评论
打印
In this episode, I am going to teach you an interesting expression. And it uses the word torn. Torn, t-o-r-n. Do you know this word? Do you recognize the word torn?
在这一集中，我将教你一个有趣的表达。它使用了单词torn。你知道这个词吗？你认出torn这个词了吗？
Torn is a form of the verb tear. Tear, t-e-a-r. "To tear" means to rip something. To use your fingers to pull something apart into two pieces. Or to pull it part of the way into two pieces.
Torn是动词tear的一种形式。“To tear”的意思是撕开某物。用手指将某物撕成两半。或者将其部分撕成两半。
When we talk about tearing something, we are often talking about something flat, like paper.
当我们说tear某物时，我们通常指的是一些扁平的东西，比如纸。
And torn is another form of that verb. It's a form called the past participle. I don't think you really need to know that word.
而torn是该动词的过去分词形式。我认为你真的不需要知道这个词。
But, the past participle of a verb is used to make passive verbs. I don't even know if you need to know the word passive, but you do need to know what a passive verb is.
但是，动词的过去分词用于构成passive verbs，被动动词。我甚至不知道你是否需要知道passive这个词，但你确实需要知道什么是被动动词。
Let me give you an example: If I have a piece of paper, and I use my fingers to pull it into two pieces, I would say, "I tear the paper."
举个例子：如果我有一张纸，我用手指把它撕成两半，我会说“I tear the paper”。
Instead of talking about what I did, I could talk about what happened to the paper. And I could say, "The paper was torn."
我可以不说我做了什么，而是说这张纸发生了什么。我可以说“The paper was torn”。
In other words, the paper was pulled apart into two pieces. Or it was pulled part of the way into two pieces. It was torn.
换句话说， the paper was pulled apart into two pieces。或者it was pulled part of the way into two pieces。
We use that form of verbs to make this passive form, when we are talking about the direct object of the verb instead of talking about the subject.
当我们谈论动词的直接宾语而不是主语时，我们使用这种形式的动词来构成这种被动形式。
All of this grammar talk can be very complicated. I understand that. But just know this: when we say that something is torn, we are saying that it is now in two pieces, because something has pulled it apart into two pieces.
所有这些语法讨论可能非常复杂。我明白这一点。但只要知道这一点：当我们说something is torn时，我们是在说它现在变成了两半，因为有东西把它撕成了两半。
Okay, now we get to this word and this expression that I wanted to talk about: to be torn. What does it mean if we say that a person is torn?
好的，现在我们来谈谈我想说的这个词和这个表达：to be torn。如果我们说a person is torn，这是什么意思？
What we are saying when we say, "I am torn" is "I can't make up my mind. I can't choose. It is as though somebody or something pulled me into two pieces. And one piece thinks this, and my other piece thinks this other thing.
当我们说“I am torn”时，我们其实是在说“我无法下定决心。我无法选择。就好像有人或什么东西把我扯成了两半。一半想这个，另一半想那个。
I have two different ideas at one time, or two different preferences. I can't decide what I want. I am torn. It is as though I am now in two pieces."
我同时有两个不同的想法，或者说两种不同的偏好。我无法决定我想要什么。我很纠结。就好像我现在被撕成了两半。”
For example, let's say that somebody is considering getting a new job. They don't really like their current job, so they're thinking about getting a new job.
例如，假设某人正在考虑找一份新工作。他们不太喜欢目前的工作，所以他们正在考虑找一份新工作。
When they talk about this situation to a friend, they say, "I am torn. There are things I really enjoy about my current job, but a new job might also be good. I'm torn.
当他们和朋友谈论这种情况时，他们会说：“I am torn。我真的很喜欢目前的工作，但新工作可能也不错。I'm torn。
I don't know how to choose. I have two different ideas inside my head at one time. Instead of having one preference, I feel like I have two preferences, and I don't know how to decide."
我不知道如何选择。我脑子里同时有两个不同的想法。我感觉我不是只有一个偏好，而是有两个偏好，我不知道如何决定。”
I am torn: I think this is an interesting and useful way to use the word tear.
I am torn：我认为这是使用“tear”这个词的一种有趣且有用的方式。
