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VOA名师答疑2022--Inflicting Confusion: Afflict v. Inflict

时间:2023-01-04 07:06来源:互联网 提供网友:nan   字体: [ ]
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Inflicting2 Confusion: Afflict3 v. Inflict1

Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question from Ray in Hong Kong about the difference between two very similar sounding words "afflict" and "inflict."

Question:

Hello VOA Learning English,

What is the difference is between "afflict" and "inflict?"

Thank you,

Ray from Hong Kong

Answer:

Thank you, Ray, for writing to us!

These two words are often confused. Not only do they sound the same — especially in fast speech — but they also have very similar meanings.

Both of these verbs can mean, "to cause harm or to bring pain to." However, their correct use depends on who or what is doing the action and who or what is affected4 by the action.

Inflict

The verb "inflict" takes a direct object. But that direct object is usually the harm that someone is suffering. For example:

Paper cuts always inflict much more pain than you expect.

Here the object of "inflict" is the pain from the paper cut.

We often use a prepositional phrase starting with "on" to tell who is suffering the harm. For example,

The war inflicted5 suffering on the people.

"Inflict" can also mean, "to impose" or "force."

His job inflicts6 a lot of pressure on him, as he works very long days.

I do not want to inflict my bad mood on you, so I'm going to stay home.

Let us move on to "afflict!"

The verb, "afflict," also means, "to cause harm to." But the direct object of "afflict" is often the sufferer.

COVID still afflicts7 many at-risk populations.

Water-borne diseases sometimes afflict flood survivors8.

If "afflict" is used in the passive voice, we often use the preposition "with" followed by the cause of the harm.

For example:

She was afflicted9 with depression for many months before asking for help.

My cat was afflicted with extreme sickness after he ate an insect.

Summary

Let's review these two verbs.

For "inflict":

Someone or something inflicts harm, pain or damage on something else.

For "afflict":

Something, like an illness, afflicts someone. In the case of the passive voice, someone is afflicted with something that causes harm — like an illness.

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

What question do you have about American English? Send us an email at [email protected]

And that's Ask a Teacher.

Words in This Story

confused – adj. to be uncertain or unable to understand something

impose – v. to establish; to bring about as if by force

mood – n. the way someone feels at a particular time


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 inflict Ebnz7     
vt.(on)把…强加给,使遭受,使承担
参考例句:
  • Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
  • Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。
2 inflicting 1c8a133a3354bfc620e3c8d51b3126ae     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • He was charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm. 他被控蓄意严重伤害他人身体。
  • It's impossible to do research without inflicting some pain on animals. 搞研究不让动物遭点罪是不可能的。
3 afflict px3zg     
vt.使身体或精神受痛苦,折磨
参考例句:
  • I wish you wouldn't afflict me with your constant complains.我希望你不要总是抱怨而使我苦恼。
  • There are many illnesses,which afflict old people.有许多疾病困扰着老年人。
4 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
5 inflicted cd6137b3bb7ad543500a72a112c6680f     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
  • Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。
6 inflicts 6b2f5826de9d4197d2fe3469e10621c2     
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • Bullfrog 50 Inflicts poison when your enemy damages you at short range. 牛娃50对近距离攻击你的敌人造成毒伤。
  • The U.S. always inflicts its concept of human nature on other nations. 美国总是把自己的人权观念强加于别国。
7 afflicts a87cd2ac4720b59fa8f9a4b517b78122     
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Level 3-Afflicts a target with the Curse of the Silent. 三级-用静默诅咒折磨一个目标。
  • Level 1-Afflicts a target with the Curse of the Silent. 一级-用静默诅咒折磨一个目标。
8 survivors 02ddbdca4c6dba0b46d9d823ed2b4b62     
幸存者,残存者,生还者( survivor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
  • survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者
9 afflicted aaf4adfe86f9ab55b4275dae2a2e305a     
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • About 40% of the country's population is afflicted with the disease. 全国40%左右的人口患有这种疾病。
  • A terrible restlessness that was like to hunger afflicted Martin Eden. 一阵可怕的、跟饥饿差不多的不安情绪折磨着马丁·伊登。
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TAG标签:   VOA英语  慢速英语  名师答疑
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