- 這是什么詞?
詞:prone
英英釋義:likely to do something or be affected by something, especially something bad
例句:Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.
場景:中國南方夏天會有很多臺風和大雨
造句:The South China is prone to typhoons and heavy rain.
- 為什么選這個詞?
“prone”是個形容詞,表示“易于…的” “很可能…的”,也就是說它經??梢杂脕硖鎿Q likely, inclined 等表示“有…可能/傾向”的詞,是個在口語和寫作中都高頻實用的表達。
prone 最常見的用法是 be prone to,后面常接有負向意義的名詞或者動詞。比如日本地形獨特,是一個經常遭受地震或臺風的國家,我們就可以說:
Japan is prone to earthquakes and typhoons.(be prone to 后接名詞的用法)
或者:
Japan is prone to suffer earthquakes and typhoons. (be prone to 后接動詞原形的用法)
許多人在接受測試的時候都很容易緊張不安,我們就可以說:
Most people are prone to anxiety during a test.
《經濟學人》中就出現過許多這種用法,比如:
But in China and India, young women have been unusually prone to suicide.
prone 的另一個常見用法是與名詞連用構成形容詞,表示“易受…影響的”,和 be prone to 可以替換實用。比如像美式橄欖球、冰球等對抗性運動的球員往往很容易受傷,我們就可以說:
American football and ice hockey players are prone to injury.
或者:
American football and ice hockey players are injury-prone.
這樣 -prone 的用法可以讓表達簡潔、靈活,比如上面的第一個例句也可以寫成:
Japan is earthquake- and typhoon-prone. (注意這里連字符的用法:earthquake- and typhoon-prone 等于 earthquake-prone and typhoon-prone)
我們在閱讀中要注意收集這樣的表達。
- 怎樣學會使用這個詞?
1)使用《牛津英語搭配詞典》查“prone”,了解它的常用搭配。
2)翻譯下面的句子:
超重人群容易患高血壓和高血糖。
(參考翻譯: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.
場景:中國南方夏天會有很多臺風和大雨
造句:The South China is prone to typhoons and heavy rain.
場景:老人經常會受到疾病困擾。
造句:The old people are prone to phisical disorders.