教师一方面要如实反映情况，另一方面又要顾及学生的心理健康、承受能力，要缓解直言的冲击，委婉语的运用是完全必要的。以下的婉转陈述方式是美国教师经常采用的。

　　1. 学生很笨

　　直言：The student is obtuse.

　　婉言：He is a bit slow for his age. (他反应较慢。)

　　He seems to be mentally retarded.(他看来智能较弱。)

　　2. 学生懒惰

　　直言：The student is lazy.

　　婉言：I'm afraid he has to exert himself in his study.(恐怕他在学习上对自己得施加压力。)

　　Probably he has to devote himself more diligently to his studies. (可能他要在学习上更勤奋些。)

　　He is sure to go far if he can use his resources fully.(如果他能充分利用其智力，他一定能学得更好。)

　　He needs to raise his ambition level a bit. (他需要增加一点雄心。)

　　He'd better take his lessons more seriously. (他最好更加严肃地对待他的功课。)

　　3. 学生吵架

　　直言：The student is noisy.

　　婉言：He needs to develop quieter habits of communication. (他需要培养更加安静的交流习惯。)

　　4. 学生说谎

　　直言：He lies.

　　婉言：He is likely to embroider the truth a bit. (他往往会修饰一下事实。)

　　He has difficulty distinguishing between imaginary and factual information. (他对区别假想的还是真实的信息有困难。)

　　5. 学生作弊

　　直言：The student cheats.

　　婉言：He needs help in learning to adhere to rules and standards of fair play. (在学会遵守光明磊落、条件均等的规则和标准方面他需要帮助。)

　　6. 要学生改邪归正

　　直言：He must be taught right from wrong. (Or: He must mend his ways.)

　　婉言：He needs to be brought back into the mainstream. (他需要重返主流。)

　　7. 学生恃强凌弱、横行霸道

　　直言：The student is a bully. He is quarrelsome and browbeats, frightens or hurts smaller or weaker pupils.

　　婉言：He needs help in learning to use his leadership qualities democratically. (他需要学会以民主的方式发挥自己的领导才能。)

　　(文/高和顺；英语辅导报 大学一年级版 04～05学年第18期； 版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)