EN: We use 'are arriving' (Present Continuous: be + verb-ing) to describe an action happening around now or a trend taking place during the current period.
中文: 使用「are arriving」(现在进行式:be动词 + 动词-ing)来描述目前正在发生,或是现阶段持续进行中的动作或趋势。
Many tourists are visiting the museum this week.
许多游客这周正前来参观这座博物馆。
EN: The 'Queen of Spain fritillary' (Issoria lathonia) is a migratory butterfly well known across mainland Europe, but sightings in Britain are usually rare and treasured by local butterfly enthusiasts.
中文: 「Queen of Spain butterflies」(西班牙女王豹蛱蝶)是欧洲大陆常见的迁徙性蝴蝶,在英国通常非常罕见,因此若大量现身会引起当地昆虫爱好者与媒体的高度关注。
EN: Use 'but' to connect two contrasting ideas. Notice that adverbs of frequency like 'rarely' usually go right before the main verb.
中文: 使用连接词「but」(但是)来连接两个呈现对比的句子。注意像「rarely」(很少、罕见)这类频率副词,通常放在一般动词的前面。
He likes tea, but he rarely drinks coffee.
他喜欢喝茶,但他很少喝咖啡。
EN: In British English, people often distinguish between 'Europe' (meaning continental Europe) and 'Britain', reflecting the geographical and psychological separation of the British Isles from the mainland.
中文: 在英国日常用语中,人们常把「欧洲(Europe)」指代为「欧洲大陆」,并将其与「英国(Britain)」分开谈论,体现出不列颠群岛与欧陆本土之间的地理及文化区分。
EN: We use 'a few' with plural countable nouns to mean 'a small number of' (some, but not many). Adding 'only' highlights that the quantity is surprisingly small.
中文: 「a few」用来修饰可数名词复数,表示「几个、少数」(虽然不多但有一些)。加上「only」则强调数量很少、「只有少数」。
There are only a few cookies left in the box.
盒子里只剩下几块饼干了。
EN: Use 'flew from' to describe the past movement of flying starting from a specific place. 'Flew' is the past tense of the irregular verb 'fly'.
中文: 「flew from」用来描述过去从某个地点起飞或飞来。「flew」是不规则动词「fly」的过去式。
The birds flew from Canada to Mexico for the winter.
那些鸟儿从加拿大飞到墨西哥过冬。
EN: Notice that 'the Netherlands' is one of the few country names in English that traditionally takes the definite article 'the', because the word itself is plural in form (meaning 'the low lands'). In contrast, countries like 'France' and 'Spain' do not take 'the'.
中文: 请注意,在英文中「the Netherlands」是少数需要加定冠词「the」的国家名称之一,因为其原意为复数形式的「低地国家」。相比之下,「France」和「Spain」前面则不需要加「the」。
EN: Use the Past Simple tense (e.g., 'laid', 'came') to talk about completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past. Two past actions can be connected using 'and'.
中文: 使用一般过去式(例如 'laid'、'came')来描述过去某个特定时间已经完成的动作。可以用连接词 'and' 连接两个过去发生的动作。
Birds built nests here, and baby birds flew away in summer.
鸟儿在这里筑巢,幼鸟在夏天飞走了。
EN: In British English, 'autumn' is the standard word for the season between summer and winter, whereas American English commonly uses 'fall'.
中文: 在英式英语中,介于夏天与冬天之间的季节通常称作「autumn」,而美式英语则较常使用「fall」。
EN: Use 'hundreds of' followed by a plural noun or pronoun to express a large, approximate number of people or things.
中文: 使用「hundreds of + 复数名词或代词」来表达「数以百计的……」或「好几百个……」,用来表示数量很多但不确定的概数。
Hundreds of visitors came to the park yesterday.
昨天有数百名游客来到这座公园。
EN: The River Thames flows through southern England, including London and out towards the North Sea through counties like Essex. In English, rivers usually take the definite article 'the' (e.g., 'the Thames', 'the Amazon'). Note that 'Thames' is pronounced /tɛmz/, with a silent 'h'.
中文: 泰晤士河(The River Thames)流经英格兰南部,包括伦敦,并经由埃塞克斯等郡流入北海。在英文中,河流名称通常会加上定冠词「the」(如 the Thames)。特别注意「Thames」的发音为 /tɛmz/,其中的字母「h」不发音。
EN: The pattern 'call + someone/something + a name/description' means to name or describe someone or something as that thing.
中文: 句型「call + 某人/某物 + 名词(称呼或描述)」表示「把……称作……」或「认为……是……」。
Many people call this city their home.
许多人把这座城市称为他们的家。
EN: To ask a question using the modal verb 'can', place 'can' before the subject, followed by the base form of the verb: 'Can + Subject + Verb...?'. Here, 'and' connects two base verbs: 'become' and 'stay'.
中文: 使用情态助动词「can」形成疑问句时,将「can」移到主语前面,后面接原形动词(Can + 主语 + 原形动词...?)。句中「and」连接了两个并列的原形动词「become」与「stay」。
Can they survive the cold winter and return next year?
它们能否度过寒冬并在明年回来?
EN: In ecology and conservation discussions in Britain, a 'native species' refers to wildlife that has established itself naturally without human intervention, often carrying legal protection and conservation priority.
中文: 在英国生态与保育讨论中,「native species」(本土物种)指自然繁衍定居而非人为引进的物种。当某物种被认定为本土物种时,通常会获得生态保护法规的重点关注。
EN: We use the Present Simple tense ('live') to talk about general truths, scientific facts, or habits that happen regularly.
中文: 我们使用一般现在时(如本句中的 live)来描述普遍事实、科学真理或规律发生的习惯。
Birds build nests in trees every spring.
鸟类每年春天都在树上筑巢。
EN: In ecology and conservation, a 'native species' is defined not just by being present, but by maintaining a self-sustaining population over generations without human intervention. The phrase 'year after year' emphasizes this crucial ecological requirement.
中文: 在生态学与物种保育中,「本土物种(native species)」的定义不仅仅是出现于某地,更指该物种无须人类干预即可代代繁衍。「year after year(年复一年)」特别强调了这种长期、持续稳定生存的生态条件。
EN: We use 'In the last + [time period]' to talk about a period of time leading up to now. Because the actions happened at specific finished times in that period, we often use the Past Simple tense (e.g., 'survived').
中文: 我们使用「In the last + [一段时间]」来表示「在过去这段时间里」。因为动作发生在该期间内的特定过去时刻,通常会搭配过去简单式(例如:survived)。
In the last five years, he visited Japan only twice.
在过去的五年里,他只去过日本两次。
EN: In Britain, winters are often damp and cold, making it hard for southern European insects like the Queen of Spain butterfly to overwinter and establish permanent native populations.
中文: 英国的冬季通常潮湿寒冷,因此像西班牙女王豹纹蝶这类原产于南欧的昆虫很难在当地成功越冬并繁衍成为常驻的本土物种。
EN: Use 'think + (that) + sentence' to express what someone believes or predicts will happen in the future.
中文: 使用「think +(that)+ 完整句子」来表达某人的想法、观点,或是对于未来的预测(that 经常省略)。
I think it will rain tomorrow.
我想明天会下雨。
EN: Use 'by + verb-ing' to explain how something is done or what method is used.
中文: 使用「by + 动名词 (-ing)」来表示达成某件事的方法或手段(意为「通过……」)。
You can improve your English by reading every day.
你可以通过每天阅读来增进英文能力。
EN: Notice the British English spelling 'favourite' (with a 'u'), as this story takes place in Britain. In American English, it is spelled 'favorite'.
中文: 句中使用的是英式拼法「favourite」(含 u),因为这则新闻背景在英国。美式英语则拼写为「favorite」。
重要单词附有 IPA 发音、定义、例句和互动式测验。
在本文中: 很少、罕見地
在本文中: 秋天、秋季
在本文中: 專家
在本文中: 遷徙、移居
在本文中: 大膽的、勇敢的
在本文中: 物種
在本文中: 自然地、天然地
在本文中: 存活、度過(困難環境)
在本文中: 出現
在本文中: 毛毛蟲(蝴蝶或蛾的幼蟲)
片语包含类型标示、双语定义、用法说明和例句。
An animal or plant that lives or grows naturally in an area and was not brought there by humans.
原生种、本土物种
To emerge from inside something (such as an egg, cocoon, or hiding place).
破茧而出、出来、孵化出现
Continuously or repeatedly each year for a long period of time.
年复一年、每年都
To produce eggs from the body (done by female birds, insects, fish, reptiles).
产卵、下蛋