ques·tion1 /ˈkwestʃən/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 asking for information 询问信息ASK A QUESTION [countableC] a sentence or phrase that is used to ask for information or to test someone’s knowledge 问题;疑问 OPP answer Can I ask you a question? 我能问你个问题吗?
I’m afraid I can’t answer that question. 我恐怕无法回答那个问题。
question about/on They asked me quite a lot of difficult questions about my job. 他们就我的工作问了很多刁钻的问题。
The survey included questions on age and smoking habits. 调查中包含关于年龄和吸烟习惯的问题。
in answer to somebody’s question In answer to your last question, ‘Yes’. 对于你最后一个问题,我的回答是“是的”。
2 subject/problem 议题/问题SUBJECT [countableC] a subject or problem that needs to be discussed or dealt with 〔需要讨论或处理的〕问题 SYN issuequestion of We discussed the question of confidentiality. 我们讨论了保密性的问题。
This raises the question of government funding. 这就引出了关于政府资金的问题。
an urgent need to address the question of crime 解决犯罪问题的迫切需要
Several questions have still not been resolved. 有几个问题仍然没有得到解决。
The question is should I take the job in Japan, or should I stay here? 问题是,我应该接受在日本的那份工作,还是应该留在这儿?
Some important questions remain unanswered (=still have not been dealt with or explained). 一些重要问题依然没有解决。
3 doubt 疑问DON'T THINK SO/DOUBT IT [countableC, uncountableU] if there is some question about something, there is doubt about it, or people feel uncertain about it 疑问,怀疑 The exact cause of death is still open to question (=not certain). 确切的死亡原因依然没有确定。
call/bring/throw something into question (=make people doubt something) 引起对某事的怀疑 This has called into question people’s right to retire at 60. 这就对人们在60岁退休的权利提出了质疑。
He’s by far the best candidate, there’s no question about it (=it is completely certain). 他是到目前为止最合适的人选,这是毫无疑问的。
There is no question that (=it is completely certain that) the government knew about the deal. 毫无疑问,政府是知道这笔交易的。
beyond question (=completely certain or definite) 不容怀疑 Her efficiency and intelligence are beyond question. 她的效率和智慧是不容怀疑的。
questions about/over something There are questions about the system’s practicality. 对于系统的可行性尚有疑问。
4 without question a) CERTAINLY/DEFINITELYused to emphasize that what you are saying is true or correct 毫无疑问 Marilyn was, without question, a very beautiful woman. 玛丽莲毫无疑问是个大美人。
b) OBEYif you accept or obey something without question, you do it without expressing any doubt about whether it is correct or necessary 毫无异议地〔接受或服从〕 Clara accepted his decision without question. 克拉拉毫无异议地接受了他的决定。
5 there is no question of something happening/somebody doing something IMPOSSIBLEused to say that there is no possibility of something happening 某事是不可能发生的/某人是不可能做某事的 There is no question of the project being postponed. 这个项目不可能推迟。
6 in question SUBJECT a) the things, people etc in question are the ones that are being discussed 正被讨论的,谈论中的 Where were you during the evening in question? 所说的那天晚上你在哪儿?
b) if something is in question, there is doubt about it 有疑问的,被怀疑的 I’m afraid his honesty is now in question. 恐怕他的诚信现在令人怀疑了。
in question• Housing in the area in question would not violate zoning laws. 7 be a question of something MAINused to say what the most important fact, part, or feature of something is 问题在于,是一个…的问题 Dance is a question of control and creative expression. 舞蹈就是一个控制形体和创造性表达的问题。
I would love to come, but it’s a question of time. 我倒是想来,但问题是要看有没有时间。
8 it’s just/only/simply a question of doing something spokenEASY used to say that what needs doing is easy or not complicated 只是个…的问题 It’s just a question of putting in a couple of screws. 只要拧上几颗螺丝钉就行了。
it’s just/only/simply a question of doing something• Sometimes, it's simply a question of somewhere safe to go after school while parents are working. 9 be out of the question IMPOSSIBLEif something is out of the question, it is definitely not possible or not allowed 不可能;不允许 You can’t go in that old shirt – it’s out of the question. 你不能穿着那件旧衬衫去——这绝对不行。
be out of the question• The captain said that it was out of the question.• It was out of the question to put on an exhaustive exhibition, because it would have been too voluminous.• Either way, it looks as though 103 Dalmatians may now be out of the question.• Some of these families are so poor that Christmas presents are out of the question.• I guess a game of Scrabble is out of the question. 8: 55.• That is out of the question.• Investors and analysts took that to mean a rate cut before mid-year is out of the question.• Defending yourself was out of the question. 10 (that’s a) good question! spokenNOT KNOW used to admit that you do not know the answer to a question 好一个难题!问得好!〔用以表示不知道某问题的答案〕 ‘How can we afford this?’ ‘Good question!’ “我们如何能负担得起这个呢?”“问得好!”
(that’s a) good question!• "Does the program allow you to do that?" "That's a good question - I don't know." 11. pop the question informalMARRY to ask someone to marry you – used humorously 求婚〔幽默用法〕pop the question• Boy goes back on radio and pops the question.• Meanwhile, his girlfriend of 17 years, Jenette, was delighted when Brian popped the question.• He put a ladder up to her office window to pop the question as she sat at her desk.
→ leading question at leading1(4), → rhetorical question at rhetorical(1), → beg the question at beg(6) COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a sentence or phrase that is used to ask for information or to test someone’s knowledge 问题;疑问verbsask (somebody) a question 问(某人)问题Don’t be afraid to ask questions. 别害怕提问。
have a question (=want to ask a question) 有问题I just have one question: is the treatment effective? 我只有一个问题:这疗法有效吗?
pose a question formal (=ask a question) 提出问题He poses the question, ‘What should we teach our children?’ 他提出了一个问题:“我们该教孩子什么?”
put a question to somebody (=ask a question in a formal situation) 〔在正式场合〕向某人提问I recently put some of these questions to a psychologist. 最近我向一位心理学家请教了这其中的一些问题。
answer a question 回答问题You haven’t answered my question. 你还没有回答我的问题。
avoid/evade/dodge a question (=not give a direct answer) 避开/回避问题nHe had skilfully evaded Margie’s questions.
nset a question (=invent a question for a test)He used to set the questions for a TV quiz show.
rephrase a question (=ask it in a different way) 用另一种方式提出问题nHe didn’t answer, so I rephrased my question.
bombard somebody with questions (=ask someone a lot of questions) 向某人连珠炮似的提问nThey bombarded him with questions about the case.
nfield questions (=answer a lot of questions)He fielded questions from reporters about the announcement.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + questiondifficult/hard 难的Some of the questions in the last section were very difficult. 最后一部分有些问题很难。
easy 容易的These questions should be easy for you. 这些问题对你来说应该很容易。
a good question (=interesting or difficult to answer) 好问题That’s a good question. 问得好。
a stupid/silly question (=one whose answer is obvious) 愚蠢的问题Did you win, or is that a stupid question? 你赢了吗?这问题是不是很蠢?
an awkward question (=one that someone does not want to answer) 尴尬的问题How can we keep the press from asking awkward questions? 我们如何才能不让媒体问尴尬的问题?
a tricky/tough question (=one that is difficult to answer) 难以回答的问题That’s a really tricky question. 那是个很难回答的问题。
nan embarrassing questionThe media began to ask embarrassing questions about MPs' expenses.
a personal question (=one relating to someone’s private life) 私人问题Can I ask you a personal question? 我能问你一个私人问题吗?
a simple question (=one that is easy to answer) 简单的问题nAll you have to do is answer the three simple questions below.
na searching/probing question (=one designed to find things out)The immigration officer asked me some searching questions.
a direct question (=one that asks for information in a very direct way) 直截了当的问题nShe was startled by the direct question.
an exam/a test question 考题nYou have to answer twenty exam questions.
nan impertinent question (=one which you have no right to ask)She did not answer the maid’s impertinent question.
a rhetorical question (=one that you ask without expecting an answer, in order to make a point) 反问
na multiple choice question (=where you are given a set of possible answers)
n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a subject or problem that needs to be discussed or dealt with 〔需要讨论或处理的〕问题verbsraise a question (=bring it to people’s attention)This study raises several important questions.
address a question (=start trying to deal with it)Two questions need to be addressed.
discuss a questionThey discussed the question of the possible use of the atomic bomb.
consider a questionWe must also consider the question of compensation.
deal with a questionThis question will be dealt with in Chapter 4.
tackle a question (=try to deal with a difficult question )Who has the ability to tackle the tough questions facing the nation?
resolve a question (=deal with it in a satisfactory way)We will proceed just as soon as we can resolve the question of the fee.
adjectivesan important/big questionThe book raises important questions about nationality and the role of a citizen.
a fundamental questionTheir experiences have highlighted fundamental questions of human rights.
serious questionsThe incident has raised serious questions about police conduct.
a vexed/thorny question (=one that is hard to deal with)Finally, there’s the thorny question of money.
a burning question (=an important one that needs dealing with)Little progress was made on the burning question of Africa’s debt.
a moral/ethical question (=one relating to principles of what is right and wrong)This area of medical research poses serious ethical questions that doctors alone cannot answer.
unanswered/open (=not dealt with)At this point a key question remains unanswered.
THESAURUS – Meaning 1: a sentence or phrase that is used to ask for information or to test someone’s knowledge 问题;疑问question something that you ask someone, either when speaking or when writing 问题Would anyone like to ask any questions? 有没有人提问?
I’ve emailed the hotel with one or two questions. 我已写电子邮件向那家酒店咨询了一两个问题。
query /ˈkwɪəri $ ˈkwɪri/ especially British EnglishBrE a question that you ask when you are not sure you have understood something or that the information you have is correct 疑问;询问If you have any queries, please contact your travel agent. 如有疑问,请联系旅行社。
Our staff are always available to answer customers’ queries. 我们的员工随时可以回答客户的问询。
inquiry (also enquiry especially British EnglishBrE) /ɪnˈkwaɪəri $ ɪnˈkwaɪri, ˈɪŋkwəri/ a question you ask in order to get information or find out the details about something 询问;查问We’ve advertised the house, and we’ve already received lots of enquiries. 我们给房子登了广告,已经有很多人来咨询。
The police have been making some inquiries in the area. 警方一直在那个地区调查。
request a polite or formal question asking for something that you want or need 请求The bank said ‘no’ to our request for more money. 银行拒绝了我们继续贷款的请求。
You must make your request in writing. 必须以书面形式提出请求。
COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: if there is some question about something, there is doubt about it, or people feel uncertain about it 疑问,怀疑phrasesnbe open to question (=not be certain or definitely true)Whether he will survive politically is open to question.
nbe beyond question (=be definite)Her loyalty is beyond question.
call/bring/throw something into question (=make people doubt it) 引起对某事的怀疑nHe brought into question all the principles on which the Soviet system was based.
ncome into question (=start to be doubted)The special protection given to these animals has come into question in recent years.
nthere’s no question (=it is certain)There’s no question that they have done an outstanding job.