20181026_Cement

词：cement

英英释义：to make a relationship, idea etc stronger or more certain

例句：Collective goals can help cement solidarity.

2. 体会这个词 （进阶篇）

“cement“作为名词，表示“水泥”，作为动词可以表示“把...粘合”，常常被引申为表示“巩固” “加强”。和同样可以表示“巩固” “加强”的表达来说，比如 “consolidate” “make something stronger”，cement 更富有画面感。

比如共同的目标可以让一个群体更团结：

Collective goals can help cement solidarity.

cement 后常接表示“关系”的名词，比如 relationship, friendship, tie, bond, connection 等词。比如，相似的价值观和阅历可以加强关系： 

Shared values and experiences can cement a bond. 

cement 的这种用法也是《经济学人》中的常客，比如：

Republicans won statehouses that Democrats had held for decades; in several competitive states they cemented their hold on power through gerrymandering.（'they cemented their hold on power through gerrymandering' 表示“他们（民主党）通过改划选区加强了他们对权利的掌控”）。

3. 从认识到会用（作业）

1）翻译下面的句子：

八卦可以让人们迅速增强友谊。

Gossips enable people to quickly cement their friendships.

（参考翻译：The exchange of gossip can efficiently cement a friendship.）

2）结合自己的生活、学习、工作、兴趣等，先想象在什么语境下会用到这个表达，然后再进行造句。

场景：政治联姻

造句：The friendship between Austria and France was cemented by the marriage between Marie and Louis.