VOA慢速英语2020 名师答疑：“Loose”和“lose” 的区别

This week's question comes from Vukeni of South Sudan. Vukeni writes:

本周的提问来自于南苏丹的沃基尼。沃基尼写道：

Question:

提问：

What is the difference between "loose" and "lose"? This morning, I heard some people debating about it.

“Loose”和“lose”这两个单词之间有什么区别？今天早上，我听到有人在争论这件事。

Answer:

回复：

Dear Vukeni,

亲爱的沃基尼，

It makes sense that people were debating the difference between "loose" and "lose."

人们争论“Loose”和“lose”这两个单词之间的区别是可以理解的。

The two words are commonly mistaken, even by native English speakers! It is probably because the words are close in spelling and pronunciation.

这两个单词经常会弄错，即使是以英语作为母语的人士。这可能是因为这两个单词的拼写和发音都很接近。

In speaking, both words use the vowel¹ sound /u/. But "lose" ends in the /z/ sound, while "loose" ends in the /s/ sound. In writing, "loose" has only one more -o than "lose."

在发音上，这两个单词都有元音/ u /。但是“lose”是以/z/的读音结尾，而“Loose”以/s/的读音结尾。在书写上，“Loose”只比“lose”多一个字母o。

They may look and sound alike², but the two words are unrelated.

它们的书写和拼读很接近，但是这两个单词毫无关联。

Lose /luz/

Let's start with "lose," which is a verb. "Lose" has many meanings. Today, I will tell you about three.

我们先来看“lose”，它是一个动词。“lose”有多种含义。今天，我会给你讲其中3种含义。

It can mean "to fail to win," such as a game or competition:

它可以表示“未能获胜，”例如在一场比赛中：

We lost the tennis game last night. Better luck next week.

我们昨晚的网球比赛输了。希望下周会好运。

Notice that the past form is "lost," not "losed." That is because "lose" is an irregular verb.

请注意它的过去式是“lost，”而不是“losed。”因为“lose”是不规则动词。

"Lose" can also mean "to misplace (something)" or to be unable to find it. People can lose many kinds of things. Here's an example:

“lose”还可以表示“乱放（物品）”或是找不到。人们会弄丢各种东西。举例如下：

Oh no! The airport lost my bags. Now I have nothing to wear to the wedding.

不好啦！机场把我的行李弄丢了。现在我没有参加婚礼的服装了。

"Lose" can also mean "to have less of something as time passes" as in this:

“lose”还可以表示“随着时间推移而丧失某些东西，”如下例所示：

Grandma has been losing her eyesight for a few years. These days, I usually help her walk around.

奶奶丧失视力好几年了。如今都是我带她四处溜达。

A person can also lose sleep, weight or hair, or something nonphysical, such as memory, interest or contact.

某人也可能失眠、体重减轻或是掉头发，或是失去某些非实体的东西，例如失忆、失去兴趣或是失去联系。

Loose /lus/

Now, let's talk about the word "loose."

现在让我们来谈谈“loose”这个单词。

"Loose" is an adjective³ that means "not tightly⁴ attached or held in place." Many things can be loose, like clothing:

“Loose”是一个形容词，意思是“未紧密连接或固定在适当位置。”很多东西都很宽松，例如衣服：

Excuse me, these shoes are a little loose. Do you have a smaller size?

对不起，这双鞋有点宽松。有尺码小点的吗？

Lots of other things can be loose, such as nails when they are not securely⁵ attached, teeth when they are ready to come out or wires when they are not tightly connected.

还有很多东西会松动，例如钉子未钉紧，牙齿快掉了或是电线没接紧。

Loosen⁶ /lus n/

Though "loose" is an adjective, it can take verb form. The verb is "loosen." To loosen means "to make loose," as in this:

虽然“loose”是个形容词，它也有动词形式。这个动词就是“loosen”，它的意思是“使......松动。”如下所示：

When he left the meeting, he quickly loosened⁷ his tie.

当他离开会场时，他迅速松开了他的领带。

In the example, notice that the past form ends in -ed. "Loosen" is a regular verb.

在这个例子中，请注意过去式是以ed结尾。因为“loose”是规则动词。

And that's Ask a Teacher for this week.

以上就是本期名师答疑的全部内容。

I'm Alice Bryant.

我是爱丽丝·布莱恩特。

1 vowel   

n.元音；元音字母

参考例句：

• A long vowel is a long sound as in the word"shoe ".长元音即如“shoe” 一词中的长音。
• The vowel in words like 'my' and 'thigh' is not very difficult.单词my和thigh中的元音并不难发。

2 alike   

adj.同样的，相像的；adv.一样地；同程度地　

参考例句：

• The twins are so alike that I can't tell which is which.这对双胞胎一模一样，我分辨不出谁是谁。
• All stories seemed dreadfully alike,no matter who told them.看来，不管谁讲，故事都是千篇一律的。

3 adjective   

n.形容词；adj.形容词的，用作形容词的

参考例句：

• Don't apply that adjective to me.不要用那个字眼来形容我。
• The adjective loose has several senses. 形容词loose有几个义项。

4 tightly   

adv.紧紧地，坚固地，牢固地

参考例句：

• My child holds onto my hand tightly while we cross the street.横穿马路时，孩子紧拉着我的手不放。
• The crowd pressed together so tightly that we could hardly breathe.人群挤在一起，我们几乎喘不过气来。

5 securely   

adv.安心地，安全地；牢固地；被妥善保管地

参考例句：

• She chained the wolf securely to the post.她用铁链把那只狼锁在那根柱子上。
• The straps hold the baby in securely.带子把婴儿安全地系在里面。

6 loosen   

vt.放松，松开，解除（便秘等），放宽；vi.变松，松弛

参考例句：

• I must take some exercise and loosen up my muscles.我必须活动活动使肌肉放松些。
• The medicine may loosen your cough.这种药能减轻你的咳嗽。

7 loosened   

v.解开( loosen的过去式和过去分词 )；放松；松弛；（使）放松

参考例句：

• He has loosened the soil up with a fork. 他用耙松过土了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The new policies loosened up foreign trade. 新政策使对外贸易有了更大的灵活性。 来自《简明英汉词典》