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一位姓赵的听众想知道 “rank、rate、class” 和 “grade” 作动词时的区别。这四个词都可以表示 “分级”，它们用来谈论哪种 “分级” 方式？表示一个人的排名情况时，常用哪个词表示此人 “属于特定的级别”？短语 “rate someone as” 是什么意思？用 “class” 表示 “分类” 时，分类标准只能是个人意见吗？用 “grade” 表示 “给…分级” 时，后接哪个介词来引出分级的标准？听节目，学习区分这四个近义词的用法。

欢迎你加入并和我们一起讨论英语学习的方方面面。请通过微博 “BBC英语教学” 或邮件与我们取得联系。我们的邮箱地址是 questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk

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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
大家好，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一位姓赵的听众，问题由我来代读。

Question
您好，我想请教一下：“rank、rate、class” 和 “grade” 作动词时都有 “分级” 的意思，它们之间有什么区别呢？谢谢。

Sam
Yet again, we have received a really interesting question from one of our listeners. Thank you! For the purposes of this programme, we are only going to talk about these four words as verbs, and only in the context of position or value or quality or belonging to a particular group.

Jiaying
在不同的语境中，这四个词的含义不同，而且有不同的词性。在本期节目中，我们来讲一讲 “rank、rate、class” 和 “grade” 作动词、谈论 “人或事物的地位、价值、质量、特性属于某一类别” 时有哪些区别。

Sam
We'll look at each of them in turn, and give you lots of examples to help you notice the differences. Let's start with 'rank'. Jiaying?

Jiaying
OK! 我们先来看动词 “rank”。“Rank” 的意思是 “具有…的地位或等级”。

Sam
The key word in the definition of 'rank' is 'position'. Thinking about an athlete competing in a race or a student competing in a school test might help with this idea. If we asked the athlete or the student 'Where did you rank?', it would be like asking them 'What was your position?'

Jiaying
原来动词 “rank” 具体可以用来谈论运动员比赛或学生考试的排名情况。我们用 “Where did you rank?” 或者 “What was your position?” 来表示 “你第几名？”

动词 “rank” 的后面接 “first、second” 或者 “third” 等序数词的时候，可以表示 “排第一、第二” 或 “第三”；“rank” 的后面还常常接介词 “in” 或者 “among”，引出所描述的人或物所属的群体或类别。听两个使用了动词 “rank” 的例句。

Examples
After an excellent performance in the tennis tournament, she now ranks third in the world.
（在网球锦标赛中的出色表现后，她现在排名世界第三。）

Many say he ranks among the best pianists of all time.
（许多人说他是有史以来最优秀的钢琴家之一。）

Sam
Let's look at 'rate' now. This verb is similar to 'judge' and is more subjective than 'rank'. It's more about your opinion. And we might assign numbers when rating something – for example, we might rate something from one to ten. What more can you tell us, Jiaying?

Jiaying
动词 “rate” 的确切定义是 “评估、评价人或物的价值或特征”。与 “rank” 相比，“rate” 则更多地用来谈论对所评价的人或事物的主观看法。比如，我们可以说：“rate something from one to ten（用1到10之间的数字给某物打分）”。

Sam
So, if someone asks you 'How do you rate him as a singer?', it's the same as if they asked you 'What do you think of him as a singer?' or 'What's your opinion of him as a singer?'

Jiaying
How do you rate him as a singer?（你觉得他作为一名歌手，水平如何？）Sam 在这里使用了 “as”：“rate someone as” 的意思是 “评价某人作为…的水平、实力、价值或表现”。听两个使用了动词 “rate” 的例句。

Examples
How do you rate her as a tennis player?
（你如何评价她作为一名网球运动员的表现？）

The company have a very good reputation. They are rated highly by their clients.
（这家公司声誉颇佳。客户对他们的评价很高。）

Sam
It's time to look at 'class' now. With 'class', we're not judging something or someone, we're saying that they belong to a particular group, aren't we?

Jiaying
是的，动词 “class” 的意思是 “按特性为人或物归类或分类”，而不是去评判这个人或事物。“Class” 所描述的 “分类” 标准可以是个人的意见，也可能更官方。比如，按人的年龄为其分类，或按动物的物种对其分类。

Sam
Here are some examples, and notice that we use 'as' and 'among' with 'class' as well.

Examples
In many countries, you are classed as an adult when you turn 18.
（在许多国家，年满18岁时就被归为成年人。）

I class her among the best teachers I've ever had.
（我把她列为教过我的最 好的老师之一。）

Sam
And, finally, let's look at 'grade'. This involves separating things or people. Jiaying, please tell us more.

Jiaying
动词 “grade” 的意思是 “按质量、大小或重要性给…分级”，这些级别通常有高低之分。

Sam
It's a little more common to use 'grade' with things than with people simply because it can be a little rude to 'grade' a person by their size, for example!

Jiaying
That's true. 用 “grade” 表示 “给…分级” 时，应该用 “by” 来引出分级的标准。听两个使用了 “grade” 的例句。

Examples
The vegetables are graded by weight and size.
（蔬菜按重量和大小分级。）

The books in this section are graded by language level. What level are you looking for?
（这个区域的书是按语言难度分级的。你在找什么级别的书？）

Jiaying
注意不要把 “grade” 的这个用法与它的另一个用法混淆了：老师会 “grade someone's work”，这里 “grade” 的意思是 “给学生的作业、作品或表现评分”。

希望我们的讲解让大家对 “rank、rate、class” 和 “grade” 的用法有了更深的理解。

Sam
Remember that if you have a question you'd like us to answer, you can email us too. Our email address is: questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk

Jiaying
你也可以通过微博向我们提问。我们的微博账号是 “BBC英语教学”。Bye, everyone.

Sam
Bye-bye!