留学生可能在学习之中掌握了大量学科、专有词汇,读写能力杠杠的,但是在日常生活中,怎么解决说英语容易卡壳的尴尬局面?
我们需要做到三点:
一、改变思维习惯(way of thinking)。 阅读时,见到一些表达方式,多问问自己,这句话让我说,我会用这种思路吗?如果答案是no,那就恭喜你了,赶快把这句话抄下来,以后多做点文章。
二、注意选词(choice of words)。 实践证明,学好、活用100个词,再加上以前的一点基础,就可以自由表达自己思想,并可尽量抛弃原来的中式英语思维。
三、句型(sentence patterns) 。汉语与英语这两门语言没多大的相似之处,由于思维习惯的不同,导致一些表达方式也不同,具体表现在一些典型的句型上。
我们时常见的一些小词,如果多加注意和运用,就会产生很奇妙的效果,一起来看看有哪些吧~
available
使用频率:★★★★★
造句功能:★★★★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词有点怪,是形容词,但是一般放到所修饰的词后面。凡句子中含有是“有。。。可以用到”的时候都可以考虑这个词。这个词关系到我们思维方式,而不是这个词用法有多复杂。反义词是unavailable。
1、对不起,没座了。
Chinglish: Sorry, we have no seats now.
Revision: Sorry, no seats available.
2、网站暂时无法访问。
Chinglish: This website can't be visited temporarily.
Revision: Website Temporarily Unavailable.
有时候尽管不是非用available/unavailable不可,但是多用一些,看起来正宗。
offer
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词比较微妙。英译中时不太好处理,正因如此,这个词才值得我们重视。
1、谢谢你的好意,不过我可以走回去。
Chinglish: Thank you for your goodwill, but I can go home on foot.
Revision: Thanks for your offer, but I can walk home.
2、全国人民纷纷向灾区伸出了援助之手。
Chinglish: People from all over the country all giving their hands to the disaster area.
Revision: People from all over the country are offering helping hands to the disaster area.
Offer可以做动词用,也可以做名词用。还有一些固定搭配,其中Job offer非常红。凡是带有“给予”、“善意提供的(帮忙)”等意思,就可以考虑offer这个词。我们可以在时间想到要用give的时候多用offer来替代。
difference
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
意思是差别。对于difference只需要掌握一到两个短语,我们口语水平就会前进一大步,让你的同学对你刮目相看,那就是make a difference(有很大不同)或make no differences(没什么不同)。
1、你说的什么移动、联通, 我看还不一路货色。
You're talking about Telecom and Unicom. The way I see it, they make no differences at all.
2、这种化妆品你用用看,效果不一样。
Chinglish: Please use this kind of cosmetics, the effect is absolutely different.
Revision: Please try this sort of cosmetics, i bet it'll make a big difference.
3、上帝啊,再给我一次机会,我不会再这样了。
Chinglish: God, please give me a chance again, I won't do this again.
Revision: God, please grant me another chance, and I'll make a difference.
凡是一样不一样,都可以考虑这两个短语,你用好了,可以make a difference。
另外说一下,受教科书的影响,说不同的时候中国学生习惯be different from这一句型。但是很多时候differ from这个动词形式更简单,try it, and you'll make a difference,让你的老师、同学对你刮目相看。
西方人崇尚个人奋斗,追求与他人不一样。这个词,对于他们来说,太神圣了。在https://google.com中,make a difference这一短语搜索结果近600万,我们用过几次了。所以以后有条件,我们就要make a difference,没有条件时,创建条件也要make a difference。
sense
使用频率:★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词主要由于几个相关短语而流行的。
这几个短语分别是: a sense of (responsibility, humor...)---有幽默感等, make sense/not make any sense,有意义,没意义(所以我说别老用meaningless,不是人家听不懂,那很中式的)。
1、我很喜欢他。他很有幽默感。
Chinglish: I very like him. He is very humorous.
Revision: I like him very much. He has a good sense of humor.
2、我知道,不过有的地方没什么意义。
Chinglish: I know, but it's meaningless in some places.
Revision: I know, but again at some point it doesn't make any sense.
afford
使用频率:★★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★★
意思是买的起,付得起、花得起时间、金钱、精力等。
但是Afford只能表示能力,不表示意愿。例如我们可以说I'm willing to pay, but I really can't afford it,而不能说I'm willing to afford it。
用好这个词,我们的水平就会提高一个档次,让你的同学打心底里佩服。
1、这顶帽子贵得也太离谱了,我买不起。
Chinglish: This hat is extremely expensive, I can't buy it.
Revision: This hat is so expensive that I can't afford it.
2、这个村子里好多儿童都上不起学。
Chinglish: Lots of kids can't go to school because they're poor. (意思表达出来了但是不精练)
Revision: Plenty of kids in this village can't afford to go to school (can't afford education).
deserve
使用频率:★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词字面意思是“值得”、“该受到”,可褒可贬。用到的场合其实挺多的。几个例句就可以解决问题。
1、你是老鼠戏猫,真是自作自受!
Chinglish: You're like a rat teasing a cat... (...下面不会了)
Revision: I think you're playing with fire. You deserve it!
2、那个好心女孩终于嫁给了她的心上人。她是有好报。
Chinglish: That good-hearted girl was married to the man in her heart at last. She was good so she had a good end.
Revision: That good-hearted girl married her 'prince' finally. She deserved it.
3、你竟敢这样对我?找打啊?
Chinglish: How dare you do this to me? Do you want me to beat you?
Revision: How dare you do this to me? You deserve a kick in the ass!
这个词比较微妙,个人喜欢这个词,不多说了。
If you think that I deserve some applauses or flowers, why not let me know about it
frustrated
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
表示心情沮丧、灰心丧气时,老外偏爱frustrated这一词。我们喜欢是sad, lose one's heart等表达法。
用法特别简单。当你觉得灰心丧气时,forget about "sad", use this word instead.
1、没有一个女孩子给我写过信,我真是沮丧极了。
I'm so frustrated that no girls wrote to me.
2、公司业绩总是不好,总经理真是心灰意懒。
Chinglish: The total manager is very sad because the achievement is not good.
Revision: The general manager is so frustrated for the poor performance of his company.
If, if lots of people come and shout to me:"Coolmax, your English is so poor and limited!" I'll be extremely frustrated
再说一遍,以后要常说 frustrated 哦!说多了,你就有老外的感觉了。
hurt
使用频率:★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★
“受伤”或“疼痛”的意思。可能是生理上受伤,更表示心里上受伤。很红的一个词,失恋的人必备词汇。唉,我们的传统英文教育就是那么回事,学了10年英文,不知道“我手指疼”怎么说的大有人在。
1、哦,天哪!你竟然不理我了。我受伤了。
Chinglish: Oh, God, you don't notice me! I am injured.(Injure一词一般不用于心理方面的伤害)。
Revision: Oh, God, how come you start to ignore me! I'm hurt.
2、别动我,我右手大拇指指疼。
Chinglish: Don't move me! My right thumb aches. (动某人的话也可以用 touch)
Revision: Leave me alone! My right thumb hurts.
At last I want to remind some friends that we should never tell a woman that she is 'fat'. She would be hurt or even offended if you do that.
mislead
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
其形容词是Misleading,被动形式是be misled。意思是误导。我们国人不太爱说,但是爱好政治与辩论的老外整天把这个词挂在嘴上。这个词不难用,关键是思维方式不同,所以我们要学。
1、你没有意识到这份报纸在误导民众吗?
Haven't you realized this newspaper is misleading its readers?
2、我觉得你是被宣传误导了,也许是被洗了脑子了。
I deem that you're misled by the propaganda and maybe you're brainwashed.
So, my only wish reagarding this thread is that I'm not misleading.
最后别忘了,这个词也是Chinadaily 的 News Talks 版面最红的字眼之一。
offend
使用频率:★★★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词表示“冒犯”、“得罪”,老外整天挂在嘴上。我们要跟进。一般用法是offend sb.被动是be/get offended.
要善于识别offend使用范围。汉语语言特别丰富,所以我们要特别注重内在含义。
1、你对她的穿着评头论足,她可能会不高兴。
Chinglish: You're commenting on her dress; she might be unhappy. (还不太中式,但是想不到offend一词就是罪过)
Revision: You're criticising her dress sense. She might be offended.
2、我什么时候得罪她了?她这人真怪!
Chinglish: When did I do bad to her? She is so strange! (不算太中式,但是想不到offend就是罪过)
Revision: Have I ever offended her? She's just being so weird!
update
使用频率:★★
造句功能:★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词特别简单,但是我们不容易说好,一般是学一次,知道重要性后,终生难忘。
表示更新后的信息,也可以做动词,进行更新。现在知识更新特别快,难怪这个词也吃香。
1、新的在哪?
Chinglish: Where is the new one?(不算太中式,但是中国学生会用update会让人刮目相看)
Revision: Where's the update?
2、这是最后一次的更新。
Chinglish: This is the newest change.
Revision: This is the latest update. (会用latest的也不简单)
You know I'm pretty busy with my work and I have to work overtime everyday, but I'll try my best to keep this thread updated.
contribute
使用频率:★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★
名词形式是contribution. 意思有“捐献”、“投稿”等意思。凡是有贡献,都可以叫contribution。contribute这个动词一般与to 连用。
1、这事他也出了不少力。
Chinglish: He also supplied his strength to this.
Revision: He also contributed a lot to this.
2、谢谢你啊,你可帮了大忙了。
Version 1: Thank you very much. You really helped a lot.
Version 2: I really appreciate your great contribution.(看情况)
3、你只知道批评别人,你自己做了多少事?
Chinglish: You only know how to criticise others, but how much thing have you done yourself?
Revision: You're a critic! Where's your contribution?
这个词用起来自然。好用,实用。
scenario
使用频率:★
造句功能:★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词是“假想”、“设想”的意思。会用这个词不容易。凡是用过该词三次以上的(查词典抄来的不算),我敢断定其英文水平已经达到Great甚至是Excellent了。
这里有一句话:
In the unlikely scenario that there is no major conflict, China is obviously willing to give peace a chance so long as Taiwan is not being unleashed by the Americans to pursue de jure independence.
impress
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
1、Coolmax,你这个帖子不怎么样。
Chinglish: Coolmax, your this post is just so so.
Revision: Coolmax, I'm not at all impressed by this thread of yours.
2、在我记忆中,中国给我的感觉太棒了!
Chinglish: In my memory, China gave me a very wonderful feeling.
Revision: China was really impressive in my memory.
3、成功的推销员知道如何打动他的客户。
Chinglish: A successful salesman knows how to move his customers.
Revision: A successful salesman knows how to impress his customers.
lover
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★
西方思维:★★★★★
这个词用得太广了。老外动不动张口就是peace-lovers。此外还有book lovers, China lovers, Music lovers。。。。。太广了。可是我们国人说得太少了。
下面几句可能两种说法都可以,但是老外偏爱第2种。这个不是有多难,我们不会用,而是我们的思维习惯决定了老是想不到。
1、我这个人挺爱读书的。
Version 1: I love reading books. (没错)
Better Version: I'm a book lover. (更地道)
2、中国坚定地与全世界爱好和平的人们站在一起。
Chinglish: China is resolutely standing with all people who love peace all over the world.(很啰嗦的不是?)
Revision: China stands firmly with all peace-lovers world-wide.
Some forumites on Chinadaily community attack China from time to time while asserting they're 'China-lovers'.
要让世界充满爱,我们应该多用lover少用hater一词。
justify
使用频率:★★
造句功能:★★
西方思维:★★★★★
Justify: To demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid。证明、说明什么东西是对的,正确或有效的。
说明:该词在汉语中没有对应的词,虽然有对应的短语,但是我们说得太少,以至于见到这个词无动于衷,没觉得有什么特别的,岂止该词非常具有西方思维,用对了让你的英文更正宗。就象果汁,你喝兑水的,也叫果汁,人家的该榨出的,也叫果汁。果汁与果汁,大相径庭也!
1、你明明错了,你别狡辩了。
Chinglish: You're obviously wrong, don't give chicanery!
Revision: You're obviously wrong. Don't try to justify your mistakes!
2、该政府部门不作为的做法难责其咎。
Chinglish: The government agency should be blamed for their nonfeasance.(not bad)
Revision: The inactivity of the government agency can't be justified.
work
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★
词义:起作用[动词]
说明:会说work一词没什么了不起,但是擅长用work一词会让你英语原味大增!我可不想讨论它是不是可数名词,在这里只讨论它做动词的情况。The medicine didn't work!是什么意思呢?原来是“那药不起作用/不顶事”的意思。其实work本意是一个人的工作,就是你应该干的活。电视是播放节目的,能履行自己职责就是work了,不能播放了,或没声音了,就是没把“work”干好;同样,走时间与在指定时间叫醒你是闹钟的工作;打印是打印机的工作。。。总之,可以是一个想法,一个计划,一个产品,一个用品,凡是起到该起的或预料中的作用就是it works,否则就是it doesn't work!
1、我的闹钟坏了。
Chinglish:My alarm clock is bad. (人家以为你买的是伪劣产品,能用但是质量差)
Revision: My alarm clock doesn't work. (不走了,或不闹时了,或两者都不行了)
2、我的计划顶事了。
Chinglish: My plan served for the purpose.(快说对了,可惜没说对,for是多余的。)
Revision: My plan worked! (多精练!)
3、电视已经不太好了。(如声音时断时续)
Chinglish: The TV set is already not good now. (不知所云)
Revision: The TV set doesn't work properly(or: well) now. (多地道!)
I hope my explanation works!
hold
使用频率:★★★
造句功能:★★★★
西方思维:★★★★★
在生活中,我们常常会抱怨联系不到那个谁,男女关系中尤为常见。受思维限制,我们一般只会说个contact with,现在有一种更为生活化的用法告诉大家。
1、你这一天干嘛去了?我用了六个小时尝试联系你!
What have you been doing all day? I've been trying to get a hold of you for six hours.
2、我必须通过十个不同的人来获得你的联系
I had to go through ten different people to get a hold of you.
此用法常常伴随河东狮吼。
crap
使用频率:★★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★
我们会遭遇一些人的喋喋不休的废话,那么请这样告诉他。除了快被用烂的rubbish,bullshit,还有这样的很常见的说法:
1、请不要再对我讲这些废话了!
Please don't play this crap on me.
2、净胡说八道
What a bunch of crap!
不想忍受的时候,及时喊停。
mark
使用频率:★★★★
造句功能:★★★
西方思维:★★★★★
mark之所以,在于将标志、痕迹、得分的含义广泛地引申出去,例如:
1、up to the mark 达到要求;符合标准
2、an easy mark 容易受骗的人
3、mark up/down 加价/减价
4、leave your/its/a mark 留下记忆
等等。
1、The table marks very easily.
这张桌子很容易留下印痕。
2、His silence marked his anger.
他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
3、Our teacher marks strictly.
我们老师评分很严。
4、He walked on air for getting a high mark.
他因得了高分而洋洋得意。