look 唔一定關對眼事

你可以 look after a baby（照顧個 BB）、look into a problem（調查一個問題）、look up to a hero（敬仰一個英雄），又或者 look down on a snob（睇唔起一個勢利鬼）——而呢啲冇一樣係關你對眼望邊事。Look 一開始係最簡單嘅「睇」動詞，跟住靜雞雞咁變成一個講關懷、尊敬、搜尋同盼望嘅字。等我哋跟住佢嘅目光走。

快速解答

look 嘅核心係「將你嘅注意力導向某處」——唔淨止係對眼，仲有你嘅專注。一旦你接受「look」其實係指「將你嘅注意力對準」，啲片語版本就會即刻通晒。After 將注意力對準照顧某人。Into 將佢對準更深處。Up 將佢對準進步或者一場搜尋。Forward to 將佢對準未來。個小品詞決定咗個目標。

核心概念

唔好諗住眼珠。諗像一盞射燈。Look 就係將盞射燈指向某處嘅動作。而家問下個小品詞將佢送去邊：

• 將佢指 after 某人，你就喺度照顧緊佢。
• 將佢指 into 某樣嘢，你就喺度調查緊。
• 將佢指 up，你就喺度搜尋資料，又或者事情喺度好轉。
• 將佢指 up to 一個人，你就敬仰佢。
• 將佢指 down on 一個人，你就用輕蔑嘅眼光睇佢。
• 將佢指 out，你就喺度提防危險。

射燈呢個比喻令每一個意思都連繫返埋一齊。對眼係可有可無嘅；注意力先係重點。

自然例句

look up（查找／好轉）

• Let me look up the meaning of that word.
• After a rough year, things are finally looking up.

look after

• Could you look after my dog this weekend?
• She looks after her elderly neighbor every day.

look into

• The manager promised to look into the complaint.
• Police are looking into the cause of the fire.

look forward to

• I'm really looking forward to the holidays.
• We look forward to hearing from you soon.

look down on / look up to

• He looks down on people who don't read.
• I've always looked up to my older sister.

look out

• Look out! There's a car coming.
• Look out for falling rocks on this trail.

look over / look for

• Can you look over my essay before I submit it?
• I've been looking for my keys all morning.

意思反轉對比

同一個動詞由善意轉去輕蔑再轉去盼望：

• 「I look up to my mentor.」＝我敬仰佢。
• 「He looks down on beginners.」＝佢覺得自己高人一等。
• 「Let me look into it.」＝我會調查。
• 「Let me look it up.」＝我會查找呢個資料。

細細嘅小品詞，巨大嘅態度轉變。

常見錯誤

• 「I'm looking forward to see you.」→「I'm looking forward to seeing you.」· Look forward to 後面跟名詞或者 -ing 形式，從來唔跟動詞原形。
• 「Can you look after to my plants?」→「Can you look after my plants?」· Look after 直接帶受詞；唔使多加個 to。
• 「She looks up her grandmother on weekends.」→「She looks after her grandmother.」· 照顧某人係 look after，唔係 look up。
• 「The police will look for the accident.」→「The police will look into the accident.」· 想調查，用 look into；look for 係搵一樣嘢。
• 「I really look up my teacher.」→「I really look up to my teacher.」· 敬仰要用 up to，唔係淨係 up。

考試陷阱

閱讀同聆聽測驗好鍾意考 look up，因為佢分兩個方向：查找資料 同 好轉。一條陷阱句可能係：「After the new investment, the company's prospects began to look up.」一個只係識「look up＝查字典」嘅考生就會蒙查查，因為喺度佢係指事情愈嚟愈好。應對策略：睇清楚有冇受詞。「Look up a word」帶受詞，意思係查找。「Things are looking up」冇受詞，意思係好轉。冇受詞通常就係好轉嗰個意思——等文法嚟決定，唔好靠你嘅習慣。

小練習

1. I'm _____ _____ _____ meeting your family next week.
2. Could you _____ _____ my plants while I'm away?
3. The committee agreed to _____ _____ the missing funds.
4. She's always _____ _____ _____ her grandfather, who started the business.
5. _____ _____! The floor is wet over there.

答案

1. looking forward to — 後面跟 -ing 形式：meeting。
2. look after — 照顧某樣嘢係 look after。
3. look into — 調查係 look into。
4. looked up to — 敬仰用 up to。
5. Look out — 提醒危險係 look out。

小總結

對準你注意力嗰盞射燈，睇住個小品詞將佢送去邊，look 就會揭示遠比你對眼所見更多嘅嘢。

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