词:caliber
英英释义:the level of someone’s ability, intelligence etc, or the standard or quality of something, especially when it is high
例句:The caliber of teaching at this high school is very high.
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
“caliber”是个不可数名词,最常见的意思是“质量”,也常常用来表示“素质”。我们常常可以用它来替换常见的 quality,是个在口语和写作中都会让人眼前一亮的实用表达。
Justin 老师在英文随笔中就多次用到了 caliber。比如在用英文吐槽《纽约客》的订阅体验时他写道:
The subscription experience proves to be unworthy of the brand and caliber for which The New Yorker is known.
Justin 老师在描写瑞幸咖啡的高品质标签时写道:
It boasts three major highlights: premium Arabica coffee beans, recipes devised by award-winning baristas, and fresh brewing, all signs of high caliber.
我们平时说的“高质量”“高素质”就是“high caliber”,口语之中想说“教学质量非常高”就可以说成:
The caliber of teaching at this high school is very high.
《经济学人》中也经常使用 caliber,比如:
Our aim is not to predict the winner in Russia, which can be done best by looking at a team's recent results or the calibre of its squad. (要注意 caliber 的英式写法是 calibre。这里的 calibre of its squad 指的是这个足球队的素质)
Regardless of family income, a graduate from one of the Ivy League-calibre institutions, has roughly a two-thirds chance of making it into the top 20%.
我们可以从这句话中学到 caliber 的灵活用法,Ivy League-calibre 指的是“有常春藤级别质量的”。句中的 20% 指的是社会地位最高的 20%。
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)翻译下面的句子:
很多落后地区的年轻人依然渴望优质的教育。
(参考翻译: Many young people in under-developed areas still have a huge thirst for a high caliber education. 或者 A high caliber education remains desirable for many youngsters in backward regions.)
2)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。
场景: 这家医院有最好的医生
造句:The hospital boasts the doctor of the highest caliber.