词:parallel ['pærəlel]
英英释义:a person or thing that is similar to another
例句:There are many striking parallels between Shanghai and New York City.
2. 为什么选这个词?
“parallel”作形容词讲,本意是“与......平行的(A is parallel to B)”;作名词讲,本意是“平行线(a pair of parallel lines)”。它的名词意思可以引申为“相似处、共性”,由几何中的平行线而来,形象、有画面感。
在口语和写作中,如果想描述两个事物的共同特征,除了用 similarity 外,还常可以用“parallel”替换。
注意“parallel”的拼写:中间是两个 l,最后是一个 l。在托福写作和雅思听力、阅读、写作中要尤其注意,以免拼写错误。
下面通过几个例句体会这个词的用法。
很多年前在《英语沙龙》杂志读到现任北大光华学院金融教授 Michael Pettis 的一个访谈,主题是中美文化差异。他在回答“中国哪个城市最像纽约”的时候,是这样说的:
There are many striking parallels between Shanghai and New York City.
“striking”的意思是“明显的”,经常用来修饰 difference 和 similarity,也常用来修饰 parallel,这类常见搭配在《牛津英语搭配词典》中就可以查得到。我们可以在上面这句话的基础上,改写造句:
When many New Yorkers visit Shanghai, they can readily sense familiar parallels between Shanghai and the Big Apple.(“The Big Apple”是纽约市的昵称。)
2014 年底我从美国东海岸搬到旧金山,参加了当地两个 Toastmasters Club 公众演讲俱乐部。当时有会员问我喜不喜欢旧金山,我大概是这么说的:
I love San Francisco as much as I love New York City. In terms of cultural diversity and vibrancy, I see a lot of striking parallels between the two cities.
“parallel”最常见的一个用法是“to draw parallels/a parallel between A and B”,意思是“在 A 的身上可以看到 B 的影子”。当我们想表达“A 和 B 有很大的相似之处”时,就可以想到使用“parallel”。比如:
Many foodies try to draw a parallel between Chinese noodles and Italian pasta.
3. 怎样学会使用这个词?
1)使用《牛津英语搭配词典》查“parallel”,了解它的常用搭配。
clear, close, obvious 明显的相似处;
interesting, striking 有趣的相似之处;引人注目的相似之处
VERB + PARALLEL have 存在相似之处:
2)翻译下面的句子:
这本书主要写的是传统出版业和数字出版业之间有趣的相似性。
There is an interesting parallel between traditional and digital edition in this book.
参考翻译:The book draws interesting parallels between traditional publishing and digital publishing.
The book examines interesting parallels between traditional publishing and digital publishing.
publishing 表示出版业
draw a parallel between (= find similar features in)
4 造句:
In terms of personality, there are many striking parallels between Cathrine and I.
When I visited York first day in UK, I could readily sense familiar parallels between York and Countryside in China.