IELTS TOEFL TEM8 GMAT
外刊例句
- No; this is a potted account of South Korea’s economic history in 1993-97, a period of bold deregulation that culminated in financial turmoil.
不,这是对韩国1993至1997年间经济历史的概括。这段时期里,政府大胆放松管制,最终导致金融动荡。
——《经济学人》 - We’ve known for a while that sitting for long stretches of every day has myriad health consequences, like a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, that culminate in a higher mortality rate.
我们早就知道,每天长时间地坐着对健康会有许多影响,比如,心脏病和糖尿病的风险会更高,最终导致更高的死亡率。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[verb] reach a climax or point of highest development
[动词] 达到顶点或发展的最高点
深入解读
Culminate 一词源自拉丁语 culminare (达到顶端),17世纪40年代进入英语时仅在天文学领域表示恒星、行星等天体“达于中天、到子午线(meridian)”。等到了17世纪60年代,则开始引申用于表示“达到顶点、达到高潮”,常搭配介词 in ,也可以用作及物动词表示“使达到顶点或高潮”,比如:
- 科学博览会在授奖时达到了高潮。
The science fair culminated in the awarding of prizes. - 他们交友多年,终成眷属。
Their marriage culminated their long friendship.
俗话说物极必反,达到顶点之时往往也就意味着“到达最后关头”,甚至是“(以某种结果或在某一点)告终、结束”,比如:
- 几个月的艰辛工作终于取得了成功。
Months of hard work culminated in success. - 我和老板的争吵日益恶化,直到最终我决定换工作。
My arguments with the boss got worse and worse, and finally culminated in my resignation.
双语名著
Every time that immense force is displayed to culminate in an immense feebleness it affords men food for thought. Hence in the ports curious people abound around these marvellous machines of war and of navigation, without being able to explain perfectly to themselves why.
人们见一种盛极一时的力量忽然走上末路,总不免黯然深思。因而海港边常有无数闲人,围着那些奇巧的战舰和航船,伫立观望,连他们自己也无法很好说明这究竟是为了什么。
出自法国作家维克多·雨果的长篇小说《悲惨世界》(Les Misérables,原意为“悲惨的人们”“可怜的人们”)。该小说是19世纪最著名的小说之一,故事的主线围绕主人公土伦苦刑犯冉·阿让(Jean Valjean)的个人经历,融进了法国的历史、革命、战争、道德哲学、法律、正义、宗教信仰等,多次被改编演绎成影视作品。
同近义词
- peak: reach a highest point, either of a specified value or at a specified time
- climax: culminate in an exciting or impressive event; reach a climax
- crown: be the triumphant culmination of (an effort or endeavor, especially a prolonged one)