詞:antidote
英英釋義:something that helps to improve the effects of something bad or negative
例句:Some people believe that alcohol can offer a quick antidote to depression.
2. 為什麽選這個詞?
“antidote”的本意是“解毒藥”,常被引申為表示“緩解作用”“有效手段”,和我們中文裏的“ 壹劑良藥 ”完美對應。如果在寫作中恰當使用 antidote,可以顯示不凡的詞匯水平。
我們常說的“何以解憂,唯有杜康”,說的是很多人認為只有酒才能消除憂慮。這時就可以用英文說:
Some people believe that alcohol can offer a quick antidote to depression.
米歇爾?奧巴馬在回憶錄 Becoming 中用到了 3 次 antidote,其中壹處寫到祖父(外號“Southside”)非常喜歡音樂時,她說:
Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries, a way to relax and crowd them out. When Southside had a payday for his carpentry work, he’d sometimes splurge and buy himself a new album.
“Music seemed to be an antidote to his worries”說的就是音樂可以解憂,緩解壓力。我們可以根據這個意思用 antidote 造句,比如說音樂的功效時就可以說:
It seems that music serves as a powerful antidote to worries. Music provides the perfect antidote to loneliness and boredom.
經典工作效率提升指南 Getting Things Done 中,開篇也出現了 antidote:
This is the vaccination against day-to-day firefighting and an antidote for the imbalance many people bring upon themselves.
vaccination 是“疫苗”,在這裏表示“預防措施”,antidote 是“解藥”,在這裏表示“矯正方法”。當我們想表示壹個工具、方法的有效性時,就可以用到 vaccination 和 antidote 這類詞匯。句子中的 firefighting 和 imbalance 寫出了上班族的狼狽,vaccination 和 antidote 和它們壹壹對應,相比“a good way/method”這樣的表達,它們更生動、靈活和恰當,建議直接把這段話背下來。
3. 怎樣學會使用這個詞?
1)使用《牛津英語搭配詞典》查“antidote”,了解它作為名詞時的常用搭配。
2)翻譯下面的句子:
健身是緩解壓力的有效方法。
Exercise is an effective antidote to release pressure.
(參考翻譯: Working out is a powerful antidote to anxiety. 或者 Regular exercise serves as a potent antidote to alleviate anxiety.)
3)結合自己的生活、學習、工作、興趣等,想象在什麽語境下會用到這個表達。先簡要描述這個場景,再造句。
場景:我深信音樂是有著不良情緒人們的壹劑良藥
造句:I believe that music is an antidote for people with bad mood.