(单词翻译:单击)
Today on Ask a Teacher, we answer an email from a reader.
今天在名师问答节目中，我们要回答读者的一封电子邮件。
Mieshui asks:
Mieshui问道：
Recently, I met three words that confused me: "enhance," "improve" and "increase."
最近，我遇到了三个让我十分困惑的词：enhance、improve和increase。
I hope you can help me, thank you.
希望你能帮助我，谢谢。
Hi, Meishui! I can help.
Mieshui你好，我能帮助你。
These three verbs all have similar meanings, but there are some differences in their use.
这三个动词都有相似的意思，但在用法上有一些不同。
Let's start with "enhance."
我们先从“enhance”说起。
Of the three words we are studying today, "enhance" is the least common.
在我们今天学习的三个单词中，“enhance”最不常见。
You can probably use "improve" instead of "enhance" in many sentences you want to say or write.
"improve"可以出现在许多想说或想写的句子中，“enhance”却不行。
"Enhance" means to raise the quality of something, usually of something that is already good.
“Enhance"的意思是提高某物的质量，通常是已经很好的东西的质量。
In these next sentences, I will explain what is happening.
在下面的句子中，我会具体解释一下发生的情况。
Students use reading strategies to enhance understanding. (They already understand but now they will understand more.)
学生使用阅读策略来提高理解力。(他们已经理解，但现在他们可以理解得更透彻。)
Adding a little lemon juice enhances the flavor of the rice. (The rice tastes good but now it will taste great.)
加一点柠檬汁可以改善米饭的味道。(米饭味道已经很好，但现在味道会更好。)
The verb "improve" means to make (something) better or to become better.
动词“improve"的意思是使(某物)变得更好。
This can be something that is not so good to begin with.
可能一开始是不太好的事物。
The meaning often includes the idea of adding to something.
这个词的意思通常包括使某物增加的意思。
For example, mobile phone batteries do not often stay charged for a whole day.
例如，手机电池通常不能在一整天后还满电。
A new way to make batteries could let you use your phone all day without charging it.
一种制造电池的新方法可以让你一整天都不用给手机充电。
The new battery designs improve their performance. (Before the batteries did not last long enough, but the new ones are better.)
新的电池设计提高了电池的性能。(之前的电池使用寿命不够长，但新电池可以更长。)
Or think of a person with little education. She may return to school.
或者想想一个没有受过多少教育的人。她可能会回到学校。
Hilda took a night class to improve her chances of getting a good job.(Hilda cannot get a good job now, but maybe she will after taking the class.)
希尔达上夜校是为了增加找到好工作的机会。(希尔达现在找不到好工作，但也许上完这门课她就会找到。)
"Increase" is a little different from the other two.
“Increase"和其他两个词有点不同。
It means to become or to make something larger or greater in size, amount or number.
它的意思是使某物在大小或数量上变得更大。
When you increase something, you can probably say a larger number to tell about the change.
当用“increase”来形容增加某物时，可以用一个更大的数字来表示变化。
Online teachers are trying to increase their earnings. (They will get 30 percent more money by teaching online.)
在线教师正努力提高他们的收入。(通过在线教学，他们将获得30%的额外收入。)
The shoe company moved to a bigger space to increase production. (The company will make 1,000 more shoes a day.)
这家制鞋公司为了增加产量搬到了一个更大的地方。(该公司将每天生产1000多双鞋。)
Our town leaders want to increase the number of homeowners. (There will be 10 percent more homeowners in the town.)
我们镇的领导想要增加房主的数量。(该镇的房屋拥有者将增加10%。)
Again:
在强调一下：
Use "enhance" to talk about making a good thing even better.
“enhance"是指把一件好事做得更好。
Use "improve" to talk about making a thing better that is not so good now.
“improve"是指把现在不太好的事情做得更好。
Use "increase" when you want to talk about larger numbers or amounts.
“increase"是用来谈论数字或数量变大。
And that's Ask a Teacher!
以上就是本期名师答疑的全部内容。
I'm Jill Robbins.
我是吉尔·罗宾斯。
