跟着Gwen学英语之每日早读 第1259期

（单词翻译）

When tragedies strike, we try to find someone to blame. And in the absence of a suitable candidate, we usually blame ourselves.

语音讲解：

今日发音练习重点：

1. tragedies strike 后进同化；

2. in the(j) absence of a 注意词间连贯。

言之有物：

1. 词链儿：when tragedies strike 当悲剧降临时

strike v. 突然发生某种不幸

The plague¹ struck again for the third time that century.

瘟疫再次爆发，是那个世纪的第三次了。

Two days later tragedy struck.

两天后悲剧发生了。

2. 词链儿：find XX to blame 把责任归咎于XX

→ blame v.责怪；指责

拓展词链儿：someone is to blame (for sth)

某人对某事负有责任

If anyone's to blame, it's me.

如果有人该承担责任，那就是我。

Which driver was to blame for the accident?

哪个司机是此次事故的肇事者？

→ blame n. 责备；指责

回顾【背黑锅 take the blame for ...】

3. 词链儿：in the absence of XX

① 在... 缺席/不在的时候；

=in/during one's absence

=while XX is away

The decision was made in my absence (= while I was not there).

这个决定是我不在的时候作出的。

② 在缺乏…的情况下

In the absence of any evidence, the police had to let him go.

警察没有证据，只好把他放了。

In the absence of stone, most houses in the area are built of wood.

由于石料匮乏，这一地区的房子大多数都是用木头建造的。

★原声例句：In the absence of those two, it won't happen.

如果没有这两个人，这一切就不会发生。

★原声例句：So in the absence of human hubris², the universe looks more and more random³.

因此，在人类不再狂妄自大的情况下，宇宙看起来越来越随机。

You and I both know that, during my absence, …

我们心里都很清楚，趁我不在…

Things have really gone downhill in my absence.

我走之后，这里的情况急转直下啊。

And in the absence of some other argument…

在没有其他解释的前提下…

4. a suitable candidate 一个合适的候选人

The hunt is on for a suitable candidate.

正在物色合适的人选。

活学活用：

请用 in the absence of XX 随意造句

《唐顿庄园》（Downton Abbey）：背景设定在1910年代英王乔治五世在位时约克郡一个虚构的庄园——“唐顿庄园”，故事开始于格兰瑟姆伯爵一家由家产继承问题而引发的种种纠葛，呈现了英国上层贵族与其仆人们在森严的等级制度下的人间百态。