12.04【每日一词】antidote

antidote n.

释义：something that helps to improve the effects of something bad or negative.

“antidote”的本意是“解毒药”，常被引申为表示“缓解作用”“有效手段”，和我们中文里的“一剂良药”完美对应。如果在写作中恰当使用 antidote，可以显示不凡的词汇水平。

例① 我们常说的“何以解忧，唯有杜康”，说的是很多人认为只有酒才能消除忧虑。

Some people believe that alcohol can offer a quick antidote to depression.

例② 米歇尔•奥巴马在回忆录 Becoming 中用到了 3 次 antidote，其中一处写到祖父（外号“Southside”）非常喜欢音乐时，她说：

Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries, a way to relax and crowd them out. When Southside had a payday for his carpentry work, he’d sometimes splurge and buy himself a new album.

“Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries”说的就是音乐可以解忧，缓解压力。我们可以根据这个意思用 antidote 造句。

例③ 表达音乐的功效就可以说：

It seems that music serves as a powerful antidote to worries. Music provides the perfect antidote to loneliness and boredom.

例④ 经典工作效率提升指南 Getting Things Done 中，开篇也出现了 antidote：

This is the vaccination against day-to-day firefighting and an antidote for the imbalance many people bring upon themselves.

vaccination 是“疫苗”，在这里表示“预防措施”，antidote 是“解药”，在这里表示“矫正方法”。当我们想表示一个工具、方法的有效性时，就可以用到 vaccination 和 antidote 这类词汇。句子中的 firefighting 和 imbalance 写出了上班族的狼狈，vaccination 和 antidote 和它们一一对应，相比“a good way/method”这样的表达，它们更生动、灵活和恰当，建议直接把这段话背下来。

【作业】

1. 使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查 “antidote”，了解它作为名词时的常用搭配。

effective/good/perfect/powerful antidote

act as/serve as antidote

offer, provide 发挥缓解作用

The resort offers the perfect antidote to the pressures of modern life.

2. 翻译：健身是缓解压力的有效方法。

Working out serves as an effective antidote for stress relief.

（参考翻译：Working out is a powerful antidote to anxiety. 或者 Regular exercise serves as a potent antidote to alleviate anxiety.）

3. 造句练习:

场景:冥想有助于缓解焦虑，抑郁以及疼痛。

造句: It is proved that meditation offers a potent antidote to alleviate anxiety, depression and pain.