1. 認(rèn)識這個詞(基礎(chǔ)篇)
詞:boil down to
英英釋義:to be the main reason for something or the most basic part of something
例句:Big, sweeping life changes really boil down to small, everyday decisions.
2. 體會這個詞 (進(jìn)階篇)
“boil down to”是個出現(xiàn)頻率很高的實(shí)用表達(dá)怔接,可以用在口語和寫作中。它的意思是“一個問題的主要原因是、歸根結(jié)底是”,如同熬一鍋湯狱杰,煮時間長了水分就會減少啊掏,只留下最重要最本質(zhì)的東西。當(dāng)我們想表示一個事件的本質(zhì)時莲镣,就可以用到它曙强。
比如我們想說主要問題是缺錢残拐,就可以用 boil down to something 造句:
The problem boils down to one thing: lack of money. (這里的冒號也可以換成破折號,或者也可以直接說成 The problem boils down to lack of money.)
亞馬遜 CEO 杰夫·貝佐斯曾在一次畢業(yè)典禮中說“In the end, we are our choices.“ 我們可以用 boil down to 來改寫這句話:
Ultimately, who we are boils down to our choices.
美國一位減肥比賽節(jié)目冠軍 Ali Vincent 說過一句類似的話:
Big, sweeping life changes really boil down to small, everyday decisions.
我們在口語中可以常用 It all boils down to 這個簡單句型碟嘴,表示“歸根結(jié)底就一件事兒“溪食,比如:
It boils down to one thing: who you know in this business.
It boils down to one question: do you really want to learn English well?
It boils down to a simple question: do you really love me?
The question will always boil down to: who pays for the extra cost, and takes the initial risk? (來自《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》,在討論市場機(jī)制臀防、監(jiān)管等話題的文章中直接使用)
和 boil down to 類似的常見同義表達(dá)是 come down to眠菇,在掌握了 boil down to 的用法之后边败,可以學(xué)習(xí)一下 come down to 的用法袱衷。
3. 從認(rèn)識到會用(作業(yè))
1)翻譯下面的句子:
這場爭論歸根結(jié)底是倫理問題而不是法律問題。
The argument boils down to ethics rather than laws.
(參考翻譯:The argument boils down to ethics rather than laws.)
2)結(jié)合自己的生活笑窜、學(xué)習(xí)致燥、工作、興趣等排截,想象在什么語境下會用到這個表達(dá)嫌蚤。先簡要描述這個場景辐益,再造句。
場景: 歸根結(jié)底就是一個問題:日常家庭作業(yè)對于學(xué)生是否有必要脱吱。
造句:It all boils down to a simple question: is daily homework necessary for students?