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IELTS TOEFL TEM4 TEM8 GMAT
外刊例句
- Big cities with high levels of crime, congestion and density tend to fare less well.
犯罪率高、交通拥堵和人口密度高的大城市往往表现不佳。
——《经济学人》 - Even brief exposures to wildfire smoke can irritate your nose, leading to sneezing, congestion and the sniffles, he said.
他说，即便是短暂暴露在野火的烟雾中，也会刺激你的鼻子，导致打喷嚏、鼻塞和流鼻涕。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[noun] the state of being congested
[名词] 堵塞的状态
深入解读
Congestion 是与动词 congest （充血、堵塞；拥挤、拥堵）相对应的名词，该词源自拉丁语 congerere （聚集、堆积），15世纪初经古法语 congestion 或者直接由拉丁语 congestionem （堆积）进入英语，先是作名词用在医学领域表示“病态物质在体内的积聚”，然后到了17世纪30年代后泛指“充血、淤血、粘液堵塞”，也就是体液的非正常积聚。比如：
- 缓解鼻塞的新喷剂
new spray to relieve nasal congestion - 肺部或身体其他重要器官的充血往往会破坏受影响部位的组织。
Congestion in the lungs or other vital organs of the body tends to destroy the tissues of the affected parts.
从这个概念出发，到了1883年后， congestion 开始进一步引申指人群、车辆、交通等“拥挤、挤满、密集、拥堵、拥塞”，常意味着过度集中在某个小的或狭窄的空间内，以至于阻碍或堵塞行动自由。比如：
- 由于庭审密集，案件一再拖延。
Cases are being repeatedly delayed because of congestion in the courts. - 这项错综复杂的方案对城里的交通拥挤状况应该有所缓解。
The intricate plan should ease traffic congestion in the town. - 那怒不可遏的顾客心里有许多话却说不出来，急得满面通红。
The deeply indignant customer's face went purple with the congestion of language which couldn't get out.
名人名言
In Western Europe people perish from the congestion and stifling closeness, but with us it is from the spaciousness.... The expanses are so great that the little man hasn't the resources to orient himself.... This is what I think about Russian suicides.
在西欧，人们死于拥挤和令人窒息的狭窄，但对我们来说，却是死于宽敞……广阔的土地如此之大，以至于小个子没有东西来定位自己……这就是我对俄罗斯人自杀的看法。
出自19世纪末俄国世界级短篇小说巨匠安东·契诃夫（Anton Chekhov）。
同近义词
- stoppage: an instance of movement, activity, or supply stopping or being stopped
- blockage: an obstruction which makes movement or flow difficult or impossible
- bottleneck: a narrow section of road or a junction that impedes traffic flow
