1. 这是个什么词?
词:antidote
英英释义:something that helps to improve the effects of something bad or negative
例句:Some people believe that alcohol can offer a quick antidote to depression.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“antidote”的本意是“解毒药”,常被引申为表示“缓解作用”“有效手段”,和我们中文里的“一剂良药”完美对应。如果在写作中恰当使用 antidote,可以显示不凡的词汇水平。
我们常说的“何以解忧,唯有杜康”,说的是很多人认为只有酒才能消除忧虑。这时就可以用英文说:
Some people believe that alcohol can offer a quick antidote to depression.
米歇尔•奥巴马在回忆录 Becoming 中用到了 3 次 antidote,其中一处写到祖父(外号“Southside”)非常喜欢音乐时,她说:
Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries, a way to relax and crowd them out. When Southside had a payday for his carpentry work, he’d sometimes splurge and buy himself a new album.
“Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries”说的就是音乐可以解忧,缓解压力。我们可以根据这个意思用 antidote 造句,比如说音乐的功效时就可以说:
It seems that music serves as a powerful antidote to worries. Music provides the perfect antidote to loneliness and boredom.
经典工作效率提升指南 Getting Things Done 中,开篇也出现了 antidote:
This is the vaccination against day-to-day firefighting and an antidote for the imbalance many people bring upon themselves.
vaccination 是“疫苗”,在这里表示“预防措施”,antidote 是“解药”,在这里表示“矫正方法”。当我们想表示一个工具、方法的有效性时,就可以用到 vaccination 和 antidote 这类词汇。句子中的 firefighting 和 imbalance 写出了上班族的狼狈,vaccination 和 antidote 和它们一一对应,相比“a good way/method”这样的表达,它们更生动、灵活和恰当,建议直接把这段话背下来。
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“antidote”,了解它作为名词时的常用搭配。
2)翻译下面的句子:
健身是缓解压力的有效方法。
(参考翻译:Working out is a powerful antidote to anxiety. 或者 Regular exercise serves as a potent antidote to alleviate anxiety.)
3)结合自己的生活、学习、工作、兴趣等,想象在什么语境下会用到这个表达。先简要描述这个场景,再造句。
例子: •Regular exercise is the best antidote to tiredness and depression.经常锻炼是消除疲劳和抑郁的最好方法