Acknowledgement Exercise 致谢

Exercise

Acknowledgments

Task 1: Here now is a draft of the acknowledgments for a master’s thesis. Some of the verbs have been left out; which of the choices below would you recommend?

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to ______ my profound gratitude to the Royal Thai Government, specifically to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for granting me support to ______ my graduate studies. The support has given me not only a future career, but also opportunities to ______ to higher education abroad, to work on a project I am interested in, and to prepare myself to better serve my country and society.

There are two people whom I would like to ______ individually. First, I am deeply grateful to Professor XXXX, my thesis advisor, for her encouragement, and careful and wise guidance of my project. Secondly, I ______ a great deal to Professor YYYY, my second reader, whose supervision and advice ______ substantially to my study.

Finally, ______ thank all my friends in Ann Arbor who have always supported me during the long process of ______ this project.

municate/express/offer

2.pursue/obtain/follow

3.be open/be confronted/be exposed

4.introduce/cite/acknowledge

5.have/owe/offer

6.have devoted/have helped/have contributed

7.want to/need to/would like to

8.working on/completing /undertaking

Task 2: Below are three extracts from acknowledgments that in their different ways we think are a little bit “off.” Can you identify the problems we believe have found?

1.The author wishes to express his deep and sincere appreciation to the co-chairpersons

of his doctoral committee, Professor XXXX and Professor YYYY, not only for their

valuable advice and unfailing guidance but also for providing oral support and

encouragement during a frustrating period. The author is deeply and forever grateful to

both of them.

2.I am enormously grateful to the Institute and to its then director, XXXX. Even more

significant was the field research fellowship awarded to me by the YYYY. I cannot put

into words my appreciation for the many facilities put at my disposal by the

director—Dr. ZZZZ. The office’s staff members received me with open arms and …

3.Writing this dissertation has given me opportunities not only for strengthening my

academic achievement but also for understanding American people and culture. Thus, it

has been exciting and challenging for me to carry out research on small-town

America’s neighborhood quality of life.