【炫词/炫语/炫句研究】   

1. to sit for examinations: 就相当于to take part in examinations   

2. qualifying examination;资格考试;体育上的资格赛就叫 qualifying matches   

3. graduate studies: “研究生学习”的美国说法; 英国的说法是postgraduate studies   

4. Master’s program:硕士学位课程;“本科学位课程”是undergraduate program或Bachelor’s program; “博士学位课程”是 Ph.D. program 或 doctoral program;   

5. to prepare for examinations: 备考   

6. either through …or by …: 要么是通过…, 要么是凭借…   

7. years of arduous self-education: 数年的艰苦自学; arduous:艰难卓绝的; self-education的另一个说法是self-study;   

8. to spend large sums of money attending local training schools: spend time or money (on) doing something; 另外,在large sums of money这个表达方式中,虽然money是不可数的,但作为量词的sum是可数的,要用复数,谓语动词也相应要用复数。类似的例子有amount, 如large amounts of energy, 其用法与large sums of money相同。   

9. examinations-related study materials:与考试相关的学习材料   

10. the training programs offered, both online and offline, 网上和网下所提供的培训项目;the training programs offered 就相当于the training programs (which are )offered;   11. a sizable industry: 一个规模可观的产业;sizable:sufficiently big   

12. an alarming fact about this craze is that…有关这股狂热,一个令人震惊的事实是……   

13. students pursue graduate studies not out of their voluntary will: 学生们不是出于其自主的意愿去寻求研究生学习的;pursue graduate studies是个不错的表达方式;out of就相当于from; voluntary: 自愿的; will:意志,意愿;   

14. faced with the harsh reality in the employment market: 面对着就业市场上严峻的现实;faced with 一般要用被动语态;harsh reality:严峻的现实;the employment market: 就业市场;   

15. where employers forever look for graduates with higher degrees:where指in the employment market;graduates with higher degrees:拥有更高学位的毕业生   

16. many college graduates find going to graduate schools is a good way to …: many college graduates find 后面省略掉了宾语从句的引导词that;going to graduate schools 是现在分词短语作主语;   

17. avoid unemployment: avoid的用法有二,一是avoid something; 二是avoid doing something;   

18. to enhance one’s competitiveness in future job hunting: 提升在未来求职过程中的竞争力;to enhance one’s competitiveness是个不错的搭配;“竞争优势”叫competitive edge(s); future是形容词;job hunting是个固定搭配;   

19. voluntary initiative:initiative 是积极性,主动性,进取心的意思;另外,“中东的和平倡议” 就叫the Middle East peace initiative;   

20. most students who do enter graduate schools are not self-motivated: “do enter”是动词的强调形式;not self-motivated: 缺乏自我动力;   

21. the only thing that counts:就相当于 the only thing that matters; ultimately: 最终地   

22. the degree or the diploma which they expect could give them an upper hand against other job seekers:那个他们希冀能够使他们相对于其他求职者略胜一筹的学位或文凭;they expect是插入语,并非是定语从句中的主语与谓语;which才是定语从句中的主语,could give是定语从句中的谓语动词;类似的例子如:This is a book which I hope would be useful to you. could 采用的是虚拟语气,表示与实际并不相符;an upper hand: 优势,上风; job seekers:求职者,就相当于job hunters;   

23. as to the actual substance of their graduate studies, it’s not a big deal: as to就相当于as for, 表示“至于”. the actual substance: 实际的内容; substance即content; it’s not a big deal口语与书面语中都很常用,表示“并非大事一桩”;   

24. as long as it leads to that degree or diploma:只要它能带来那个学位或文凭即可;as long as是连词,表示“只要”,引导一个条件状语从句;   

25. It is really pathetic to see that…: 看到… 真是令人心感悲哀;   

26. students undertake graduate studies with an ulterior motive:undertake graduate studies就相当于pursue graduate studies; an ulterior motive: 固定词组,表示“别有用心”的意思;   

27. not for the sake of …, but for the sake of … : 不是为了…的缘故,而是为了…的缘故;   

28. to land a job, which in many cases might be unrelated to what they have studied: to land a job表示“找到工作”; 在口语中, land当动词用是,表示“赢得,得到,找到,捞到”,如to land a contract, to land a trophy, to land a nomination, to land a prize; in many cases: 在许多情形中;   

29. the chill truth is that…: 令人心寒的事实真相是…   

30. students soon find (that) their anticipations are a mere dream: 学生们很快发现,他们的期望只是一种幻想;find后面省略了引导词“that”;   

31. As so many undergraduates proceed onto graduate studies: as是连词,表示“由于”、“随着”,代表原因。undergraduate:本科生; proceed onto … 指停顿或打断后继续进行(做)某事; 如: After talking about Plan A, let’s proceed onto Plan B.   

32. the employment situation remains as severe as ever: 就业形势一如既往地依然严峻。employment situation是个固定词组,值得一记; remain是联系动词,后接形容词,表示“一直处于某种境地或状态”;as severe as ever:与以往一样的严峻;记住“as … as ever”的用法。   

33. Instead of bringing about apparent competitive edges, two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy. 二至三年额外的学术训练没能给学生带来显著的竞争优势,反而是白白地浪费了他们的时光与精力;现在分词短语bringing about apparent competitive edges这个动作,是主句的主语two or three years of additional academic training所发出的。bringing about或bringing在此处都可以用,意思略微不同;bringing是“带来”,bringing about是“造成,导致,产生”, competitive edges: 上面已讲过,是“竞争优势”的意思;在“two or three years of additional academic training is simply a waste of time and energy” 这个句子中,有人会问,two or three years of additional academic training作为一个充当主语的名词短语,是以复数形式出现的,与“is a waste of time and energy”中单数的动词“is”是否一致。回答是,“是一致的”。 虽然“two or three years of additional academic training”形式上是复数,但是,它是被动作一个整体来处理的,整个看作“一段时间”。 类似的例子如:Two years is a long time to wait. 此外,还有:Three miles is a long distance to walk. 等。a waste of time and energy是个不错的短语。   

34. to reflect on this craze: 单独一个reflect当及物动词使用时,是“反映,折射”的意思,如:This article fully reflects his ideas. 但作为不及物动词,与介词on结合使用时,表示“反思,思索”;   

35. be better off doing something: 做某事要来的更惬意,(日子)过得更滋润;如:As long as there are enough to eat and drink, I will be better off living in the countryside.   

36. distinguishing themselves with outstanding knowledge and skills: 凭着出色的学识与能力使自己脱颖而出;to distinguish somebody with something 是个值得记住的词组。