，下面我们就来说一说关于最容易被混淆的英语单词?我们一起去了解并探讨一下这个问题吧!
最容易被混淆的英语单词
Hello everyone and welcome back to English with Lucy.
大家好，欢迎回到跟着 Lucy 学英语。
I am very, very excited about today's video, because you helped me create it.
我为今天的视频感到非常兴奋，因为是你们帮助我创作了它。
I asked my Instagram followers to tell me some of the most difficult pairs of English words, words that my students genuinely find tough to remember, or to say, or to differentiate between.
我要我 Instagram 的粉丝告诉我一些最难的英语单词对，我的学生觉得很难记住，或者说区分的单词。
Words like effect and affect, either and neither, or is it either and neither?
例如 effect 和 affect，either 和 neither。
We will talk about that.
我们稍后会讨论它们。
What about except and accept, or loose and lose?
那 except 和 accept，或 loose 和 lose呢？
Should you use assure, ensure, or insure?
你应该使用 assure，ensure，还是 insure？
What do they mean?
它们的意思是什么？
How do we use them?
我们如何使用它们？
We will go through all of these and many, many more.
我们将讲解所有这些内容以及更多内容。
I have 10 sets of confusing English words, and you will leave the lesson feeling that little bit more knowledgeable.
我准备了 10 组令人困惑的英语单词，课后你会觉得知识有所增加。
Before we get started, I would just like to thank the sponsor of today's video.
在我们开始之前，我要感谢今天视频的赞助商。
It is Skillshare, which is an online learning community with thousands of inspiring classes for lifelong learners.
那就是 Skillshare，这是一个在线学习社区，拥有成千上万个针对终身学习者的启发性课程。
There are so many classes to choose from, from business to design, to creative writing, to marketing, to languages.
有很多课程可以选择，从商业到设计再到创意写作，再到营销，到语言。
The choice is yours.
任君选择。
I think that this class, called Real Productivity: How to Build Habits That Last by Thomas Frank, could help me a lot, and I think it could help a lot of you too.
我认为托马斯·弗兰克的《真正的生产力：如何建立持久的习惯》这节课对我有很大帮助，而且我认为它也可能对你有很大帮助。
Skillshare is curated specifically for learning, meaning there are no ads and they are always launching new premium classes.
Skillshare 专为学习而设，这意味着它没有广告，而且它们总是推出新的高级课程。
It's less than $10 a month with an annual subscription.
年订阅费平摊到每月不到 10 美元。
And the first 1,000 of my students to click on the link in the description box will get a free trial of premium Skillshare membership.
而我的前1000名点击描述栏中的链接的学生将获得一个免费试用高级 Skillshare 会员的资格。
What are you waiting for?
你还在等什么？
Right. Let's get started with the confusing English words.
好的。让我们开始学习这些令人困惑的英语单词吧。
I'm going to present to you 10 pairs, or in some cases, trios of words that are generally found to be very, very confusing.
我要给你介绍 10对，或在某些情况下，是三个一组的单词，人们通常会发现它们非常非常非常令人困惑。
They are confusing to English learners and native speakers alike.
它们使英语学习者和以英语为母语的人都感到困惑。
I know that I make mistakes with these words quite frequently.
我知道我用这些单词的时候也经常出错。
To help you out even further, to help you learn and memorise all of these little nuances, I have created a PDF worksheet.
为了进一步帮助你，帮助你学习和记住所有这些细微差别，我创建了一个 PDF 文档。
It's got all of the information from today's lesson, plus some extra activities that I think you'll really like.
上面有今天课程中的所有信息，还加上了一些我认为你们会非常喜欢的活动。
All you have to do to claim this free PDF is to sign up to my mailing list and it will be sent directly to your inbox.
要获得这份免费的 PDF 只需要注册到我的邮件列表，它将直接发送到你的收件箱。
The link to do that is also in the description box.
链接也位于描述栏中。
So the first one we have, effect and affect.
那么我们的第一组，effect 和 affect。
The pronunciation is so similar.
发音很相似。
With the first one, beginning with E, I say effect, effect.
第一个词是 E 开头的，我说的是 effect，effect。
It's slightly more of an E sound at the beginning.
它开头更像是 E 的音。
With the word beginning with A, I use the schwa, affect, affect.
以A开头的单词，我使用了半元音，affect，affect。
Please note, I am teaching modern received pronunciation here.
请注意，我在这里教的是标准发音。
Of course, there are lots of variations.
当然有很多变化。
But in general, in the UK, I hear people using the schwa A sound for both affect, effect, affect, effect, the same.
但总的来说，在英国，我听到人们用半元音发声 affect 和effect。
I will say affect and effect to emphasise which word I'm referring to.
我要把两个词读得不一样来强调我指的是哪个词。
Both of these words can take the form of both a noun and a verb.
这两个词都可以做名词和动词。
Affect is most commonly a verb and effect is most commonly a noun.
Affect 最常用作动词，而 effect 最常用作名词。
Usually, something affects something to produce an effect.
通常是某事影响某事从而产生效果。
So to affect, to affect, is to influence something or somebody.
因此影响，影响就是对人和事产生影响。
For example, do video games affect children's behaviour?
例如，电子游戏会影响儿童的行为吗？
Effect, the noun version, is a result or an influence.
Effect 是名词，它是影响的结果。
Do video games have an effect on children's behaviour?
电子游戏对孩子的行为有影响吗？
Now, effect can be used as a verb, to effect.
那么 effect 可以用作动词，表示实现。
However, this is quite rare, but it's not unheard of.
但是这种情况很少见，但也并非闻所未闻。
It means to achieve or to produce.
它意味着达成或产生。
For example, we hope to effect a change in policy.
例如，我们希望对政策进行改变。
Affect can be used as a noun, but this is incredibly rare and it's used in very specific situations, normally in psychology or psychiatry.
Affect 可以用作名词，但是这种情况很少见，并且用于特定的情况，通常是心理学或精神病学。
And in this case, it means an emotional response, but I don't really see the value in going into detail in that.
在这种情况下，它指的是情绪上的回应，但我觉得细讲没什么意义。
Now, how can you remember which is which?
那么你怎么记得哪个是哪个呢？
I have a little memory tip, affect comes first, alphabetically, with A.
我有一个小的记忆技巧，affect 按字母顺序排在前面。
And an action, affect has to happen first in order to produce an effect.
它是个动作，要产生影响必须要先发生影响。
I don't know if that's made it easier or more complicated, but it made sense in my head. Okay.
我不知道这是让它更容易或更复杂，但是我觉得我能理解。好的。
Now we have one with which I really struggle, a pair that I really struggle with.
现在我们要讲一组我觉得很难的词。
It is bring and take.
那就是 bring 和 take。
They don't sound similar, but my mother always used these interchangeably when I was growing up.
它们听起来不像，但在我成长的过程中我妈妈总是交替使用它们。
And it's only since I've been with my fiance, William, that I've realised how often I use these words incorrectly.
自从我和未婚夫威廉在一起以来，我才意识到我经常错误地使用这些词。
I will say, if you use these incorrectly, it's highly likely that we understand what you mean.
我会说，如果你使用不当，我们还是很有可能理解你的意思。
Obviously the most important thing is communication, but here we're getting down to the nitty-gritty.
显然，最重要的事情是交流，但在这里我们要深入探讨。
We're looking deep into these words.
我们正在深入研究这些词。
So bring implies movement towards somebody.
所以 bring 表示动作指向某人。
So it depends on point of view.
所以它取决于视角。
Normally it's towards the speaker.
通常，它是针对说话者的。
Now, take implies movement away from someone or something.
而 take 表示远离某人或某物的动作。
Again, it totally depends on whose point of view we're looking at.
同样，这完全取决于我们站在谁的视角上。
Let's have a look at two dialogues.
我们来看一下两个对话。
Both of these dialogues are from Tom's point of view.
这两种对话都是从汤姆的视角来看的。
We have Tom, we have Jane, we are seeing things from Tom's point of view.
我们有汤姆，我们有简，我们从汤姆的视角看事情。
Tom and Jane are in the living room.
汤姆和简在客厅里。
Tom asks, Jane, "Are you going to the kitchen?"
汤姆问简，“你要去厨房吗？”
And Jane replies with, "Yes."
简回答说，“是的。”
Tom responds with, "Can you bring me my phone charger?"
汤姆回答：“可以给我带手机充电器吗？”
So Jane will return from the kitchen with Tom's charger and give the charger to Tom.
所以简从厨房回来的时候会带着汤姆的充电器，然后将充电器交给汤姆。
Another dialogue, again from Tom's point of view.
另一个对话，还是站在汤姆的视角。
Tom asks, Jane, "Are you coming over for dinner tonight?"
汤姆问简，“你今晚要过来吃晚饭吗？
And Jane responds with, "Yes."
简回答：“是的。”
Jane doesn't talk much, does she?
简话不多，对吗？
Tom then responds with, "Please, could you bring a dessert?"
然后汤姆回答：“你可以带甜点吗？”
So Jane will carry a dessert from where she is to where Thomas is, in his house.
所以简会从她的地方把甜点带到托马斯所在的地方。
So Tom and Jane are at home together.
汤姆和简都在家。
Tom says, "Please could you take this letter to the post office?"
汤姆说：“你能把这封信带到邮局吗？”
So the letter is moving away from where they are.
所以这封信要从他们的所在地离开。
It's a different place.
这是另一个地方。
Jane, who seems to be very, very nice, very submissive says, "Would you like me to take you to the station tomorrow?"
简似乎人非常非常好，非常顺从，她说：“你想让我明天带你去车站吗？”
So she will be carrying Tom from the house to the station.
因此，她将把汤姆从家里带到车站。
Now, I don't know why, with English as my mother tongue, I still find this concept so difficult to use correctly in my daily life.
我不知道为什么，英语作为我的母语，我仍然觉得这个概念很难，我的日常生活中很难正确使用它。
And that's just a clear example of how frustrating English can be sometimes.
这只是一个证明英语有时候有多令人沮丧的明显的例子。
It's my mother tongue, and I still struggle with it, so please don't beat yourself up if you find some of these concepts quite hard.
它是我的母语，我仍然会苦恼，所以如果你发现有一些概念很难，不要为难自己。
The most important thing is communication here.
这里最重要的事情是交流。
I might accidentally ask Will, "Oh, can you bring me to the station," instead of, "can you take me to the station?"
我可能会偶然问威尔，“Oh，can you bring me to the station？”而不是“can you take me to the station？”
And he always rolls his eyes and says, "Take."
他总是翻白眼说：“是 take。”
Oh, it's so annoying.
哦，真是烦人。
The same thing happens with lefts and rights.
再表示左右的时候也有这种问题。
I really struggle with lefts and rights.
我真很难分清左右。
I just, my brain doesn't do it.
我只是，我的大脑做不到。
And that's the same with bring and take.
而 bring 和 take 也是一样。
Right. Let's move on to these two words, either, or either, and neither or neither.
好的。让我们继续讲这两个词，either 和 neither。
Now, I really frequently receive questions about the pronunciation of these words, because I use the pronunciations interchangeably.
我确实经常收到有关这些单词的发音的问题，因为我会交替使用它们的不同发音。
How confusing is that?
那有多令人困惑？
But seriously, there are just some words in the English language that have two or more accepted pronunciations and people tend to use both pronunciations.
但是说真的，英语中确实有些词有两个或两个以上的可接受的发音，而且人们倾向于同时使用这两种发音。
Now in general, in American English, they tend to use, as far as I'm aware, either and neither.
据我所知，一般来说，在美式英语中，他们倾向于说 /ˈi:ðər/ 和 /ˈni:ðər/。
It seems that in British English, we're more inclined to use both either, either, neither, neither.
而在英式英语中我们更倾向于两者都用。
My recommendation to you is just pick the one you like best.
我给你的建议是选择最喜欢的一个。
I can imagine myself at dinner saying, "Oh, carrots or peas, either is fine."
我可以想象自己在晚餐时说：“哦，胡萝卜或豌豆，都很好。”
But I can also imagine myself saying, "Either one will do."
但我也可以想象我自己说：“任何一个都可以。”
Isn't that weird?
那不是很奇怪吗？
I bet there is a study on these words and why we do that, and I need to find it.
我敢打赌肯定有针对这些词以及我们为什么这么做的研究，我需要找到它。
Now either, or either, means one or the other of two things or people.
那么 either 表示两个事物或人中的一个或另一个。
Anyone will do, it does not matter which.
任何一个都可以，哪一个不重要。
Neither, or neither, means not one nor the other of two people or things.
Neither 指的不是两个人或事物中的任何一个。
Let me show you an example.
让我给你看一个例子。
Let's pretend I am in my classroom, teaching my class of students and I ask the classroom for a synonym for happy.
假装我在教室里，教我班上的学生，我问同学们快乐的同义词。
So I want the class to give me another word that also means happy.
因此我希望全班同学告诉我也表示快乐的词。
Now, Miguel might tell me, "Content."
现在，Miguel 可能会告诉我“满足的”。
And Rania might tell me, "Cheerful."
Rania 可能会告诉我：“高兴的。”
Both of these answers are correct, so I can use either word.
这两个答案都是正确的，所以我可以使用任何一个单词。
See, naturally I went to either there.
看，我自然就说了 /ˈi:ðər/。
I can use either word.
我可以用任何一个词。
I can use either word.
我可以用任何一个词。
There must be some logic to that.
这里面肯定有逻辑。
Now, Aga says, "Sad."
Aga 说：“悲伤的。”
And Nguyen says, "Down."
Nguyen 说：“低落的。”
Both of these answers are wrong.
这两个答案都是错误的。
Neither answer is correct.
答案都不正确。
Okay. Number four, we have advise and advice.
好的。第四组，我们有 advise 和 advice。
So, I-S-E is a/z/sound at the end, ise, advise.
因此，ISE 的结尾是/z/音，ise，建议。
I-C-E is a/s/sound at the end, ice, advice.
ICE 的结尾是/s/音，ice，建议。
In this case, ise is the verb, advise, to advise.
在这种情况下，ise是动词，建议。
And advice, with ice, is the noun.
而以 ice 结尾的 advice 是名词。
To advise is to tell somebody what you think they should do in a particular situation.
Advise 指的是告诉某人你认为他们应该在某种特定的情况下怎么做。
An example, I would strongly advise against going out alone.
例如，我强烈建议你不要一个人出去。
Advice is the noun version of this.
Advice 是名词形式。
It is a suggestion or an opinion on what somebody should do in a particular situation.
它指的是关于某人在特定情况下应该做什么的建议或观点。
His advice was to not go out alone.
他的建议是不要一个人出去。
Let's move on to number five.
让我们继续来说第五组。
It is practise and practise, the pronunciation of both is the same.
那就是 practise 和 practise，两者的发音是相同。
Now in British English, the noun is practice, with I-C-E at the end.
在英式英语中，名词是 practice，结尾是ICE。
And the verb, to practise, has I-S-E at the end, so we have a difference.
而动词 practise 的末尾是ISE，因此这里有所不同。
In American English, I-C-E is used for both.
在美式英语中，ICE 可以表示动词和名词。
So a lot of my students always say, "I find American English easier."
因此，我的许多学生总是说：“我发现美式英语更容易。”
And this is one of the reasons why I totally understand, they have simplified, or it's not even simplified, it's they've just made some things more logical.
这就是为什么我完全理解他们简化了的原因之一，或者是甚至没有简化，这是因为它们使某些事情变得更加合乎逻辑。
I can't think of many situations in which it would be confusing to have the same spelling for practise as a noun and practise as a verb, but maybe I'm wrong.
我想象不出来如果在动词和名词的拼写和发音都一样的情况下还会让人困惑，也许我是错的。
So to practise, as a verb, I-S-E in British English, I-C-E in American English, is to do an activity or to train in order to improve your skill.
因此，作为动词，在英式英语中是 ISE，而在美式英语中是 ICE，表示为了提高技能的活动或训练。
And practice, always I-C-E, is the act of doing an activity or training regularly in order to improve your skill.
而 practice 总是 ICE 结尾，指的是定期进行活动或训练以提高技能的行为。
So let's look at these two sentences, one is British English, the other is American English.
所以让我们来看看这两个句子，一个是英式英语，另一个是美式英语。
They will sound exactly the same just with different accents.
他们会听起来完全相同，只是带有不同的口音。
Oh no, do I have to do my American accent?
哦，不，我必须说美国口音吗？
In British English, I need to practise my violin as it takes a lot of practise to play well.
在英式英语中，我要练习小提琴，因为它需要大量练习才能演奏得很好。
And American English.
然后是美式英语。
I don't know if I'm going to leave this in the video, we will see how it goes.
我不知道我会不会把这一段留在视频中，我们将看看情况如何。
I'm sure there's an American out there watching me thinking, "Shut up."
我想肯定会有一个美国人看着我，想着，“闭嘴。”
I need to practise my violin as it takes a lot of practise to play well.
我需要练习我的小提琴，因为这需要很多练习才能演奏得很好。
I sound like Siri.
我听起来好像 Siri。
Oh, that's so much fun.
哦，真是太有趣了。
That is so silly.
蠢蠢的。
Right. We have still got five more pairs or trios of confusing words, but I'm going to stop the lesson here.
好的。我们还有五组令人困惑的单词，但我要在这里中断课程。
I don't want to overload you.
我不想让你们负担太重。
So next week, we will have the second part of this lesson.
因此，下周，我们将学习本课程的第二部分。
Do not forget to download the PDF for this first section of the lesson and to complete the activities.
不要忘记下载本课程第一部分的 PDF，并完成活动。
I think they will really help you get these differences and these confusing words into your brain.
我觉得它们确实可以帮助你理解这些差异和这些令人困惑的单词。
Don't forget to check out Skillshare.
不要忘了查看 Skillshare。
The first 1,000 of my students to click on the link in the description box will get a free trial of premium Skillshare membership.
我的前 1000 名点击描述栏中链接的学生将免费获得高级Skillshare 会员资格。
Don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media.
别忘记在我所有的社交媒体上与我联系。
I've got my Facebook, my Instagram, and my email list.
我有脸书、INS 和我的电子邮件列表。
I've also got to my new British English pronunciation course where I teach modern received pronunciation.
我还制作了新的英式英语发音课程，在里面我教的是标准发音。
I'm very, very proud of it and we've had some fabulous feedback from students so far.
我很自豪到目前为止，我们收到了来自一些学生的出色反馈。
I will see you soon for another lesson.
我们下节课再见。
