Needs
“Needs” 主要有两个用法。作为名词,它是 “need” 的复数形式,指代多种需求。作为副词(通常与 “must” 连用,如 “must needs”),它是一种较古老、正式的表达方式,意为“必然”、“不得不”。
- “Every child has basic needs for food and love.” (每个孩子都有对食物和爱的基本需求。)
- “He must needs go where his heart leads him.” (他必然会去他内心指引他去的地方。)
- “The company is focusing on the specific needs of its customers.” (公司正在专注于其客户的特定需求。)
词根是 “need”,源自古英语 “nēad”(必然、压力、缺乏)。
- 词根: “need”
- 词缀: “-s” (名词复数后缀,或古英语中残留的副词形式)
短语 “must needs” 带有很强的文学色彩,常出现在莎士比亚或圣经等古文学作品中。在现代英语中,大多数情况下 “needs” 仅作为名词复数使用。
- 单数名词: need
- 形容词: needy (贫穷的), needless (不需要的)
大多数情况下,只要把它看作 “need” 的复数即可。在遇到 “must needs” 时,把它理解为 “must necessarily”(必须必然)。
“As the small town grew into a city, the people’s needs changed. They no longer just needed water and land; they needed electricity, schools, and hospitals to support their new way of life.” (随着小镇成长为城市,人们的需求也发生了变化。他们不再仅仅需要水和土地;他们还需要电力、学校和医院来支持他们的新生活方式。)