开始意识到（问题）
wake up to sth，表示 to start to understand or realize that a situation or problem exists
比如有关环保话题的写作中我们可以用到这个句子：
Governments are finally waking up to the fact that the environment should be cleaned up.
on the brink of，它表示“处于...的边缘，很快...”，可以用on the verge of替换。它后面通常加disater, war之类的消极含义的词语，来凸显形式的急迫、危急。比如：The company had huge debts and was on the brink of collapse.公司背负了巨额债务，已濒临破产
我们还可以说push/drive sb to the brink，表示“把...逼入绝境”，可以用Corner替换。
如果我们把to the brink of改成 back from the brink of，则表示“起死回生”，比如：The debt-ridden company stepped back from the brink of collapse.或：The debt-ridden company was pulled back from the brink of collapse.
impose tariffs on...表示“对...施加关税”，impose有“强行实施”之意，“对...进行制裁”也可以用到这个词：impose sanctions on...
另外再补充几个：
“对...进行限制”：impose curbs on...，
“给...带来很大压力”：impose much stress on...，
It is undeniably true that the test imposes much stress on students but the same goes for every competition in people’s life.
高考给学生带来很大压力，这不可否认，但人生竞争也充满了压力。（The same goes for...，...也是如此。写作句型
be due to表示“预计于”，举个例子：
The next meeting is due to be held in three months' time.下次会议预计将在三个月后召开。
realise how much is at stake 意识到了危险有多大
IT IS hard to argue that the United States and China are not on the brink of a trade war. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose higher tariffs on $450bn of imports from China, with the first tranche, on $34bn of Chinese goods, due to take effect on July 6th. Mr Trump expects China to blink( “退缩”，是一个拟人化的表达，形象生动。也可以用shrink, cower, step back等替换). But what if it doesn’t? Other countries in Asia are only now starting to ask that as they realise how much is at stake.
