12.06【每日一词】ground

ground n.

释义：a reason for what you say or do, or for being allowed to say or do something

“ground”作名词，也常被用于表示“理由”“根据”。很多场景下，可替换 reason，because 等。

ground 表示“理由”时，一般会以复数形式 grounds 出现。

例① 我们常说的“实锤”（即“确凿的证据”）就可以用到 ground。比如一位女性指控他人性骚扰，如果有确凿的证据的话，我们就可以说：

She has valid grounds for accusing him of sexual harassment.

例② “基因编辑婴儿”曝光后引来了许多争议，许多人从伦理层面批评这个项目。

Gene editing has drawn widespread public criticism on ethical grounds.

ground 常和介词 on 搭配构成短语 on the grounds of/that， 表示“因为…的理由”“以…为根据”。我们在论证说理时就可以用到它，如果你准备考雅思和托福，一定要掌握它。

例③ 《经济学人》在介绍西湖大学时，提到现任校长施一公的教学理念时就用到了 on the grounds that：

Mr Shi believes that if elite universities select students on the grounds not just of their test scores, but also of their intellectual maturity and social responsibility, this will influence the way pupils are taught at school, and change the way they think.

【作业】

1. 使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查 “ground”，了解它表示“理由”时的常用搭配。

good, reasonable, sufficient, valid grounds 正当的理由；合理的依据；足够的理由；令人信服的根据

have grounds 有理由:The constable had reasonable grounds for arresting her. 警察有正当的理由逮捕她。

give (sb) grounds 给（某人）理由以…

His evasiveness gave grounds for the suspicion that he knew more than he was saying. 他含糊其词，让人有理由怀疑他没有把知道的都说出来。

grounds for 导致…的原因

Drunkenness at work was sufficient grounds for instant dismissal. 工作时醉酒足可导致立即被开除。

be (firmly)grounded in/on sth(ground v.)

以… 为稳固的基础

His book is firmly grounded in memories of his own childhood. 他的书完全以他的童年回忆为基础。

2. 翻译: 因为英语不够好，他拒绝了邀请。

He declined the invitation on the grounds that his English wasn't good enough.

（参考翻译：He turned down the invitation on the grounds that his English was not good enough. 或者 On the grounds of inadequate English, he declined the invitation. ）

3. 造句练习

场景: 我们不应该因为害怕别人的评判，而不敢表达自己的真实想法。

造句: We shouldn't be afraid to express ourselves on the grounds of other people's judgement on us.