自现象级英语
DICTATE
1. 英英释义:to influence something or make it necessary
例句: Why does society try to dictate how people should die?
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
“dictate”作为动词可以表示“听写”,我们常说的“听写法”就是它的名词形式“dictation”。不过今天我们学习的是它的另外一个意思,dictate 作为动词还可以表示“决定” “支配” “控制”,在一些语境下我们可以用它替换 decide, control, influence 等词。
比如你想毕业后就周游世界,不过因为现实条件不允许,你不得不先工作几年。这时候就可以说:
As much as I want to travel around the world after graduation, my financial situation dictates that I have a job first.
我们常说“走社会主义政治发展道路,是由中国国情和历史条件决定的”,用英文就可以说成:
The reality dictates which route China should take.
当我们想表示受某种条件约束,有些事不得不做的时候就可以用 dictate。比如我们常说“养儿防老”,受这种文化印象,许多老人会认为儿子才是要肩负起自己养老生活的人。这时我们就可以说:
Chinese tradition dictates that sons are responsible for providing support and security for their aging parents.
《经济学人》在一篇讨论安乐死的文章中就用到了 dictate:
In a liberal democracy we don't try and dictate how people should live so why does society try to dictate how people should die?
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)翻译下面的句子:
社会礼节规定了我们在公众场合应该如何行事。(重点:社会礼节social etiquette, 可以不加the, 外交礼节diplomatic etiquette,注意etiquette不可数,只有单数)
Social etiquette dictates how we should behave in public.
The social code/etiquette dictates how we should behave in public.
造句:
例1:It all boils down to one thing: the musuem's change of policy has been dictated by its need to attract more eyeballs. 归根结底,博物馆的变革是因为需要吸引更多的眼球
例2:The scarcity of resources during WWI dictated that British soldiers on the front lines fell back on meagre rations. 一战时资源匮乏迫使前线英国士兵食不果腹。
例3:Who we are is dictated by our choices. 人生是选择的结果
个人拓展:
搭配:
The situation/ need/society/ etiquette/ code/tradition/ we dictate(s)
作为名词时,通常使用复数,注意名词发音的重音在最前
Follow the dictates of your heart.
背诵:
dictate, influence, control, decide
The rise in fuel prices was dictated by the market.
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