1. 认识这个词(基础篇)
词:compound
英英释义:to make a difficult situation worse by adding more problems
例句:In romantic relationships, arguing usually compounds problems.
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
“compound”可以作名词、形容词和动词。它作名词一般有“有围墙的建筑群”(比如美国驻华大使馆就经常会自称是 “US embassy compound”)、“混合物”、“复合词”等意思;作形容词意思一般是“复合的”。
我们今天学习它作动词的用法,表示“使......加剧、使......恶化、雪上加霜”。当我们想表达 make something worse 的时候,我们就可以用更简洁、高级的 compound。我们通过几个例句来掌握 compound 的这层意思。
他本想用一个善意的谎言来让她息怒,却没想到反而让事情变得更不可收拾。用英语就可以说成:
He tried to use a white lie to soothe her anger, only to find that he compounded the problem.
在两性关系中,很多时候讲道理往往只会让问题变得更糟,我们就可以说:
In romantic relationships, arguing usually compounds problems.
雅思、托福考试中,我们表述某些论点的时候也可以用到 compound。比如对处于叛逆期的孩子来说,严苛的惩罚方式往往会让他们更叛逆。想表达这个观点就可以说:
Harsh punishment would only compound the situation.
由于《经济学人》经常分析各种时事的发展变化,所以 compound 这个词会经常出现,比如一篇分析全球化变慢的文章中就用到了 compound:
Today’s trade tensions are compounding a shift that has been under way since the financial crisis of 2008-09.
compound 常见的同义词还有 worsen, exacerbate, aggravate 等,掌握了 compound 的用法后,建议查一查它的这几个同义词,增强表达的多样性。
worsen:
Already low living standards have been worsened by stringent economic reforms.
严谨的经济改革使本已很低的生活水平愈加恶化。
exacerbate:
These problems were exacerbated by central government's policies.
中央政府的政策使这些问题更加严重。
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)翻译下面的句子:
军事行动只会让叙利亚的情况变得更糟。
翻译:Military actions would only compound the situation in Syria.
2)造句:
The involvement of both parents would only compound the relationship between the couple.