[English Note] 阅读外刊积累英语写作句型（4.30连载至15L完成）

刷新数据阅读：329 回复：16

九春怿(派派活动专员)

楼主 2020-04-27

⚑雷声大雨点小There is much talk about…though few…are doing much about it…fall into this less populated camp.
⚑发展类句型The story of…is one of…
⚑今昔对比Gone are the days when/where…are on the rise and here to stay…
⚑举例与结论it does not take a leap of the imagination to…
⚑教育类句型模板…is designed to act as a slipway, launching…into the wider world in the expectation that the currents will guide…into/towards etc…

⚑导致……的结果translate into
⚑如何举例be it (they) / whether it (they) be
⚑一个强调句式the usefulness to society of…goes far beyond…
⚑与……接触be exposed to
⚑效果适得其反defeat the purpose of

⚑一个用于举例的短语in the form of
⚑一个强调短语throw / bring something into relief
⚑如何阐述中间立场just as it would be...so it would be...
⚑表达一种兼容情况not mutually exclusive
⚑双重好处a double blessing

⚑造成……的原因at play
⚑基于……的原因on...grounds / on grounds of...
⚑说明一种转折情况a number of caveats
⚑与……相反be the antithesis of
⚑强调It is not too much of a stretch to say that...

⚑一个开头句型Mention…and what comes to mind is…
⚑一个转折句型For all the talk of...still...
⚑与……背道而驰fly in the face of
⚑带来严重后果a slippery slope
⚑对比the same cannot be said of

⚑说比做简单something is easy to decry but hard to prevent
⚑后视镜看历史look in the rearview mirror to do something
⚑某观点站不住脚something is entirely unfounded
⚑一个转折句型close scrutiny of…reveals that…

⚑某一现象被人们广泛关注和赞扬...has been much heralded in recent years.
……几乎是不言自明的It is now nearly axiomatic that…
对……人们有不同意见Opinion is still divided over whether…is a cause for concern or a chance for…
⚑对……感到担忧Worries about…have emerged in a wide range of areas, from…to…
⚑观点站得住脚hold water
⚑一个对比句型at the other end of the spectrum/scale

⚑一种段落衔接方式...and rush in they did.
⚑一个强调句式All the more so with
⚑一个类比句型What A is for B, C is for D.
⚑对某个观点进行反驳…rests on…reasonable-sounding but largely groundless propositions. The first is that…A second argument is that…A third argument is that…

⚑形容某人很有名It is hard to go a day in XX without…
⚑一个让步句…may have…but whether…remains to be seen
⚑一个举例句型To see how A, witness B
⚑证明某事justify

⚑表示因果关系的一个衔接句式It follows that…
⚑形容某事物能带来好处be a force for good
⚑支持/反对某事物的理由a case can be made
⚑在……之间取得平衡a trade-off between A and B

10L

⚑即使没有更...也...If not more so
⚑解释一个论点The argument that…rests chiefly on the fact that…
⚑举例论证attest
⚑一个常用模板easier said than done

11L

⚑一个比较句式A is nowhere near as…as B
⚑不得不做的事情a necessary evil
⚑一个转折句型...not...but rather that...
⚑为……提供根据If any…lends substance to…it is…

12L

⚑对……有害be a disservice to somebody/something
⚑公众对……很关心Public concern is picking up./ have the power to inflame passions
⚑手段与目的not an end in itself
⚑某事情值得怀疑whether...is open to doubt / remains to be seen

13L

⚑某个论点有一定的道理have half a point
⚑造成……问题最重要的原因是……the reasons for…are manifold, but chief among them is…
⚑瑕不掩瑜…concerns should not obscure the good that comes from…
⚑要知道……只需要…need only look at…to catch a glimpse of…

14L

⚑某件事说明了……It says something about…that…
⚑某件事的理由不是……The case for…is not a dry argument about…It is…
⚑验证了之前的发现echo
⚑某事物无法归纳defy

15L

[ 此帖被九春怿在2020-05-03 00:47重新编辑 ]

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小白兔和积木2020-05-02+12 派派币: Thanks for sharing!

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九春怿(派派活动专员)

沙发 2020-04-27

⚑雷声大雨点小
There is much talk about…though few…are doing much about it…fall into this less populated camp.

在问题解决类题材中我们有时候会说“对于某事件的解决方案只有空谈，很少有实际行动”，看看The Economist是如何表达这一层意思的：

The second entity is government. There is much talk about lifelong learning, though few countries are doing much about it. The Nordics fall into this less populated camp.

There is much talk about lifelong learning, though few countries are doing much about it. 意思是“目前关于终身学习有很多讨论，但很少有国家对此有所行动”。其中talk是不可数名词，所以前面要用much修饰。第二句 The Nordics fall into this less populated camp. 意思是“北欧国家属于这一人数较少的阵营”，作者通过第一句的铺垫，在第二句中能够突出北欧国家的执行力。

对此我们可以总结出一个句式：There is much talk about…though few…are doing much about it…fall into this less populated camp. 例如：

(1) There is much talk about poverty reduction around the globe, though few countries are doing much about it. China falls into this less populated camp, where more than 500 million people were lifted out of poverty in the past 30 years, a remarkable achievement in human history.

(2) There is much talk about innovation among tech firm bosses, though few are doing much about it. Elon Musk falls into this less populated camp. By launching a series of programs such as Tesla electric cars and Space X rockets, he demonstrates how innovative thinking and bold risk-taking can thrive in today’s world.

⚑发展类句型
The story of…is one of…

在发展类话题中有时候需要对事物的趋势进行总结，这个时候我们可以使用下面这个句型：

The story of how London expanded so swiftly at the turn of the 20th century is one of financial ingenuity, bold risk-taking and low skulduggery.

句子中one of something是地道英文中一个很常见的用法，但很少见到国内学生使用。one在这里用于指代前面的story，即 The story of how London expanded so swiftly at the turn of the 20th century is a story of financial ingenuity… 使用one是为了避免用词重复。柯林斯词典中也有类似的例子：

Skulduggery是一个外刊中比较常见的词，含义是“欺骗行为，诡计”。

The story of…is one of… 也是一个可以用来总结事物趋势的句型，例如：

(1) The story of how China achieved its economic miracle at the turn of the 21st century is one of financial ingenuity, bold risk-taking and low skulduggery.

(2) The story of how smartphones have penetrated every aspect of our life is one of technological innovation and market competition.

⚑今昔对比
Gone are the days when/where…are on the rise and here to stay…

在科技和发展类题材中经常会涉及到对某一现象进行对比，例如互联网出现之前的生活与现在的生活的对比，过去的自然环境与现在的自然环境的对比，过去的家庭与现在的家庭的对比等等。对于这类内容，可以参考下面的一个句式：

Gone are the dark days where one had to stay in a lousy job just to get good health insurance. Novel employment arrangements are on the rise and here to stay, indicating a robust and flexible labour market that can do without the outdated and paternalistic employment model, rife with inefficiency and exploitation, in exchange for increased self-worth and opportunity.

Gone are the dark days where…是倒装句，还原后相当于 the dark days where…are gone，Gone are the days后面用where或者when都可以，但从语料库的统计来看用when会更为常见。段落中第二句长句写得很漂亮，几个从句句式变换多样，值得背诵学习。句子中出现的here to stay是一个短语，含义是“被普遍接受”：

从这段话中我们可以提取出的句式为：

Gone are the days when/where…are on the rise and here to stay… 例如：

Gone are the days when people had to write letters to their friends and wait for weeks for a reply. Instant messaging services are on the rise and here to stay, making it possible for us to communicate with others anytime, anywhere.

⚑举例与结论
it does not take a leap of the imagination to…

议论文写作经常需要举例子，并通过例子推导出结论。下面这一个句型可以用于做结论推导：

The story of Margaret Thatcher's fall from power sounds a long way from Tony Blair's brilliant career; but it does not take too great a leap of the imagination to see how the same fate could overtake him with similarly disastrous consequences for Labour.

上面这段话的大意是：撒切尔夫人失势的故事对于布莱尔目前辉煌的政治生涯来说可能有些遥远，但我们并不难想象同样的命运会发生在他身上，对工党带来同样灾难性的后果。

其中 a leap of the imagination是一个固定表达，它的含义是“想象跳跃”：

it does not take a leap of the imagination to… 是一个常用句型，它的意思类似于it is not difficult to find… 该句型可以用于对上文提到的事实、假设、例子等进行推论，引出下文。例如：

(1) Driverless car technology is advancing at breakneck speed, and it does not take a leap of the imagination to see how it will change cities and public transportation systems.

(2) Considering the effects of global warming on polar ice caps over the past century, it does not take a leap of the imagination to picture how the Arctic landscape will be like in the next few decades.

⚑教育类句型模板
…is designed to act as a slipway, launching…into the wider world in the expectation that the currents will guide…into/towards etc…

下面这个句子出自The Economist一篇关于科技与大学教育的文章：

University education is designed to act as a slipway, launching students into the wider world in the expectation that the currents will guide them into a job.

这个句子写得很形象，将大学教育比作船的下水滑道，学生可以经此进入广阔海洋，并由洋流引领他们到达职场。这个句子同时也是一个很好的教育类话题模板：

…is designed to act as a slipway, launching…into the wider world in the expectation that the currents will guide…into/towards etc…

比如关于家庭教育我们可以说：

Family education can act as a slipway, launching children into the wider world in the expectation that the currents will guide them towards independence and maturity.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

板凳 2020-04-27

经常读外刊和原版书的同学可能会发现一些看起来很简单，但自己就是写不出来的表达，举个例子：我们被禁止使用母语，违者将被关进监狱。这句话用英语怎么说？你可能会写：

We were not allowed to use our native language. If we did, we could be put into prison.

外刊是这样写的：

We were forbidden to use our native language on pain of imprisonment.

这里on pain of something就属于这种“虽然看起来很简单但怎么也想不到”的短语，它的意思是“如违反则以……处罚”。

这一楼要介绍的几个短语和句型很大一部分也属于这类表达。

⚑导致……的结果
translate into

要表达“……导致了……的结果”，通常可以用 something leads to something 或者 something results in something，但还可以有别的说法：

Unless more immigrants are allowed in, or a larger proportion of the working-age population joins the labour force, or people retire later, or their productivity accelerates, the ageing population will translate into permanently slower potential growth.

上面这一段讨论的是人口老龄化对于经济增长的负面影响，the ageing population will translate into permanently slower potential growth 即“老龄化人口会使经济增长长期减缓”，这里translate属于一词多义，translate into的意思是“导致，造成”：

议论文写作中涉及到原因-结果类的论述都可以用上该短语，例如：

(1) The reason why so many students are seeking a postgraduate education is that holding an advanced degree can translate into a higher salary or a senior position.

(2) Many internet companies require their staff to work overtime, but as it turns out, longer working hours do not always translate into higher productivity.

⚑如何举例
be it (they) / whether it (they) be

常见的举例表达有for example/for instance等，除此之外，还可以学习一个新的用法：

For the majority who must consume entertainment remotely, most of the battles are still about screens, be they the size of a smartphone or half a wall, and about minutes of attention within particular apps.

上面这段话来自《经济学人》对于现代娱乐产业的报道，其中出现了一个值得注意的句子：be they the size of a smartphone or half a wall，这里be they属于虚拟语气，相当于whether they be the size of a smartphone or half a wall（不管它们的大小跟手机屏幕一样大还是跟半面墙一样大），其中they指代前面提到的screens

be it (they) / whether it (they) be是一种很古典的用法，它们可以用来对一些可能的情况进行列举。新概念英语4课文中也出现了类似的例子：

After all, all living creatures live by feeding on something else, whether it be plant or animal, dead or alive, and it is only by chance that such a fate is avoided.

Whether it be plant or animal 其中it指代的是前面的something else

Whether it be bird, fish or beast, the porpoise is intrigued with anything that is alive. They are constantly after the turtles, who peacefully submit to all sorts of indignities.

这里it则指代的是后面的anything that is alive

在写作中可以用be it (they) / whether it (they) be来举例，例如：

Due to the generation gap, young adults are often at odds with older generations over everyday matters, whether they be / be they hairstyles or taste in music.

⚑一个强调句式
the usefulness to society of…goes far beyond…

下面这个句式可以用于强调事物的用处、优点等等：

Globally just 55.3% of women of working age are employed or looking for a job—less than in 1990. But the usefulness to society of early development goes far beyond giving parents a place to park a kid.

go beyond是一个地道英文中很常见的短语，它的意思是“不仅仅……”

从上面的段落中我们可以提取出一个句式：the usefulness to society of…goes far beyond… 通过该句式可以来强调某事物的用处不仅仅局限于……，还包括……，例如：

The usefulness to society of promoting higher education goes far beyond enabling young people to find a good job. It also includes sociocultural benefits. The widespread availability of tertiary education can enrich a country’s sciences and arts, through the cultivation of more researchers and scholars in every field.

⚑与……接触
be exposed to

怎样表达“孩子们应该接触更多古典音乐”？我曾经见到有人写成：

Children should get in touch with more classical music.

这种写法看起来似乎没问题，但英美人士读起来可能会觉得莫名其妙，因为get in touch with用错了，get in touch with的意思是“通过电话或信件与某人取得联系”(communicate with someone by letter or telephone)，不能用来指“与某事物接触”。

那么这句话怎么说才地道呢？看看《经济学人》的写法：

Some fret that too many students are still exposed to lacklustre teaching.

be exposed to something是一个很好用的表达，它的含义是“体验，接触”(to make it possible for someone to experience new ideas, ways of life etc)

因此，“孩子们应该接触更多古典音乐”可以写成：

Children should be exposed to more classical music.

⚑效果适得其反
defeat the purpose of

怎样表达“做……效果适得其反”？可以参考下面的一个外刊句子：

But when passengers are paying a premium to get to their destination quickly, a refuelling stop could defeat the purpose, if it results in a flight time that is only slightly lower than on a conventional aircraft.

这段话的背景是航空公司推出了超音速飞机以让乘客能更快到达目的地，但这种飞机在长途飞行过程中需要停下来加油，这与原来节省时间的目的相违背。其中defeat the purpose是一个短语，它的含义是“使……失败”。

A defeats the purpose of B是一个写作常用句式，它可以用来表达这样的意思：本来希望通过A能够达到目的B，但实际上A起到的效果适得其反，无法达到B。举个例子，很多人希望通过买一部好手机或好电脑来学英语，但最后英语没学到，反而打游戏水平提升了，这种情况就属于defeat the purpose:

Some students use smartphones in the hope of improving their English, but they end up playing mobile games all day, which defeats the purpose of learning.

际遇之神 奖励九春怿帮助哈利打败伏地魔得到2派派币

九春怿(派派活动专员)

地板 2020-04-27

⚑一个用于举例的短语
in the form of

在上一楼提到了一个用于举例的短语be it (they) / whether it (they) be，继续补充一个常见举例表达：

Conflict has come to the doors of millions living in densely populated areas around the globe in the form of gang violence, terror attacks, and military strikes. Civilians are killed, historic centres are lost, and infrastructure is destroyed.

上面第一句话的意思是“冲突已经影响到全球数以百万计生活在人口稠密地区的居民，这些冲突表现形式为暴力事件、恐怖袭击以及军事打击”，其中in the form of含义是“以……形式存在”，短语的常见搭配形式是 A in the form of B，其中A一般为抽象名词，B为具体事物，可以使用该短语来对抽象概念进行举例说明。

举个例子，“他们获得了减税优惠”用英文可以说：

They received a benefit in the form of a tax reduction.

其中benefit是抽象名词，a tax reduction则是具体的事物。

又比如，“来支援的是两名警察”用英文可以说：

Help arrived in the form of two police officers.

其中help是抽象概念，two police officers则是两个具体的名词。

在议论文写作中可以使用该短语进行举例说明，例如：

Detailed reporting on crime helps citizens to safeguard themselves against potential threats by making them well-informed about events that happen around them. If residents can learn from the media that there are dangerous criminals at large in their neighborhood, then they will take necessary precautions to protect themselves, mainly in the form of installing surveillance cameras and iron gates.

⚑一个强调短语
throw / bring something into relief

如何说：这场危机使得交通问题更加引人注目？我们可以参考《经济学人》的写法：

Faced with a crisis, the government rushed through long-overdue laws to allow a streamlined form of bankruptcy protection similar to America's Chapter 11. That will allow Parmalat's new managers some breathing space while they try to salvage something from the wreckage. Helpfully, it also brings Italy more into line with other parts of Europe. Yet that merely throws into relief broader Italian and European problems raised by the scandal.

上面选段中最后一句Yet that merely throws into relief broader Italian and European problems raised by the scandal. 也可以写成Yet that merely throws broader Italian and European problems raised by the scandal into relief. 但为了避免头重脚轻的问题，作者采用了第一种写法。

其中 throw / bring something into relief 是一个固定搭配，含义是“（使某事物）更加引人注目，（使某问题）更加突出”。

因此，“这场危机使得交通问题更加引人注目”使用该句型可以写成：

Traffic problems have been thrown into sharp relief by the crisis.

考场作文可以使用该句型来强调环境/交通/健康等问题，比如：

(1) Global warming effects have been thrown into sharp relief by melting ice caps in the Arctic.

(2) The increase in lung diseases among urban dwellers throws into relief air pollution caused by too many private cars.

⚑如何阐述中间立场
just as it would be...so it would be...

在对有争议性的观点进行说明时我们可能会采取中间立场：既不能过于……也不能过于……对于这种情况可以参考下面的句型：

Just as it would be a mistake to underestimate the new Brazil, so it would be to gloss over its weaknesses.

这句话后半句省略了a mistake，补充完整后应该是：

Just as it would be a mistake to underestimate the new Brazil, so it would be a mistake to gloss over its weaknesses.

这个句子假设了两种极端的情况：underestimate the new Brazil（低估新巴西），gloss over its weaknesses（掩饰新巴西的弱点），并说明这两种极端情况都是错误的，由此来引出中间立场。

由此我们可以提取出一个句型Just as it would be…so it would be… 用于说明中间情况，例如：

Just as it would be unwise to promote economic growth at the expense of the environment, so it would be equally imprudent to preserve the environment to the exclusion of economic growth. The best approach, therefore, is to have an environmentally sustainable economy.

⚑表达一种兼容情况
not mutually exclusive

下面这个短语同样可以用来引出中间立场：

More recently, several developing countries have shown that low income and comprehensive health care are not mutually exclusive.

其中A and B are not mutually exclusive是一个固定搭配，含义是“A和B之间并不互斥”：

可以用该短语来说明两个看起来互不相容的事物实际上可以共存，由此可以引出一种新的方案，比如：

Economic development and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive, as is shown by the case of the United States, where the service sector forms the backbone of the economy and growth is achieved in an environmentally friendly way.

⚑双重好处
a double blessing

如何表达“某事物具有双重好处”？你可能会想到：Something has two advantages. 这里提供一个新的表达：

Gruma is the world’s biggest maker of tortillas, with more than 100 plants in 20 countries. Free trade has been a double blessing for such companies.

blessing在这里的意思是“好处，益处”（something that is good or helpful），something is a double blessing for somebody 即“某事对某人而言具有双重好处”。

在列举说明事物的好处时可以用上该句型，比如：

Having part-time jobs can be a double blessing for college students. First, part-time employment can help students to better understand their preferences or to test out a possible career direction, making it easier for them to find a satisfying career upon graduation. Second, students taking part-time jobs will have an advantage when it comes to job-hunting, as companies seeking to recruit recent graduates often give preference to those with real-world experience.

与blessing相关的另一个短语是mixed blessing，它的含义是“（某事）既有好处又有坏处”：

例如，要说明居住在城市的好处和坏处，可以说：

Life in the city is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you can obtain better job opportunities and higher wages. On the other hand, you may suffer from traffic and housing problems associated with overpopulation.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

4楼 2020-04-27

⚑造成……的原因
at play

议论文写作中经常要表达这样的意思：A问题是由某几个因素引起的，写成英文是：XX factors lead to / result in A，例如：

Three factors lead to / result in the increase in unemployment rate in this country. First…Second…

这里介绍一个新的说法：

The exponential growth in the power of silicon chips, digital sensors and high-bandwidth communications improves robots just as it improves all sorts of other products. And, as our special report this week explains, three other factors are at play.

上面选段中play是熟词生义，它的意思是“影响，作用”(the effect or influence of something)，at play是一个在外刊中很常见的词组，three other factors are at play 即“有另外三个因素在起作用”。

写作中可以用 Two/Three/Several factors are at play in… / Two/Three/Several factors are at play when it comes to… 来说明某问题由某几个因素引起，例如：

Several factors are at play when it comes to teenage smoking. First, many young people are susceptible to peer pressure. They may pick up smoking to be better liked by more popular peers, or out of fear of losing friends who have already taken up the habit. Second, teenagers are at an impressionable age where they can be easily influenced by adults. Some of them start smoking by imitating adult figures or role models, such as their parents, older siblings, and even celebrities.

此外，关于play还有另外一个表达：bring/put something into play，它的意思是“使某事发挥作用”。例如：

All the resources and staff available were brought into play to cope with the crisis.

⚑基于……的原因
on...grounds / on grounds of...

下面给出的这个句式同样也与“原因”有关：

Another firm, MoneyGram of America, accepted an offer of $1.2bn from Ant Financial, but in January the sale was blocked on national-security grounds by America’s watchdog, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US.

上面这段文字的背景是美国监管部门出于国家安全的考虑，禁止了蚂蚁金服对速汇金的收购。其中on…grounds / on grounds of是一个常见的表示原因的用法，它的意思是“以……为由，基于……的原因”。

该短语通常用在议论文分论点的开头，用于阐述人们反对某事物的原因。举个例子，转基因目前仍然是一项很有争议的技术，一些人反对转基因，理由是它可能对我们的健康造成危害。对于这种情况可以说：

While some people support genetically modified food, others oppose this technology on health grounds. They argue that GM crops may produce harmful substances and thus have a negative impact on human health.

⚑说明一种转折情况
a number of caveats

下面出现在The Economist文章中的表达可以用在转折句中：

The biggest winners all round are likely to be consumers, though with a number of caveats. Four stand out: market concentration, security, privacy and inequality.

这里caveat是一个比较正式的词，它的意思是“警告，提醒，告诫”(a warning that something may not be completely true, effective etc)：

caveat通常出现在转折句中，用来引出不同的看法。在写关于事物优缺点的文章时可以使用该句型。

举个例子，有一篇作文要求我们分析网上购物对年轻人的好处和坏处。在分析完网购的好处之后，可以用caveat来进行转折：

Although online shopping can offer some benefits to young people, there are also a number of caveats that they should bear in mind. First, the convenience of e-commerce may encourage frivolous spending by inducing youngsters to buy more than they need. Second, there is a chance that young people who are already introverted may become ever more alienated from the outside world, as they can buy almost everything they want in the comfort of their home.

⚑与……相反
be the antithesis of

要表达“A与B截然相反”，一般可以说：A is the opposite of B，除了这个说法之外，还可以说：

Some airports are known for being the antithesis of elegance.

其中be the antithesis of是一个固定搭配，含义是“与……截然相反”，它要比the opposite of something更为正式，语气也更重。

如果要强调某事物站在某事物的对立面，可以用上该短语。例如：

(1) Staying up late is the antithesis of healthy living.

(2) Deforestation is the antithesis of environmental protection.

此外，与“对立，相反”有关的还有一个词组at the opposite end of the scale/spectrum

⚑强调
It is not too much of a stretch to say that...

下面这一句式可以用来对事物进行强调说明：

India is a land of large numbers: a place of over a billion people, a million mutinies and a thousand different tongues. But it is not too much of a stretch to say that since independence in 1947 there have only been two kinds of Indian economy.

其中stretch是熟词生义，它来自stretch the truth这一用法，在这里是指“夸大事实，言过其实”，It is not too much of a stretch to say that… 即“说……并不过分，说……并不言过其实”。

可以使用该句型来对某个观点进行强调，例如：

Taobao, a Chinese e-commerce giant, was founded by Jack Ma and his team in the early 2000s, and it is not too much of a stretch to say that Taobao has changed China profoundly since its foundation.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

5楼 2020-04-27

⚑一个开头句型
Mention…and what comes to mind is…

作文开头段往往需要一个适当的引入，此时如果能够积累一些开头段句型我们会更加容易找到切入点。下面就是一个例子：

Mention polygamy in Canada and what might come to mind is Bountiful, a suitably named town in British Columbia.

这里come to mind是一个固定搭配，它的含义是“突然想到”，它也可以写成spring to mind，从这里可以提取出一个句式：Mention…and what comes to mind is… 提及……时我们第一个想到的是……

当我们要介绍某个地方、人物或者作品时，就可以用上该句型，Mention A and what comes to mind is B，其中A一般是与事物有关的品质或者特点，B是事物本身。举个例子：

(1) Mention poverty reduction and what comes to mind is China, where more than 500 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the past three decades.

(2) Mention innovative thinking and what comes to mind is Steve Jobs, a man who was ahead of his time and who reshaped the IT industry.

此外，我们也可以使用下面的句式：When people think of…, several things come to mind…

举个例子：When people think of Donald Trump, several things come to mind: a business tycoon, the current President of the United States, and a man who waged a trade war with China.

⚑一个转折句型
For all the talk of...still...

写作中比较常见的一个转折句型是：Although/Though…这里再提供一个新的说法：

For all the talk of a global market for talent, chief executives in Britain still earn considerably less than their counterparts in the United States.

这句话的大意是“尽管有很多关于（英国是）全球人才市场的讨论，英国的首席执行官还是赚得比他们的美国同行少很多”。句子中for all是一个固定搭配，含义是“尽管”，相当于in spite of，从这里我们可以提取出一个句式：For all the talk of…still… 尽管关于……有很多讨论，……仍然……，其中for all the talk of后面一般接名词或者名词性成分。

写作中可以用上该句型来表达转折，例如：

For all the talk of equal rights for women, gender discrimination is still rife in the workplace.

⚑与……背道而驰
fly in the face of

如何表达“……与……背道而驰”？可以看看《经济学人》的一个例子：

Mr Trump certainly has the power to wreak trade havoc. A big blanket tariff would slice through supply chains, hurt American consumers and fly in the face of the global system of trade rules overseen by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

选段中出现了一个短语：fly in the face of something，这是一个议论文中较为常见的表达，意思是“与（人们认为合理或正常的事情）背道而驰”，这种事情可以是指法律法规，也可以指传统、常识、逻辑等。

举几个例子：

(1) Staying up late flies in the face of healthy living.

(2) North Korea’s nuclear tests fly in the face of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

(3) Some people argue that the demolition of old buildings flies in the face of cultural heritage preservation.

写作时可以根据实际话题不同灵活应用。

⚑带来严重后果
a slippery slope

要表达“……给人带来严重后果”，常见的一个说法是：Something can have dire consequences for somebody，但也可以参考下面的写法：

Commentators recently said that Clean Reader, the app that bowdlerises ebooks, puts us on a slippery slope towards total literary censorship.

句子中出现了一个说法a slippery slope，这是一个固定搭配，它字面上的含义是“滑坡”，可以引申为“（过程或习惯等）带来严重后果，使人走向极坏的境地”（a bad situation or habit which, after it has started, is likely to get very much worse ）。

短语的常见搭配是be on a/the slippery slope (to/towards doing something)，举个例子：

Once he had tried that first cigarette, he was on the slippery slope to being a smoker.

写作中可以使用该表达来说明某习惯（比如吸烟、喝酒、玩电脑游戏等）会使人沉迷其中，产生严重后果。例如：

(1) Although video games can be beneficial to some extent, excessive gaming often puts young people on a slippery slope.

(2) While taking an interest in the rich and famous may be fun and harmless, unbridled celebrity worship can be a slippery slope.

⚑对比
the same cannot be said of

下面该句式可以用于引出新的观点或例子与上文对比：

Despite the mystery, Dr Charcot's colleagues never thought to question the scientific value of the experiment. The same cannot be said of Mario Beauregard, a brain-imager from the University of Montreal, who has also experimented with mescaline.

其中the same cannot be said of…意思是“同样的说法/情况并不能用在……身上”，我们可以使用该句式来列举一个与上文不同的例子或观点。

举个例子，对于生活在城市和农村的优缺点对比，可以说：

In big cities it is always easy to find a movie theater, karaoke hall or fitness studio. However, the same cannot be said of remote villages.

际遇之神 奖励九春怿路遇贵人，得4派派币

九春怿(派派活动专员)

6楼 2020-04-28

⚑说比做简单
something is easy to decry but hard to prevent

在解决类方案的写作里面我们有时候需要表达一种这样的情况：批评……很容易，但是要真正做点什么很难。用英文应该怎么说呢？可以参考下面的这一句式：

Obstacles on the internet, just like barriers to trade, are easy to decry but hard to prevent.

这句话的意思是“设立在互联网上的障碍就像贸易壁垒一样，要抨击它很容易，但要防止它很难”。其中decry的意思是“谴责，抨击”（to say publicly that you do not approve of someone or something）它的意思要比criticize更重。

从这里我们可以提取出一个句式：something is easy to decry but hard to prevent，它可以用于说明某些不好的现象（比如环境污染、食品安全、交通堵塞等）很容易批评，但很难阻止。举个例子：

Traffic congestion in big cities is easy to decry but hard to prevent. As household income rises, a growing number of city dwellers are willing and able to afford private cars, which will cause more traffic problems in the foreseeable future.

⚑后视镜看历史
look in the rearview mirror to do something

下面的句子出自The Economist关于金融的一篇文章：

Any adjustments to pension liabilities should be justified by beliefs about the future and not by looking in the rearview mirror to see what gilt yields used to be.

上面这句话的大意是“任何对养老金负债的调整都应该基于对未来的信念，而不是基于历史上债券收益率的情况”。其中有一个很有意思的表达：look in the rearview mirror to do something，rearview mirror是指汽车的后视镜，开车时看后视镜可以清楚后方的情况，这里则采用了它的引申义：通过借鉴过去的情况来决定做某事。

该句型可以用在一些涉及今昔对比的情形中，例如：

Today’s labor market is much more complicated than in the past, as technological advances are destroying and creating jobs at an unprecedented rate. In light of this, it would be imprudent to look in the rearview mirror to see what a so-called stable job used to be.

⚑某观点站不住脚
something is entirely unfounded

要表达“某观点/陈述/论证站不住脚”，最常见的说法是something is groundless/baseless，除此之外，还可以使用下面这一说法：

Most important, there is full confidence in the central bank and the rupee. Reserves are healthy and the Bank of Mauritius is clean. Yet the worries of Mauritian businessmen are not entirely unfounded. The island's success has been partly built on protected trade deals in textiles and sugar with America and Europe.

其中the worries of Mauritian businessmen are not entirely unfounded意思是“毛里求斯商人的担忧并非完全没有根据”，unfounded含义是“没有事实根据的”（not supported with facts or evidence）。

由此我们可以提取出一个句型：something is entirely unfounded，它可以用来说明观点、消息、论证等没有根据，站不住脚。举个例子，有这样一道雅思作文题：

Individuals can do nothing to protect the environment; only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

如果你想完全反对题目中的观点，就可以说：

The claim that only governments and large companies can protect the environment is entirely unfounded. Individuals also play an important role in environmental protection.

⚑一个转折句型
close scrutiny of…reveals that…

下面这一句型出自《卫报》一篇关于儿童虐待的文章：

The council's defence has been that no one could have protected against deceitful carers and parents. But closer scrutiny of the case reveals that Baby P's bruising stopped when he was removed for a short while from his abusers. It would not have been overly cautious to have put two and two together.

第二句的大意是“但是经过更细致的检查后发现婴儿P身上的淤青在他被带离虐童犯不久后就不再增加了”，其中close scrutiny of…reveals that…是一个常见的论证句型，它可以用来说明接下来要揭示的情况与之前人们认为的不同，借此引出新的观点。

还是以一道雅思作文题目作为例子：

Foreign tourists should be charged higher fees than local people to visit cultural places and historical sites. Do you agree or disagree with this statement.

如果你持反对观点，可以这样说：

Some people argue that foreign tourists to cultural places and historical sites should be charged more than locals, as local people already pay to these sites through the tax system. However, close scrutiny of this claim reveals that such an approach is at best short-sighted, at worst counterproductive. Foreign tourists contribute to the economy of the host country not only by paying entrance fees to cultural and historical sites, but also by spending on a wide range of goods and services, including transportation, food and accommodation. The money they spend could be a boon to local businesses, the prosperity of which helps to create jobs for local residents.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

7楼 2020-04-28

The Economist最近在商业板块推出了一个全新专栏Bartleby，该专栏会对一些职场以及商业趋势进行解读，推荐感兴趣的同学关注。

今天要分析的句子来自Bartleby专栏一篇关于自由职业的文章：

THE decline of the conventional job has been much heralded in recent years. It is now nearly axiomatic that people will work for a range of employers in a variety of roles over their lifetimes, with a much more flexible schedule than in the past. Opinion is still divided over whether this change is a cause for concern or a chance for workers to be liberated from the rut of office life.

这一开头段虽然只有三个句子，但每个句子都值得模仿学习。第一句The decline of the conventional job has been much heralded in recent years. 意思是“传统工作的衰落在近年来被大势宣扬”，从中我们可以提取出一个句式：…has been much heralded in recent years. 用于形容某一现象被人们广泛关注和赞扬。例如：

(1) The rise in remote working / sharing economy has been much heralded in recent years.

(2) The widespread use of artificial intelligence has been much heralded in recent years.

第二个句子中It is now nearly axiomatic that… 含义是“……几乎是不言自明的”，例如：It is now nearly axiomatic that China will surpass the U.S. to become the world's largest economy.

第三个句式则可以用于说明人们对某事物（例如变化、趋势等）持有不同的看法：Opinion is still divided over whether…is a cause for concern or a chance for… 其中a cause for concern是一个固定搭配，含义是“令人担忧的事物”。

举个例子：

Opinion is still divided over whether genetically modified foods are a cause for concern or a chance for humanity to fight world hunger and poverty.

⚑对……感到担忧
Worries about…have emerged in a wide range of areas, from…to…

下面的句子出自Bartleby专栏的另一篇文章：How an algorithm may decide your career.

Worries about potential bias in AI systems have emerged in a wide range of areas, from criminal justice to insurance. In recruitment, too, companies will face a legal and reputational risk if their hiring methods turn out to be unfair.

第一句话的大意是“对于AI系统潜在歧视的担忧已经在很多领域开始显现，包括刑事审判和保险”，从这里我们可以提取出一个句式：Worries about…have emerged in a wide range of areas, from…to… 可以使用该句式来对人们担忧的现象进行说明并举例。比如：

Worries about genetic engineering have emerged in a wide range of areas, from food safety to biodiversity. Some claim genetically modified crops can develop new substances that are harmful to humans. There is also concern that engineering specific traits into select species threatens biodiversity by upsetting the natural balance. Engineered organisms spread quickly into the wild, and other species may be driven to extinction because of this.

⚑观点站得住脚
hold water

要表达“某观点（声明、解释等）站得住脚”，我们一般可以说The statement/argument/explanation is true/reasonable/valid. 除此之外，还可以采用下面这个说法：

These temporary workers can be viewed as a “reserve army” of labour that employers can use to hold down wages. (This might explain the sluggish growth of real earnings in America of late; but that argument holds water only if the reserve army is growing over time, and the BLS data cast doubt on that.)

上面选段中有这样一句话：…but that argument holds water only if the reserve army is growing over time… （但这一论点只有当预备员工的数量随着时间流逝而增加时才成立）其中hold water是议论文写作中经常用到的一个表达，它的含义是“（观点、声明、解释等）站得住脚”。例如：

The argument that foreign visitors should pay more than locals for cultural and historical attractions holds water, as the local population already pay money to these sites through the tax system.

这一表达也可以使用否定形式…does not hold water，例如：

The argument that universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject does not hold water. In fact, it would be unfair to base admission to university courses on gender, since some qualified candidates will be denied a place on their favorite courses because of the criterion.

⚑一个对比句型
at the other end of the spectrum/scale

常见的用于对比的句型有in/by contrast，这里再介绍一个新的表达：

Countries in the OECD have very different immigration rates (the size of the immigrant flow relative to the population). From 1990 to 2000, the United States’ immigration rate was 5.7%. At the other end of the spectrum stood Estonia, with a rate of -16.7%. A negative value means that more people left than arrived.

第二句中有一个说法：At the other end of the spectrum stood Estonia…这是一个倒装结构，还原后是Estonia stood at the other end of the spectrum.其中spectrum原本含义是“光谱”，at the other end of the spectrum即“处于光谱的另一端”，引申为“与……相反的情况”。at the other end of the spectrum也可以写成at the other end of the scale.

我们可以使用该句型来引出与上文相反的情况，例如：

Global inequality is growing ever more pronounced in recent years. The rich throw lavish parties and snap up luxury products. At the other end of the spectrum/scale are the poor who struggle to get enough to eat.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

8楼 2020-04-28

⚑一种段落衔接方式
...and rush in they did.

英文写作非常注意句子以及段落的衔接。一般来说，这种衔接可以通过各种连接词（比如therefore, however, although, moreover等）来完成。今天在这里介绍一种新的段落衔接方式：

One reason was ideological: many internet pioneers believed that the protocols would be enough to prevent centralisation. The other was that, even though they moved faster than conventional standard-setting bodies, they were still slow.“If the internet’s governance mechanisms had worked better, we wouldn’t have had all these private actors rush into the void,” says Kevin Werbach of Wharton, the University of Pennsylvania’s business school.

And rush in they did. The lack of built-in memory on the web made it difficult to offer certain applications.

上面这段话出自The Economist对于互联网现状的报道。互联网的设计初衷是去中心化，但当初互联网协议不够完善，导致后来很多互联网基础服务被巨头垄断。这些巨头在国外是FAANG（Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix以及Google），在国内则是BAT（Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent）。第一段最后一句话”we wouldn’t have had all these private actors rush into the void”指的就是互联网巨头垄断（由于协议不完善留下的）基础服务真空的事情。

接下来第二段开头作者写了一个倒装句：And rush in they did. 这里rush in与上一段最后一句rush into the void形成呼应，they则指前面提到的private actors，通过这种“倒装+重复动词”的形式，作者很巧妙地实现了两个段落的自然连接。

我们写作的时候可以借鉴这种连接方式，具体方法是在上一个段落结尾句构造一个带有否定意味的句子，然后在下一段开头句采用“倒装+重复动词”的形式来实现衔接。这样讲可能有点抽象，举个具体例子：

Some people think giving aid to poorer countries brings more negatives than positives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

如果你认为国际援助弊大于利，那么在论述的时候可以先简单说明一下国际援助可能带来的好处，然后再话锋一转，强调它的负面影响。中间的转折句就可以用上刚才的句式：

（简单说明国际援助的好处）…Given that international aid can offer so many benefits to poorer countries, it seems odd that anyone would even question the justification for sending aid.

However, question they do, and for good reason. Studies have identified a number of problems associated with foreign aid. Chief among them is corruption…（论述国际援助的负面影响）

通过这种形式让段落之间联系更加紧密。

⚑一个强调句式
All the more so with

下面的句子出自The Guardian对于癌症治疗的一篇报道：

First do no harm is the basic medical duty, but for patients with lethal diseases, the ethical line between doing no harm and failing to do any good is blurred. All the more so with those terminal cancers where the clinical consensus is for brutal interventions which achieve no more than stretching out an unremitting prognosis.

“首先不伤害病人”是一个基本的医学原则，但当医生面对致命疾病时这一原则有时候很难把握，因为对抗这些疾病需要强力干预，这个过程会对病人造成伤害。上面句子中有一个表达值得注意：All the more so with… 它可以对上文提到的情况进行强调，意思类似于“尤其是对于……来说，这种情况更加明显”。

可以使用该句型来验证上文的观点、结论等，例如：

(1) Technological advances help to disseminate information and knowledge. All the more so with the advent of online education, which enables us to learn anytime, anywhere.

(2) Nuclear safety has been a matter of concern for more than half a century. All the more so with the Fukushima nuclear disaster, which led to great environmental damage and the mass evacuation of residents.

⚑一个类比句型
What A is for B, C is for D.

下面的句子出自The Economist对于互联网技术极客的报道：

WHAT MASS IS for Catholics, technology conferences are for geeks. Speakers at these gatherings often sound like preachers, promising a dazzling future.

开头第一句话很有意思：What Mass is for Catholics, technology conferences are for geeks. 它的意思是“技术会议对于极客的意义，就像弥撒对于天主教徒的意义一样”。从这里我们可以提取出一个句式：What A is for B, C is for D. 其中A和B是读者熟悉的两个概念，通过类比来说明C对于D的意义。

举个例子，如果要向西方读者介绍腾讯，可以说：

What Facebook is for the US, Tencent is for China.

要说明数据对于机器学习的重要性，可以用汽油对于汽车的作用来类比：

What petrol is for cars, data is for machine learning.

⚑对某个观点进行反驳
…rests on…reasonable-sounding but largely groundless propositions. The first is that…A second argument is that…A third argument is that…

议论文写作中我们可能需要对某些有争议的观点进行反驳，这种情况下可以借鉴下面的句式：

The aversion to paid plasma rests on three reasonable-sounding but largely groundless propositions.

上面这句话的大意是“对于付费血浆的反感源于三个听起来很有道理但实际上几乎毫无根据的观点”。从这里可以提取出一个句式：

…rests on…reasonable-sounding but largely groundless propositions. The first is that…A second argument is that…A third argument is that…

在分点论述中可以先对有争议的观点进行解释，然后再依次反驳。

举个例子，转基因食品安全性一直是一个备受争议的话题，如果你支持转基因食品，可以这样写：

The aversion to genetically modified foods rests on two reasonable-sounding but largely groundless propositions. The first is that GM crops can develop new substances that are harmful to humans. But there is no evidence for the claim and research has shown that GM foods are safe for consumption. A second argument is that engineering specific traits into select species threatens biodiversity by upsetting the natural balance. However, as long as scientists apply GM technology carefully and governments introduce strict safety regulations, such a problem can be avoided.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

9楼 2020-04-28

⚑形容某人很有名
It is hard to go a day in XX without…

如何形容某人很有名？最常见的说法是somebody is famous/well-known/renowned，有其他说法吗？可以看看The Economist是如何对范冰冰进行报道的：

IT IS hard to go a day in China without seeing Fan Bingbing. The doe-eyed starlet gazes from film posters (she has averaged four films a year for the past decade), airbrushed ads for global brands and glossy magazine covers.

开头的句子很巧妙：It is hard to go a day in China without seeing Fan Bingbing. 这里用了双重否定，即“在中国几乎每一天都能看到范冰冰”，下一句解释了原因：因为她经常出现在电影海报、国际大牌广告以及杂志封面上。我们可以借鉴第一句来说明某人很有名：It is hard to go a day in XX without…

举个例子：

It is hard to go a day in the US without hearing news about Donald Trump, whose capriciousness and narcissism constantly put him in the limelight.

除此之外，还可以使用下面这个说法：

AS THE second-richest person in the world, and with a half-century record of investing success, Warren Buffett is a household name worldwide.

这里作者用a household name（一个家喻户晓的名字）来形容巴菲特，非常恰如其分。我们可以使用该短语来说明某人很有名，例如：

As the founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma is a household name in China.

⚑一个让步句
…may have…but whether…remains to be seen

下面这个句子出自The Economist商业板块对于京东采用无人机送货的报道：

JD may have added drones to daily Chinese village life, but whether they will make financial sense for the company over time remains to be seen.

这个句子虽然用词不难，但其中有很多值得注意的地方，比如上半句JD may have added drones to daily Chinese village life 这里may have done something是一种表示猜测的用法，即“京东可能已经让无人机进入中国的乡村生活”。

下半句make financial sense是一个很地道的用法，make sense的含义是“（某行为方式是）明智的，合乎情理的”，make financial sense可以理解为“在经济上是明智的，能够产生良好经济效益的”。Over time是一个常见搭配，含义是“慢慢地，渐渐地”。句子最后的remain to be seen同样也是一个固定搭配，它的含义是“（某事情）尚不确定”。

因此，整个句子连起来意思是：京东可能已经让无人机进入中国的乡村生活，但它们在后面能否为公司带来经济效益还有待观察。

从上面的句子中可以提取出一个句式：…may have…but whether…remains to be seen. 这是一个让步句型，用于说明某事情表面上是如此，但实际上能否做到……还有待观察。例如：

Online education may have lowered the cost of learning, but whether it will enable students to learn more effectively remains to be seen.

⚑一个举例句型
To see how A, witness B

我们在之前的系列中讲过几个用于举例的句式，比如be it (they) / whether it (they) be, in the form of… 这里再补充一个说法：

Otherwise, supply chains will be put at risk and governments will probably be drawn into the business of picking winners. To see how easily that happens, witness the thousands of requests by American importers for exemptions from Mr Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs.

上面句子中有这样一个表达：witness the thousands of requests… 其中witness something是一个固定用法，它的意思类似于let’s witness something…（让我们看看……）

从这里我们可以提取出一个句型：To see how A, witness B （要……看看……就知道了），它可以通过例子B来验证A，举两个例子：

(1) To see how technological advances change our lives, witness the internet, an invention that connects the world and boosts the spread of knowledge.

(2) To see how ordinary people can rise to stardom, witness Wang Ju, a contestant on the singing competition, Produce 101, a Chinese reality television show.

⚑证明某事
justify

观察母语人士写的文章，你会发现一些很简单但我们不一定会用的单词或短语，比如刚刚提到的make financial sense，接下来要说的一个单词也属于这种类型：

It would be a challenge to find a recent annual report of any big international company that justifies the firm's existence merely in terms of profit, rather than “service to the community”.

这里出现了一个很好用的词justify，它的意思是“证明（决定、行为或想法）正当；表明……必要”，justifies the firm's existence merely in terms of profit 即“仅仅通过利润本身来证明公司存在的价值”。

Justify后面可以接名词或者动名词，我们可以使用它来证明某事情有价值，有正当意义。例如：

Some people argue that since there are still hundreds of millions of people living in poverty, it is difficult to justify spending so much money on space exploration.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

10楼 2020-04-28

⚑表示因果关系的一个衔接句式
It follows that…

写作中常见的用于表示原因-结果的连接词有so/thus/therefore/consequently/as a result/as a consequence/for this reason等等。这里介绍一个新的说法：

Mr Mattis has argued that, judging both by its declared philosophy and its growing arsenal, Russia could in certain situations resort to “battlefield” nuclear weapons in the belief that America would not want to respond to the use of a low-yield nuclear weapon by annihilating Moscow. It follows that America needs to be able to match Russia at every level of escalation.

这段话的大意是：考虑到俄罗斯的战争理念以及其不断增长的武器库，它有可能在某些情况下对美国动用核武器，因为它认为美国不会因为俄罗斯使用低当量核武器就将莫斯科夷为平地。因此，美国需要在和俄罗斯的冲突中保持旗鼓相当。

这里有一个值得注意的表达：It follows that… 这是一个固定句式，意思是“由此得出，由此可以推断出”。

可以使用该句式来连接有因果关系的上下文。例如剑桥词典的两条例句：

(1) If we posit that wage rises cause inflation, it follows that we should try to minimize them.

(2) Because ladybirds eat greenfly, it follows that a decrease in the numbers of ladybirds will lead to a rise in the population of greenfly.

话题作文中很多场合都可以用上该句式，举个例子：

Research has shown that increased investment in higher education has a positive effect on a country’s gross domestic product. In the long term, a society with more educated citizens will experience more innovation, greater productivity, and higher global competitiveness. It follows that governments should make higher education available to all students.

⚑形容某事物能带来好处
be a force for good

如何形容某事物具有很多优点，能够带来好处？常见的说法是：something is beneficial/something can offer many benefits，除此之外，还可以参考下面的用法：

But when many in the West are contemplating their future with new foreboding, it is important to understand why the sceptics are wrong; why economic integration is a force for good; and why globalisation, far from being the greatest cause of poverty, is its only feasible cure.

上文中有这样一句话：why economic integration is a force for good（为什么经济一体化是有益的）。其中a force for good是一个地道英文写作中很常见的表达，它的意思是“某事物是有益的，某事物能带来好处”。比如麦克米伦词典中有这样的例句：

The Internet can be a force for good by helping to spread knowledge.

这一短语在考场作文中也有很广泛的应用，例如：

(1) Despite its potential risks, genetically engineering technology can be a force for good by helping to fight hunger and poverty.

(2) In recent years, many Chinese citizens have taken a keen interest in western holidays and festivals. As long as foreigners do not try to impose their beliefs on the local people, the growing popularity of western festivals can be a force for good.

⚑支持/反对某事物的理由
a case can be made

下面的句子出自The Economist一篇关于非洲电网建设的文章Light-bulb moment:

Typically, countries connect citizens with vast grid-extension programmes. Big grids make perfect sense for populous places. They can cheaply supply power generated far away to millions and, as they incorporate more wind and solar energy, they are becoming greener. But in remote places, the economic case for grids becomes hard to make.

这段话的意思是：通常情况下国家通过大规模电网将电输送给民众，这种做法对于人口稠密的地区很合理，但对于偏远地区来说，在经济上可能并不划算。

其中最后一句话值得注意：the economic case for grids becomes hard to make. 这里case是熟词生义，它的含义是“论点；事实”(a set of facts and arguments that you can state for or against something)，the economic case for grids becomes hard to make 字面意思即“电网在经济上的理由并不充分”，引申为“使用电网在经济上并不划算”。

当case取该含义时，有几个常见的句型。例如要表达“支持／反对修建核电站的理由很充分”，可以说：

There is a good case for/against building nuclear plants.

“对于削减开支，他有很好的理由”，可以说：

He makes a good case for cutting expenses.

“目前减税的理由很充足”，可以说：

A case can be made for reducing taxes right now.

⚑在……之间取得平衡
a trade-off between A and B

在对两种不同选择进行取舍的时候，很多时候我们需要表达这样的意思：在……和……之间取得平衡，对……和……进行协调。对于这种情况我们可以参考下面的句型：

Any welfare reform entails trade-offs between the cost of a scheme and its effects on poverty and incentives to work. No scheme is perfect. But a good basis is the negative income tax, which subsidises workers below an earnings threshold, while taxing those above it.

这里第一句话的意思是“任何社会福利的改革都需要在方案的成本以及它对于减少贫穷和激励工作之间取得平衡”。trade-off在这里的意思是“（在相互对立的两者间的）权衡，协调”：

a trade-off between A and B 也是一个应用很广的句型。举两个例子：

(1) In the face of serious pollution, many countries have to make a trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection.

(2) More and more office workers feel that they have to make a trade-off between their job and their family.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

11楼 2020-04-30

⚑即使没有更...也...
If not more so

If not more so是地道英文中很常见的一个表达，但很少在中国学生的习作中看到。可能的一个原因是if not more so在中文里面很难找到一个对等的概念，而对于母语中没有的概念，我们会倾向于不去使用它。if在这里通常用来指与句子主要部分的陈述稍微不同（used when you are adding that something may be even more, less, better, worse etc than you have just said）。if not more so意思很微妙，它的大概含义是“即使不是更……”。例如The Economist文章里面有这样的句子：

The next phase of the computing revolution is the “internet of things” (IoT), in which all manner of everyday objects, from light bulbs to cars, incorporate computers connected permanently to the internet. Most of these gizmos are as insecure as any other computer, if not more so.

上面这段话的意思是：目前很多日常设备都开始接入互联网（即所谓的“物联网”），但这些设备像普通的电脑一样不够安全，很容易遭到攻击。Most of these gizmos are as insecure as any other computer, if not more so. 可以理解为“这些设备中的大部分即使没有更易遭受攻击，也和其他电脑一样不够安全”。

朗文英英词典里面也有类似的例句：

Her needs are just as important as yours, if not more so.

这句话的意思是“纵然她的需求不更重要，但至少和你的一样重要”。

除了if not more so这个句型之外，if not…还可以接形容词构成其他搭配，例如if not impossible/great/forgivable，举个例子：

The snow was now two feet deep, making it difficult, if not impossible, to get the car out.

这里if not impossible相当于although it was not impossible，句子可以理解为“雪有两英尺厚，要把汽车拉出来很困难，尽管不是不可能。”

这一句型可以用在考场作文中用于对观点进行强调或补充。比如有这样一道作文题目：

Individuals can do nothing to protect the environment; only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

我们可以在开头段写：

People have different views about whether individuals can contribute significantly to environmental protection. Although governments and large companies are crucial in addressing conservation issues, the role played by individuals is just as important, if not more so.

⚑解释一个论点
The argument that…rests chiefly on the fact that…

在解释一个论点时我们通常会用到这样的句型：the reason why…is…，除此之外还可以有下面的写法：

Mr Ritter’s argument that Amazon and Zalando can comfortably co-exist rests chiefly on the fact that Amazon is pursuing the more price-conscious shopper, whereas Zalando is after a higher-value, more brand-conscious segment.

从这里可以提取出一个句型：the argument that…rests chiefly on the fact that…，该句型可以用在议论文的段落开头，用来对分论点进行解释。举个例子，有这样的作文题目：

Some people believe that all high school graduates should be given the opportunity to go to college or university. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

我们可以提出一个论点，普及高等教育对一个国家的经济有利，并且进行展开：

The argument that higher education should be made universally available rests chiefly on the fact that doing so is in society’s best economic interests. Research shows that increased investment in tertiary education has a positive effect on a country’s gross domestic product. In the long term, a society with a greater number of highly-educated citizens is more likely to develop the creative technologies and business solutions needed to stimulate economic growth.

⚑举例论证
attest

在举例论证时最常见的一个说法是for example/for instance，但我们也可以换一种表达方式，比如：

Mr Yameen has weathered plenty of adversity, as the long list of his opponents attests. Media reports in August about moves to oust him came to nothing.

在上面的句子中as引导的是一个非限制性定语从句，它所指代的先行词是前面整个主句Mr Yameen has weathered plenty of adversity，此时as在从句中充当的是attest的宾语。Attest的含义是“证明，作为……的证据”。

我们也可以将句子改写成：

a) As the long list of his opponents attests, Mr Yameen has weathered plenty of adversity.

b) The long list of his opponents attests that Mr Yameen has weathered plenty of adversity.

…as…attest…这一句型有时候可以用来替换for example/for instance，例如：

Air pollution can have a negative impact on people’s health. For example, people living in areas with poor air quality are prone to respiratory disease.

我们可以将其改写为：

a) Air pollution can have a negative impact on people’s health, as the rise in respiratory disease in areas with poor air quality attests.

b) Air pollution can have a negative impact on people’s health, as is attested by the rise in respiratory disease in areas with poor air quality.

⚑一个常用模板
easier said than done

除了句型之外，外刊中也有不少可以直接使用的“模板”，我们在阅读的时候要保持敏感，及时将它们记录下来。举个例子：

Instilling these techniques is easier said than done. With teaching as with other complex skills, the route to mastery is not abstruse theory but intense, guided practice grounded in subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical methods.

这一段话本来是写如何培养教师的教学技能，但它同样可以套用在其他技能的培养上，比如学英语/编程等：

Being fluent in English / a good programmer is easier said than done. With learning/coding as with other complex skills, the route to mastery is not abstruse theory but intense, guided practice grounded in subject-matter knowledge and pedagogical methods.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

12楼 2020-04-30

⚑一个比较句式
A is nowhere near as…as B

考场写作中比较常见的几个用于比较的句式有：

(1) A cannot compete/compare with B   e.g. Companies as small as ours just cannot compete/compare with multinationals.

(2) A is no match for B   e.g. When it comes to military strength, North Korea is no match for the United States.

(3) There is no comparison between A and B   e.g. There is no comparison between the potential destruction caused by a nuclear bomb and a conventional weapon.

这里再介绍一个新的说法：

Some people hope that the internet will revolutionise higher education, making it cheaper and more accessible to the masses. Others fear the prospect. Some academics worry that they will be sacked and replaced by videos of their more photogenic colleagues. Others argue that MOOCs (massive open online courses) are nowhere near as good as a class taught face-to-face.

这段话的背景是讨论在线教育MOOCs对于传统高等教育的影响，最后一句话Others argue that MOOCs (massive open online courses) are nowhere near as good as a class taught face-to-face. 意思是“另一些人认为MOOCs（大规模开放在线课堂）远比不上面对面的线下课堂”。其中A is nowhere near as…as B 是一个比较句式，意思是“A远没有B那么……”。举个例子：

The reason why historic architecture merits preservation is the aesthetic value it provides to many cities. Modern buildings, such as apartment complexes, office towers and mega-malls, are nowhere near as elaborate and beautiful as historic ones.

⚑不得不做的事情
a necessary evil

如何表达“某件事虽然不好，但不得不做”？下面的外刊选段提供了一个表达：

It is too easy for politicians to use monetary policy to inflate away debt. Independent monetary policy provides credibility to the bond market that this will not happen, keeping rates low. Ask two economists about pretty much anything and you're guaranteed to get two different answers. But there exists one common enemy: politicians (though most economists reluctantly agree that politics is a necessary evil).

这一段主要讨论政治对于金融市场的影响。经济学家对很多问题往往都有分歧，但对一点形成了共识：政客是他们的敌人。尽管如此，大部分经济学家还是不得不承认政治在市场中的必要性。最后一句中的a necessary evil是一个固定表达，它的含义是“想做但必须做的事；不得不接受的事”(something that you do not like but that cannot be avoided)

可以用a necessary evil来指那些为了达到目标而不得不做或不得不接受的事情，比如很多人将纳税、政府甚至是工作都视为a necessary evil。写作时可以根据情况灵活应用，例如：

(1) Some people regard environmental pollution as a necessary evil in developing the economy.

(2) Many Asian parents see high academic pressure as a necessary evil in helping their children to develop a strong foundation in academia.

⚑一个转折句型
...not...but rather that...

下面的段落来自The Economist对于职场男女平等的一篇新闻报道：

Following a scandal over pay differences between men and women at the BBC, Britain’s public broadcaster, the piece explored whether women were paid less than men for the same work. It concluded that the problem was not unequal pay for equal work, but rather that women tend to do lower-ranking jobs at lower-paying organisations.

最后一句话It concluded that…lower-paying organisations意思是“文章表明问题并不是出在同工不同酬上，而是女性通常在薪资较低的机构中从事薪资较低的工作”。这里可以提取出一个固定句型…not…but rather that… 它的意思是“……不是……而是……”，该句型通常用于反对前面的观点，并由此提出新的正确的观点。

举个例子，某个城市经常交通拥堵，为了解决这个问题，有人提出应该限制路上汽车的数量，但更深层次的研究表明问题并不是出在汽车数量过多上，而是公共交通设施没有修建好。对于这种情况可以说：

Some people argue that the government should limit the number of cars on the road to reduce traffic congestion. However, studies reveal that the problem is not that there are too many cars, but rather that the public transport system is inefficient.

⚑为……提供根据
If any…lends substance to…it is…

如何表达“……为XX（论点、说法等）提供根据”，我在之前的文章中介绍过一个说法：

XX gives/adds weight to something

例如：This scandal adds more weight to their arguments.

也可以参考下面的表达：

What is most striking about Ireland's new economy is how tightly it is linked to Europe and the world. If any country lends substance to the cliché that the global economy is an opportunity not a threat, it is Ireland.

这段话的背景是爱尔兰因为全球化而受益，因此才有最后一句的说法If any country lends substance to the cliché that the global economy is an opportunity not a threat, it is Ireland. （经济全球化是一个机遇，而不是威胁，如果说有一个国家印证了这句老话，那么爱尔兰就是了）。其中substance是熟词生义，它的意思是“事实基础，根据”，lend substance to sth. 即“为……提供根据”。

从这里也可以提取出一个句式：If any…lends substance to…it is… （如果说有一个……验证了……那么……就是了）。例如：

(1) If any country lends substance to the argument that openness brings progress, it is China.

(2) If any company lends substance to the argument that good design matters, it is Apple.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

13楼 2020-04-30

⚑对……有害
be a disservice to somebody/something

如何表达“某事情对……有害”？最常见的说法是：something will do harm to…/something is harmful to… 除此之外还可以学习下面的表达：

If a reporter discovers, and knows that two or three rival reporters have also discovered, that a politician is going to say something newsworthy, it would be odd, and a disservice to the readers, not to report it.

这句话的大意是如果记者们知道政客接下来要发表有新闻价值的讲话，但没想着去报道，那么这样的行为会很奇怪，同时也损害了读者的利益。这里可以提取出一个表达be a disservice to somebody/something，意思即“……损害某人/某物（的形象、利益、声誉等）”。

举个例子：

Although taking part-time jobs offers a variety of benefits to students, it would be a disservice to them if these jobs take up too much of their time that could otherwise be used for reading textbooks or preparing homework.

同时，该句型的反义表达是do a service to somebody / do somebody a service，例如：

Although academics are important, it is not advisable for students to spend all of their time buried in their books. University students who devote some of their time and energy to extracurricular activities will be doing a service to their studies and careers.

⚑公众对……很关心
Public concern is picking up./ have the power to inflame passions

国内考场作文有一个被用滥了的句型 there is widespread concern about… 我们可以从外刊中找到其他句型来替换，比如：

Public concern is picking up. A poll last year of 38 countries found that 61% of people see climate change as a big threat; only the terrorists of Islamic State inspired more fear.

Public concern is picking up. 其中pick up这一词组用得很棒，它在这里的意思相当于“增加，加强”，可以用 Public concern about/over XX is picking up. 来说明“公众对于……的担忧在加强”，例如：

After a series of vaccine scandals, public concern over vaccine safety is picking up.

除此之外，还可以使用下面的句型：

Today, it still has the power to inflame passions: for Protestants, particularly Orangemen, it remains a flaunted source of ancestral pride; for many Catholics, it is an historical irritant.

从这里可以提取出一个句式something has the power to inflame passions，含义是“某事（通常是有争议的事件）能够激起人们强烈的感情”，比如：

Whether animals should be used in medical research has been debated for decades and the topic still has the power to inflame passions, with animal rights activists claiming that humans have no right to use the suffering of others to seek benefits.

⚑手段与目的
not an end in itself

我们有时候可能需要表达这样的意思“……只是手段，而不是目的”，用英语应该怎么说？

The bag ban is not an end in itself. It’s part of a culture change, with more and more people asking questions about the cost of convenience. At heart, it’s a conservative movement – reusing things where you can, making them last, understanding that the greatest power most of us have is consumer power.

这一段话的背景是塑料污染对海洋生物造成了危害，因此有公益组织建议大家停止使用塑料袋。但塑料袋禁令只是手段而不是目的，其根本目的是要唤醒人们的环保意识。第一句中的an end in itself是一个固定用法，含义是“某事物本身就是目的”，举个例子：

She started exercising for her health, but she enjoyed it so much that exercising became an end in itself.

要表达“……只是手段而不是目的”，即something is not an end in itself，例如：

Economic growth is a means, not an end in itself. The ultimate goal of growth should be to spread benefits to all levels of society.

⚑某事情值得怀疑
whether...is open to doubt / remains to be seen

下面的段落节选自The Economist对于西班牙政局的报道：

A Galician, the Spanish like to quip, is the sort of person you meet on the stairs and you don’t know whether he is going up or coming down. Such ambiguity, or retranca, can make for entertaining and ironic speech, and an attitude of caution, even suspicion. For Mariano Rajoy, the Galician-born Spanish prime minister, playing to this archetype is a way to survive and manage conflicting demands. Whether it is the character trait Spain needs to overcome its agony is open to doubt.

这段文章开头很有意思，作者引用了西班牙人对加西亚人的调侃（在楼梯上碰到他们时你无法确定他们究竟要上还是下）来说明他们做事风格模糊，令人捉摸不透的特点。通过这一背景介绍很自然地引出了同样是加西亚地区出身的西班牙首相马里亚诺·拉霍伊，他通过这种加西亚人式的行事风格来协调各种利益冲突，但这种风格能否帮助西班牙走出困境还是一个未知数。

最后一句话be open to doubt是一个固定表达，含义是“……有待考证，值得怀疑”(If you say that something is in doubt or open to doubt, you consider it to be uncertain or unreliable.) 它更加强调某说法存疑的可能性更大。例如：

(1) Whether minority languages can survive in this increasingly globalized world is open to doubt.

(2) Whether international aid can have a positive impact on the recipient countries is open to doubt.

与此同时，还有一个类似说法something remains to be seen，但该表达更加中立，单纯强调某事物目前还无法确定。例如：

Whether humans will be able to colonize Mars in this century remains to be seen.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

14楼 2020-04-30

⚑某个论点有一定的道理
have half a point

在议论文中我们有时候需要对两个相反的论点进行讨论，此时可能会用到这样的说法：虽然A论点……但是B论点也有一定的道理。对于这种情况可以参考下面的句式：

Environmentalists who call air-conditioning “a luxury we cannot afford” have half a point, however.

这段话的背景是讨论空调的利与弊。一些人认为空调给世界带来了巨大的好处，因为它降低了因高温引起的各种疾病，同时也为人们工作和学习创造了舒适的环境。但环保人士认为空调带来了很多弊处，比如全世界的空调加起来消耗了很多电能，而发电过程中会有碳排放，因此空调间接加剧了全球变暖，因此才有文中的说法：Environmentalists who call air-conditioning “a luxury we cannot afford” have half a point, however.

have a point在英文中是一个固定搭配，相当于have made a good point，含义是“（某人）说的有道理”，have half a point由该短语变换而来，意思相当于“（……的说法）也有一定道理”。

比如这里还有一个例子：

Libération newspaper last week, while conceding that TIME might have half a point, sniffed back: "Yes, but my goodness: American culture viewed from Paris? Brad Pitt the successor to Humphrey Bogat? Madonna, the heiress of Billie Holiday?".

当我们要论述某一对立的观点也有道理时，就可以用上somebody has half a point这一表达，例如：

Although doing a part-time job can offer certain benefits, those who oppose this practice have half a point. Having part-time employment can adversely affect students’ studies by becoming a drain on their time. While spending 10 hours a week working at a restaurant may not seem like a major time commitment, it still takes time away from students that could otherwise be used to read textbooks or prepare homework.

⚑造成……问题最重要的原因是……
the reasons for…are manifold, but chief among them is…

在问题解决类题目中，我们通常需要说明造成某个问题的一个或多个原因，在这种情况下可以考虑使用下面的句式：

The reasons for this shift are manifold, but chief among them is the sheer expense of the Valley.

这一段话的背景是由于硅谷的工作和生活成本增加，很多创业公司纷纷搬出了硅谷前往其他更加合适的地方。The reasons for this shift are manifold, but chief among them is the sheer expense of the Valley. 这一句话的意思是“造成这一转变的原因有很多，但其中最重要的一个是硅谷巨大的生活和工作成本”。

从这里可以提取出一个句型：the reasons for…are manifold, but chief among them is… 通过该句型来强调造成某问题最重要的原因。例如：

Today, many big cities around the world are suffering from traffic congestion. The reasons for this problem are manifold, but chief among them is the surge in the number of cars. As cars are becoming increasingly affordable, more and more people now have the chance to get behind the wheel. Because of this, the roads of the world’s major cities are more flooded with motor vehicles than at any time in history.

⚑瑕不掩瑜
…concerns should not obscure the good that comes from…

如何表达“某事物虽然有缺点，但它们无法掩盖其优点”？可以参考下面的说法：

Yet such concerns should not obscure the good that comes from the modern way of romance. The right partners can elevate and nourish each other. The wrong ones can ruin both their lives.

这段文字选自The Economist关于婚恋网站的一篇文章Modern Love，作者在文中对婚恋网站的价值进行了肯定。尽管这些网站存在中心化以及算法不公平等问题，但瑕不掩瑜，它们发挥的积极作用是无可比拟的。因此才有上面第一句的说法：Yet such concerns should not obscure the good that comes from the modern way of romance. 从这里我们可以提取出一个句式：…concerns should not obscure the good that comes from… 用以说明某事物利大于弊。举个例子：

Although there are concerns about nuclear safety, such concerns should not obscure the good that comes from this energy source. Compared to renewables such as wind or solar, nuclear power produces cheaper and more plentiful electricity, an advantage that is gaining in importance given that demand for energy is on the rise.

⚑要知道……只需要
…need only look at…to catch a glimpse of…

下面的句子节选自The Economist关于能源的报道：Electric dreams

America’s frackers need only look at the country’s woebegone coalminers to catch a glimpse of their fate in a distant post-oil future.

文章的背景是美国的页岩气开采行业在未来可能会受到油价影响而变得不景气。节选的这句话含义是“美国的页岩气水压裂工人只需要看看他们国家愁眉苦脸的矿工就能瞥见自己在遥远的后石油时代的命运”。

这句话里面look at与catch a glimpse of互相呼应，写得很漂亮，从这里也可以提取一个句式：…need only look at…to catch a glimpse of…

我们可以使用该句式来说明科技变化带来的影响，例如：

Today’s taxi drivers need only look at the angry handloom weavers in the 19th century, who destroyed weaving machinery as a form of protest, to catch a glimpse of their fate in a future when automation renders many jobs obsolete.

九春怿(派派活动专员)

15楼 2020-04-30

⚑某件事说明了……
It says something about…that…

我在之前的系列中曾经介绍过一种段落连接的方法，即在下一段的开头通过重复+倒装的形式来实现自然衔接。这里又有一个新的例子：

IT SAYS something about the power Les Moonves wielded in the entertainment industry that one bombshell report of allegations by multiple women of sexual misconduct and harassment could not dislodge him as chairman and chief executive of CBS. Instead, it took two.

But fall he finally did. On September 9th Mr Moonves, long considered one of the most astute executives in the media business, was forced out hours after the New Yorker reported allegations that he sexually assaulted or harassed six women in incidents dating from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

这段话的背景是媒体巨头CBS的总裁Les Moonves因为多项性骚扰指控而下台。第一段中提到…could not dislodge him as chairman and chief executive of CBS…而第二段开头则是But fall he finally did. 其中fall和dislodge在意思上相对应，But fall he finally did.是倒装结构，还原后是But he did finally fall. 作者通过这一小技巧自然引出了下文。

选段的第一句话也值得注意：It says something about the power Les Moonves wielded in the entertainment industry that one bombshell report of allegations by multiple women of sexual misconduct and harassment could not dislodge him as chairman and chief executive of CBS.（莱斯·穆恩维斯作为CBS主席兼首席执行官，在娱乐圈拥有很大权力。就连一份关于多名女性对他性行为不端和骚扰指控的重磅报道也无法让他下台，这足以说明问题。）

其中有这样一个句式：It says something about…that… 含义是“从……可以看出（某人或某物的个性特质、真正面貌等）”，that后面接的一般是具体的例子，比如：

(1) It says something about China’s progress that children in the country’s mountain villages have access to the internet.

(2) It says something about iPhone’s popularity that many stay up to watch Apple’s launch event.

⚑某件事的理由不是……
The case for…is not a dry argument about…It is…

下面节选的句子来自The Economist的社论文章The Economist at 175

The case for getting rid of British tariffs on imported grain was not a dry argument about economic efficiency. It was a mass movement, one in which well-to-do liberal thinkers and progressive businessmen fought alongside the poor against the landowners who, by supporting tariffs on imports, kept up the price of grain.

这段话的背景是英国在1815-1846年期间实行了“谷物法”，通过对进口谷物征收高额关税以保护英国土地贵族的利益。这一法规损害了资产阶级的利益，也违反了自由贸易的精神，于1846年被废除。

原文第一句话The case for getting rid of British tariffs on imported grain was not a dry argument about economic efficiency. 意思是“废除英国对进口谷物的关税并不是基于提高经济效率这一枯燥的理由”。其中case是一词多义，它的含义是“理由，论据”（a set of reasons why something should happen or be done）。

这里可以提取出一个议论文常见的句型：The case for…is not a dry argument about…It is…（……并不是基于……这一枯燥的理由，而是……）。举个例子：

The case for making higher education universally available is not a dry argument about economic growth. It is a mass movement for educational equity, one in which every student, no matter what their background, can have a chance to attend college and make a difference in their life.

⚑验证了之前的发现
echo

在写议论文或者其他科普类文章时我们可能需要表达这样的意思：XX研究验证/重现了……的发现，应该怎么说呢？可以参考下面的表达：

Between 2016 and 2017, Delta Air Lines reported an 84% increase in animal incidents, most of which involved urination, defecation or aggressive or threatening behaviour by a support animal. A survey released on September 12th by the Association of Flight Attendants echoes these findings.

这段话的背景是目前有部分航空公司允许乘客将一些动物（比如导盲犬）带上飞机，但数据表明动物在飞行过程中经常会出现一些小意外。选段第二句有这样的说法：A survey…echoes these findings. 这里echo用得很贴切，单词最常见的含义是“回声，回响”，这里作为动词使用，意思可以理解为“重现，验证”。在调查研究类题材中可以用上该表达，例如：

The finding that women's earnings are still 27% lower than men's echoes recent research.

⚑某事物无法归纳
defy

下面的句子节选自The Economist的一篇文章Not losing hope

In doing so, Mr Mehta paints a picture of an India that is so vast, complex and confusing as to defy generalisation, and facing such a terrifying array of problems that it forbids optimism.

defy generalisation这个说法很有意思。Defy原本的意思是“向……挑战，反抗”，defy generalisation表面意思是“向归纳挑战”，引申为“无法归纳”。我们可以用something defies generalisation来说明某事物很复杂，无法三言两语总结归纳。比如：

The factors leading to environmental degradation/the economic crisis/rising house prices are so complex as to defy generalisation.

新概念英语4的课文也有类似的说法：

How it came about that snakes manufactured poison is a mystery. Over the periods their saliva, a mild, digestive juice like our own, was converted into a poison that defies analysis even today.

蛇是怎样产生毒液的，这是一个谜。蛇的唾液本来和我们人的消化液一样柔和，但经过漫长的时间演变成了今天仍无法分析清楚的毒液。

除此之外，defy还有其他搭配。要形容某地风景优美，我们可以说：The beauty of the scene defies description. 要说明某人的行为无法理解，可以说：His behaviour defies explanation. 要表达某问题无法解决，可以说：The problem defies solution.

英语中类似defy这样的单词用法还有不少，举个例子，“她未能获得金牌”怎么说？你可能会想到：

She failed to win the gold medal.

但其实还可以说：

The gold medal eluded her.

又比如“他内心充满了胜利感”，可以说：

He felt a sense of victory.

但也可以用victory作为主语：

Victory filled him.

这样的写法会使得句子更加简洁生动，平时在阅读时可以多留意此类单词。

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tunianjixiang(热心会员)

16楼 2020-07-23

谢谢

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