雅思听力备考之关键词汇but

重要性

转折

But在句子中的出现频率非常高，在大多数情况下用作并列连词连接，连接两个并列的分句或两个并列的成分，在意思上BUT表示转折，翻译为“但是”，“可是”。如：

A real find for our patients has been the shock-absorbing shoe insert. A cheap but very effective solution. (剑3 Test1 Section4后面缩写为：3-1-4)

Sometimes there's simple fix such as changing the guy at the top. ... But a more ambitious approach ... would be to alter ... (5-4-3)

这边表示的是含义的转折，说话的侧重点往往是放在BUT的后面。因此往往会是听力中的考点，我们需要在听力过程中留意去听取。

What does Karin think the company will do?

A. Look for private investors

B. Accept a takeover offer

C. Issue some new shares

Audio Scripts: ... They have the choice of accepting the very favorable terms that another company ... have given them to buy them out. ... Or they could ... offer some new shares if they wanted. But I ... expect they will start trying to find individuals who'd be prepared to back them with some of the capital they need. (5-4-3)

此题我们会发现A,B,C都有提及，并且都做了同义词互换，因此在听力中有较大的负担。不过BUT的出现却能够帮助我们解题。这个词语后面就是答案，这样我们就很快的定位到了答案句。当然也可以通过排除法来做题，也就是but前面都是错的，排除B和C同样也能很快知道答案A。

还有一种情况是出现在固定短语not only ... but also ... 中，这是一组关联并列连词，表示其所连接的成份在意义上后一项对前一项的补充和引申，但侧重点在后一项上，意思是“不但……而且……”。如，

Not only is he interested in the subject but also all his students are beginning to show interested in it.

有时候，but和also可以被分隔使用，如：

Of course they bring different ideas, but it's also their attitudes ... (7-1-3)

个别时候甚至可以将also省略，不过意思还是一样的

During times of change they should be thinking not only about the strain on their staff but take time out to think of themselves. (7-1-3)

此时意义类似于and，因此前后两句都很重要，都有可能是考点，需要同等注意。