VOA名师答疑2023 still 和 yet的区别

Hello!

大家好!

This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about the difference between “still” and “yet.”

本周《名师答疑》，我们回答关于still和yet之间有什么区别的问题。

Dear teacher, I am delighted to write you this email.

亲爱的老师，我很高兴能给您写这封电子邮件。

I am hoping that I will get some good explanations about using similar words such as “still” and “yet.”

希望您能解释一下如何使用一些相近的词，比如still和yet。

Looking forward to reading the answer!

期待读到您的回答！

Thank you, Arios from the Democratic¹ Republic of Congo.

谢谢，来自刚果民主共和国的阿里奥斯。

Dear Arios, thank you for writing to us.

亲爱的阿里奥斯，谢谢你的来信。

We still have not covered this subject.

我们还没有谈到过这个问题。

“Still” and “yet” have very different meanings and uses, yet in some situations, they can be used in the same way.

still和yet有非常不同的含义和用法，但在某些情况下，它们的用法相同。

Let us begin by looking at “still.”

让我们先来看看still这个词。

Although “still” can be an adjective², noun³ or verb, we often use it as an adverb.

虽然still可以是形容词、名词或动词，但我们常把它用作副词。

As an adverb, “still” describes an action that began in the past and continues into the present.

作为副词，still描述一个动作从过去开始一直持续到现在。

We often use it before the base verb.

我们经常把它放在基本动词之前。

For example: She still talks with her college friends years later.

例如：多年后，她仍然和她的大学朋友聊天。

I have been eating all day, but I’m still hungry!

我已经吃了一整天了，但我还是很饿！

Using “still” in negative statements means that the action should change, but it has not.

在否定陈述句中使用still，表示行动应该改变，但并没发生改变。

I still haven't finished cleaning. There is just too much to do.

我还没打扫完呢。要做的事情实在太多了。

Let's move on to “yet.”

我们继续说yet。

“Yet” can be either an adverb or a conjunction⁴, which links two clauses⁵ together.

yet既可以是副词，也可以是连接两个小句的连词。

As an adverb “yet” refers to an action that has not happened but is expected.

作为副词，yet指的是一种尚未发生，但预期会发生的行为。

Someone might be waiting for it to happen.

可能有人在等着它发生。

We often use it with negative statements.

经常在否定句中使用。

As a conjunction “yet” means “but at the same time.”

作为连词，yet的意思是“但同时”。

Let us look at a few examples:

让我们看几个例句：

You want to get the project done, yet you also want to be fair with everyone involved.

你想要完成项目，但你也想要公平地对待参与其中的每个人。

They aimed to honor⁶ the establishment⁷ of the policy, yet it had many shortcomings that left members unsure.

他们力求尊重这项政策，但政策有许多不足之处，让成员们感到没有把握。

Both of these sentences contain two clauses involving action that is taking place at the same time.

这两个例句都包含两个小句，小句都涉及同时发生的行动。

Other uses as a conjunction can show difference: The sun is out, yet it is very cold.

yet作为连词还可以凸显差异：太阳出来了，但天气很冷。

“Yet” is used to create a contrast and combine the clauses into one sentence.

这里yet用来形成对比，并将小句组合成一个句子。

“Yet” can also be used as an adverb: I have yet to receive my package.

yet也可以用作副词：我还没有收到我的包裹。

In this case, the person is waiting for their package to arrive.

在这种情况下，此人正在等待他/她的包裹到达。

Have you made dinner yet, Faith?

你做饭了吗，费思？

No, I haven’t. I’ve been too busy working.

不，我没有。我一直在忙着工作。

“Yet” is often used at the end of the statement or question.

这里yet通常用在陈述句或疑问句的末尾。

Both “yet’ and “still” can be used in the same way when talking about situations in the past using negative statements that continue into the present.

在否定句中，yet和still都可以用于谈论过去发生且持续至今的情况。

He still has not returned my phone call.

他还没有回我的电话。

He has not returned my phone call yet.

他还没有回我的电话。

Note that “still” goes before the verb and “yet” is at the end of the sentence.

注意，still在动词之前，yet在句子的末尾。

Some native speakers notice a slightly different tone⁸ when saying these words aloud.

一些英语母语者注意到在说出这两个词时，表达的语气略微不同。

If “still” is used, this could be a sign of being upset or impatient⁹ with the situation, especially if “still” is emphasized¹⁰ while speaking.

如果用still，可能表明对情况感到不安或不耐烦，尤其是说话时重读了still的情况。

As in: He still has not returned my phone call.

比如：他还是没有回我的电话。

Please let us know if these explanations have helped you, Arios!

请让我们知道这些解释是否对你有帮助，阿里奥斯！

And that’s Ask a Teacher.

以上就是本期《名师答疑》。

I’m Faith Pirlo.

我是费思·皮尔洛。

And I'm Jill Robbins.

我是吉尔·罗宾斯。

1 democratic   

adj.民主的；民主主义的，有民主精神的

参考例句：

• Their country has democratic government.他们国家实行民主政体。
• He has a democratic work-style.他作风民主。

2 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。

3 noun   

n.名词

参考例句：

• What kind of noun is this?这是哪类名词？
• This word is a collective noun.这个词是个集体名词。

4 conjunction   

n.联合，连接，接合；连接词

参考例句：

• Two or more sentences may be joined together by a conjunction.两个或两个以上的句子可以用连词连接。
• The conjunction of heavy rains and high winds caused flooding.暴风雨的同时发生引起了洪水泛滥。

5 clauses   

从句( clause的名词复数 )； （法律文件等的）条款

参考例句：

• Relative pronouns and adverbs introduce attributive clauses. 关系代词和关系副词引导定语从句。
• Please underline the noun clauses in the passage. 请用线画出短文中的名词性从句。

6 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

7 establishment   

n.建立，确立，确定；企业，机构；当权人物

参考例句：

• With the establishment of major new markets, the economy is thriving.随着重大新市场的建立，经济越来越兴旺。
• The establishment of the business took several years.创办这个公司花了好几年时间。

8 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。

9 impatient   

adj.不耐烦的，急躁的；热切的，急切的

参考例句：

• He was so impatient that I could hardly hold him back.他是那样急躁，我简直拉不住他。
• With an impatient gesture he thrust the food away from him.他不耐烦地把吃的东西猛地推开。

10 emphasized   

强调( emphasize的过去式和过去分词 )； 加强语气； 重读； 使突出

参考例句：

• His speech emphasized the importance of attracting industry to the town. 他的发言强调了吸引工业到城镇的重要性。
• Roads and other cultural details may be emphasized in colour. 道路及其它地物细部还可以用颜色予以突出。