Wanted: a large biscuit tin

原文

No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses.

Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing. An advertisement which begins with the magic word FREE can rarely go wrong. These days, advertisers not only offer free samples, but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well. They devise hundreds of competitions which will enable us to win huge sums of money. Radio and television have made it possible for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of people in this way.

During a radio programme, a company of biscuit manufacturers once asked listeners to bake biscuits and send them to their factory. They offered to pay $10 a pound for the biggest biscuit baked by a listener. The response to this competition was tremendous. Before long, biscuits of all shapes and sizes began arriving at the factory. One lady brought in a biscuit on a wheelbarrow. It weighed nearly 500 pounds. A little later, a man came along with a biscuit which occupied the whole boot of his car. All the biscuits that were sent were carefully weighed. The largest was 713 pounds. It seemed certain that this would win the prize. But just before the competition closed, a lorry arrived at the factory with a truly colossal biscuit which weighed 2,400 pounds. It had been baked by a college student who had used over 1,000 pounds of flour, 800 pounds of sugar, 200 pounds of fat, and 400 pounds of various other ingredients. It was so heavy that a crane had to be used to remove it from the lorry. The manufacturers had to pay more money than they had anticipated, or they bought the biscuit from the student for $24,000.

译文

没有人能避免受广告的影响。尽管我们自以为品味高雅,我们已不再能自由选择我们想要的东西,因为广告对我们施加了微妙的影响。为了说服我们购买这个或那个产品,广告商们对人性进行了仔细的研究,并将我们所有的弱点分类。

广告商们多年前就发现,我们大家都喜欢不劳而获。以神奇的字眼“FREE”开头的广告很少会失败。如今,广告商们不仅提供免费样品,还提供免费汽车、免费房屋以及免费环游世界的旅行。他们设计了数百种竞赛,让我们有机会赢得巨额奖金。收音机和电视使广告商能够以这种方式吸引数百万人的注意力。

在一次广播节目中,一家饼干制造公司曾要求听众烘烤饼干并寄到他们的工厂。他们提出为听众烘烤的最大饼干支付每磅10美元。这次竞赛的响应非常热烈。不久,各种形状和大小的饼干开始运抵工厂。有一位女士用独轮车运来一个饼干,它重达近500磅。不久之后,一位男子带来一个饼干,占满了他的整辆汽车后备箱。所有送来的饼干都经过仔细称重。最大的重713磅。它似乎肯定会赢得奖品。但就在竞赛结束前,一辆卡车运来一个真正巨大的饼干,重达2,400磅。它是由一名大学生烘烤的,他用了1,000多磅面粉、800磅糖、200磅脂肪和400磅各种其他原料。它太重了,以至于必须用起重机从卡车上卸下。制造商不得不支付比预期的更多的钱,或者他们以24,000美元从学生那里买下了这个饼干。

词汇表

influence

名词, 动词
英:/ˈɪnfluəns/
美:/ˈɪnfluəns/
定义
1. 影响 - The power to affect or change someone or something.

例子: Advertising exerts a subtle influence on our choices.

例子: Parents have a strong influence on their children's behavior.

2. 作用 - The effect that something has on a person or thing.

例子: The teacher's influence helped him succeed in life.

例子: Social media has a significant influence on modern culture.

近义词
affect: 更侧重于直接改变,'influence' 强调渐进或间接作用,而 'affect' 常用于情感或心理层面。
impact: 更强调强烈或立即的效果,'influence' 则可能更持久但不那么剧烈。
sway: 常用于说服或引导,'influence' 更中性,而 'sway' 带有说服力的意味。
反义词:
ignore, resist, neglect
用法
常用于讨论心理、社会或市场影响,常见搭配如 'exert influence on'(对...施加影响),在正式语境中更常见。
形式:
复数: influences, 过去式: influenced, 现在分词: influencing, 形容词形式: influential

关键句型 "Much as [clause], [main clause]"

定义

此句型用于表达让步或对比,意思是“尽管……,但是……”。结构为:Much as + 从句(通常是主语 + 动词),后接逗号和主句。根据《剑桥英语语法》教材,这种句型是一种高级让步状语从句,常用于正式或书面英语中,表示承认一个事实但同时强调相反的结果。它类似于 "Although" 或 "Even though",但更简洁且带有强调语气。

例如,在文章中,“Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose...” 展示了这种结构。

用法

此句型主要用于写作或正式对话中,表达一种矛盾或让步关系,帮助平衡观点。例如,在讨论优缺点时,你可以说“Much as I enjoy traveling, I hate the long flights.”

规则:在语法体系中,它属于状语从句的一部分,具体是让步状语从句。Much as 后跟一个完整的从句,通常以动词原形或情态动词开头。横向比较:与 "Although [clause]" 相比,Much as 更正式且强调程度(如更诗意或文学化);与 "While [clause]" 不同,Much as 焦点在让步后的事实上,而 "While" 常用于时间或对比。

跨语法点联系:它与条件句或对比结构(如 "Even if")相关,能帮助学生连接到其他从句类型,比如 "If [clause], then [clause]",从而构建更复杂的句子。

在实际应用中,此句型常出现在议论文或描述性文本中,增强说服力。

注意事项

学生容易犯的错误包括:遗漏逗号,导致句子结构混乱;或误用 Much as 作为简单连接词,而不是引导从句。例如,学生可能写成 "Much as I like it I will not buy it"(缺少逗号),这会让句子读起来 awkward。纠正建议:总是记住用逗号分隔从句和主句,并练习朗读以确保流畅。

另一个常见问题是用错词汇顺序,如将 as Much 写成 Much as 的变体,但要严格遵守固定形式。提供例句:

错误示例:Much we pride ourselves, we are not free.
正确示例:Much as we pride ourselves on our good taste, we are not free to choose.

此外,学生可能混淆与 "As much as"(意思是“尽可能多”)的区别,后者是数量表达。

练习

一个原创例子:在日常对话中,你可以说:“Much as I love chocolate, I try to eat it sparingly to stay healthy.” 学生可以替换 [clause],如用 “Much as I enjoy parties, I need quiet time” 来练习。想象一个场景:讨论工作和生活平衡,说 “Much as I work hard every day, I make time for family.”

通过替换关键词或调整情境,学生能加深对句型的掌握,例如在写日记时用它表达个人矛盾。

额外内容

背景知识:这种句型源于古典英语,常见于文学作品,如莎士比亚的戏剧中,用于增加修辞效果。对比分析:在中文中,它类似于“尽管……但是……”,但英语版本更紧凑。相比法语的让步表达(如 "Bien que"),英语的 Much as 不需要额外的动词变化,适合初学者。

了解此句型能帮助学生在阅读广告或文章时更好地理解作者的意图,同时扩展到其他高级表达,如 "For all that",丰富语言表达。

关键句型 "Not only [clause], but [clause] as well"

定义

此句型用于强调两个或多个事物,意思是“不仅……而且……”。结构为:Not only + 第一部分 + but + 第二部分 + as well(可选,用于加强)。根据《牛津现代英语语法》,它是一种并列结构,用于突出追加信息,增强对比或扩展描述。

文章中如 “advertisers not only offer free samples, but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well” 就是典型例子。

用法

此句型常用于口语和写作中,列出多个项目时显示全面性。例如,在产品描述中说“Not only is it affordable, but it’s also durable as well。”

规则:在语法体系中,它属于并列连词结构,通常倒装主语和谓语以强调(如 “Not only did they offer..., but they also...”)。横向比较:与简单并列 "and" 相比,Not only...but... 更强调重要性;与 "Both...and..." 不同,它突出第一个项目作为基础,然后添加更多。

跨语法点联系:它与强调句型(如倒装结构)相关,还能链接到其他连接词,如 "as well as",帮助学生构建更复杂的句子链。

在实际场景中,此句型适合广告、演讲或列表优点时使用。

注意事项

学生常犯错误是忽略倒装形式,例如说 “Not only they offer free samples, but...” 应为 “Not only do they offer...”。纠正建议:练习时注意当 Not only 在句首时,主句需倒装。另一个问题是过度使用,导致句子冗长;建议只在需要强调时应用。

提供例句:

错误示例:Not only advertisers offer free samples, but free cars.
正确示例:Not only do advertisers offer free samples, but they offer free cars as well.

学生还可能混淆与 "Either...or..." 的区别,后者是选择而非添加。

练习

原创例子:描述一款手机,“Not only does it have a great camera, but it has long battery life as well.” 学生可以替换内容,如 “Not only is the movie exciting, but it’s educational as well”,并应用到个人经历,例如谈论一本书:“Not only is it interesting, but it’s inspiring as well。”

通过修改子句,学生能练习在不同语境中灵活使用,提升表达的全面性。

额外内容

背景知识:此句型在英语中用于修辞强调,起源于拉丁文结构,在现代广告中很流行。对比分析:在西班牙语中,类似 "No solo...sino también...",结构相似但需要动词一致。英语版本更简单,无需性别或数变化,这对学习者友好。

学习它能让学生在讨论产品或事件时更有说服力,并扩展到相关表达如 "Not only that, but also..."。