区别辨析effort、trouble、pains、endeavour与struggle

effort、trouble、pains、endeavour与struggle这些名词均表示“努力”之意。

effort : 通常指完成某特定任务所需付出的或大或小的努力,可指一次的努力,也可指坚持不懈的努力。

  • If we could all make an effort to keep this office tidier it would help.
    如果我们都努力保持整洁,那么办公室的面貌肯定会大有改观。
  • You can't expect to have any friends if you don't make the effort with people.
    如果不努力去和人们交往,你就别想有朋友。

trouble和pains均侧重在面临困难或阻力时所作的努力,但强调在努力时的细心和谨慎,相比之下,pains更适合表示尽力的努力。

  • They went to a lot of trouble (= made a lot of effort) for their dinner party, but half the guests didn't bother to turn up.
    他们费了很大的劲准备晚宴,可是竟有半数的客人没来。
  • It's annoying, but I don't think I'll go to the trouble of making an official complaint.
    这太烦人了,可我觉得我不会费劲去提出正式投诉。
  • She is at pains to point out how much work she has done.
    她极力表白她做了的工作是那么多。
  • I went to great pains to select the best staff available.
    我煞费苦心地从现有人员里挑选最好的员工。

endeavour : 指持久的,坚持不懈的,甚至是终身的努力,强调努力的认真与决心。

  • 尽管我们尽了最大的努力,但我们还是在最后的关卡上倒下了。
    In spite of our best endeavours, we fell at the final hurdle.
  • 徒步穿越北极是人类探索领域的一次壮举。
    Crossing the North Pole on foot was an epic feat of human endeavour.

(拓展学习:小词详解 | endeavor

struggle : 指为克服困难或阻力所作的努力,也指因决心、意志或干劲而产生的极大努力。

  • The dog had been struggling to get free of the wire noose.
    那条狗一直拼命想挣脱金属套索。
  • I've been struggling to understand this article all afternoon.
    我琢磨了整整一下午,想弄懂这篇文章的意思。