常见英语词语辨析.doc

英语词语辨析
compete、contest和match三个字都作「竞争」和「比赛」解,其间有什么差别呢?
Compete指两个(或一些)人或派别之间,为达到某种目标而进行的竞争。例如﹕
Only two men peting for the cup (只有两人在争夺奖杯)。
The US and Iraqi armies peting for victory in the battle (美伊两军打仗时各自在争取胜利)。
Contest是为夺取胜利而展开竞争或进行比赛,或为获得控制权或某种优势而争夺。例如﹕
There are three candidates entering the contest for the presidency (有三名侯选人参加总统竞选)。
若作为及物动词,contest亦可解作「提出异议」,例如﹕
The father of the deceased billionaire contests the will (那已过身的亿万富豪之父对遗嘱提出异议)。
Match则表示与人对抗或比试,例如﹕
The boy matches his strength with his brother (男孩与其兄弟比试力气)。
Match也可解作「匹敌」,例如﹕
For food no country can match China (至于食物,没有一个国家可与中国媲美)。
Contest和match尚可作名词用****惯上说 a beauty contest、a speech contest,但a basketball match 。
Agree to与Agree with的分别
按agree with是「赞成」,其受词可以是人、计划、分析、建议等,例如:
(1) I agree with the proposal(我赞成这个建议)。
(2) I agree with his analysis of the situation(我同意他对情况的分析)。
(3) I agree with every word you’ve just said(你刚才说的每一个字我都同意)。
agree to则可能不赞成,但仍然接受,例如:
(1) As I had no choice, I had to agree to their very harsh terms(我别无办法,唯有答应他们苛刻的要求)。
(2) I agree to the proposal(我可能不赞成,但仍接受这个建议)。
不少人都听过以下说法: You agree with somebody but agree to something (同意某人的话,是agree with;同意某件事,是agree to)。
但请看张道真《现代英语用法词典》所引英国小说家沃尔蒲(Hugh Walpole)
They might not agree with his opinions (他们未必赞同他的意见)、
名作家王尔德(Oscar Wilde)
I don't agree with a single word that you have said (你说的话,我一个字都不赞同)
二语,你就会发觉「不能说agree with something」的原则子虚乌有。
earnest、serious和solemn三字之间有何区别?
此三字均有「严肃的」之意,但其间有差别,或另有不同的意思,不宜错用。
Earnest即serious或over-serious,意为严肃的,或非常严肃的,例如﹕
He is an earnest student of English.
他学英文十分认真。
但不要说I am earnest,而应说I am in earnest,与I am serious意思相仿,可译作「我是认真的」。
Earnest亦可解作showing sincerity,意为态度热诚,例如﹕
He is earnest about giving his son a good education.
他热切地要给儿子良好的教育。
Serious即dealing with important issues或not joking,意为严肃的,或不是说笑的,例如﹕
I am serious about doing it.
我做此事是当真的。
但serious亦可解作severe,意为严重的,例如﹕
This country is faced with a serious crisis.
这个国家面临一个严重的危机。
Solemn则是of a very serious nature,或of a for