雅思小作文因為比較模式化,相對來說用錯詞的情況也少一些。朗閣海外考試研究中心提醒考生們在常見錯誤方面應(yīng)注意:在談及價位時我們應(yīng)該用高低而非大小貴賤來表達,即high/low price 而非big/small price 或者expensive/cheap price; great value而不是big value; their living condition is poor而非bad等等。其
雅思小作文因為比較模式化,相對來說用錯詞的情況也少一些。朗閣海外考試研究中心提醒考生們在常見錯誤方面應(yīng)注意:在談及價位時我們應(yīng)該用高低而非大小貴賤來表達,即high/low price 而非big/small price 或者expensive/cheap price; great value而不是big value; their living condition is poor而非bad等等。其實,小作文中比較集中的錯誤在“比較與對比”搞不清楚,所以出現(xiàn) ‘compare’與 ‘contrast’ 的使用錯誤,這里我們詳細說一下。
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O(shè)XFORD 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。