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熟词生义 | 1.duty 2.tower 3.reduce 4.close 5.minute

• 2021 年 06 月 09 日 • 翻译·译事随笔

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1.duty

n.税[/scode]

英英释义:

Duties are taxes which you pay to the government on goods that you buy.

例句:

①They are pressing the Chancellor to reduce excise duty on beer.

他们正给总理施压,要求降低啤酒的消费税。

②Import duties still average 30%.

进口税的平均水平仍然在 30%。

拓展:

关于“duty”的这个意思还是比较常见的,下面这道专四题就考到了该用法:

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除此之外,再拓展一个常见的短语表达:off/on duty 下班/上班;不值班/值班 【If someone such as a policeman or a nurse is off duty, they are not working. If someone is on duty, they are working.】

举个栗子:

I'm off duty .

我下班了。

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2.tower

v.(在能力、品质等方面)胜过,远远超过(其他)[/scode]

英英释义:

To be much better than others in ability, quality, etc.

例句:

She towers over other dancers of her generation.

她远远超过同时代的舞蹈演员。

拓展:

“tower”作为动词的意思其实比较好理解,除此之外,它作为动词,本义还可以表示“高于,超过(附近的人或物)”,常见搭配是 tower over / above sb / sth

我们来看两个例子:

The cliffs towered above them.

悬崖峭壁高耸于他们上方。

He towered over his classmates.

他的个儿比班里其他同学高出一大截。

这里再补充一个短语:

a tower of strength (在危难时)可依靠的人,主心骨,支柱 【If you refer to someone as a tower of strength, you appreciate them because they give you a lot of help, support, and encouragement when you have problems or are in a difficult situation.】

举个栗子:

Pat was a tower of strength to our whole family.

帕特是我们全家人的主心骨。

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3.reduce

v.迫使;使不得不(做);使只得[/scode]

英英释义:

If you say that someone is reduced to doing something, you mean that they have to do it, although it is unpleasant or embarrassing.

例句:

He was reduced to begging for a living.

他不得不以乞讨为生。

例句:

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Romain Gary的小说 Promise at dawn 也出现了这个表达:

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拓展:

大家可以看到,这个释义一般的搭配是“be reduced to doing something ”,这个考频很高,经常在完型填空中出现。除此之外,“reduce sb to tears使…落泪 也很常见【If someone or something reduces you to tears, they make you feel so unhappy that you cry.】

举个栗子:

The attentions of the media reduced her to tears.

媒体的关注把她弄哭了。

这里再补充两个常见的短语:in reduced circumstances 境况变差;生活拮据 【If you say that someone is living in reduced circumstances, you mean that they do not have as much money as they used to have.】

举个栗子:

They are the descendants of emperors and kings and are now living in reduced circumstances .

他们是帝王的后代,但是现在境况大不如前了。

reduces sb to silence 使…无言 【If someone or something reduces you to silence, they make you feel so upset or confused that you cannot speak.】

比如:

Her challenge reduced them to silence .

她的质问让他们哑口无言。

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4.close

adj.(竞争或选举)势均力敌的,难分高下的[/scode]

英英释义:

A close competition or election is won or seems likely to be won by only a small amount.

例句:

①It is still a close contest between two leading opposition parties.

这仍然是两大主要反对党之间一场势均力敌的较量。

②It's going to be very close .

结果会不相上下。

拓展:

这个释义很高频!我还记得之前高中在维克多词典上查“close”也有这个释义。而且这个意思挺好记忆的,“close”本身表示“近”,如果用在比赛或者选举中,就可以说“不相上下”。

当然“close”还有很多其他的意思,大家可以自己查阅词典,由于篇幅限制,就不展开啦~

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5.minute

v.将…记入会议记录**[/scode]

英英释义:

When someone minutes something that is discussed or decided at a meeting, they make a written record of it.

例句:

①You don't need to minute that.

②The board's decision was formally minuted .

③You'd better minute that point.

拓展:

这个释义其实也挺常见的,我之前有在一道选择题碰到,就考到了该释义。作为动词,它的发音是“/ˈmɪnət/ ”但是我找不到原题了emmm,所以大家也要记得这个意思哦~

除此之外,“minute”作为形容词,还可以表示“非常细小的;十分微小的 ”【If you say that something is minute, you mean that it is very small.】

举个栗子:

The party was planned in the minutest detail.

晚会策划极为详细。

再扩展一个同义表达“infinitesimal”, /ˌɪnfɪnɪ'tesɪm(ə)l/ 表示“极微小的;微不足道的”

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