20181226 downhill

1. 这是个什么词？

词：downhill

英英释义：if a situation goes downhill, it gets worse

例句：It has been a tough year for many companies. Many went downhill before going bankrupt.

2. 为什么选这个词？

我们在学习 uphill 的时候已经顺便掌握了 downhill 的形容词用法，但 downhill 的副词用法更常见、更好用。downhill 作副词一般与 go 连用，意思是“每况愈下地”。当我们想表达一件事情变得越来越糟的时候，除了说 get/become worse, worsen, deteriorate, go from bad to worse 之外，还可以用 go/slide/head downhill 来替代。我们来看几个例句。

今年经济大环境不景气，很多企业融资艰难，业务增长缓慢，不少公司都接连倒闭了，就可以说：

It has been a tough year for many companies. Many went downhill before going bankrupt.

东北三省的经济最近几年来每况愈下，有的省份甚至出现了负增长，就可以说：

The economy of the northeastern provinces has headed downhill in recent years.

前不久法国发生了大规模的游行示威，情况急转直下，给法国经济带来了很多的打击。我们就可以说：

The wave of protests sweeping through France started a month ago went downhill and caused France a fortune.

一些明星的婚姻看似风光，但其实问题不少，最终以离婚收场。我们就可以这么说：

Some celebrity couples seemed to have an enviable marriage, but their relationships slided downhill and ended in divorce.

3. 怎样学会使用这个词？

1）翻译下面的句子： 情况正在每况愈下。我们不得不做点什么了。

Things are going downhill. We have to do something about it.

（参考翻译：Things are going downhill. We have to do something about it.）

2）结合自己的生活、学习、工作、兴趣等，想象在什么语境下会用到这个表达。先简要描述这个场景，再造句。

例子： 中国足球队最近几年来每况愈下，甚至连东南亚的球队也很难取胜。

场景 ：The Chinese national football team has silded downhill in recent years. It is an uphill struggle to it to play a Southeastern team.