英语辅导:你到底有哪些“才能”和“能力” |
http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/07/19 14:04 英语辅导报 |
我们在学习和使用英语时常常会遇到以下四个单词:ability, genius, skill, talent.这四个词大都有"才能"、"能力"或"技能"的意思,但在具体用法中,它们之间还是有着不小的差别。下面是它们的用法和区别: 一、ability: possession of the necessary skill or power to do sth.; great skill or competence, 指的是"固有的能力"或"工作能力",作不可数名词时表示"能力"、"潜能"、"聪明";作可数名词时表示"才能"、"才智"等。例如: 1. I do not doubt your ability to do the work. 我不怀疑你做此项工作的能力。 2. He is a man of great ability. 他是个极有能力的人。 3. Mr. Smith is a man of many abilities.史密斯先生是个有多种才能的人。 二、genius: a person with exceptional ability in a particular subject or activity; exceptionally great ability, 是指"具有非凡的发明和创造新事物才能的人"或指"非凡的才能"。例如: 1. Mozart showed great genius even at the age of six, when he began to compose minuets. 莫扎特六岁时就开始创作小步舞曲,显示了其伟大的才能。 2. The more one studies Shakespeare, the more one realizes that he was a genius. 对莎士比亚研究得越深,就会越发感到他是个天才。 三、talent: special or very great ability,是指"某种特殊才能"或"巨大才能"。例如: 1. He was a man of great talent. He was a brave sailor, an able statesman and a good poet. 他才华出众,不仅是位勇敢的水手、干练的政治家,还是位优秀诗人。 2. The young lady showed great talent for painting and found that people wanted to buy some of her pictures. 这位年轻的姑娘显示出巨大的绘画才能,她发现人们愿意购买她的某些作品。 四、skill: special ability or expertise enabling one to perform an activity well,是指"做事的技能"、"专长"或"技艺"等。例如: 1. The driver showed great skill in keeping the damaged car under control. 这位司机技术高超,他能驾驶那部受损的汽车。 2. They provide good materials for developing reading skills. 他们提供好的材料来发展阅读技巧。 五、genius还是talent? genius是对人类的进步做出巨大和持久贡献的人,而且死后被人们永远怀念;而talent是在某方面显示出巨大才能者,如乐器演奏出色或能讲好几种外语等。一个genius肯定要有talent的许多品质,但世界上有成千上万的具有talent的人,而genius却凤毛麟角.请对比: 1. My nephew is a genius in science and always scores high marks in the exam. (误) 2. My nephew has a talent for science and always scores high marks in the exam. (正) 六、ability还是skill? ability这个词在以上四个词中意义最广泛,经常作skill的同义词,但在某些上下文中不应该以ability代替skill.例如:"这个人有记住他所见过的每个人名字的能力,这是难能可贵的。"它的翻译是这样的: 1. The man's skill in remembering the names of everyone he meets was a great asset. (误) 2. The man's ability to remember the names of everyone he meets was a great asset.(正) 形容一位球类运动员时,ability比skill更为常用。例如: 1. He has the ability to be a good goalkeeper.他是个合格的守门员。这句话还可以说成: He has the skill to be a good goalkeeper. 或He has the competence to be a good goalkeeper。 2. His ability to keep control of the ball was admired by all the world. 他的控球技术博得全世界的喝彩。此句中的ability可以用skill代替。 七、另外两个含有"能力"意思的词capacity和competence 1. capacity是不可数名词,意思为"容纳力"、"理解力"、"能量"、"效能"、"学习能力"等。例如: He has a mind of great capacity. 他理解力很强. capacity用作可数名词时意为"身份"、"职能"等。 2. competence是不可数名词,意为"称职"、"胜任"、"能力"等。例如: His competence in handling money is regarded as very great. 他的理财能力被认为是相当好的。 (文/刘天放; 英语通大学英语四级考试版2004年第5期;版权归英语辅导报社所有,独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育,未经许可,不得以任何形式进行转载。) |
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