. Writing well requires a command of vocabulary, spelling and grammar. It forces writers to comprehend a subject, to sift through their working memory of that topic, to organize and plan.
中文翻译 经过多年研究人类如何写作,认知心理学家 Ronald T. Kellogg 得出结论:起草一篇基础的说服性文章在精神上的消耗,就像挖一条沟渠在体力上的消耗一样。写好文章需要掌握词汇、拼写和语法。它迫使写作者理解一个主题,筛选他们关于该主题的工作记忆,进行组织和规划。
长难句解析 结构拆解:时间状语 After years of studying how human beings write(介词短语);主干 the cognitive psychologist… concluded that…;同位语 Ronald T. Kellogg;宾语从句 drafting a basic persuasive essay was as mentally exhausting as digging a ditch was physically exhausting;比较结构 as… as…(同级比较);动名词作主语 drafting a basic persuasive essay / digging a ditch。翻译要点:cognitive psychologist 认知心理学家;concluded that 得出结论;drafting 起草;persuasive essay 说服性文章;mentally/physically exhausting 精神/体力上的消耗;command of 掌握;sift through 筛选;working memory 工作记忆(心理学术语)。
英文原文 Writing an essay is so difficult that a person in the throes of it can do hardly anything else — as anyone who has shushed a spouse or child while trying to compose a decent sentence can attest. Very few people would volunteer to dig a ditch. Likewise, it is hard — almost impossible, many English teachers will admit — to turn a reluctant writer into an enthusiastic one.
中文翻译 写文章如此困难,以至于深陷其中的人几乎做不了其他任何事情——正如任何曾在试图写出一个得体句子时让配偶或孩子安静的人可以证明的那样。很少有人会自愿去挖沟渠。同样,将一个不情愿的写作者变成一个热情的写作者也是困难的——许多英语老师会承认——几乎是不可能的。
长难句解析 结构拆解:主干 Writing an essay is so difficult that…;结果状语从句 a person… can do hardly anything else(so… that… 结构);介词短语 in the throes of it(深陷其中);方式状语从句 as anyone… can attest(as 引导,表示"正如");定语从句 who has shushed a spouse or child(修饰 anyone);时间状语 while trying to compose a decent sentence。翻译要点:in the throes of 深陷于/挣扎于;hardly anything else 几乎做不了其他任何事情;attest 证明;shushed 让…安静;compose a decent sentence 写出得体的句子;volunteer to 自愿做;Like wise 同样地;reluctant 不情愿的;enthusiastic 热情的。
英文原文 Yet the American education system expects nearly all students to learn how to write an essay. It’s little wonder, then, that as soon as a tool arrived promising to lessen the pain, people grabbed it. Like it or not, artificial intelligence is now firmly embedded in how students produce text. Somewhere between two-thirds and 90 percent of high school and college students are already using A.I. for schoolwork, according to recent surveys, often requesting help with writing assignments.
中文翻译 然而,美国教育体系期望几乎所有学生都学会如何写文章。那么,当一种承诺减轻痛苦的工具出现时,人们立刻抓住它,这就不足为奇了。不管你喜不喜欢,人工智能现在已经牢牢嵌入学生写作文本的方式中。根据最近的调查,三分之二到 90% 的高中生和大学生已经在学业中使用 AI,经常请求帮助完成写作作业。
长难句解析 结构拆解:主干 It’s little wonder that…(形式主语句型);插入语 then(承接上文);时间状语从句 as soon as a tool arrived(一…就…);现在分词短语 promising to lessen the pain(修饰 tool);主句 people grabbed it。翻译要点:It’s little wonder 不足为奇/难怪;lessen the pain 减轻痛苦;grabbed it 抓住它/欣然接受;Like it or not 不管你喜不喜欢;firmly embedded in 牢牢嵌入;Somewhere between… and… 在…到…之间;according to recent surveys 根据最近的调查;writing assignments 写作作业。
中文段意:第一段指出,写作在精神消耗上等同挖沟渠,需要掌握语言、理解主题并组织规划;第二段说明写作极难,深陷其中几乎无法顾他,将不情愿者变成热情写作者近乎不可能;第三段指出美国教育体系仍要求人人会写,AI 工具一出现学生便迅速采用,如今 AI 已深植学生写作,三分之二到九成学生已在学业中用 AI 辅助写作。
英文全文总结 The article explores the cognitive challenges of writing and the rapid adoption of A.I. tools by students. Drawing on psychologist Ronald T. Kellogg’s research, it establishes that writing is mentally exhausting, requiring command of language, subject comprehension, and organizational skills. The difficulty of writing is compared to the physical exhaustion of digging a ditch—both are tasks few would volunteer for. Despite these challenges, the American education system expects all students to master essay writing. When A.I. tools emerged promising to ease this burden, students readily embraced them. Now, A.I. is firmly embedded in student writing practices, with surveys indicating that between two-thirds and 90 percent of high school and college students already use A.I. for schoolwork, particularly for writing assignments.
任务:请翻译以下划线句,重点关注 "It’s little wonder that… 形式主语 + as soon as 一…就… + 现在分词 promising 作定语" 这一结构。
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上期划线句:At the top of the bill will be superstars including Florence + The Machine, the jazz and R&B singer Raye and the rapper Dave, who are returning to a festival where they first appeared as minnows. 参考翻译:演出名单榜首将是超级巨星,包括 Florence + The Machine 乐队、爵士和 R&B 歌手 Raye 以及说唱歌手 Dave,他们正重返这个音乐节——当年首次亮相时还是无名小辈。 要点:At the top of the bill 地点状语前置引起倒装;including 引导同位语;who 非限制性定语从句修饰 superstars;where 定语从句修饰 festival;minnows 原意小鱼,引申无名小辈。