kick off用在足球領域,是指「開球、開賽」,比如Liverpool kicked off an hour ago. 利物浦隊一小時前開的球。
用在其他比較普通語境中,它的意思就是「開始」,是begin, start等詞的升華版本。來看個經濟學人的句子:This forced universities to spend as much on women’s sport as on men’s, and kicked off the long rise of women’s football in the country. 這迫使大學對女子足球的投入與對男子足球的投入一樣多,從而開啟了女子足球在該國的崛起。
kick off中間加上連詞符,kick-off就搖身一變成為了名詞,意思和動詞形式一樣一樣的。比如:People stood waiting for the kick-off of the parade. 人們站著等候遊行的開始。
boost我們常常會用它的動詞形式,而此處標題裡卻是名詞形式。「China’s 『Golden Week』 Kicks Off in Boost to Battered Tourism Industry」中 kicks of in Boost表示在大熱中開局,開局即巔峰。可以改成動詞形式「China’s 『Golden Week』 Kicks Off to Boost Battered Tourism Industry」。
boost做名詞時,意思是「幫助、激勵」,常見的搭配有a great / tremendous / welcome boost 很大的/極大的/令人感激的激勵。這個詞太熟悉了,就不贅述了。
繼續往下看,battered這個詞是由動詞batter派生而來的。
batter意思是「連續猛擊、毆打」,既可以是及物動詞,又是不及物動詞,所以結構是batter (at/on) sb/sth。狠一點的表達「把某人打死」就可以說batter sb to death。其實它的意思和用法和beat還是很相似的。
繼續派生,它的名詞形式是battering,意思是「毆打、猛擊」。所以家暴除了可以說domestic violence,還可以說wife battering(對妻子的暴力行為)。此外,battering除了指肉體上實質性的傷害之外,還可以指抽象的「猛烈抨擊」。外刊中經常出現的一個表達就是take a battering (遭受猛烈抨擊)。
比如經濟學人這個句子:Over the past decade democratic institutions have taken a battering. 在過去的十年裡,民主制度遭受了重創。
最後,回到文中的形式「battered」,一看-ed這個形式,就知道battered是一個表示被動含義的形容詞。果然,它的準確含義是attacked violently and injured; attacked and badly damaged by weapons or by bad weather受到嚴重虐待的;受到(炮火、惡劣天氣)重創的。例如:battered women / children受虐待的婦女/兒童。所以標題裡的battered tourism industry就是指「受挫的旅遊業」。
fan out意思是 to spread out or spread sth out over an area(使)展開,散開,成扇形散開。可以這樣理解:fan做動詞時,意思是「扇風」,所以fan out就是四處扇風,形容人的話,就是指人們向四處散開。
比如經濟學人的這個句子:The volunteers fan out across a beautiful, appalling landscape that evokes the work of Andrei Tarkovsky, one of Mr Zvyagintsev’s influences. 志願者們在一片美麗而令人震驚的風景中散開,這讓人想起了安德烈•塔科夫斯基的作品,他受到Zvyagintsev的影響。
fan在表示「扇風」時,還有一個表達是fan the flames of sth,意思就是字面含義那樣直白,表示「煽風點火、煽動情緒」,例如His writings fanned the flames of racism. 他的寫作煽起了種族主義情緒。
另一個與它含義相似的表達是add fuel to the fire/flames(火上澆油),同樣含義都是字面可見的直白。
droves是個複數名詞,意思是「人群」。所以in droves意思就是「成群結隊地, ,大量地」。
[拓展|寫作]平時想要表示「許多,大量人」,經常使用到的有:an/the army of, a horde of, hordes of, droves of, in droves, a swarm of, swarms of, legions of, a throng of, throngs of , a plethora of, a flood/deluge of, a myriad of。
表示「許多,大量物」有:a deluge of, a flood of, a myriad of, a throng of, throngs of, a plethora of。
以上都很常見,使用前最好查一下字典,可以代替many, a lot of。
linger在文中的意思是to continue to exist for longer than expected繼續存留;緩慢消失。要注意的是,它是個不及物動詞。相當於stay, still exist等。比如說,喝完酒後嘴裡會還有餘味:the taste lingers in your mouth。
比如經濟學人中的一個句子:A new study shows that SARS-CoV-2 can linger in the air for hours and on some materials for days. 一項新的研究表明,SARS-CoV-2病毒可以在空氣中停留數小時,在某些物質上停留數天。
參考譯文:中國的「黃金周」開始提振受挫的旅遊業
即便人們對於病毒和經濟存在擔憂,但是預計仍然有大批遊客將赴全國各地旅行
China’s 『golden week』 gains added lustre as millions make up for lost time after coronavirus outbreak
lustre意思是「光澤、光輝、榮耀」。所以標題中的sth adds lustre意思就是說某事增添了光彩、更加矚目。這讓小編想起中文裡的一個成語「蓬蓽生輝」,比如說,「將有一位貴賓為這一場合增光添彩」就可以說:There'll be a celebrity guest to add lustre to the occasion.
外刊中另一個經常用到的相關的詞是lacklustre。我們可以把這個單詞分解成兩個單詞lack+lustre,lack是缺少,lustre是光澤,所以連起來lacklustre就是單調的、乏善可陳的。它的含義正好和add lustre相反。
來康康兩個經濟學人中的句子:
About a decade ago, a few economists began asking whether the rich world’s prolonged spell of lacklustre growth might have something to do with a shortage of new ideas. 大約在十年前,一些經濟學家開始質疑,富裕國家長期的乏力增長是否與缺乏新思路有關。
But the long-term threat to diamonds』 lustre is more surprising: that their price could plummet. 不過光彩奪目的鑽石所面臨的長期威脅要更令人驚訝:它們的價格可能會暴跌。
make up for sth是很眼熟的表達了,意思是「彌補」。
還有另一個詞也可以表示「彌補」,那就是offset。用B抵消A結構是:offset A (against B)。比如說到德國的企業稅收問題:Until January, losses—and even merely anticipated losses—could be offset against tax. 在明年1月之前,損失——甚至只是預期的損失——都可以用稅收來抵消。
belated可以看做是be+lated,那就肯定和「晚」有關,果不其然,意思就是 coming or happening late遲來的;晚出現的。它常常和congratulations/realization/recognition搭配,意思是遲到的祝福/發現/認識。
它還有副詞形式是belatedly,可以用在句中加強語氣,比如The leaders realized belatedly that the coup would be disastrous for everyone.領導們方才意識到這場政變對任何人來說都是一場災難。這裡的「realized belatedly」就理解成「方才意識到」,比單獨的「realized」更能強調時間之晚、滯後性。
來看個經濟學人的句子:China has raised tariffs only in response to America’s. But America sees its combative economic diplomacy as a belated response to decades of intellectual-property theft and other misdeeds. 中國提高關稅只是為了報復美國。但美國將其好鬥的經濟外交視為對數十年的智慧財產權盜竊和其他惡行的遲到回應。
wreck意思是破壞、毀掉,相當於ruin。比如:His life has been wrecked by the tragedy. 他的生活被這場災難毀掉了。
文中用到的搭配是wreck one’s plan破壞某人的計劃。另一個類似的詞是scupper:Mr. Trump may also find that China decides to drag its feet, in the hope of scuppering his chances of a second term and of getting a better deal (or one likelier to stick) with his Democratic successor. 川普可能還會發現中國決意拖延時間,希望藉此讓他連任的機會泡湯,並與接替他的民主黨總統達成更好的(或更可能陷入膠著的)協議。
[拓展]表示[破壞]的同義表達還有:spoil(破壞、糟蹋);ravage(毀壞、損壞、嚴重損害);sabotage(蓄意破壞,搗亂);harm(破壞,損害)。
bounce back在上一篇推送中剛剛說過,不記得的同學點擊藍字「外刊精讀:日娛圈到底怎麼了?看外刊解讀日本人赴死的原因」複習一下。
參考譯文:
數百萬人利用十一黃金周彌補疫情以來不能出遊的遺憾,今年的「黃金周」效益頗豐
•新冠病毒大爆發破壞了很多人的春節計劃,於是數百萬人正在利用延長的國慶假期享受「姍姍來遲的春節」
•消費者支出開始反彈,假期剛過半旅遊收入就達到了460億美元
對本次十一的描述:
Shops have extended business hours while traffic has returned to the roads and people to the streets as tens of millions of Chinese enjoyed a 「belated spring festival」 during the current extended national holiday.The current holiday, which began on National Day last Thursday, has been extended to eight days, offering a long-anticipatedbreak for many holidaymakers as the country tries to get back on its feet after the Covid-19 outbreak(南華早報)
[語法] Shops have extended business hours while traffic has returned to the roads and people to the streets…
在這句話中,不知道你們有沒有注意到少了個詞,那就是people後面省略了動詞。因為people後面的謂語和and前面的謂語是一致的,都是return,所以英語中為了避免重複,常常會把後面的那趴給省略掉。
■在有些特殊語境中,有時可以省去句子的謂語。如:
Only one of us was injured, and he just slightly. 我們當中只有一人受了傷,而且只是輕傷。
分析:he後省去謂語was injured。
We went through the tests on a Monday. Jenny had hers during the day, and I mine after work. 有一個星期一,我們進行了檢查。詹尼在白天,我是在下班之後。
分析:I之後省去謂語had。
■有時可省去謂語中的主要動詞。如:
I』ll be round as quick as I can. 我將儘快趕來。
分析:can之後省去主要動詞be。
I pitied her sincerely, as I would a child of my own. 我真心地愛憐她,就像愛憐我自己的孩子一樣。
分析:would之後省去主要動詞pity。
The current holiday, which began on National Day last Thursday, has been extended to eight days, offering a long-anticipated break for many holidaymakers as the country tries to get back on its feet after the Covid-19 outbreak.
[語法]這句話挺長的,先來劃分一下句子成分:
The current holiday,(主語)// which began on National Day last Thursday,(定語從句,先行詞是holiday)// has been extended to eight days,(補完整主語後面的部分,與主語一起構成完整的主句)// offering a long-anticipated break for many holidaymakers (現在分詞引導出結果狀語,因為holiday和offer是主動關係,所以是ing形式)//as the country tries to get back on its feet after the Covid-19 outbreak.(時間狀語從句)//
long-anticipated從字面上看,就可以得出意思是「期待已久的」。比如說,讓人期待已久的新冠疫苗終於就要上市了:The long-anticipated vaccine is about to be available to the public.
這個詞和上面學過的belated可以串起來記憶,「姍姍來遲的」 和「期待已久的」都可以用來形容後疫情後人們對於出遊的渴望。
再來看個經濟學人中的句子:Investors had priced the long-anticipated rate rise into their valuations. 投資者已經將預期已久的加息計入了自己的估值。
holidaymaker度假者,是tourist的高逼格說法,也是高頻詞彙,一定一定想著用。看到holidaymaker的拼寫,按照英文規律來說,是從make holiday變形而來的。所以「度假」可以用make holiday。
[辨析]make holiday裡沒有a,take a holiday 裡有 a(兩種表達方式都作「休假」解)。on holiday 和 on a holiday 都可以說。例如:
They are making holiday(或 taking a holiday)in the country today.
When they were making holiday(或 taking a holiday)in the country last month, they read together every evening.
They have been on (a) holiday for days.
[寫作]get back on one’s feet字面上看就是依靠某人自己的腳起身,所以它的含義是to become independent again獨立、重新振作。
它的反義表達是on one's knees:表示「面臨崩潰,倒閉,身陷困境」的意思,我們看一看英文釋義:In a weakened or desperate state; in a condition or state of decline or near ruin. 比如之前有篇文章描述美國經濟衰退時就用過這個表達:Wall Street is synonymous with greed and failure, America's economy is on its knees.華爾街是貪婪和失敗的同義詞,美國經濟正處於崩潰之中。
再來看看經濟學人中的句子:Ford Motor Company is finally back on its feet after years of low sales.多年銷售業績低落之後,福特汽車公司總算有了起色。
參考譯文:商店延長了營業時間,道路交通恢復正常,人們重返街頭,數千萬中國人在目前延長的國慶節期間享受了「遲來的春節」。
從上周四的國慶節假期已延長至八天,為許多度假者提供了一個期待已久的小長假,中國正試圖從新冠疫情爆發後重整旗鼓。
十一黃金周備受關注的原因:
In any year, the outlay of the weeklong holiday is a closely watched barometer of the country’s economic health. This year it may be especially so, offering the clearest measure yet of China’s recovery from the pandemic as people squeeze into train cars, crowd into ancient temples, and do everything else that people in many other countries can still only dream of.(紐約時報)
outlay意思是the money that you have to spend in order to start a new project(啟動新項目的)開支,費用。比如:a massive financial / capital outlay大量的財政/資本開支。它就相當於 expenditure, cost, expenses, investment等。
比如經濟學人中的這個句子:He needed to persuade his board, which had to accept putting existing profitable businesses at risk, and investors, who had to swallow big outlays today in exchange for uncertain digital dividends tomorrow. 他需要說服董事會和投資者,董事會必須接受拿現有的盈利業務冒險,而投資者則必須承受拿今天的巨額支出換取尚不確定的明天的數字紅利。
weeklong從字面上就可以看出它的意思是「持續一星期的;為期一周的」,例如weeklong courses 為期一周的課程。那麼以此類推,為期一月的就是monthlong,為期一年的就是yearlong。在不知道這些詞之前,可能我們還會用定語從句來表達,現在知道了就可以讓語言更加簡練了。
barometer本義是「氣壓計、晴雨表」,但是在外刊中它的意思往往是「 (顯示經濟、社會、政治變化的)晴雨表,標誌,指標」。比如說:Infant mortality is a reliable barometer of socio-economic conditions. 嬰兒死亡率是社會經濟狀況的可靠指標。
再來看個經濟學人中的句子:First, the dollar, which is a barometer of risk appetite. 首先是作為風險偏好晴雨表的美元。
之前,在「外刊精讀:年薪201萬的華為「天才少年」,其實根本不是天才」這篇推送中,有講到過barometer的用法,建議回去複習一下~
This year it may be especially so, offering the clearest measure yet of China’s recovery from the pandemic as people squeeze into train cars, crowd into ancient temples, and do everything else that people in many other countries can still only dream of.
[語法]來給這個長句劃分一下主幹:
This year it may be especially so,(完整主句出現,後面的都是附屬物)// offering the clearest measure yet of China’s recovery from the pandemic(又是現在分詞引導的結果狀語,大家寫作中可以學習這種用法)// as people squeeze into train cars, crowd into ancient temples, and do everything else (as引導的時間狀語從句)//that people in many other countries can still only dream of.(定語從句,先行詞是everything)//
本句中的「擠進,湧進「我們記一下,squeeze into,和crowd into。
參考譯文:在任何一年,黃金周的支出都是中國經濟健康狀況的一個備受關注的晴雨表。今年尤其如此,它讓我們清晰直觀地看到中國從新冠疫情中的恢復狀況:人們擠進火車車廂,湧進古廟,做其他許多國家的人想做而不能做的事。
本次黃金周傳達的訊息:
The early signs seem to confirm two trends. First: China has returned to near normalcy with remarkable speed. And second: Even so, the ripple effects of the pandemic are hard to shake off.(紐約時報)
[寫作]normalcy看到都知道它的含義,但是很少人會使用這個詞,可以積累下來,它的意思是「正常狀態、常態」。normalcy 原來是美國英語,相當於英國英語 normality,後來在英國也流行。return to near normalcy這個搭配也記下來~
比如說經濟學人的句子:When that blessed day comes, voters will desire nothing so much as a 「return to normalcy」, just as they did in the 1920s after the First World War and the Spanish flu. 當那幸福的一天到來的時候,選民們最渴望的就是「回歸常態」,就像他們在20世紀20年代在第一次世界大戰和西班牙流感之後那樣。
ripple本義是「漣漪、波紋」,想像一下,水面上的漣漪是一圈圈往外擴散的,所以ripple又有個含義是「逐漸擴散的感覺」,比如A ripple of fear passed through him. 一股恐懼感傳遍了他的全身。
回到原文中ripple effect表面上是指漣漪效應,其實就是指像漣漪一樣的「連鎖反應」。本文中的搭配「擺脫連鎖反應」也可以記下來,shake off the ripple effects。
[拓展]其他的「連鎖反應」的表達有:chain reaction,knock-on effect和Domino effect。
chain effect不用多說,knock-on的意思是「使產生連鎖反應的」,比如:a knock-on boost to the economy連鎖反應帶來的經濟增長。Domino effect就是 「多米諾骨牌效應」,表示一個很小的初始能量就可能產生一連串的連鎖反應。
再來看看經濟學人中的句子:China’s massive military spending is creating a ripple effect across the Asia-Pacific region. 中國的巨額軍費開支在整個亞太地區產生了連鎖反應。
參考譯文:早期跡象似乎證實了兩種趨勢。第一,中國已經以驚人的速度恢復到近乎正常的狀態。其次,即便如此,疫情的連鎖反應仍難以擺脫。