1. 认识这个词(基础篇)
词:ostensible
英英释义:seeming or stated to be real or true, when this is perhaps not the case
例句:His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity.
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
“ostensible”是形容词,意思是“表面上的”“貌似真实的”,是一个口语和写作中都很高频的高水平词汇。当我们想表示“xx seems to be”和“名义上是…“时,很多时候都可以用 ostensible 表示,它后面常接 goal/purpose/reason/cause 等名词。我们通过几个例子掌握它的用法。
我们常说”醉翁之意不在酒“,也就是说表面上做得事情和真实目的不同,有别有用心之意,这时我们就可以用到 ostensible。比如某人表面是做慈善,其实是想博得关注,就可以说成:
His ostensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity.
再比如你不想参加某个活动,但是不想告诉对方真实原因,于是便找个借口,这时也可以用 ostensible:
The ostensible reason for his absence was illness, but in fact he was just rather shy.
《经济学人》中也经常用到 ostensible,比如:
1)The ostensible purpose of such rules is to prevent electoral fraud.
2)The ostensible cause of popular discontent is a decline in law and order.
3)Michael Bowling says that although the ostensible goal was to build a winning poker program, the real aim was to “study how to build computers to make decisions in difficult circumstances, especially where there is missing information”.
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)翻译下面的句子: 他辞职的表面理由是身体不好。
The ostensible reason for his resignation was ill health.
(参考翻译:The ostensible reason for his resignation was ill health.)
2)结合自己的生活、学习、工作、兴趣等,想象在什么语境下会用到这个表达。先简要描述这个场景,再造句。
他不去旅游的表面理由是家中有事
The ostensible reason why he does not travel is that there is something in the house.
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