扩展、扩大等等。
📖 逐句对照翻译
This week on Ask a Teacher, we answer a question from Ann in China.
本周的《问老师》节目中，我们回答来自中国的安提出的问题。
Here is part of Ann’s question:
以下是安的问题的一部分：
Hello Teachers, Could you please help me understand the difference between "extend," "expand," "stretch," [and] "enlarge" when I describe an activity that makes something larger than its current state?
老师们好，请问能否帮我理解一下，当我描述一种使某物比其当前状态更大的活动时，“extend”、“expand”、“stretch”和“enlarge”之间有什么区别？
Thank you, Ann.
谢谢你，安。
We can use the four verbs Ann asked about to express an increase in physical size or amount.
我们可以用安问到的这四个动词来表达物理尺寸或数量的增加。
We can also use them to express increasing the time an activity takes.
我们也可以用它们来表达增加一项活动所花费的时间。
Extend
扩展
We often use the verb “extend” to talk about increasing the amount of time for an activity or program.
我们经常使用动词“extend”来谈论延长某项活动或项目的时间。
For example:
例如：
Officials want to extend the school year by six weeks.
官员们希望将学年延长六周。
We can use the verb “extend” to express an increase in people, things, or ideas.
我们可以用动词“extend”来表达人、事物或想法的增加。
Consider the following examples:
考虑以下示例：
The new rule extends to all employees in the company.
新规定适用于公司所有员工。
They want to extend the benefits of freedom to people around the world.
他们想把自由的好处扩展到全世界的人。
This research will extend our knowledge.
这项研究将拓展我们的知识。
We can also use “extend” to express the distance or the area something reaches.
我们还可以用“extend”来表达某物延伸的距离或面积。
For example:
例如：
The Rocky Mountains extend from the United States into Canada.
落基山脉从美国延伸到加拿大。
Expand
扩展
We use “expand” to express an increase in the size of a project or program.
我们用“expand”来表达项目或计划规模的扩大。
And, like “extend,” we can use “expand” to talk about including more people.
而且，就像“extend”一样，我们可以用“expand”来谈论纳入更多的人。
Consider the following example:
考虑以下示例：
Officials want to expand the program to include people from developing countries.
官员们希望将该计划扩大到包括来自发展中国家的人员。
We commonly use “expand” in connection with business or industry:
我们通常将“expand”一词与商业或工业联系起来使用：
We want to expand our business to reach more customers.
我们希望拓展业务，以触及更多客户。
Stretch
伸展
We can use the phrasal verb “stretch out” to express increasing the time to continue an activity:
我们可以用短语动词“stretch out”来表达延长活动持续时间的意思：
I wanted to stretch out my vacation for an extra two or three days.
我想把假期延长两三天。
We can use the verb “stretch” to express improving our ability to do something:
我们可以用动词“stretch”来表达提高做某事的能力：
Learning a new language will stretch your mind and improve your problem-solving abilities.
学习一门新语言会拓展你的思维，提高你解决问题的能力。
Note that when we use the verb “stretch” in this way, we communicate the idea that the improvement might be a little difficult or take a lot of effort.
请注意，当我们这样使用动词“stretch”时，我们传达的意思是这种改进可能有点困难或需要付出很多努力。
Enlarge
放大
Unlike the verb “extend,” we do not use “enlarge” to talk about an increase in time.
与动词“extend”不同，我们不用“enlarge”来谈论时间的增加。
Instead, it simply means to increase in size or scope.
相反，它仅仅意味着在大小或范围上的增加。
Scope means all of the things connected to an activity or project.
范围指的是与某项活动或项目相关的所有事项。
Consider the following example:
考虑以下示例：
They have enlarged their research team to examine the effects of pollution on animals.
他们已经扩大了研究团队，以探究污染对动物的影响。
For our readers and listeners, what are your questions about American English?
对于我们的读者和听众，你们对美国英语有什么疑问吗？
How are you trying to expand your knowledge?
你打算如何扩展你的知识？
We want to hear from you!
我们期待您的来信！
Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com.
请发送电子邮件至learningenglish@voanews.com。
And please let us know where you are from, too.
也请告诉我们你来自哪里。
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
以上就是“问老师”栏目的全部内容。
I’m Andrew Smith.
我是安德鲁·史密斯。
Andrew Smith wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English.
安德鲁·史密斯为VOA英语学习频道撰写了这节课。
