1. 这是什么词?
词:prone
英英释义:likely to do something or be affected by something, especially something bad
例句:Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“prone”是个形容词,表示“易于…的” “很可能…的”,也就是说它经常可以用来替换 likely, inclined 等表示“有…可能/倾向”的词,是个在口语和写作中都高频实用的表达。
prone 最常见的用法是 be prone to,后面常接有负向意义的名词或者动词。比如日本地形独特,是一个经常遭受地震或台风的国家,我们就可以说:
Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.(be prone to 后接名词的用法)
或者:
Japan is prone to suffer earthquakes and typhoons. (be prone to 后接动词原形的用法)
许多人在接受测试的时候都很容易紧张不安,我们就可以说:
Most people are prone to anxiety during a test.
《经济学人》中就出现过许多这种用法,比如:
But in China and India, young women have been unusually prone to suicide.
prone 的另一个常见用法是与名词连用构成形容词,表示“易受…影响的”,和 be prone to 可以替换实用。比如像美式橄榄球、冰球等对抗性运动的球员往往很容易受伤,我们就可以说:
American football and ice hockey players are prone to injury.
或者:
American football and ice hockey players are injury-prone.
这样 -prone 的用法可以让表达简洁、灵活,比如上面的第一个例句也可以写成:
Japan is earthquake- and typhoon-prone. (注意这里连字符的用法:earthquake- and typhoon-prone 等于 earthquake-prone and typhoon-prone)
我们在阅读中要注意收集这样的表达。
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“prone”,了解它的常用搭配。
2)翻译下面的句子:
超重人群容易患上“三高”(高血压、高血糖和高脂血症)。
(参考翻译:Overweight people are prone to the “three highs”—high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. 或 Overweight people are prone to develop high blood pressure, unhealthy blood sugar, and elevated cholesterol levels, often known as “three highs”.)
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: Working in consecutive days without weekend off makes me prone to error(error-prone).
场景 :经常连续工作,周末取消双休无止境加班得不到正常休息让人容易犯错。(我的国庆假、我的元旦假,心痛)
自我拓展:
prone有俯卧的意思,相应的仰卧是supine.
俯卧撑的表达是 push-up