没有标准的地方,就很容易出现不公平的现象,势必引起混乱,这个适用于各行各业。当有标准的时候,一切都会变得顺理成章或有的放矢,但是也会出现失衡的现象,要么标准定得太高了,要么太低了,因此要适当调整标准。
在英语中标准或水平的英语单词是 standard,指的是一种为人们所接受的品质水平,那么提高标准毫无疑问就是 raise/improve standards,此时它的同义词是 criterion,比如:
My overriding concern is to raise the standards of state education.
Our first priority is to improve standards.
2. criterion,是一种 standard,是人们评判或做决定的基础
Pay is a very important criterion for job satisfaction.
When employing new staff, you need to be very clear about your selection criteria.
在撑杆跳(pole vaulting)和跳高(high jumping)的地方要放置一根横杆来设置高度,在跳完每一个高度之后,都要提升横杆来设置新的高度。其中,提升横杆是 raise the bar,因此它用来比喻提高标准非常贴切,对应的反义词就是 lower the bar,例如:
1. raise the bar:
Our family is so competitive. Now that my cousin has gone to university, everyone will expect me and my brother to raise the bar too.
我们家竞争激烈。现在我的表弟已经上大学了,每个人都希望我和我哥哥也能提高标准。
Apple iPhone is really raising the bar with the latest model. It’s amazing.
苹果iPhone的最新型号确实提高了标准。太神奇了。
The company promises to raise the bar for safety and comfort in its upcoming car model.
该公司承诺在即将推出的车型中提高安全性和舒适性的标准。
2. lower the bar:
The revised bill aims to lower the bar for job seekers.
We have always been playing with the best opponents; thus, we cannot lower the bar.
我们总是和最好的对手一起比赛;因此,我们不能降低标准。
那么设置标准就是 set the bar,因此还可以用 set/put the bar high/low 来表示提高或降低标准,例如:
They’ve set the bar high in terms of what people expect from them.
Set the bar low at first, then amaze the audience with a fantastic performance.
He puts the ethics bar higher than anyone in national politics.
短语动词 level up 也可以用来表示提高到与其他的一样的水平,意为“使达到更高水平,把(标准、数量等)拉平”等,例如:
This approach has levelled standards up across the sector.
You’ll probably need to level up a couple of times before you try to take on the boss in this stage.
在这个阶段你要和老板较量之前,你可能需要先不断提高水平。
Pension benefits for women have been levelled up to match those of men.