首先,明确appropriate的核心含义。它既可以作形容词,也可以作动词。作形容词时,意思是“适当的”、“恰当的”、“合适的”。它强调某事物在特定场合、特定目的下是合适的,比如在正式会议中穿西装是appropriate,而穿拖鞋就不appropriate。作动词时,意思是“挪用”、“拨出(款项)”,或者“占用”。这个动词用法在学术和法律文本中更常见,比如“appropriating funds for education”意为“为教育拨出专款”。在自考真题中,形容词用法占比超过百分之八十,所以我们重点剖析形容词用法。
接下来看常见搭配。appropriate常与介词for或to连用。be appropriate for表示“适合……”,例如:This dress is appropriate for the interview. 这条裙子适合面试穿。be appropriate to表示“与……相称”,例如:Her speech was appropriate to the solemn occasion. 她的演讲与庄重的场合相称。另外,在动词用法中,常见搭配是appropriate something for something,意为“把某物拨给某用途”,例如:The government appropriated ten million dollars for the new hospital. 政府拨款一千万美元建设新医院。
为了加深理解,我们提供几个典型例句。第一句:It is not appropriate to laugh at others’ mistakes. 嘲笑别人的错误是不恰当的。这里appropriate作表语,后面接不定式。第二句:You should wear clothes that are appropriate for the weather. 你应该穿适合天气的衣服。这里从句修饰clothes。第三句:The manager appropriated the company’s funds for his personal use. 经理挪用了公司资金供个人使用。注意,这句中appropriate是动词,带有贬义。在阅读中,看到“appropriate resources”这样的短语,要根据上下文判断是“合理调配资源”还是“非法占用资源”。
特别提醒:appropriate与几个近义词容易混淆。比如suitable强调“符合要求或目的”,比如suitable for a job;而appropriate更强调“与特定环境或习俗一致”。proper则侧重“合乎规范、正确”,例如proper behavior是“得体的行为”,而appropriate behavior是“适当的行为”。另外,fit常用于搭配“fit for”,指“能力或条件适合”。在试题中,如果上下文提到“社会习俗”“场合”,优先选appropriate;如果提到“功能”“目的”,优先选suitable。
现在进入试题环节。我们来看一道自考专升本真题。题干是:It is not ______ to talk loudly in the library. 选项:A. appropriate B. approximate C. appreciative D. approachable。首先排除B approximate意为“大约的”,C appreciative意为“欣赏的、感激的”,D approachable意为“可接近的、亲切的”。只有A appropriate符合“在图书馆大声说话是不合适的”这一语境。答案选A。下一题:The committee decided to ______ funds for the new project. A. appropriate B. appreciate C. appoint D. approach。这里需要动词,且后面直接接funds,只有appropriate作为动词“拨款”符合语义,答案是A。注意作动词时发音与形容词有微妙差别,形容词重音在第二音节“pro”,动词重音也在第二音节,但动词时尾音“ate”更清晰。
再看一道稍微复杂的阅读理解题。文章中提到:The manager was criticized for appropriating company resources without authorization. 问题问:What did the manager do? 选项是:A. He used resources properly. B. He misused resources. C. He saved resources. D. He sold resources. 根据动词appropriating在贬义语境中的用法,正确理解是“挪用”,即不当使用,所以选B。如果考生不了解动词appropriating的负面含义,可能会误选A。
为了巩固记忆,我们设计一个自测练习。请用appropriate的正确形式填空:1. It is _______ (appropriate) for children to watch horror movies. 答案:inappropriate,不合适的。2. The school _______ (appropriate) a large sum of money for the science lab. 答案:appropriated,动词过去式。3. His casual attire was not _______ to the formal dinner. 答案:appropriate,后接介词to。4. The government has _______ (appropriate) funds to improve public transportation. 答案:appropriated。5. Please choose the most _______ word to complete the sentence. 答案:appropriate,形容词。
最后,我们总结一下复习要点。第一,牢记appropriate作为形容词的核心是“合适的”,作为动词的核心是“拨款或挪用”。第二,搭配介词for和to有细微差别,for侧重“对某事物合适”,to侧重“与场合相称”。第三,在写作中,可以用appropriate替换常用的suitable、proper,提升词汇多样性,但要注意语境。例如,写“The teacher gave us appropriate advice”就比“good advice”更精准。第四,注意单词拼写:a-p-p-r-o-p-r-i-a-t-e,不要漏掉中间的r。动词形式变化规则:appropriated, appropriating。
学习单词不能只停留在记忆层面,要在真题和阅读中反复体会。建议大家把历年的自考真题中所有出现appropriate的句子摘抄下来,分析其用法。同时,在写作练习中,主动用appropriate造句,比如描述日常生活:It is appropriate to say “thank you” when receiving a gift. 或者描述职场:It is appropriate to submit the report before the deadline. 这样,词汇才能真正转化为你的语言能力。
3. 强化动词用法,应对长难句:动词“appropriate”在阅读理解中常构成障碍。建议同学们重点分析其被动语态及后接的介词短语,如“funds were appropriated for...”、“resources were appropriated by...”。理解这一结构,有助于快速厘清句子主干,把握动作的发出者、承受者及目的。
4. 主动输出,巩固记忆:学习词汇的最高效方式是输出。建议大家在完成课后练习后,尝试用“appropriate”的两种词性,结合自身专业或生活经历,各造2-3个完整的句子。例如,在描述学习计划时,可以说“It is appropriate to allocate specific time for vocabulary review.” 在描述项目时,可以说“The department appropriated a budget for the new initiative.”