继续之前的经济学人地道表达积累,之前学到了英语形容“大量”、“大获成功”,今天这篇来自最新经济学人报道。
外刊里的“白鲸”
Indeed, raising Chinese consumption is something of a white whale for global macroeconomics.
的确,提升中国消费对于全球宏观经济来说,有点像是一头“白鲸”——一个长期被追逐却难以实现的目标。
🐋 white whale 是什么?
这是一个比喻性表达,源自文学作品《白鲸记》(Moby Dick),讲的是船长 Ahab 一生执着地追捕一头巨大的白色抹香鲸。这头鲸对他来说已经不是普通的猎物,而是一种执念,一种象征他所有怒火、梦想、欲望的东西。

所以 white whale 引申为:
一个人长期执着追求、投入巨大精力、但始终难以实现的目标或梦想。
💊 例句
For drug makers, developing the first Alzheimer’s therapy has long been seen as the great white whale: the toughest challenge and biggest opportunity.
——Robert Weisman
对制药公司来说,研发出首个治疗阿尔茨海默症的药物,一直被视为那头“伟大的白鲸”——最艰巨的挑战,也是最大的机遇。
雅思写作活用
🧑🎓 教育/社会改革类话题
Achieving equal access to high-quality education remains a white whale for many developing countries.
实现优质教育的平等获取,对于许多发展中国家来说仍是一头“白鲸”,渴望许久却难以实现。
形容变得更加紧迫,不用形容词
But the aim has added urgency now, since other sources of demand are under threat.
但现在这一目标变得更加紧迫,因为其他需求来源正面临威胁。
我们可以用add urgency来形容某件事情加剧了某一问题的紧迫性。
🎯 例句分析:
Heavy rains ease today allowing floodwaters to recede but there is more rain in the forecast tomorrow, adding urgency to the ongoing rescue efforts.
今天大雨缓解,洪水得以消退,但预报称明天会有更多降雨,让正在进行的救援工作更加紧迫。

🧠 为什么说“add urgency”?
虽然今天情况好转,但明天可能又有暴雨,意味着时间很紧,必须在下一轮灾难来之前尽快救人、撤离。这就把“救援工作”的紧迫感又往上推了一档,所以我们说:
Tomorrow’s rain is adding urgency
明天的雨让今天的行动必须抓紧。
📌 总结用法:
情境 | 表达效果 |
---|---|
战争爆发 | adds urgency to peace talks(让和平谈判更急迫) |
病毒变异 | adds urgency to vaccine development(加快疫苗研发的必要性) |
股市暴跌 | adds urgency to financial reforms(促使金融改革更快推进) |
📚 改写题:用“add(s) urgency to”改写句子
Because the product has so many bugs, the developers had to work faster.
👉 改写:_________________________
Since the enemy troops are getting closer, the army must make a decision soon.
👉 改写:_________________________
Because the product has so many bugs, the developers had to work faster.
👉 The product’s many bugs add urgency to the developers’ work.
➡ 表达变得更地道简洁,同时保留原意:有 bug,必须加快。
Since the enemy troops are getting closer, the army must make a decision soon.
👉 The enemy troops getting closer adds urgency to the army’s decision-making.
➡ “敌人逼近”是让“做决定”更紧急的原因。