1. 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。
Talking Gossips can cement their friendship quickly.
(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:分享读书和思考可以增进我们的友谊。
造句:Sharing books and the reflective ideas can cement our friendship.
一起参加晨读是增进我们友谊的有效方式。
It is an efficient way to cement our friendship when we attend to a morning reading together.