词:prone
英英释义:likely to do something or be affected by something, especially something bad
例句:Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“prone”是个形容词,表示“易于…的” “很可能…的”,也就是说它经常可以用来替换 likely, inclined 等表示“有…可能/倾向”的词,是个在口语和写作中都高频实用的表达。
prone 最常见的用法是 be prone to,后面常接有负向意义的名词或者动词。比如日本地形独特,是一个经常遭受地震或台风的国家,我们就可以说:
Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.(be prone to 后接名词的用法)
或者:
Japan is prone to suffer earthquakes and typhoons. (be prone to 后接动词原形的用法)
许多人在接受测试的时候都很容易紧张不安,我们就可以说:
Most people are prone to anxiety during a test.
《经济学人》中就出现过许多这种用法,比如:
But in China and India, young women have been unusually prone to suicide.
prone 的另一个常见用法是与名词连用构成形容词,表示“易受…影响的”,和 be prone to 可以替换使用。比如像美式橄榄球、冰球等对抗性运动的球员往往很容易受伤,我们就可以说:
American football and ice hockey players are prone to injury.
或者:
American football and ice hockey players are injury-prone.
这样 -prone 的用法可以让表达简洁、灵活,比如上面的第一个例句也可以写成:
Japan is earthquake- and typhoon-prone. (注意这里连字符的用法:earthquake- and typhoon-prone 等于 earthquake-prone and typhoon-prone)
我们在阅读中要注意收集这样的表达。
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“prone”,了解它的常用搭配。
2)翻译下面的句子:
超重人群容易患高血压和高血糖。
Overweight people are prone to high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
(参考翻译:Overweight people are prone to high blood pressure and high blood sugar. 或 People with excess weight are prone to develop high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar.)
2. Teenagers who got nearsighted are prone to Deep myopia.