1. 认识这个词(基础篇)
词:shift
英英释义:a change in position, direction, or tendency
例句:There has been a marked shift in attitudes towards how to ask questions in the Phenomenal English community.
2. 体会这个词 (进阶篇)
前面我们学过“shift”作动词表示观点、态度、聚焦点等变化的用法,“shift”做名词也很常见,也可以表示同样的意思。了解它不同词性的用法,可以增强我们表达的多样性。
比如,之前的一个例句是:
最近几年大众对同性恋的态度已经有所改变了。Attitudes to homosexuality have shifted in recent years. 把这里的“shift'改成名词,就可以改写成:
Recent years have seen a shift in attitudes to homosexuality.
注意这个句子中“shift”后面搭配的介词是“in”。除了“a shift in attitude”外,常用的搭配还有:
a shift in public opinion/perspective
a shift in emphasis/mood/tone
a shift in direction/focus/policy/strategy
比如,经济低迷的时候人们的消费观就会变化,可以这么表达:
With the gloomy economy comes a shift in personal financial focus: people are more careful about spending and tend to spend primarily on truly necessary items.(这句话中使用了倒装句式,把 comes 提前了,正常语序应该是:A shift comes in personal financial focus with the gloomy economy。)
《经济学人》一篇关于谷歌商业模式的文章中,有几句话正好同时用到了“shift”作名词和动词的用法:
Alphabet has confronted worrisome transitions before, such as the shift from desktop PCs to mobile. Its ad business is still booming, because it devised a way to deliver ads on small screens. It is possible that Google’s ad model could in future shift to taking a fee for each transaction it facilitates.
这句话的意思是:“Alphabet 已经经历过一些令人担忧的过渡,比如从个人台式电脑到移动设备的转变。它的广告业务还很繁荣,因为它设计了一种方法,可以将广告投到很小的屏幕上。在未来谷歌的广告模式很可能转向对自己促成的每一笔交易都收费。”
大家在阅读中要有“温故而知新”的意识,注意一个词的不同词性,以及各自的使用特点。这样在自己写作的时候,就可以写出更灵活、地道的句子。
3. 从认识到会用(作业)
1)复习 “shift”(可点击单词直接跳转)作动词的用法。
2)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“shift”,了解它作名词的常用搭配。
a. [搭配]ADJ.
distinct, dramatic, fundamental, major, marked, profound, pronounced, radical, significant, substantial 明显的/ 戏剧性的/ 根本的/ 重大的/ 深远的/ 彻底的转变
discernible 显而易见的变化
slight, subtle 细微的变化;微妙的变化
gradual 逐渐的变化
abrupt, sudden 突然的改变
decisive, irreversible, long-term 决定性的变化;不可逆转的改变;长期的变化
climate, cultural, demographic, ideological, policy, population 气候变化;文化变迁;人口的转移;意识形态的转变;政策变化
b. [搭配]VERB + SHIFT
be, represent 构成变化;表明变化 These proposals represent a dramatic shift in policy. 这些提议表明了政策的重大变化。
bring about, cause, lead to, produce, result in 带来转变;导致变化;产生变化
mark, see 标志着变化; 历经变化: The moment marked a significant shift in attitudes to the war. 这一时刻标志着对战争的态度有了重大转变。
detect 察觉变化: I detected a subtle shift towards our point of view. 我察觉到了一丝倾向于我们观点的细微变化。
explain 解释变化 :one factor which may explain the president’s policy shift也许可以解释总统政策变化的一个因素
c. [搭配]SHIFT + VERB
occur, take place 变化发生 :These climate shifts occurred over less than a decade. 这些气候变化是在不到10 年的时间内发生的。
d. [搭配]PREP.
between … 之间的变化:the many shifts between verse and prose that occur in Shakespeare 莎士比亚作品中诗歌和散文之间的诸多变换~
~ (away) from 背离…的变化:the shift away from direct taxation 从直接税的转变
~ in …的变化:a shift in public opinion 民意的变化
~ to 向…的变化 :a sudden shift to the right in British politics 英国政治的突然右倾
~ towards 朝…的变化 :a shift towards part-time farming 向兼营农业的转变
3)翻译下面的句子:
中国经济正在经历从劳动密集型向智力密集型的转变。
(参考翻译:China is experiencing a shift from a labor-intensive economy to a knowledge-intensive economy. 或 Chinese economy is undergoing a shift from brawn to brain.)
4)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。
场景1:最近几年人们对心理疾病的态度有所转变。
造句:Recent years have seen a shift in attitudes to mental illness.
场景2: 重庆公交坠江事件。早些时候,说是一辆小汽车突然开过来,司机急速才转向。大家都在指责小汽车女司机。当监控视频公布后,公众舆论又有了急剧的变化。
Early reports said the bus swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle. So the female car driver was to blame for the accident. But when the new security footage shows the driver was being hit by a passenger and then struck her back, there is a dramatic shift in public opinion.
场景3: 他们故作镇定,但是我还是察觉到了他们情绪上的细微变化。
造句:They pretend to be calm, but I still detect a subtle shift in their mood.