本文经授权转载自微信公众号：田间小站
TOEFL SAT TEM8
外刊例句
- It has been a reminder that adversity often forces societies to advance.
这场危机提醒了人们逆境常常迫使社会进步。
——《经济学人》 - America has always been at its best when it has had to overcome adversity and prove its mettle on the world stage.
当不得不克服逆境并在世界舞台上证明自己的气魄时，美国总是处于最佳状态。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[noun] a difficult or unpleasant situation
[名词] 困难或不快的情况
深入解读
Adversity 是一个在形式上容易与 diversity （差异、不同点；多样性、多样化）容易混淆的单词，该词与英语单词 adverse （不利的、有害的、反面的）同源，都是源自拉丁语 adversus （反对、敌对）。
13世纪经古法语 adversite, aversite （逆境、灾难、不幸）进入英语后， adversity 也是指“困境、逆境、厄运”以及经济方面的“窘境”，常用作正式用语指一种严峻且持续的不幸状态，语气较强，比如：
- 身处逆境时，她从不垂头丧气。但她对权力的贪恋使她与同事们疏远了。
She was always cheerful in adversity. But her lust for power estranged her from her colleagues. - 他们的国家正处在内战的边缘。他们不得不同一切困境做斗争。
Their country was teetering on the brink of civil war. They had to struggle against all kinds of adversity.
除了表示不幸状态以外， adversity 也可以用来表示具体的不幸事例，这时常用复数 adversities 表达 “灾祸、苦难、不幸经历”，比如：
- 他情路坎坷，并克服了多次个人不幸。
He lurched from one bad relationship to another and overcame many personal adversities.
权威用例
中华民族是历经磨难、不屈不挠的伟大民族，中国人民是勤劳勇敢、自强不息的伟大人民，中国共产党是敢于斗争、敢于胜利的伟大政党。
The Chinese nation is a great nation; it has been through hardships and adversity but remains indomitable. The Chinese people are a great people; they are industrious and brave; and they never pause in the pursuit of progress. The Communist Party of China is a great party; it has the courage to fight and the mettle to win.
出自十九大报告（双语全文）。
同近义词
- distress: difficulty caused by lack of money
- misfortune: an unfortunate condition or event
- mishap: an unlucky accident
