每日一词 102 | compound

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.

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