名人教你讲英文：用途多样的counter

名人教英文：用途多样的counter

Counter 可以作名词、动词、副词和前缀（prefix）。Counter 作为名词，其中一义是“服务柜台”，港人对此应相当熟悉。另外，美加地区大屋多，厨房都设有工作台面，叫做 kitchen counter，但 countertop 一字更为通用，在美加，经常会看到 "replace your countertop" 或 "remodel your countertop" 之类的广告。Counter 还可以解作“筹码”、“点算工具”等。
此外，counter 无论作为名词、动词、副词还是前缀（prefix），都有“相反”、“对抗”之类的意思。例如：

?Education is the best counter to poverty.
（Counter 为名词。）

?The health authority should do more to counter the widespread tobacco advertisements which encourage young people to smoke.
（Counter 为动词。）

Run counter to 即“背道而驰”，counter 作副词用，例如汤告鲁斯（Tom Cruise）信奉的科学教派有许多信念和现代医学背道而驰：The beliefs of Scientology run counter to concepts in modern medicine.
许多字词都以 counter 作前缀，例如：

?Counteract（对抗、抵消）：
This drug can counteract the symptoms (病征) but cannot kill the virus that causes the disease.

?Counter-attack（反击）：
The US counter-attacked / launched a counter-attack after Japan attacked Pearl Harbour.

?Counter argument（反驳）：
The pro-gun lobbyists (说客) in the US argue that gun laws are useless since they cannot stop organised criminals from getting guns. One counter argument to this is that many gun deaths are caused by average people with no prior (先前的) criminal records.

?Countermeasure（对策）：
The government introduced a Buyer's Stamp Duty as a countermeasure to the rising real estate prices.
?Counterpoint（原指音乐的对位法，引伸指透过对比达到相得益彰的效果，或指对比衬托物）：

The refreshing mint sauce is a perfect counterpoint to lamb chops.
?Counter-productive（适得其反，产生反作用的）∶
Some economists worry that excessive budget cuts may be counterproductive to economic growth.

?Counterweight（平衡、制衡的力量）∶
The cooperation between China and Russia has been seen as a counterweight to American influence in Asia.

英语单词词汇学习：

counteract……抵消
countermeasure……对策
counter-productive……适得其反的
counterweight……制衡的力量