1. 认识这个词（基础篇）

词：merit

英英释义：an advantage or good feature of something

例句：The great merit of the solution is its flexibility and low cost.

2. 体会这个词 （进阶篇）

“merit”可以做名词也可以做动词，它作名词的意思是“优点、价值”。这个词的用法比较正式，可以用来替换 good point(s) 或 advantage，在《经济学人》中经常可以见到这个词。下面我们通过几个例子掌握它的用法。

这个方案最大的好处在于它的灵活性和低成本，可以说：

The great merit of the solution is its flexibility and low cost.

这本导游手册兼具内容丰富和可读性强的优点，可以说：

This travel guide book has the merit of being both informative and readable.

这些教学法虽然各有差异，但都有价值，就可以说：

The pedagogies vary, but each has its own merit.

下面来看《经济学人》中的几个例子：

1）As in the West, the educational merits of bricks appeal to Chinese parents. Last year 98% of those surveyed by Lego said that play was essential for their child’s well-being, even more than Americans and Danes.

2）Setting aside the merits of her proposals, her focus on policy is clever politics, and unusual.（这里说的是美国民主党候选人 Elizabeth Warren）

3）By informing consumers about the relative merits of various products, ads improve the quality of purchasing decisions and, conceivably, leave both firms and shoppers better off than they would be in an ad-free world.（这里可以联想到“什么值得买” App）

4）Kevin Hassett, the chairman of the Trump administration’s Council of Economic Advisers, sees merit in the idea of strengthening America’s automatic stabilisers, as it can take too long to realise a recession is happening for discretionary stimulus to arrive in time.

3. 从认识到会用（作业）

1）翻译下面的句子： 

这个想法本身有价值，但在实践中并行不通。

The idea has its merit but does not work in practice.

（参考翻译：The idea has its merit but does not work in practice/in reality.）

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。   

这部电影兼具情节曲折和可看性强的优点。

This film has the merit of being both twisty plotted and watchable.