The action he takes varies according to the nature of the complaint.
他所采取的行动,根据怨言的性质,而有所不同。
modify 主要用来表示有局限性的“改变”,当用于事物时,它所表示的“改变”,在程度上要大于 alter, 在用于人的态度时,它仅仅表示略加修饰,并不含有很大的变化
The industrial revolution modified the whole structure of English society.
工业革命变革了英国的整个社会结构。
change alter vary
都含“改变”的意思 .
change 指“使改变得与原物完全不同”或“使发生以新代旧的变化”,如:
The appearance of the town is quite changed.
这个城镇的外观变化颇大。
alter 指“局部的、外表的变化, 但特点不变”, 如:
This coat should be altered.
这件外套应该改改。
vary 指“不规则或连续地改变”, 如:
Customs vary with the times.
习俗随时代而异。
keep retain withhold reserve
都含“保持”、“保存”的意思。
keep 系常用词, 指“使继续下去”“使较长时期地置于不脱离控制、掌握、照料或变化之下”, 如:
keep the room clean.
保持室内清洁。
retain 较正式, 强调“继续保持”, 特指“保持使不失去或被夺走”, 如:
He has managed to retain most of his fortune.
他设法保存了他的大部分财产。
withhold 强调“保留”、“隐匿”, 指“阻止其离去或泄漏”, 如:
Fear made him withhold the truth.
恐惧使他不敢说实话。
reserve 指“为一目的保持, 或保存一段时间”, 如:
A great future is reserved for you.
光明的前程在等待着你。
remain stay
都指“继续停留”或“继续保持某种状态、关系或行动。”
remain 常可与stay 互换, 但它强调“继续停留于一处或保持原状态、情况性质而不改变”, 如:
This place remains cool all summer.
这个地方整个夏天都凉爽。
stay强调“某人[物]继续留在原地而不离开”, 如:
He stayed to see the end of the game.
他一直呆到比赛结束
ability,capacity,faculty,talent,skill,competence,aptitude
These nouns denote the qualities in a person that permit or facilitate achievement or accomplishment.
这些名词都表示某人具有取得进步或成功的素质。
Ability is the power,mental or physical,to do something:
Ability 是指智力或体力上具有做某事的能力:
"To make a fortune some assistance from fate is essential. Ability alone is insufficient" (Ihara Saikaku)。
“要致富,光靠能力是不够的,还得看机遇” (伊哈拉。塞科古)。
Capacity refers to an innate potential for growth,development,or accomplishment:
Capacity 指天赋的,如生长、发展或成功的潜力:
"Not by age but by capacity is wisdom acquired"(Plautus)。
“智慧的获得是依靠才能而不是年龄” (普洛提斯)。
Faculty denotes an inherent power or ability:
Faculty 指内在的力量或能力:
An unerring faculty for detecting hypocrisy is one of her most useful attributes.
能无误地看出伪善的能力是她身上最有用的特征之一。
Talent emphasizes inborn ability,especially in the arts:
Talent 强调天生的才能,尤其是在艺术方面:
"There is no substitute for talent.Industry and all the virtues are of no avail" (Aldous Huxley)。
“勤奋及其他的品质都不能弥补天分的不足” (阿尔多斯。赫胥黎)。
Skill stresses ability that is acquired or developed through experience:
Skill 强调由经验而获得或发展的能力:
"The intellect,character and skill possessed by any man are the product of certain original tendencies and the training which they have received"(Edward L. Thorndike).
“任何人的知识、性格和能力都是由起初的兴趣加上后来接受的训练而得到的。” (爱德华L.桑戴克)。
Competence suggests the ability to do something satisfactorily but not necessarily outstandingly well:
Competence 指能做到使人满意但并不一定特别出众的能力:
The concerto was performed by a violinist of unquestioned competence but limited imagination.
小提琴家所演奏的协奏曲毫无疑问是出色的,但是缺乏想像力。
Aptitude implies inherent capacity for learning,understanding,or performing:
Aptitude 暗指内在的学习、理解和表演的才能:
Even as a child he showed an unusual aptitude for mathematics.
甚至孩童时他就显露出非同一般的数学才能
形容词 complete 和 perfect 虽然都有“完全的”含义,但并非同义词,在许多情况下它们只是词义相近而已。
complete 的含义是“完整无缺的”、“圆满的”
He is a complete stranger to me.
我一点也不认识他。(可以和 perfect 换用)
Before long,the noise dropped completely.
不久,那轰鸣声就完全消失了。