听众 Brian 来信询问 “by”、“via”、“through” 和 “using” 之间的区别。介词 “by”、“via” 和 “through” 都有 “通过” 的意思。这既可以是通过一处到另一处,“via A to B”;也可以是路过一处,“through A to B”;还可以是通过或借助一个工具到达某地,“by train”。动名词 “using” 虽然也可以用来引出 “做某事时使用的工具或方法”,但它不能和以上三个介词互换使用。听节目,学习这四个单词的具体用法。
Phil OK, when we're talking about a journey, if you say you're going via somewhere, then you're saying that it's one of the places you're going to on your route, and it might be somewhere you stop, or it might just be somewhere you travel past. If you say you are going through somewhere, it can mean that you'll go from one side of a place to the other, but we also use it to mean 'travel past'. Listen to these examples.
Examples We're going to Manchester via Birmingham and Stoke. (我们要经过伯明翰和斯托克去曼彻斯特。)
We're going to Manchester through Birmingham and Stoke. (我们去曼彻斯特的路上会经过伯明翰和斯托克。)
Feifei 上面两个例句中的旅行目的地都是曼彻斯特。第一个例句说:“We're going to Manchester via Birmingham and Stoke.”,意思是 “去曼彻斯特的途中要经停伯明翰和斯托克。” 而第二个例句的意思则是 “去曼彻斯特的途中我们会经过伯明翰和斯托克,但不一定会停下来。” “We're going to Manchester through Birmingham and Stoke.” 所以,如果我们从 A 处 “via(经停,经过)” B 处,到达 C 处,那么中途很可能会在 B 处停留,但不绝对;而如果我们从 A 处 “through(经过)” B 处,到达 C 处,那么只是路过 B 处。也就是说,如果要强调旅途当中在商店或者景点停留,那么最好使用 “via”。再来听两个例句。
Examples I'm going to the office via the supermarket – I need to buy lunch. (我要在去办公室的路上去趟超市,我得买午餐。)
We're going to the theme park, but we're going via the cafe – we need some coffee first! (我们要去那个主题公园,不过需要先去咖啡馆,得先喝杯咖啡。)
Phil Next, we can also use 'via' to talk about the way we do something, for example, 'via sending a message' or the thing that we use to do it, 'via a quick meeting' – but it's more common to use 'by'.
Feifei “Via” 后面直接加名词,可以表示 “使用一个工具或通过一种方式做某件事情”,比如 “via sending a message(通过发一条短信息)”、“via a quick meeting(通过一个短的会议)”。不过,在表达这个意思时,更常用 “by”。来听四个例句。
Examples The easiest way to get to Manchester is via train. (去曼彻斯特最便捷的方式是坐火车。)
You can get to Scotland by train easily. (你坐火车去苏格兰很方便。)
I asked them about the job via email. (我通过电子邮件向他们询问了关于那份工作的事情。)
The best way to contact me is by phone. (最好通过电话联系我。)
Phil We also use 'by' before an action that we use to achieve something else.
Examples She created this robot using the latest technology. (她使用最新的技术创造了这个机器人。)
They dug their way out using their bare hands. (他们徒手给自己挖出了一条路。)
Using an original Italian recipe is the secret to good pizza. (使用正宗的意大利菜谱是做出美味披萨饼的秘诀。)
Phil Don't forget that these words are not just used to talk about going past a place or doing something to achieve a goal – but we hope that we've answered your question here.