Yang Li: Hello everyone. Welcome to Question and Answer of the Week from BBC Learning English. 我是杨莉，大家好。今天的《你问我答》将介绍 suppose 这个词的几个主要用法，问题来自中国的Tony.
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Can you tell me how to use the word "suppose" as I often hear people use it?
--Tony
Yang Li: Suppose 这个词的拼写是 s-u-p-p-o-s-e suppose. 首先我们来看看这个词的第一个词意，就是设想，推测 to think, believe or assume that something is true or probable.
Yang Li: What makes you suppose that I am against it? 什么原因让你觉得我对此是反对的？这里的 suppose 是认为。What makes you think that I am against it? 下面请听一段对话：
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A: Do you think Mandy will invite us again for her New Year party?
B: I suppose so. She seemed to have enjoyed our company last year.
Yang Li: 你觉得 Mandy 还会邀请我们参加新年聚会吗？对方说，我想是的 I suppose so. 表示一种推测 I think so. 再听一段对话。
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A: Did you have a good journey?
B: The train was rather too crowded for a comfortable journey I’m afraid. But I suppose that’s quite normal during rush hour, isn’t it?
Yang Li: 这里的 I suppose 也是一种推测，注意这个词稍稍含有一点不十分肯定的语气，我觉得。
Yang Li: Suppose 还可以用来表示一种虚拟的设想 to pretend that something is true. 比
如说，假设你有百万英镑的话，你会怎么花这笔呢？Suppose you had a million
pounds what would you do with it? 设想你出国深造了，你还会和他结婚吗？Suppose you went abroad to study would you still marry him?
Yang Li: 下面我们来看看 suppose 一词的第三个用法。作为一个固定短语 to be supposed to do something 意思是份内职责。
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A: Did you hear that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize?
B: What for?
A: For strengthening diplomacy.
B: Ridiculous. Isn’t that what he is supposed to do?
Yang Li: 美国新总统奥巴马以其加强外交的努力获得世界诺贝尔和平奖，对此这有人认为这很可笑，it’s ridiculous. 难道这不是一位总统的份内职责吗？Isn’t that what he is supposed to do? To be supposed to do 应该做的。Am I supposed to? 翻译成汉语就是我应该如何，不过含有一种职责和期待，也就是说，外界期待我如何如何。
Yang Li: 现在我想请大家一起来思考这句话：我应该帮助她吗？Should I help her? Am I supposed to help her? 你能体味出这两句话的不同吗？Should I help her? 是说话的人在问自己，要不要帮她？而 am I supposed to help her？这明显是问别人，从我的职责上说，是不是我要帮助她呢？See the difference? Now let’s listen to one more example.
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A: Are you going to wear this pair of old jeans to Helen’s party?
B: Am I supposed to wear something formal? Why didn’t you tell me?
Yang Li: 这句话里的 am I supposed to wear something formal 表示说话人不清楚是不是别人期待他穿正装？
Yang Li: 好我来总结一下，suppose 基本意思是设想，应该，不过还经常用在 to be supposed to 这个固定短语中，意思是期待中应该做什么或职责中应该做什么。好希望Tony和其它听众朋友有所收获。谢谢大家，下面我听大家把所有示范例句听一遍，练习听力，加深印象。 Now the last and final chance to listen to all the examples. Good luck and see you next time.
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A: Do you think Mandy will invite us again for her New Year party?
B: I suppose so. She seemed to have enjoyed our company last year.
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A: Did you have a good journey?
B: The train was rather too crowded for a comfortable journey I’m afraid. But I suppose
that’s quite normal during rush hour, isn’t it?
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A: Did you hear that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize?
B: What for?
A: For strengthening diplomacy.
B: Ridiculous. Isn’t that what he is supposed to do?
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A: Are you going to wear this pair of old jeans to Helen’s party?
B: Am I supposed to wear something formal? Why didn’t you tell me?
What is the meaning of the word suppose? 杨莉通过大量例句和翻译来解释 suppose的多种词义和用法。
This programme illustrates the various ways in which you can use this word with different dialogues and examples.
以下是 suppose 的三个基本用法：
1. To think, believe or assume that something is true or probable. 设想，推测。 For example, what makes you suppose that I am against it?
2. To pretend that something is true 表示虚拟设想。For example, suppose you had a million pounds what would you do with it?
3. Be supposed to do something. 固定短语, 意思是份内职责或期待中应该做什么。Look at this dialogue:
A: Did you hear that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize?
B: What for?
A: For strengthening diplomacy.
B: Ridiculous. Isn’t that what he is supposed to do?
Listen to the examples by native speakers of English and learn to use the word appropriately.
Good luck and enjoy!
If you have a question about English, email our team at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. We may answer it on this programme.
Glossary 词汇
illustrate展示
dialogue 对话
appropriately 得体地/合适地