VOA慢速英语2021 look、appear、seem的区别

Welcome to Ask a Teacher – a new program where readers ask questions and teachers answer them.

欢迎收听名师答疑节目。在这个新节目中，读者们可以提问，老师会给出解答。

Have you ever noticed that English is full of words that have similar meanings?

你是不是也发现了英语中有很多意思相近的单词？

In today's Ask a Teacher, Mika from Japan asks how to decide among three verbs that all mean "give an idea about something."

在今天的名师答疑节目中，来自日本的Mika提问，当有三个单词都有“关于某事给出一个想法”的含义时，应该如何选择。

Here is her question:

以下是她的问题：

I don't understand the difference between "look," "appear" and "seem."

我不清楚“look”、“appear”和“seem”的区别。

If I say, "His new haircut makes him appear younger," is it correct?

如果我说“His new haircut makes him appear younger”是正确的吗？

Hello Mika and thanks for your question!

Mika你好，谢谢你的提问！

You can use "appear" in that situation, but the better verb would be "look."

在这种情况下你可以用“appear”，但是更合适的动词是“look”。

Let me give you the reasons why.

我来给你解释一下原因。

We use both the verbs "look" and "appear" to talk about a condition we have observed.

我们用“look”和“appear”来表达我们看到一种环境、状况。

In your sentence, you can see with your eyes how stylish¹ the man's new haircut is.

在你的句子里面，你可以通过眼睛看到这个男人的新发型多么的时髦。

You also see that it gives his face a more youthful² shape.

你也可以看到新发型让他的脸看起来更年轻了。

But "look" is more informal than the verb "appear." Your sentence sounded informal, as if you were talking to a friend.

但是“look”比“appear”更正式。你的句子听起来会比较不正式，就像你在和朋友聊天一样。

In contrast, you might see the word "appear" in writing, or hear it in formal speech, such as an official news report.

相反，你会在书面语中看到“appear”，或者在正式演讲中也会听到，比如官方新闻报道。

For example, a news reporter might say, "The suspect appeared to be fleeing the scene."

例如，一个新闻记者可能会说“The suspect appeared to be fleeing the scene.”

As that example shows, "appear" is commonly used to talk about events and facts.

就像例子显示的，“appear”通常用于谈论事件和客观事实。

Your third choice, "seem" also means "to create an idea or impression."

你的第三个选项，“seem”也是“给一个想法或印象”。

But "seem" does not suggest a direct observation.

但是“seem”并不意味着直接的观察。

For example, you and I may have talked on the phone, and you told me about your great new job and recent vacation.

例如，我们通电话，你告诉我你的新工作和最近的度假。

Afterward³, I could say, "Mika seems happy," even though I never saw you smile.

然后，即使我没有看到你的笑容，我会说，“Mika seems happy”。

Keep in mind one other difference among the three words.

记住这三个单词的另一个不同。

"Seem" and "appear" are often followed by an infinitive⁴ verb, such as "The baby seems to want her bottle..." or "The man appears to be waving."

“seem”和“appear”通常后面跟着不定式动词，比如 “The baby seems to want her bottle...”或者 “The man appears to be waving.”

But, in everyday English, the verb "look" is often followed by an adjective⁵. For example: "He looks tired."

但是在日常英语中，“look”后面常跟着形容词。例如：“He looks tired.”

And that's Ask a Teacher.

以上就是今日名师答疑的全部内容。

I'm Alice Bryant.

我是艾莉丝·布莱恩特。

1 stylish   

adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的

参考例句：

• He's a stylish dresser.他是个穿着很有格调的人。
• What stylish women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world.巴黎女性时装往往会引导世界时装潮流。

2 youthful   

adj.年轻的，有青春活力的

参考例句：

• Exercise will keep you youthful.体育锻练会使你充满活力。
• The boy looked very youthful.这孩子看起来岁数很小。

3 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

4 infinitive   

n.不定词；adj.不定词的

参考例句：

• The use of the split infinitive is now generally acceptable.分裂不定式的用法现在已被广泛接受。
• Modal verbs generally take the bare infinitive.情态动词通常用不带to的不定式。

5 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。