stills

still, calm, peaceful, quiet, silent

这组形容词共同的意思是“安静”“平静”“寂静”。它们的区别在于:

1.在修饰环境时各词所指的状态为:calm指风平浪静; peaceful指没有战争或骚乱; quiet指没有吵闹干扰; still指完全没有声音。例如:

The sea was calm yesterday.昨天海水是平静的。

Countries should settle their disputes by peaceful means.各国应通过和平手段解决他们的争端。

Differences among them could have been reconciled by them through peaceful consultations.他们中间的分歧本来可以由他们和平协商调解。

He had a bad headache and needed being quiet.他头疼得厉害,需要安静。

Everything was deadly still.万籁俱寂。

2.在修饰人时:calm指人心平气和,毫不激动; peaceful表示“安详的”“温和的”; quiet指性情温和、安静等,有时也指人的闲散或不活动; still指“一动不动”; silent侧重“沉默”“不说话”,但不一定不动。例如:

The teacher is peaceful when the student appeared.当这个学生出现时,这个老师很温和。

We should keep quiet in the hospital.在医院里我们应该保持安静。

His hands were never still.他的双手一刻也不停。

We've been silent for too long. It's time to speak out.我们沉默得太久了,现在是大胆地发表意见的时候了。

She sat silent in her own room.她在自己的房间里一动不动地坐着。

still, already

这两个词意思相近,但already指比预想的时间早, still指比预想的时间长。试比较以下两个句子：

The coffee is cold already.

咖啡已经凉了。

The coffee is still hot.

咖啡还热着。

still, yet

这两个词共同的意思是“还”“仍”。

1.still表示某事还在继续; yet则表示某事尚未完成。

2.在肯定句中多用still; 在否定句中多用yet。