prose
prose — 名詞
1. Language built from ordinary sentences and paragraphs that follow the natural rh
散文
以自然語句構成的書面文體
Language built from ordinary sentences and paragraphs that follow the natural rhythms people use when they talk — in contrast to the regular metre and rhyme found in poetry.
Charlotte's writing course required her to submit at least three pages of prose every week.
Charlotte 的寫作課要求她每週至少交出三頁散文。
The novelist is admired for her clear, flowing prose that reads like natural conversation.
這位小說家以清晰流暢的散文聞名，讀起來就像日常對話。
collocation: flowing prose / clear prose
Kevin prefers reading prose to poetry because novels let him follow a full story.
Kevin 比較喜歡讀散文勝於讀詩，因為小說可以讓他追隨一個完整的故事。
Daichi translated the ancient poem into modern prose so the class understood the original meaning.
Daichi 把這首古詩翻譯成現代散文，方便全班了解原本的意義。
Emily admired the author's direct prose style and how she captured real moments on every page.
Emily 很欣賞那位作者直白的散文風格，以及她在每一頁捕捉真實的片刻。
- writing
broader term that includes poetry, drama, and non-fiction
- composition
more formal; often used in educational settings
- text
refers to the actual written words rather than the literary form
- narrative
specifically refers to prose that tells a story
文法句型
prose + noun (attributive use)
常見錯誤
2. A flat, uninspired quality in written or spoken language — expression that is so
乏味
平淡無奇的書面表達風格
A flat, uninspired quality in written or spoken language — expression that is so plain and ordinary that it becomes boring or lifeless.
The critic said the novel suffered from lifeless prose that failed to move the reader.
那位評論家認為這部小說充滿沉重、毫無生氣的散文筆調，無法打動讀者。
Beatrix found the paper's prose so dry that she read each sentence twice.
Beatrix 覺得那篇論文的文筆太乾澀，她每句話都得讀兩遍。
Shanti skipped the chapters of dull prose and went straight to the parts with dialogue.
Shanti 跳過了那些枯燥乏味的散文章節，直接去看有對話和動作的段落。
The report's colourless prose made a fascinating topic seem painfully ordinary to the readers.
這份報告的平淡文筆讓一個原本有趣的話題顯得索然無味。
- banality
more emphatic; suggests extreme ordinariness
- platitude
a trite or obvious remark, not a general style
- ordinariness
less negative; describes lack of special qualities
常見錯誤
prose — 形容詞
1. Having the qualities of ordinary sentence form — describing a work, passage, or
散文的
與散文寫作相關的
Having the qualities of ordinary sentence form — describing a work, passage, or style composed as prose instead of verse.
Andrés signed up for a prose writing class to improve his short-story skills.
Andrés 報名了一門散文寫作課，以提升他創作短篇小說的技巧。
The literary journal accepts poetry, drama, and prose work in every issue it publishes.
這本文學期刊每期都接受詩歌、戲劇和散文作品。
attributive: prose work / prose writing
Aylin experimented with a prose poem, arranging sentences on the page without line breaks.
Aylin 嘗試寫了一首散文詩，將完整的句子排列在頁面上，不加任何分行。
Ife borrowed a collection of prose pieces from the library for her literature class.
Ife 從圖書館借了一本散文選集，作為文學課的閱讀材料。
文法句型
prose + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used before nouns such as 'writing', 'work', 'style', 'passage', and 'poem'. The attributive form is far more common than the predicate form.
常見錯誤
2. So plain and ordinary that something lacks any interesting, exciting, or creativ
平淡乏味的
缺乏趣味或創意的
So plain and ordinary that something lacks any interesting, exciting, or creative qualities — used to describe writing, speech, or even a person's manner.
Lien found the speaker's remarks too prose and predictable to hold her attention for long.
Lien 覺得那位演講者的言辭過於平淡乏味且可預測，無法長時間吸引她的注意。
predicative use: 'too prose'
Gabriel thought the report was prose and colourless, so he stopped after two pages.
Gabriel 認為那份年度報告既乏味又無色彩，讀了兩頁就停了下來。
Chiara replaced the prose opening of her novel with a dramatic scene to hook readers.
Chiara 把小說開場平淡的鋪陳換成一個戲劇性的場景，立刻抓住了讀者的注意力。
The committee found the presentation prose and routine, offering nothing new or bold.
委員會認為那位候選人的簡報平淡無奇、一成不變，缺乏新意或大膽的想法。
- imaginative
showing creativity and original thinking
- vivid
producing clear, strong, or sharp images in the mind
文法句型
be + prose
prose + noun
用法筆記
Can be used both before a noun ('a prose description') and after a linking verb ('the speech felt prose'). The predicative use is informal and relatively rare.
常見錯誤
prose — 動詞
1. To produce written work in ordinary sentence form, using the structures of every
寫散文
以散文體寫作
To produce written work in ordinary sentence form, using the structures of everyday language rather than the metrical patterns of verse.
After years of writing poetry, Emily began prosing and published a collection of short stories.
寫了多年的詩之後，Emily 開始寫散文，並且出版了一本短篇小說集。
Daichi prosed about village life, describing simple moments with quiet care and detail.
Daichi 寫散文描述鄉村的日常生活，以細膩的心思刻劃簡單的片刻。
prose + about + topic
The workshop encouraged poets to try prosing to build a stronger narrative voice.
寫作工作坊鼓勵詩人嘗試寫散文，以培養更扎實的敘事聲音。
Beatrix prosed about her travels through rural Japan in a series of thoughtful letters.
Beatrix 用散文寫下她在日本鄉間的旅行經歷，記錄在一系列充滿思考的信件中。
文法句型
prose + about + topic
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English. Most speakers use the phrase 'write prose' instead of the verb 'prose'. Found mainly in literary or historical discussions.
常見錯誤
2. To speak or write in a plain, unimaginative way that lacks emotional energy, col
乏味地寫
以平淡乏味的方式寫作或說話
To speak or write in a plain, unimaginative way that lacks emotional energy, colour, or the power to hold an audience's interest.
The committee head prosed on about the budget until half the room lost attention.
委員會主席乏味地講述預算，講到一半的與會者都失去了注意力。
Charlotte prosed through her presentation in a flat voice, reading each slide without energy.
Charlotte 用平淡的語調乏味地做了整場簡報，面無表情地朗讀每一張投影片。
verb + adverb: prose on / prose through
Kevin prosed at the ceremony for an hour as people glanced at their watches.
Kevin 在典禮上平淡地講了一個小時，大家頻頻看手錶。
Aylin prosed on about the meeting agenda until everyone in the room looked bored.
Aylin 平淡無味地講述會議議程，直到在場的每個人都露出無聊的表情。
- enthused
to speak with energy and excitement
文法句型
prose + on (continue speaking dully)
用法筆記
Often used with the particle 'on' to indicate continuing in a dull manner ('prose on'). The tone is almost always critical.