在消失了几个月之后，凯特王妃终于现身。她在3月22号发布了一则视频声明，证实自己患有癌症，正在积极接受治疗。这一声明也是对前段时间各种公众猜测的一个回应。
凯特王妃的声明写得非常有水平，整篇稿子用词简洁准确，几乎没有一个大词难词，有高中英语基础的人完全可以轻松读懂。同时，稿子也写得富有人情味，逻辑性还很强，是非常优秀的写作范本，值得模仿学习。下面我们来赏析一下这篇声明稿：
I wanted totake this opportunity to say thank you, personally, for all the wonderful messages of support and for your understandingwhilstI have been recovering from surgery. It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but I've had a fantastic medical teamwho have takengreat care of me, for which I am so grateful.
（1）第一句用了I wanted to…而不是I want to…这是因为want的过去式可以让语气变得更加礼貌委婉。
（2）whilst意思等同于while，表示“与此同时，当……时”。whilst是一个英式英语正式用法，它出现在英国皇室成员声明中是非常恰当的。
（3）I've had a fantastic medical team who have taken… 其中who引导的是一个限制性定语从句，who指代a fantastic medical team，但是句子用的是who have taken… 这是因为在英式英语中，像team, band, family这样的集合名词，后面的谓语动词通常用复数形式。而美式英语通常用单数，因此如果是由美国人来写声明，句子可能会变成：I've had a fantastic medical team whohastaken…
In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However,tests after the operationfound cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised thatI shouldundergoa course ofpreventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privatelyfor the sake ofour young family.
（1）tests after the operation found… 这句话的主语是tests，这种使用无生命物体作为主语的现象在语法上称为“无灵主语”，使用无灵主语能让句子更加简洁生动。如果使用常规用法，句子可能会变成：my medical team found cancer had been present in tests after the operation. 这样会显得累赘。
（2）My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy… 其中出现了advise that somebody should do something的正式用法，即“建议某人做某事”，在非正式场景中也可以省略should，写成advise that somebody do something，比如：Experts advise that sunscreenbereapplied every one to two hours.
（3）a course of preventative chemotherapy意思是“一个预防性化疗疗程”，其中course是熟词生义，表示“疗程”。
（4）for the sake of somebody意思是“为了某人的利益，为了帮助某人”，比如：They stayed together for the sake of the children. 为了孩子，他们还待在一起。
As you can imagine, thishas taken time. It hastaken me timeto recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, ithas taken us timeto explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be ok. As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal;in my mind, body and spirits.
（1）上面的句子中XX has taken time连续出现了三次，构成了排比手法。凯特王妃在这里使用排比来加强语气，同时强调自己之所以那么久没有消息是因为恢复需要时间。
（2）最后一句话出现了语序调整，还原后相当于：I am well…by focusing on the things in my mind, body and spirits that will help me heal. 调整语序能够让句子结构更加自然。其中mind, body and spirits 相当于“身心灵”。
Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance too.As is the love, support and kindnessthat has been shown by so many of you. It means so much to us both. We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy andI look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery. At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.
（1）As is the love, support…so many of you. 句子意思相当于：the love, support and kindness that has been shown by so many of you is a great source of comfort and reassurance. 其中as is/was/does XX是一个正式用法，意思是“……也如此”。
（2）I look forward to being back when I am able. 句子应该这样断句：I look forward to (being back when I am able). 其中able是一个形容词，在语境中相当于“恢复健康的”。整个句子相当于：等康复后我会重回工作岗位，我期待这一天的到来。
（3）“某人面对某疾病”可以说somebody faces XX disease，也可以说somebody is faced with XX disease，不过第一种用法能够强调人面对疾病的主动性。上面句子用的是For everyone facing this disease，能够强调人面对疾病的勇气。
本文系授权发布，By 魏剑峰，From 英文悦读，微信号：read_the_economist。欢迎分享到朋友圈，未经许可不得转载，INSIGHT视界 诚意推荐
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