aftershock (n.) 余震
规模大的震动是 earthquake (地震),小地震则是 tremor (震动)。 after 后面常常可以加名词,变成另一个单字,例如:aftertaste (韵味,回味)、afterthought (事后想法;事后添加的事物)、aftermath (后果;不愉快事件结束后的时期)、aftereffect (后遗症、事后影响)。
It can be very dangerous after an earthquake because it is often followed by aftershocks.
地震过后可能会很危险,因为常常有余震伴随而来。
PTSD is a mental illness that’s considered to be an aftereffect of a traumatic event.
创伤后压力症候群 (PTSD) 是一种心理疾病,其被认为是创伤事件后的后遗症。
magnitude (n.) 强度;震级
常用来形容地震强度的「芮氏规模」英文就是 Richter magnitude scale,字根 magn- 表「great (大)」,故动词 magnify 即「放大」、名词 magnification 即「放大 (倍率)」、形容词 magnificent 即「壮丽;宏伟的」之意。
The building collapsed after the 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck.
该大楼被芮氏规模 6.6 的地震袭击,因而倒塌。
He bought a mansion with a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean.
他买了一间拥有眺望太平洋壮丽景观的豪宅。
knock out (phr.) 击倒,打败;破坏
knock out 在新闻里指「破坏」水电,一般常解释为「击败」对手,若是说某人 be knocked out,则指「筋疲力竭,累倒」;而听到有人对你说 Knock yourself out! 是「那你就做吧!」的意思,通常带有不爽的意味,但也可以表示「随便」、「请便」之意。
A: Can I put the kettle on and get everyone a cup of hot tea?
A: 我可以去烧水然后帮大家泡杯热茶吗?
B: Knock yourself out!
B: 请便!
Several healthcare workers have been knocked out by the Wuhan Flu, so the government should be concerned about the outbreak.
有些医护人员已被武汉肺炎击垮,因此政府应重视该疫情的爆发。
landfall (n.) 着陆、登陆
指通过海上或空中旅途后到达陆地,在某地着陆就是 make landfall in/on/at + 地方。动词片语 take off 表「起飞」;set sail 则是「启航」之意。注意,长相相似的名词 landfill 意思则是「垃圾掩埋 (场)」的意思。
The hurricane made landfall yesterday and caused many local injuries and deaths.
飓风登陆该地区,造成许多伤亡。
The non-recyclable garbage will be transported to the landfill where it will get buried.
不可回收之垃圾会被运送到掩埋场掩埋。
one way or another (phr.) 用某种方法;无论如何
与 somehow、by any means 同义,就是要选择一个方法来达成目标;反义词是 by no means (决不)。
We have to figure out how to prevent the spread of coronavirus one way or another.
我们一定要找出预防冠状病毒扩散的方法。
The couple believe that their son is a prodigy and he’s by no means going to live a “normal life.”
这对夫妻相信他们的儿子是神童,决不平凡。
reprieve (n./v.) 暂缓,缓解;缓刑
字根 -prieve 与字根 -prehend 同义,表示「take (抓住)」,而字首 re- 是「再」的意思,「再次拿回来」便衍伸为「缓刑;暂缓」。注意,拼法很像的动词 retrieve 则表「收回;找回」,字根 -trieve 是 discover (找到) 的意思。
There is debate over whether criminals who commit murder should be reprieved or not.
对于杀人犯是否应该缓刑,这是一件备受争议的事。
I lost my watch last week. Fortunately, I retrieved it from the lost-and-found yesterday.
我上礼拜丢了手表,幸好昨天在失物招领处找回来了。
cut off (from) (phr.) 断绝,隔绝;切断 (电话)
当「断绝,隔绝」之意时,后面通常会加 from,尤其可指物资的断绝;而表「切断 (电话)」时通常以被动语态 be cut off 表示。
Many cities in China are locked down due to the Wuhan flu; supplies have been cut off from several other cities.
许多中国的城市都因为武汉肺炎而封城,在某些城市的物资差点被断送。
I got cut off when I was in the middle of a phone call because I forgot to pay my bills.
因为我忘了缴电话费,所以我电话讲到一半就被切断。
telegraph (n.) 电报
字首 tele- 是「far (远)」的意思,字根 -graph 表「to write (写)」,故「从远方写来」就是「电报」的解释,而字尾加上 y 变成 telegraphy 的话,即为「电报系统 (术)」,就像 photograph (相片) 加上 y 变成 photography (摄影术)。
He fainted when he heard the bad news through the telegraph.
他听到电报传来坏消息时昏厥了。
Morse code is used in telegraphy as a military application.
摩斯密码在电报系统里被当作军事用途使用。
exclusively (adv.) 单独;专门;仅仅
与 only 同义;而形容词 exclusive 也可以作为名词使用,「独家新闻」就叫 exclusive;此字由动词 exclude 衍伸而来,exclude 的字首 ex- 是「out (出去,外边)」的意思,而字根 -clude 为「shut (关)」,因此「关在外面」就表示「排他,排除在外」。
Many apartments are exclusively available for women to rent in Taiwan.
在台湾,许多公寓只出租给女性。
We all hope that Taiwan will no longer be excluded from the WHO.
我们都希望有天台湾不会再被世界卫生组织 (WHO) 排除在外。
pay off (phr.) 取得成功;付清贷款;付清工资解雇
新闻里是采「取得成功」这个意思,pay off 后面不接受词;另外也可指「付清贷款」,pay off 后面可加受词;另外也有「付清工资后解雇某人」之意,受词通常为人。
Though she changed jobs a lot, Sally’s latest career path finally paid off.
经过一番努力,Sally 终于事业有成。
Jim maxed out his credit card, so he now has no hope of paying off his debt.
Jim 把卡刷爆了,他怎样都不可能把债务还清了。
deteriorate (v.) 恶化,变坏
特别指健康、形势及型态上的「恶化」,例如病情与国际情势等,相义词为 exacerbate (加重;恶化)。
It breaks my heart to see her health deteriorating week by week.
看到她的健康一周周恶化,我心都碎了。
The U.S. airstrike on Baghdad has greatly exacerbated the relationship between America and Iraq.
美国空袭巴格达导致其与伊拉克严重交恶。
bullish (adj.) 看涨的;乐观的
字面上是「似公牛的」之意,而衍伸为「看涨的;乐观的」是因为「看涨的股市」叫做 bull market;另外,「下跌的股市」以熊市 (bear market) 来形容,故「看跌的」为 bearish。
The general manager is very bullish about the future of his company.
总经理很看好自家公司的未来前景。
The candidate’s supporters were very bullish about backing her campaign, so she won the election by a landslide.
这位候选人的支持者对选情抱持乐观的态度,而最后她也成功当选。