留美老师带你每日说英文 第687期:反应过度

 　　台湾籍旅美老师今天交给我们的句子是：

　　We see intention where there was none and escalate¹ and confront when no strenuous² or agitated⁴ responses are in fact warranted. Part of the reason why we jump so readily to dark conclusions and see plots to insult and harm us is a rather poignant⁵ psychological phenomenon: Self-hatred.

　　我们所看见的意图其实根本不存在，我们却把它搞得很严重、制造对立，即使当时的情况没必要那么激动地响应。我们之所以会如此轻易地就立刻做出负面的结论，并且把这些视为羞辱、伤害我们的阴谋，有部分原因其实是源于一个痛苦的心理状态：自我厌恶。

　　反应过度

　　学习重点：

　　1.confront 面临

　　confront (v.) 面临

　　confrontation⁶ (n.) 对抗

　　2.strenuous 费力的

　　strenuous (adj.) 费力的

　　3.agitate³ 使激动

　　agitate (v.) 使激动

　　4.poignant 浓烈的

　　poignant (adj.) 浓烈的

　　pungent⁷ (adj.) 有刺激性的

　　5.phenomenon 现象

　　phenomenon (n.) 现象

1 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

2 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

3 agitate   

vi.(for,against)煽动，鼓动；vt.搅动

参考例句：

• They sent agents to agitate the local people.他们派遣情报人员煽动当地的民众。
• All you need to do is gently agitate the water with a finger or paintbrush.你只需要用手指或刷子轻轻地搅动水。

4 agitated   

adj.被鼓动的，不安的

参考例句：

• His answers were all mixed up,so agitated was he.他是那样心神不定，回答全乱了。
• She was agitated because her train was an hour late.她乘坐的火车晚点一个小时，她十分焦虑。

5 poignant   

adj.令人痛苦的，辛酸的，惨痛的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• It is especially poignant that he died on the day before his wedding.他在婚礼前一天去世了，这尤其令人悲恸。

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 pungent   

adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的

参考例句：

• The article is written in a pungent style.文章写得泼辣。
• Its pungent smell can choke terrorists and force them out of their hideouts.它的刺激性气味会令恐怖分子窒息，迫使他们从藏身地点逃脱出来。