爱华网
【英语词汇】
remain、retain、sustain、maintain
佳中
remain
retain
这两个动词很容易混淆，都含 “留下”、“保留”的意思。remain是不及物动词，没有被动语态，或用作系动词，意为“仍然是”。 retain是及物动词。
1) The class started with fortystudents, but now only twenty-fiveremained.
这个班级开始有40个学生，但现在只留下25个学生
2) After his housewas burned down in the big fire, very little of hisproperties
remained.
他的房子被大火烧毁后，没有什么财产留下来。
3）He said he justcame to see my mother, but I remained dubious abouthis
motive.
他说他是来看看我母亲，但我对来的动机仍有怀疑。
4) His conditionremained the same. There has been no significant changeever
since his admission.
他的病情仍然如此，入院以来没有明显的改变。
5) No substance canretain moisture indefinitely when exposed to greatheat; the
majority will evaporate.
当受到高热时，没有物质能无限期保持湿度，大多数物质会蒸发。
6）Since the serviceis free, the SK communications do not retainfinancial
information of itsusers in mostcases.
由于该网站服务是免费的，SK通讯在大多情况下不留存用户的财务信息。
7) Short-termmemories are retained only for a few minutes, notpermanently stored
in the b rain.
短期记忆保留只有几分钟,不能永久储存在大脑。
sustain
maintain
这两个动词都含“维持”、“保持”的意思。sustain 的原意是“支撑”，常
引申出维持生命、生活、生长、发展等。maintain指维持或保持某种状态或水平。
1) Seeing the branches couldhardly sustain the weight of the apples, the oldman
found some poles with which tosupport them.
看到树枝难以支撑苹果的重量，老人找来一些木杆将树支撑起来。
2) I’m afraid thatthese provisions cannot sustain us through theweek. We’ll
have to askforassistance.
恐怕这些供给不能维持我们渡过这个星期，我们必须请求援助。
3）She has mang billsto pay. It is hard for her to sustain a decent lifestyleon
her slim salary.
她有好多账单要付，靠她微薄的薪水难以维持像样的生活方式。
4) He said that hewas confident the company could sustain a relativelyhigh
growth rate of 8 percant.
他说他相信公司能够保持8%这一相对较高水平的增长率。
5) It is essentialthat our hospitals and schools should bemaintained constantly
reliable electricitysupplies.
我们的医院和学校必须不断保持可靠的电力供应，这一点很重要。
6) Wages andsalaries can hardly be maintained at the present level onaccount of
the increasing competitionamong firms for trainedworkers.
由于公司之间对训练有素工人竞争越来越激烈，目前的工资水平很恐难以保持。
7）Mr Grates saidthat The US would maintain a strong military presence inthe
region,including sending a new combotship toSingapore.
盖茨表示美国将在这一地区保持强大的军事存在，包括向新加坡派遣一艘新占战舰。
