我一直搞不清 comprise, compose 和 constitute 这三个词的用法。
comprise(vt) 作“包括”“由……组成”解：
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The United Kingdom comprises England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. (LDCE) 联合王国包括英格兰、威尔士、苏格兰和北爱尔兰。
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These two books comprised all of his published poetry. (MD) 这两本书包括他出版的所有的诗。
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The force comprised two battalions and a battery. (ALD) 这支部队包括两个步兵营和一个炮兵连。
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The curriculum comprises every field of knowledge. (Crews) 安排的课程包括各方面的知识。
compose 作“构成”“组成”(make up)解：
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All those fields together compose the curriculum. (Crews) 所有那些学科一起构成了全部课程。
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England, Scotland, and Wales compose the islands of Great Britain. (FWF) 英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士构成了大不列颠群岛。
最常用的结构是：be composed of:
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The ocean is composed of salt water. (Thorndike) 海洋是由盐水构成的。
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Steel is composed of iron and a number of other elements. 钢是由铁和一些其他元素组成的。
constitute 的用法和意义与 compose 相似:
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All those fields together constitute the curriculum. 所有那些学科一起构成了全部课程。
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Seven days constitute a week. 七天组成一周。请做下面的托福题：
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Three straight lines meeting at three points constitute a triangle. A. consist of B. come down to C. make up D. center on
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to be composed of, to include A. comprise B. constrain C. suffice D. subsidize(TOEFL)