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cover of episode Learning English Podcast - February 21, 2025

Learning English Podcast - February 21, 2025

2025/2/21
logo of podcast VOA Learning English Podcast - VOA Learning English

VOA Learning English Podcast - VOA Learning English

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Andrew Smith: 我是一名英语老师,我将解释英语单词extend, expand, stretch和enlarge的区别。这些词都可以用来表示某种东西比现在更大,但它们的使用场景略有不同。Extend通常指时间的延长,例如延长学校假期;也可以指范围的扩大,例如公司的新规适用于所有员工。Expand通常指项目或计划规模的扩大,例如扩大项目以纳入发展中国家的人员;也可以指业务范围的扩大,例如扩大我们的业务以覆盖更多客户。Stretch可以指时间的延长,例如延长假期;也可以指能力的提升,例如学习新语言可以提升思维能力。Enlarge则仅仅指尺寸或范围的增加,例如扩大研究团队。 Faith Perlow & Jill Robbins: 我们将讨论如何用英语谈论生日。当别人问你生日是什么时候,你可以用季节、月份或日期来回答。Birthday和birthdate的区别在于,birthday可以指日期,也可以更笼统地回答,而birthdate是确切的日期。表达年龄时,可以用现在时、将来时或过去时态,也可以用turn来表达达到或超过某个年龄。谈论生日计划时,可以用I want to, I would like to或I’m going to等表达方式。别人问你生日过得怎么样,你可以用形容词来描述,并用过去时态来描述生日活动。别人问你想要什么生日礼物,你可以直接说想要什么,也可以说谁送了你什么礼物。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter focuses on differentiating the English verbs expand, extend, stretch, and enlarge, clarifying their usage in various contexts, particularly when describing an increase in size or duration. It provides examples to illustrate the nuances of each verb.
  • Extend implies increasing time or scope, including people, things, or ideas.
  • Expand refers to an increase in size, scope, or inclusion of more people, often used in business contexts.
  • Stretch can mean increasing the duration of an activity or improving one's abilities.
  • Enlarge simply means to increase in size or scope, not duration.

Shownotes Transcript

On this podcast, we answer a Chinese listener’s question about the words ‘extend,’ ‘expand,’ ‘stretch’ and ‘enlarge;’ how do English speakers talk about birthdays? Then, part one of ‘Rappaccini’s Daughter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne on American Stories.