1)calm指天气、海洋的“风平浪静”,还可指人的心情“平静”、态度“安详”,“沉着镇定”;指自然“无风无浪的”.例如:
Heremainedcalm.
Afterthestormtheseawascalmagain.
Theseawasverycalm.海面很平静.
Thedoctordidwhathecouldtomakethegirlcalm.医生尽力让那女孩平静下来.
2)quiet侧重指由于无骚扰而产生的“安静的”、“宁静的”;“无动静,无声响”,或心里没有烦恼、焦虑;用于自然环境时,指没有干扰活动、没有喧闹声的寂静状态.例如:
Everythingwasquiet.
Keepquiet.
Askthemtobequiet.让他们保持安静.
Theylivedaquietlifeinthecountryside.他们在乡村过着宁静的生活.
3)silent用于事物时,侧重没有声响;有时用于指人时,强调少言寡语.例如:
That'sasilentfilm.
Whydoyoukeepsilent.
You'dbetterbesilentaboutwhat'shappened.对已经发生的事,你最好保持沉默.
Thechildrenwentout,andtheroomwassilent.孩子们都出去了,房子变得寂静无声.
4)still侧重于"不动"、"静止"时,与calm,quiet,silent不能替换;侧重于"无声"时,可与quiet替换.例如:
PleasekeepstillwhileItakeaphotoofyou.
Howstill(quiet)everythingis!
Allsoundsarestill.万籁俱寂.
TheSwedestoodquitestill,exceptthathislipsmovedslightly.那个瑞典人纹丝不动地站着,只有嘴唇在微微动着.