内容简介

一位听众来信询问名词 “circumstance、surrounding、environment” 和 “atmosphere” 之间的区别。它们都与 “环境或情况” 有关，但具体的用法有所不同：谈论 “境况，客观条件” 用 “circumstance”；谈论 “周围环境” 时用复数名词 “surroundings”；名词 “environment” 强调 “环境给人带来的影响”；名词 “atmosphere” 指 “气氛”，强调 “环境给人带来的主观感受”。听节目，学习辨析这四个词的用法。

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（关于台词的备注: 请注意这不是广播节目的逐字稿件。本文稿可能没有体现录制、编辑过程中对节目做出的改变。）

Jiaying
欢迎收听 BBC英语教学的 “你问我答” 节目。I'm Jiaying.

Sam
And I'm Sam. Hello, everyone!

Jiaying
本期节目的问题来自听众 Starnight。问题是这样的：

Question
I would like to ask what is the connection and difference between 'circumstance', 'surrounding', 'environment', and 'atmosphere'. Thank you.

Sam
This is a really interesting question – thank you for sending it in! All of these nouns are used to talk about places or situations, but, as usual, there are some differences in how we use them. Let's look at each of them in turn and give you lots of examples, starting with 'circumstance'.

Jiaying
Here we go! 名词 “circumstance” 是 “条件，境况，客观环境”。当我们使用 “circumstance” 的时候，谈论的并不是某个情况本身，而是 “影响某一情况的客观条件或环境”。

Sam
Exactly! So, 'circumstances' can include many things which can be negative or positive. It's also interesting to notice that 'circumstance' is usually used in its plural form, so 'circumstances'.

Jiaying
是的，你会经常听到 “circumstance” 用在短语 “under the circumstances” 当中，意思是 “在某种特定的情况下”。

Examples
She was in a surprisingly cheerful mood considering the difficult circumstances.
（考虑到当时困难的形势，她的心情异常愉快。）

When he got a new job, his circumstances improved almost overnight.
（当他找到新工作后，他的境况几乎一夜之间就好转了。）

I’m so sorry I can't come to dinner. My car broke down! I hope you'll understand under the circumstances.
（很抱歉我不能来吃晚饭了。我的车抛锚了！希望你能理解这个特殊情况。）

Sam
Let's look at 'surroundings' now. 'Surroundings' is always used in the plural form and is used to talk more specifically about a physical place. What more can you tell us, Jiaying?

Jiaying
复数名词 “surroundings” 的确切含义是 “周围环境，周围事物”，也就是 “某人所在的地方以及这个地方的物质条件”。所以，当我们用 “surroundings” 来指 “环境” 的时候，具体指 “眼睛可以看到的客观事物”。

Sam
Yes, and this can be small, like a room in a house, and it can be big, like a neighbourhood in a city, but it's not always specified. Listen to these examples now.

Examples
We worry less about our children now that we live in safer surroundings. We're so happy we moved.
（现在我们周围的生活环境更安全，所以不像以前那样担心孩子们了。我们很高兴我们搬家了。）

When I came out of the station, it took me a few moments to familiarise myself with my surroundings.
（当我从车站出来后，我花了一段时间才熟悉了周围的环境 。）

My grandparents worked hard their whole lives so they could live in comfortable surroundings in their old age.
（我的祖父母一生都在努力工作，这样他们晚年的时候就能生活在舒适的环境中。）

Sam
It's time to look at 'environment' now.

Jiaying
我们都知道 “the environment” 的意思是 “自然环境”。比如，想表达 “保护自然环境”，就可以说 “protect the environment”。除了这个意思以外，“environment” 还可以指哪些 “环境” 呢？

Sam
This word also refers to a place and how that place affects you.

Jiaying
没错，名词 “environment” 还可以指 “生活或工作的条件”，强调这些条件对你产生的影响。例如，你的工作环境 “work environment” 会影响你的工作效率。

Sam
Very true. Now, be a little careful with 'environment', because it can be both a countable and an uncountable noun. But when it has this definition, it is a countable noun, so you will see it used in both the singular and plural forms.

Jiaying
你经常会看到 “environment” 与动词 “create” 或形容词 “friendly” 搭配使用。请听例句。

Examples
There is research showing that bright, airy and colourful learning environments help young children do better in school.
（有研究表明，亮堂、通风、色彩明亮的学习环境有助于提高幼儿在学校的表现。）

I tried a new exercise class yesterday. The instructor created such a friendly environment. I think I'll go back next week!
（我昨天试着上了一节新的健身课。课程的指导教练创造了一个很友好的环境，我想我下周还会去上课！）

Sam
And, finally, let's look at 'atmosphere' which, in this context, is always singular.

Jiaying
名词 “atmosphere” 的意思也是 “环境”，强调 “一个场所或情况的特点、氛围或给人带来的感觉”。在上面讲过的词语中，名词 “atmosphere” 可能更强调我们 “对某个地方或情况的主观感受或个人反应”。

Sam
Yes! Like with the other nouns, we need adjectives to tell us if an 'atmosphere' is positive or negative. And it's quite common to see it in sentences that start with 'There is'. Here are some examples.

Examples
There was quite a tense atmosphere in the room after Faith and Teo had an argument in front of everyone.
（费丝和蒂奥在所有人的面前争吵后，房间里的气氛相当紧张。）

We come to this cafe for meetings a lot. The coffee is great and it has a lovely atmosphere.
（我们经常来这家咖啡馆开工作会议。这里的咖啡很棒，气氛也很好。）

Jiaying
好了，希望你通过我们的讲解，对名词 “circumstance、surroundings、environment” 和 “atmosphere” 的用法有了一定的理解。

Sam
And remember that if you have a question you'd like us to answer, you can send it to us too!

Jiaying
我们的微博账号是 “BBC英语教学”。你也可以发邮件给我们，邮箱地址是：questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk 谢谢收听 “你问我答” 节目。我是佳莹。我们下次再会！

Sam
Bye-bye, everyone.