单词回顾 | 他们都是如何用“merit”和“suffice”造句的？
5月17日的单词是“merit”, 大部分读者应该熟悉的是它作为名词的意思。但它还有一个动词的用法，相当于“deserve”.
下面是5个句子点评：
1. Nowadays, many social problems abound, where people become more indifferent and selfish, reflecting the serious trust crisis. So, people who offer unconditional help to those in need merit our respect.
点评：第一句话中的“where”用法有误。这里关键是明确“many social problems abound”和“people become more indifferent and selfish”的因果关系。如果前者是因，可以这么写：
Nowadays, many social problems abound, leading to people's indifference and selfishness, reflecting the serious trust crisis. So people who offer unconditional help to those in need merit our respect.
如果后者是因，可以这么写：
Nowadays, many social problems abound thanks (partially/largely/mainly) to people's indifference and selfishness, reflecting the serious trust crisis. So people who offer unconditional help to those in need merit our respect.
2. Education merits our investment as it guarantee a better job and benefits generation after generation.
点评：注意主谓一致：“guarantee”应该是单数第三人称，和“and”后面“benefits”的形式应该一致。
3. It's a good movie that merits observation.
点评：句中的“observation”用法不当。虽然它确实有“看”的意思，但一般是“观察/注意”的意思，而没有看电影的意思。这个错误极具代表性，也是我个人强烈推荐使用英英词典的原因。可以这么改：
It's a good movie that merits viewing/seeing.
4. The one belt and one road merits each of us to learn and know, as China is playing increasingly huge role in the global world.
点评：“merit sb to do sth”这个用法是错误的，“merit”作动词后面多跟名词或动名词。作者可能从中文的习惯用法“值得我们学习”直接翻译过来，但这是想当然了。写句子要照顾到单词的用法，一个好办法是读英文例句并严格模仿或通过阅读积累，切勿想当然。可以这么改：
The One Belt and One Road merits our attention, as China is playing an increasingly huge role in the global world. （这里“attention”虽然是“注意”的意思，但要注意其实就是去了解，所以和作者的想法是一致的）
5. Those who stick to their dreams merit our admire.Those who forget their early heart merit our criticism.
点评：“admire”应该是名词“admiration”，体现了作者模糊的词性意识。“early heart”可能是从中文的“初心”翻译过来的，但英文中不会这么表达，可以说“original ambition/goal/aim”. 和前两句的启发一样，避免做想当然的字面翻译。
5月18日的单词是“suffice”, 大部分读者应该熟悉的是它的形容词形式“sufficient”，但“suffice”做不及物动词短促有力，值得学会。
下面是5个句子点评：
1. Chinese future mother-in-laws normally see the ownership of property as a necessary for a marriage. Yet, many young lovers believe that to make a marriage work love will suffice.
点评：很棒的句子。“necessary”做名词一般用复数或“the necessary”，这里可以 改成“necessity”。
2. Suffice it to say that God helps those who help themselves.
点评：句子写得很好。“Suffice it to say that...”是一个固定句型，可以记住。
3. To excel in one domain, be it sports or music, inherited talents alone never suffice; proper training and practice weigh no less in this regard.
点评：非常地道和漂亮的句子。“domain”，“inherited”，“weigh no less”等表达用得都很恰当。
4. When it refers to environmental protection, improving its awareness does not suffice. Only by the specific actions can it help.
点评：没有“when it refers to”这个表达，应该是“when it comes to”。“its”指代有误，应该是“people's”。考虑到两句话之间的逻辑关系，可以这么改写：
When it comes to environmental protection, improving people's awareness does not suffice. Firm action is required as well.
5. The suicide of Taiwan woman writer who seduced by her tutor has drawn great attention in social media.This reflects that sexual education at home does not suffice.
点评：这个句子照顾到了台湾前段时间女作家林奕含自杀的热点。有两处需要修改：
The suicide of the Taiwanese woman writer who was seduced by her tutor has drawn great attention in social media. This reflects that sexual education at home does not suffice.
如果你看到了这里，可以回复“五二零”敲开一颗彩蛋。
题图：下雨乐队。
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