■ merit

中国人看见这个名词，第一个反应就是“功绩”。其实 merit 更多是指某人或某事物的较为长期固定的优点或可取之処，而不着重一时取得的成就或立下的功劳。有时候中文说某事物“有价值”，英文说 valuable 就可能太重，说它 has got some merit 就合适些。

• a work of artistic merit一件有艺术价值的作品
• This reasoning may have some merit.这样的推理，也许有可取之处。
• There's no merit in prolonging the treatment.继续治疗下去已经没有什么价值／意义。
• Both programs have merit.两个方案都有可取之处。
• If the police found merit in the tip, they would phone the operations center.警察如果觉得举报有可取之处，就会打电话给行动中心。

有时候 merits (pl.)可以不限于正面的“优点”或“可取之处”，而是指全面的衡量因素。

• to decide a case on its merits按事情的是非曲直做出决策
• Let's put aside our personal feelings and judge him according to his own merits.咱们先把个人感情放到一边，按照他本人的对错功过对他加以评判。

甚至 merits (pl.)可以完全同好坏优劣的价值判断无关，只是客观权衡因素。

• There is no absolute rule for the placement of this word; each writer must decide each instance on its own merits, and place it where it best accomplishes its purpose.这个单词凡在句中何处，并没有绝对的规则；每个写作者都必须依照每个场合的具体情况来做出决定，把这个单词放在最能达到其目的的位置。

• mr., mr
• mrs
• mrs.
• mrs., mrs
• much
• much
• much as
• much less
• much of a
• mud
• mutual
• my orders
• nation
• nation
• national
• nationalization
• nation, country 与 state
• native American
• nature
• nauseous
• neanderthal man
• near
• nearly
• need
• negate