(五) able 一般用作正面意义,指好人好事;capable 则是中性词,既可指好事,亦可指坏事,例如在下例中,capable of anything是表示“任何坏事都做得出来”之意:
That guy is capable of anything!
那家伙什么勾当都会干得出来!
(六) able的反义词是unable;capable的反义词是incapable。另一点值得注意的是,able的名词是 ability,义:“能力”(the power to do);capable的名词是capability 或 capacity,前者义:“具有从事某事的能力”;后者义:“容量”或“受容力”。需要在此指出的是,ability是可以通过练习或锻炼获得的,而capability则是固有的能力,它与练习或锻炼无关。通过下列例句的对比,我们不难区分其义蕴:
I do not doubt his ability to do the work.
He has the capability to benefit from university education.
一般说来,advance含有自动的意味,advancement 则含有被动的意味。例如:advance of science是“科学的进步”; advancement of science则是“科学的被人推进”。从下列两个例句,我们可以辨别出它们的区别:
Discovering a cure for AIDS would be a major medical advance.
发现治疗艾滋病的方法将是医学上的一大进展。
We have made a program for the advancement of science.
我们已制定了一个发展科学的规划。
通过上列例句的对比,我们可以联想到 advance in rank 和 advancement in rank;advance in industy和advancement in industry;advance in society和advancement in society等语的涵义区别。
在表示“行军”或“向…行进”的意义时,只能用advance,不可以用advancement。例:
They have done their best to resist the advance of the enemy.
他们已尽力阻挡敌人向前推进。
Road blocks were set up to obstruct the advance of the demonstrators.
设置路障是要阻止示威人士前进。
在某些固定的词组里,例如 in advance、in advance of、be on the advance,只能用advance,不可以用advancement。如:
Please pay the bill in advance.
请先付账。
The plane reached Hong Kong ten minutes in advance of its scheduled time.
飞机比预定的时间提早了十分钟到达香港。
Recently the new stocks are on the advance.
最近新股看涨。
advance一字除用作名词和动词(如 In recent days prices advanced rapidly。近日来,价格猛涨)之外,亦可用作形容词。作形容词时,其意为“预先的”、“在前的”。如:advance notice(预先通知);advance booking (预订/预售(票));advance payment(预先付款);advance copy((发行前的)新书样本); advance party of soldiers(先头部队)。
作为习语用作介词时,as well as的涵义是“还有”、“不但…而且…”。值得注意的是,在A as well as B的结构里,语意的重点在 A,不在 B。因此,“He can speak Spanish as well as English.”的译文应该是:“他不但会说英语,而且会讲西班牙语”,决不能译作:“他不但会说西班牙语,而且会讲英语”。如果这样翻译,就是本末倒置了。as well as和 not only… but also…同义,但前者的语意重点和后者的语意重点恰好颠倒。
如果 as well as用作连词引出比较从句,其义为“和…一样好”。因此,“He speaks Spanish as well as English.”应译作:“他说西班牙语像说英语一样好”。语意的重点依旧在前部,不在后半部。
请注意 as well as以下的用法:
She called on you as well as I.
不但我来看你,她也拜访了你。
She called on you as well as me.
她不但拜访了我,也拜访了你。
在下列句中,as well as表示“像…一样”的涵义:
She as well as you is an English teacher.
她像你一样也是英文教师。
这里的谓语动词用is,不用are,因为句中的主语是she,不是she和you。
As well是副词短语,其义为“也”,相当于too,它一般放在句末,有时和连词and或but搭配使用。例:
He is a worker,and a poet as well.
他是工人,但也是诗人。
China possesses enormous quantities of coal and is rich in other minerals as well.
中国拥有大量煤炭,其他的矿藏也很丰富。
Mr.Liu can speak English,but he can speak Cantonese as well.
刘先生会说英语,但他也能讲广东话。
竹影无风
2004-03-31 21:32
『相似词语辨析【16】asleep和sleeping』
asleep,sleeping
这两个词都表示“入睡”、“睡着”的意思,但用法各异,主要区别有以下几点:
(一)asleep是表语形容词,在句中放在verb“tobe”之后;它不能放在名词之前,例如我们不可以说:Look at the asleep baby,应把asleep改为sleeping。例:
Here are the outskirts/suburbs of Kowloon.Do you like this sleepy valley?
这里是九龙的郊区。你喜欢这寂静的山谷吗?
竹影无风
2004-04-01 20:12
『相似词语辨析【17】at ease和with ease』
at ease,with ease
这两个介词短语的词义范围和使用场合并不相同。at ease的意思是“安逸地”、“安心地”、“自在地”(feeling confident or relaxed),其反义短语为ill at ease;with ease的意思是“轻松地”、“容易地”(easily or without difficulty)。
就使用场合而言,at ease即可作表语,亦可作状语;with ease 只能用作状语。例:
The old couple are now quite at ease as their son is out of danger.
这一对老夫妻现在可安心了,因为他们的儿子已经脱离危险。
With good social security,the aged can live at ease.
有好的社会保障,老年人都过得很安逸。
Her promise of support set my mind at ease.
她答应支持我,就使我放心了。
I don't know why he is ill at ease.
我不知道为什么他心神不宁。
They fulfilled the task with ease.
他们轻松地完成了任务。
Our football team gained the day with ease.
我们的足球队很轻松地就赢了这场球。
Every day we marched twenty miles with ease.
每天我们毫不费力地行进二十英里。
注:stand at ease是军事术语,义“稍息”;take one's ease是“休息”或“无拘无束”。例:
The soldiers are standing at ease now.
士兵们现在在立正稍息。
We are now taking our ease.
我们现在是优哉游哉。
Please sit and take your ease while enjoying a cup of coffee.
请坐下来舒舒服服地喝杯咖啡。
庫
2004-04-01 23:33
好,谢谢。我最不注意这些东西了。
竹影无风
2004-04-02 20:53
『相似词语辨析【18】at heart和by heart』
at heart,by heart
这一组短语的涵义也各不相同。
At heart 的意思是“在心里”、“心底里”或“本质上”(from the heart,from the bottom of one's heart or essentially)。by heart 的意思是“背诵”、“熟记”(by rote;to learn so well that one can remember it perfectly)。请看下面例句:
That socialite is a rascal at heart.
那个知名人士实质上是个坏蛋。
A councillor should have the collective interest of society at heart.
议员应当关心大众的利益。
At heart,Mr.Lin does not approve your proposal.
林先生的心里并不赞同你的建议。
Mr.Wang looks stem,but he is kind at heart.
王先生看来严肃,但买质上他很仁慈。
I know this poem by heart.
我熟读/我能背诵这首诗。
I don't see the point of learning by heart all the dates in the history book!
我真不明白为什么要把历史书里所有的日期都要记下来!
请注意下列短语的意思:(跟前例 have something at heart相近)
in one's heart of hearts 在内心深处
take something to heart 认真考虑/关注某事
set one's heart on something 决心做/得到某事/物
cut(or touch)sb to the heart 触及某人痛处
one's heart is in something 把整个心放在某事上
与此类似区别的词语有:
in demand 非常需要的,受欢迎的 on demand 一经要求
at fault 有过失的;有错 to a fault 过份地
at hand to hand in hand on hand [此贴被竹影无风在2004-06-13 20:14重新编辑]
毅之恒
2004-04-03 09:47
不错,很详细,不过我总觉得少了点14楼那样的好东西啊 我最欣赏14楼那样的资料啊
竹影无风
2004-04-03 10:40
『相似词语辨析【19】at last和at length』
at last,at length
这一对短语都有“终于”、“最后”的意思,但涵义和使用场合有所不同。
At length 这个词组共有三个意义: (1)长时间地。例如:He spoke at(great)length.(2)详细地。例如:They treated the subject at length.(3)终于;最后。例:After flying for ten hours,they got to San Francisco at length.
He was awarded the first prize for Outstanding Industrial Design.
他获杰出工业设计一等奖。
We judge awarded him twenty thousand dollars as damages.
法官判给他二万元作为赔偿费。
You should reward them according to their deserts.
你应该对他们论功行赏。
Is that how you reward me for my help?
你就是这样来报答我给你的帮助吗?
reward也可以用于比喻意。例:
I would feel amply rewarded if my book—A Study of English Twins—could be of some help to the readers.
如果我的书《英语学生词语之研究》对读者有所帮助的话,我就感到心满意足了。
竹影无风
2004-04-08 07:48
『相似词语辨析【24】be ashamed for和be ashamed of』
be ashamed for,be ashamed of
这一对形容词短语的涵义并不相同。
To be ashamed for 的意思是“为…(一般指外在的人或事物,如他人)而感到羞耻”;to be ashamed of的意思是“由于…(一般指内在的人或事物,如自己)而感到羞耻”。例:
I'm ashamed for you.
我为你感到羞耻。
I'm ashamed of you.
我以你为耻。
I felt ashamed for the callousness of the government in tackling land speculation.
对于政府处理地产投机态度麻木不仁,我引以为耻。
Are you ashamed of doing such a thing?
你做这样的事感到羞耻吗?
其他因搭配介词不同而含义及用法改变的词语有:
He is considerate of other people's feelings.
他能体谅别人的感情。
He is considerate to old people.
他对老年人很体贴。
I'm anxious for a change.
我渴望改变一下环境。
I'm anxious about his health.
我为他的健康而担忧。
She did it of herself.
她自愿去做此事。
She did it by herself.
她独立去做此事。
They are suffering for their country.
他们正在为国受苦。
They are suffering from the war.
他们由于战争而在受难。
竹影无风
2004-04-09 07:37
『相似词语辨析【25】be going to和will』
be going to,will
Be going to在表示“将要”的意味时,很容易和will混淆不清。
试看下面的对话:
A:The detergent has been used up.
洗洁精已用光了。
B:I'm going to get some today.
C:I'll get some today.
乍然看来,乙和丙的答话的意思是一样的,都是:“今天我要去买些”,其实不然。乙用 am going to get回答甲,其言外之意是:“在甲讲洗洁精用完这句话之前,他早已心中有数,并且早就有去买洗洁精的打算”。丙用will get来回答,表示:“事前并不知道洗洁精已用完,原先也没有打算去买,直等到甲讲了之后,他才决定去买”。
This railway will be electrified when there is a need.
有需要时,这条铁路将改为电气化。
竹影无风
2004-04-10 10:43
『相似词语辨析【26】Be off和to be off』
Be off,to be off
这两个短语的涵义并不相同。
Be off!的意思是“走开!”、“滚开!”,相当于英语的Be
gone!或Get away!例:
Be off! you wretch!
滚开!你这个卑鄙的家伙!
Be off! or I'll call the police.
你出去,否则我要报警啦。
Be off!亦可写作 Be off with you!或 Off with you!这三种
形式可互换使用。
To be off的涵义较多,有“离去”、“出发”、“脱离”、“暂
停”、“中断”、“取消”等义。例:
I must be off.(=I must leave now.)
我该走了。
We are off!(=Off we go!)
我们出发了!
值得注意的是,We are off!和Off we go!可根据不同的场合和
上下文,表达不同的时间概念。它们能表示We have started、We
are starting和We are about to start等义。同样,They are
off to Macau根据不同的场合,可分别译作:“他们已去澳门”、
“他们正在动身去澳门”和“他们将要去澳门”。
Her shoes are off!
她把鞋脱了!
The electricity(water or gas)is off!
断电(水或煤气)啦!
Their engagement is off.
他们的婚约取消了。
除上列各义外,to be off还可用以表述下列意思:
We are off every Wednesday.
我们每星期三休息。
She sounds off on the telephone.
谈电话时她有点不客气/不自然/不对劲。
All books have 20% off.
所有的书籍均八折出售。
This fish is slightly off.
这鱼有点不新鲜。
The motor is off. 马达停了。
To be off 还可用在某些固定的说法里。如:
to be off with the old love and on with the new(另找新欢)
竹影无风
2004-04-11 09:26
『相似词语辨析【27】believe和believe in』
believe,believe in
这一对词语都表示“相信不疑”的意思,但词意有细微的区别。
Believe表示“相信”、“信以为真”(to accept as true)之意,它是及物动词,其后直接跟宾语。例:
Do you believe his reports?
你相信他的报告吗?
I could hardly believe my eyes.
我几乎不能相信自己的眼睛。
In ancient times it was believed that the earth was flat.
古时候,人们认为地球是扁平的。
Believe in则表示“信仰”、“信任”(to have faith in somebody or something)之意。其后的常用搭配语为:有关宗教、理论、原则、概念及可信任之人,如:a religion、ghosts、 fairies、 a theory、 a friend等词;例中的believe为不及物动词。如:
We do not believe in ghosts.
我们不信鬼神。
He believes in getting plenty of exercise.
他相信多锻炼身体就会有好处。
In the days of the French Revolution,people believed in liberty,
equality and fraternity.
法国大革命时代的人们信奉自由、平等及博爱。
现在试比较下列两语的不同涵义:
I believe him.(=I believe what he says)
我相信他(的话)。
I believe in him.(=I trust him )
我相信他是一个可以信得过的人。(即:我信任他)
在英美人的谈话中,经常可以听到这么一句口头禅——Believe me:这是一个用以表示希望对方相信自己谈话的口头语,它相当于I bet或 Take my word for it。例:
Believe me,you will get well very soon.
你一定会很快就恢复健康的。
Believe me 可以根据不同的场合,译作“真的”、“我不骗你”、“一定会”或“请相信”。
与此类似区别的词语有:
to consult him 向他请教 to consult with him 和他商量
to attend the meeting 参加会议 to attend to the meeting 专心开会 [此贴被竹影无风在2004-06-13 20:18重新编辑]
They invited my father and myself(=me)to their party.
他们邀请我父亲和我参加他们的聚会。
He saw neither myself nor Mary in the street.
在马路上他既没有看见我,也没有看见玛丽。
竹影无风
2004-04-25 19:57
『相似词语辨析【34】by turns和in turn』
by turns,in turn
如同 by name和 in name 参阅该节)一样,这一对短语也不是同义语。 by turns的意思是“轮流地”、“交替地”、“忽而…忽而…”( one after another; alternately or in rotation);in turn的意思是“依次相继地”(each in due succession)。例:
We read the poem by turns.
我们轮流读这首诗。
They sang songs by turns
他们轮流唱歌。
He grew pale and red by turns.
他的脸一会儿红一会儿白。
We sang the song in turn.
我们依照次序唱歌。
We were summoned in turn to see the judge.
法宫依次召见我们。
跟by turns同义是 take turns,但二者语法不同。前者是副词片语,作状语用,后者为动词片语。例:
The classes visited the exhibition by turns.
The classes took turns to visit the exhibition.
各班学生轮流参观展览。
请注意,on the turn的意思则是“正在变化(转变)中”。例如:
The bullish stock market is on the turn
股票牛市开始变了。
庫
2004-04-26 10:10
大哥,继续发啊,今天发多一点。我已经看到39了。
竹影无风
2004-04-26 19:12
『相似词语辨析【35】China和china』
China,china
这两个词都是名词,读音相同,但意义有别。
China(首字母大写)是“中国”,指 the People's Republic of China;china(首字母小写)是“瓷器”,尤指优质瓷器。例:
This car is made in China.
这辆汽车是中国制造的。
She laid out a small tray with the best china on the table.
她把盛着上等瓷具的小托盆放在桌上。
与之类似区别的词有:
Turkey 土耳其 turkey 火鸡
Japan 日本 japan 漆;(日本式)漆器
Guinea 几内亚 guinea 几尼(旧英国金币名,合21先令)
有趣的是,类似区别的现象不但出现于单词中,也见诸于短语里。如: in the Doldrums和 in the doldrums。前者的意思是“在Doldrums海域里”。Doldrums位于非洲海岸大西洋内,是个热带无风带。该海域的特点为,当大西洋其他地区刮大风时,海浪滔天,而the Doldrums 海面依旧平静如常,后来人们由此而引伸出另一个意义,当他们感到“意志消沉”、“毫无生气”或“闷闷不乐”时,就用 to be in the doldrums这个短语来表示。现在请对比 in the Doldrums和 in the doldrums在下列句中的不同涵义:
Our ocean liner is now sailing in the Doldrums.
我们的轮船现在正在Doldrums海域航行。
Recently,trade appeared to be in the doldrums.
近来商业一片萧条。
You look as though you were in the doldrums.Cheer up!
Clean的意思是“使洁净”、“把…去垢”(to make clean by washing,dusting,sweeping or brushing)。如:to clean a dress,room,hand,shoe,watch等。例:
Please clean your shoes.
请把鞋刷干净。
He cleaned the floor with water.
他用水冲洗地板。
I have got my watch cleaned in a watch-shop.
我的表已在一家钟表店清洁过了。
Cleanse的意思是“清洗干净”,“使…纯洁”(to make thoroughly clean or make pure)。为此,cleanse含有“彻底洗清”之意味,语义比clean强得多。clean和cleanse的另一区别是前者为一般用语;后者是正式的(formal)或古旧的用语,有时它还能用于比喻意义,例如to cleanse one's soul洗涤心灵;to cleanse the heart of sin 洗心革面;ethnic cleansing种族清洗/灭绝。
下面请看例句:
We have cleansed the garden of weeds.
我们已把花园里的杂草清除干净。
She bought some detergent and antiseptic from a dyeing and cleansing store.
她从一家洗染商店买了洗洁精和消毒剂。
You must cleanse your heart and soul.
你必须洗心革面,重新做人。
Cleansed of guilt by atonement,he felt light of heart again.
通过赎罪的方式洗清他的罪行后,他的心变得再次安乐。
That tribe is facing ethnic cleansing.
那部落正面临种族灭绝的厄运。
请注意,cleanser是cleanse的名词,它有两个不同的意义,一个是“清洁剂”(a liquid we use for cleaning something),另一个是“做清洁工作的人”(a person who is employed to clean something)。
竹影无风
2004-04-26 19:16
『相似词语辨析【38】climate和weather』
climate,weather
这两个词的词义有细微的差异,使用场合也有所不同。
Climate指某地的平均气候或经常性的气候(average weather conditions);weather指某地一时的天气,如寒暖、晴雨和干湿的变化情况(a particular condition of wind,rain,snow,sunshine,etc.)。例如:
The climate of our country is mild,but individual places experience bad weather.
我国的气候是温和的,但有时个别地区也会出现坏天气。
请再看下面的例句:
A drier climate would be good for your health.
比较干燥的天气也许会对你的健康有好处。
What is the weather like today?
今日天气如何?
In Hong Kong people seldom wear galoshes in wet weather.
在香港下雨天很少有人穿童鞋。
请注意,weather之前不可以用不定冠词a来修饰。例如我们不可以说:What a brilliant weather!应把a删去。
In Hong Kong,residential houses are quite near(to)the airport
在香港住宅很接近机场。
Is Tiger Balm Garden near or far?
虎豹别墅离这里是近还是远?
In the near future they can complete this arduous task.
在不久的将来,他们就可以完成这项艰巨的任务。
All of them are my near relations.
他们都是我的近亲。
Near有时还可用以表示“吝啬”的意味。例:
He is very near with his money.
他很吝啬。
请注意,“近视眼”是near-sighted,不用close,“近东”是the Near East,也不能用close。
竹影无风
2004-04-26 19:18
『相似词语辨析【40】clothes和clothing』
clothes,clothing
这两个词都是名词,又都表示“衣装”之意,但涵义和用法有所不同。
Clothes的意思是“衣服”,意指全身衣服的各个部分(different parts of the covering of the body),故永远用复数形式,它是个不可数名词,前面不可以用不定冠词,也不能用数词修饰,但可以被many,those和these等词修饰。clothes所指的往往是比较具体的一件件衣物。例:
Please send these clothes to the laundry.
请把这些衣服送到洗衣店去。
Clothes do not make the man.We should not judge a man by the clothes he wears.
人不是用衣服装成的,我们不应看衣不看人。
My wife has folded my clothes and put them in the drawer.
我的太太已把衣服叠好并放在抽屉里了。
Clothing的意思是“衣着”,意指衣服的整体而言(the entire covering of the body taken as a whole),它是衣服的总称,统指男女老少各式和各样的衣物。Clothing是不可数名词,永远用单数形式;如同clothes一样,不可以和数词或不定冠词连用。例:
Coats,overcoats,shorts,trousers,shirts and socks are articles of clothing.
上衣、大衣、短裤、长裤、衬衫和短袜等等都是衣物。
In their country many people cannot solve the clothing problem.
在他们的国家里,有许多人不能解决衣着问题。
A fox is no sheep,though dressed in sheep's clothing.
披着羊皮,终非真羊。
They do not have enough warm clothing for the winter.
他们没有足够的过冬衣服。
请注意,“一套衣服”是a suit of clothes;“一件衣服”是an article of clothing,这里的suit和axticle不能互换使用,但也可说成warm clothes。分别是前者泛指,后者是具体的。
请注意,garments与clothes同义,它尤指外衣而言,是正式用语,特别是制衣业惯用词:如she owns a garment factory,而且,不像clothes,它是个可数名词。dress是穿在外面的衣服,尤指妇女和小孩外出时所穿的服装或礼服;costume则指某一种人或某一时代特有的装束或戏服。
“学院”一字的英语对应词很多,除了college之外,尚有institute,academy,school,conservatory,centre和faculty等字,例如以前的上海和北京的外语学院均用institute一词,麻省理工学院(MIT)也叫institute;美国的西点军校用academy;独立的音乐学院或大学多用conservatory或academy(欧洲多用);但一所大学内的音乐学院则叫School of Music或College of Music。西方有些医学院称之为medical centre;英国大学的学院则大都用school,如London School of Economics,较小的学院称为faculty,如Faculty of Science、Faculty of Arts,而神学院则用seminary一词。
Institute一般也译作“学院”,但它着重表示单科的或专科性的院校,例如,在中国,一般的铁道、航空、邮电、美术等学院均用institute一词。值得注意的是,世界著名的学府MIT(麻省理工学院)是一所多学科性的大学,但它依然用institute一词,即:Massachusetts Institute of Technology,既为世人所知,就没有必要把它改称为university了。
Happiness consists in trying to do one's duty,not in amassing wealth.
快乐的源泉在于尽义务,而不在于积聚财富。
The best remedy for tuberculosis consists in rest.
肺结核病的最好良药就是休息。
The value of this teaching method consists in the interest it stimulates in the students.
这种教学法的优点是在于能引起学生的兴趣。
Water consists of oxygen and hydrogen.
水田氧和氢组成。
This delegation consists of ten famous actors.
这个代表团由十名著名影星组成。
Our golf club consists of 150 members.
我们的高尔夫俱乐部有一百五十名会员。
与之类似的词语有:
care for 喜爱;想要 care about 计较;介意
partake in 参加 partake of 分享;带有…的性质
be delivered from 被救出 be delivered of 生产,分娩
carry on 进行;经营 carry out 完成;执行
be admonished for 因…而被遣责 be admonished of 被提醒;被警告 [此贴被竹影无风在2004-06-14 22:24重新编辑]
竹影无风
2004-04-30 23:04
『相似词语辨析【44】credible和creditable』
credible,creditable
这两个词并非同义词。credible表示“可信的”(believable or trustworthy)意思,通常指人物、言语、历史、故事等的可信;creditable表示“可称誉的”、“可赞赏的”(honourable,respectable or praiseworthy)意思,通常指人的行为,表现或工作而言。例:
This is hardly credible.
此事难以置信。
His words are credible.
他的话是可信的。
The performance of Broadway Show is highly creditable.