不久前寫了幾篇英文生字隨口噏，介紹了一些生字。今次我們打算為大家介紹短語動詞(phrasal verb)。短語動詞是指一個動詞需要附帶著介詞(preposition)，才可以獲得某些特定意思。短語動詞不易學，因為我們不能單從字面意思來得知其真實意思。很多時，我們都要靠上文下理來推測它們的意思，又或者要翻查字典。
今日想為大家介紹兩個常見的短語動詞：bring
about及stand by。大家知道它們的意思嗎﹖猜不到的，可以先看看以下的例句：
Example One:
Many voters hope that election of the new government will bring about changes.
Example Two:
We cannot just stand by while our
teammates are suffering!
“bring about”「引起」、「帶來」等等。“A
brings about B.”即是指「A帶來B」或「A引致B」。留意，bring about後面多數是跟名詞短語(noun phrase)。
“stand by”解作袖手旁觀，是不及物動詞(intransitive
verb)。
再看看以下的例句：
Example Three:
Many teachers wonder how they can bring
about a change in their students’ attitude towards study.
(很多老師都想知道他們可以如何改為學生對讀書的態度。)
Example Four:
The street protest in Cairo finally brought
about the downfall of the then President Hosni Mubarak.
(開羅的上街示威最終致前總統穆巴拉克下台。)
Example Five:
Tom just stood by while we were
under attack.
Example Six:
We can't just stand by and watch her
die. (adapted from Macmillan Dictionary)
補充資料：
“stand by”並不只解作袖手旁觀；它還有其他常見的用法。
1. 支持
在這個時候，stand
by是及物動詞(transitive
verb)，後面跟人物。
Example Seven:
Tom stood by us when we were under attack.
(與Example
Five比較，看到分別了嗎﹖)
Example Eight:
We knew they would stand by us no matter what we'd done. (adapted from
Macmillan Dictionary)
2. 堅持某信念、想法
在這個時候，stand
by是及物動詞(transitive
verb)，後面跟事物。
Example Nine:
He stood by Communism all his life.
Example Ten:
Fanny stood by her claim that she was right.
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