今天我们将讨论连接对立观点的词汇。我们称这些观点为对比或让步。 一些副词如but、although、however和despite。这些词汇将帮助您表达更复杂的观点。它们会改善您写作的流畅性和清晰性。
对比和让步 Contrast versus concession
让我们首先了解对比和让步之间的区别。举两个例子：
I used to live in Malaysia, but now I live in Thailand.
我过去住在马来西亚，但现在住在泰国。
Even though I live in Malaysia, I work in Thailand.
尽管我住在马来西亚，我在泰国工作。
第一个例子展示了简单的对比。第一句“I used to live in Malaysia 我过去住在马来西亚”表明我以前的居住地。第二部分“but now I live in Thailand. 但现在我住在泰国”，显示我现在住在另一个地方。该语句对比了这两个不同的地方：我过去住的地方和我现在住的地方。
在第二个例子中，“Even though I live in Malaysia 尽管我住在马来西亚”告诉你我现在住哪里。但这个句子给读者带来意外：“I work in Thailand. 我在泰国工作”。当对立的观点是读者没有预料到的或令他们感到惊讶的时候，我们称之为让步。
但是 But
我们从but开始，这是表达对比最常见的方式。But是一个连词。我们用它来连接价值大致相当的想法。以下是一些例子：
The students were tired after the test, but were happy with their results.
考试后，学生们虽然累了，但对自己的成绩很满意。
Some refugees have found new homes, but others are still living in camps.
一些难民找到了新家，但其他一些仍住在难民营里。
Luca tried to solve the math problem for two hours, but he could not find the answer.
卢卡花了两个小时试图解决这个数学问题，但找不到答案。
在第二和第三个例子中，注意连词but连接了两个独立的句子或从句。在这种情况下，在but之前我们使用逗号。
然而，尽管如此 However, nevertheless, nonetheless
“但是”的更正式表达方式是however。看以下例子：
We really wanted to go to that concert; however, we could not afford the tickets.
我们真的很想去那场音乐会;然而，我们买不起票。
Car prices went up fast. However, motorcycle prices are still the same.
汽车价格上涨很快。然而，摩托车价格仍然相同。
在这些例子中，你可以用nevertheless或者nonetheless来替换however。意思不变。However和nonetheless可以使句子更正式。
你可以选择不同的标点符号。你可以写，“I am tired. [句号] However， [逗号] I will finish the job.” 或者你可以写，“I am tired; [分号] however， [逗号] I will finish the job.” 分号是连接关系密切的两个独立从句的标点符号选项。使用句号还是分号由作者决定。
虽然，即使 Although, even though, and though
Although和even though是表达意外结果或惊喜的两个常用副词。它们是从属连词：表示一个观点比另一个观点更重要的副词。以下是一些例子：
I managed to fall asleep although we were watching an action movie.
虽然我们正在看动作电影，我还是睡着了。
Although we were watching an action movie, I managed to fall asleep.
我们正在看动作电影，我还是睡着了。
在两个句子中，从属连词although都放在包含次要观点的从句中。“Although we were watching an action movie，” 本身不能成句;它是一个从句。如果从句在前，我们必须用逗号将两者分开。如果从句在后，就没有逗号。
下面是两个even though的例子。
These students already know how to read even though they are still in kindergarten.
这些学生虽然还在幼儿园，已经会读书了。
Even though these students are still in kindergarten, they already know how to read.
这些学生还在幼儿园，已经会读书了。
Though比although和even though更通俗，在口语中更常用。以下是一些例子：
Though Indra waited for almost an hour, his doctor never showed up.
尽管印德拉等了近一个小时，他的医生还是没有来。
Indra’s doctor never showed up though he waited for almost an hour.
印德拉等了近一个小时，他的医生还是没有来。
为了让句子更口语化，你可以将though放在句尾：
Indra waited for almost an hour. His doctor never showed up, though.
印度拉等了近一个小时。他的医生还是没有来。
尽管，不管 In spite of, despite
In spite of和despite也是从属连词，用于表达意外结果。它们也放在从句中。但是，它们需要不同的句子结构。看以下例子：
That man has saved a lot of money in spite of earning a small salary.
尽管工资不高，那个人还是存了很多钱。
That artist is very creative despite having limited resources.
尽管资源有限，那位艺术家非常有创造力。
在这些例子中，in spite of和despite后面跟一个动名词。动名词是动词加上-ing的形式，起名词的作用。上述句子中的“earning a small salary”和“having limited resources”是动名词短语。
Despite和in spite of后面也可以跟名词短语。
My brother has managed to save a lot of money in spite of his small salary.
尽管工资不高，我哥还是存了很多钱。
That artist is very creative despite her limited resources.
尽管资源有限，那位艺术家非常有创造力。
His small salary和her limited resources是名词短语。
尽管如此 In spite of that
In spite of that也可以表示对比或让步，但它作为并列连词使用。因此，它用于连接两个独立从句。例如：
Most students had understood the explanation; in spite of that, the teacher wrote a few more examples.
大多数学生都理解了讲解;尽管如此，老师还是写了几个例子。
It rained for almost three hours non-stop. In spite of that, the ground is already dry.
雨下了将近三个小时没有停。尽管如此，地面已经干了。
文章中的词汇：
contrast – n. a difference between people or things that are being compared
对比 – n. 将人或事物进行比较时的不同
concession – n. grammar. a clause which begins with “although” or “even though” and which expresses an idea that suggests the opposite of the main part of the sentence.
让步 – n. 语法。以“although”或“even though”开头，表达与句子主要部分相反意思的从句
clause – n. grammar. a part of a sentence that has its own subject and verb
从句 – n. 语法。句子中具有自己的主语和谓语的部分
semicolon – n. the punctuation mark ; that is used to separate major parts in a sentence and to separate items in a series if the items contain commas
分号 – n. 标点符号;，用于分隔句子主要部分，如果条目包含逗号，也用于分隔系列项
subordinate clause – n. grammar. a clause that does not form a simple sentence by itself and that is connected to the main clause of a sentence
从句 – n. 语法。本身不能构成简单句子的从句，连接到句子主从句
gerund – n. grammar. an English noun formed from a verb by adding -ing
动名词 – n. 语法。由动词添加-ing构成的英语名词