1. 這是個什么詞？
詞：constitute
英英釋義：to be considered to be something
例句：Failing to complete the work on time constitutes a breach of the labor contract.
2. 為什么選這個詞？
“constitute”是及物動詞，除了有大家比較熟悉的“組成、構成”的意思外，還可以作“算是、可以被視為”。這種用法比較正式一點，出現的頻次也很高。在有的語境中可以用它替換 amount to 或 be equivalent of 等詞。下面來看幾個例子。
沒有按時完成工作可以被視為違反勞動合同，可以說：
Failing to complete the work on time constitutes a breach of the labor contract.
未經患者同意而對其進行檢查被視為違反職業操守并觸犯法律，可以說：
Testing patients without their consent would constitute a professional and legal offense.
雖然這家公司中標了，但利潤不大，但很難被視為是真正的勝利，就可以說：
Although the company won the bid, it could hardly constitute a victory.
《經濟學人》一篇關于新加坡家庭和人口增長的文章中用到了 constitute：
Another problem is the government’s narrow view of what constitutes a family, says Jean Yeung Wei-Jun of the National University of Singapore: two heterosexual parents with a male breadwinner. Many regulations support this definition.（這句中的 constitute 意思就是“算是”）
最近《經濟學人》在一篇關于蘋果公司的文文章中也用到了 constitute：
America’s Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for iPhone users to sue Apple. The case centres on whether Apple’s App Store, which takes a 30% cut of all sales, constitutes an unfair monopoly. Unlike Android-based rivals, Apple’s phones are designed to prevent users from installing apps from other sources.（這里 constitute 可以理解為“算是、可以稱得上是”）
《經濟學人》在寫美國阿拉巴馬州的墮胎法案時，再一次用到了 constitute：
On May 14th the state’s Senate passed a bill that would, in effect, ban abortion outright. Signed into law by the governor the following day, it constitutes the harshest abortion legislation passed in America in half a century.（這里的 constitue 和 is 同義，不過相比來說 is 更加絕對，而 constitute 表示“可以算是”，更留有余地。）
3. 怎樣學會使用這個詞？
1）翻譯下面的句子：
這位父親去年一年都沒參加家長會，可以被視作是不負責任。
（參考翻譯：That the father did not attend any of the parents' meetings last year constitutes irresponsibility. 或 The father failed to attend parents' meetings last year, constituting irresponsibility.）
作業:
1.這位父親去年一年都沒參加家長會，可以被視作是不負責任。
The father failed to attend parents' meetings last year, constituting irresponsibility.
2.What he said was not done,costituting irresponsibility.
