1. 这是个什么词?
词:constitute
英英释义:to be considered to be something
例句:Failing to complete the work on time constitutes a breach of the labor contract.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“constitute”是及物动词,除了有大家比较熟悉的“组成、构成”的意思外,还可以作“算是、可以被视为”。这种用法比较正式一点,出现的频次也很高。在有的语境中可以用它替换 amount to 或 be equivalent of 等词。下面来看几个例子。
没有按时完成工作可以被视为违反劳动合同,可以说:
Failing to complete the work on time constitutes a breach of the labor contract.
未经患者同意而对其进行检查被视为违反职业操守并触犯法律,可以说:
Testing patients without their consent would constitute a professional and legal offense.
虽然这家公司中标了,但利润不大,但很难被视为是真正的胜利,就可以说:
Although the company won the bid, it could hardly constitute a victory.
《经济学人》一篇关于新加坡家庭和人口增长的文章中用到了 constitute:
Another problem is the government’s narrow view of what constitutes a family, says Jean Yeung Wei-Jun of the National University of Singapore: two heterosexual parents with a male breadwinner. Many regulations support this definition.(这句中的 constitute 意思就是“算是”)
最近《经济学人》在一篇关于苹果公司的文章中也用到了 constitute:
America’s Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for iPhone users to sue Apple. The case centres on whether Apple’s App Store, which takes a 30% cut of all sales, constitutes an unfair monopoly. Unlike Android-based rivals, Apple’s phones are designed to prevent users from installing apps from other sources.(这里 constitute 可以理解为“算是、可以称得上是”)
《经济学人》在写美国阿拉巴马州的堕胎法案时,再一次用到了 constitute:
On May 14th the state’s Senate passed a bill that would, in effect, ban abortion outright. Signed into law by the governor the following day, it constitutes the harshest abortion legislation passed in America in half a century.(这里的 constitue 和 is 同义,不过相比来说 is 更加绝对,而 constitute 表示“可以算是”,更留有余地。)
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)翻译下面的句子:
这位父亲去年一年都没参加家长会,可以被视作是不负责任。
The father failed to attend parents’ meetings last year, constituting irresponsibility.
(参考翻译:That the father did not attend any of the parents' meetings last year constitutes irresponsibility. 或 The father failed to attend parents' meetings last year, constituting irresponsibility.)
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。
例子: 上班时间擅自离岗可以被视为旷工。
场景:Unauthorized departure from work constitutes absenteeism.
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