一、compare與contrast的誤用
我們先從兩者的定義入手來看兩者的區(qū)別。 Compare的定義為:to examine people or things to see how they are similar or different. Contrast的定義為:to compare two or more things to show the difference between them. 由定義不難看出前者側(cè)重于找到兩個或多個事物的異同,而后者則側(cè)重于它們的不同。
看個例句:
It is interesting to compare their situations to ours./It is interesting to contrast their situations to ours.
前一句翻譯為:對比一下我們的情況與他們的情況會很有趣。
后一句的翻譯為:我們的情況與他們的情況有很大的不同,這很有趣。
再看一個引自OXFORD ADBANCED LEARNER’S DICTIONARY的例子:
There is an obvious contrast between the culture of East and West.
The company lost $7 million in contrast to a profit of $6.2 million a year earlier.
When you look at their new system, ours seems very old-fashioned by contrast.
不難發(fā)現(xiàn),Compare 翻譯為“ 與。。。相比”而contrast可譯為“明顯不同的是。。。”,切記這種翻譯方式就不會用錯彼此了。
二、介詞使用錯誤
1、普通介詞的誤用
一般表現(xiàn)為固定搭配錯誤,如常把 provide sb with sth用成provide sb sth; be satisfied with用成be satisfied for等等,雖然這樣的錯誤看似無傷大雅,但在考官眼里就是影響順暢閱讀的,當然會影響最終成績。解決的辦法簡單而古老:把常見的固定搭配牢記于心,問題自然就解決了。
2、 “to”作為介詞的誤用
“to”最常見的用法是以動詞不定式符號的形式出現(xiàn)的,所以同學們也已經(jīng)習慣了 “to do”的固定搭配。對于一些如walk to me, to the left等介詞to表方向等常見用法一般也不會出現(xiàn)錯誤。但是對于與動詞搭配的介詞to就會經(jīng)常犯錯:
如:
More and more students have taken to depend on their parents to make decision for them.
這里的 ‘take to’ means ‘to begin to do sth as a habit’ 其中 ‘to’為介詞,所以后面只能接名詞或相當于名詞的詞,如動名詞。所以黑體處應改為“depending on”。“take to”的另一個常用用法也需要牢記:
He hasn’t taken to his new school. (這里‘take to’ means ‘to start liking sb or sth’)
Prefer A to B中的 “to”也是介詞,會有 prefer doing sth to doing sth/ prefer sth to sth else, 這里朗閣海外考試研究中心提醒您,“prefer to do sth rather than do sth”中的“to”可是真正的不定式符號。
類似的常用用法請同學們牢記:
Be used to doing
Be accustomed to doing
See to doing
Adapt to doing
Adjust to doing
prefer doing sth. to doing sth.
等等,請注意平時仔細積累。
三、assume及claim使用不夠準確
我們知道, think, assume, claim是議論文中常用引出觀點的動詞。在實際作文中,同學們往往認為幾個詞的意思是一樣的,完全可以代換,所以拿過來就用。甚至還有同學把 consider也拿過來與之混用。我們首先還是從定義來看這幾個詞的不同:
Think: to have opinion or belief about sth.
翻譯為“認為”,通常接賓語從句來表達比較確定的觀點。
Assume: to think or accept that sth is true but without having proof of it.
翻譯為“假設、假定”,是否有事實依據(jù)是不確定的。
Claim: to say sth is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it.
翻譯為“聲稱”,用這個詞往往意味著不贊同緊跟其后的觀點,所以很少用作 ‘I claim that…
Scientist are claiming a breakthrough in the fight against cancer, but in fact, …。
所以 ‘It is claimed that’ 通常翻譯為“有報道稱。。。”。和‘it is reported that ’的區(qū)別在于后者翻譯為“據(jù)報道”,往往代表著作者贊同報告的內(nèi)容,
Consider: to think about sth carefully, especially in order to make a decision
翻譯為“考慮”,一般不用作引出觀點,看個例子:
We are considering buying a new car.
所以,千萬不要在雅思大作文的第一段(觀點表達段)就因為用詞把握不準而導致對整篇文章的低分印象。
四、表“建議”的詞匯后面忘記用虛擬從句
這是摘自學生雅思作文中的一個病句:
I suggest he continues his study instead of working after graduation from high school.
因為 ‘suggest’翻譯為“建議”,所以后面的從句應該用虛擬語氣,黑體部分應該改為 “(should) continue”
所以朗閣海外考試研究中心提醒您,一定要牢記以下常見表“建議”的詞匯,而且要記住這些詞接從句時要用虛擬語氣:
Recommend, suggest, advise
五、such as與for example的混用
我們知道,在表示舉例子的時候,such as 與like是完全等同的,如:Wild flowers such as/like orchids and primroses are becoming rare.
但是同學們對于Such as、for example 的把握還是不夠準確。我們都知道,后者接句子前者接詞語表示舉例子。于是就有了下面的寫法:
There is a similar word in many languages, such as in French and Italian.
這里的such as改為 for example為好,因為“in French and Italian”其實是“there is a similar word in French and Italian”的簡化,所以要用 for example來引出例證。再來看幾個類似的例子:
It is possible to combine computer science with other subjects, for example physics.