【问】 我一直搞不清comprise，compose和constitute这三个词的用法。
 【答】 comprise(vt)作“包括”、“由……组成”解：
 1. The United Kingdom comprises England，Wales，Scotland and Northern Ireland. (LDCE)
 联合王国包括英格兰、威尔士、苏格兰和北爱尔兰。
 2. These two books comprised all of his published poetry. (MD)
 这两本书包括他出版的所有的诗。
 3. The force comprised two battalions and a battery. (ALD)
 这支部队包括两个步兵营和一个炮兵连。
 4. The curriculum comprises every field of knowledge. (Crews)
 安排的课程包括各方面的知识。
 compose作“构成”、“组成”(make up)解：
 1. All those fields together compose the curriculum. (Crews)
 所有那些学科一起构成了全部课程。
 2. England，Scotland，and Wales compose the island of Great Britain. (FWF)
 英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士构成了大不列颠群岛。
 最常用的结构是：be composed of
 1. The ocean is composed of salt water. (Thorndike)
 海洋是由盐水构成的。
 2. Steel is composed of iron and a number of other elements.
 钢是由铁和一些其他元素组成的。
 constitute的用法和意义与compose相似：
 1. All those fields together constitute the curriculum.
 所有那些学科一起构成了全部课程。
 2. Seven days constitute a week.
 七天组成一周。
 请做下面的托福题：
 1. Three straight lines meeting at three points constitute a triangle.
 A. consist of B. come down to C. make up D. center on
 2. to be composed of，to include
 A. comprise B. constrain C. suffice D. subsidize(TOEFL，76. 2)