Nurses are people who help sick or hurt people. They work in hospitals or at home. They give medicine and make sure people are comfortable. To nurse can also mean to take care of someone or something gently. For example, a mother nurses her baby, or someone might nurse a small plant to help it grow.
At the C1 level, a deeper understanding of 'nurses' encompasses its nuanced applications beyond direct patient care. While primarily recognized as medical professionals, the term, when used as a verb, extends to denote a meticulous and sustained cultivation of something. This could range from nurturing a developing plan or idea to harboring a complex emotion like resentment or hope, implying a continuous, almost protective attention. The verb form thus captures a sense of dedicated fostering, whether it applies to a person's well-being or the careful tending of an abstract concept. This dual functionality highlights the word's versatility in expressing both concrete and abstract forms of care.
如何使用
Usage Notes:
Nurses (noun):
- Refers to individuals who have completed specific medical training and are licensed to provide healthcare.
- Can be used in both singular ("a nurse") and plural ("nurses") forms.
- Often followed by prepositions like "at," "in," or "for" to indicate their workplace or the recipient of their care (e.g., "nurses at the hospital," "nurses for the elderly").
- Can be modified by adjectives to specify their role or area of expertise (e.g., "registered nurses," "pediatric nurses").
Nurses (verb):
- Providing medical care: This is the most common verb usage, meaning to care for someone who is sick or injured. (e.g., "She nurses her sick child back to health.")
- Carefully tending to something (figurative): This usage means to carefully cultivate or foster an idea, feeling, or even a drink. (e.g., "He nurses a grudge," "She nurses a warm cup of tea.")
Common Mistakes:
- Confusing the noun and verb forms: A common error is using "nurse" as a verb when the noun is intended, or vice-versa, especially in sentences describing their profession versus their actions. For example, saying "She is a nurse her patients" instead of "She nurses her patients" or "She is a nurse who cares for her patients."
- Incorrect pluralization of the noun: While "nurses" is the correct plural, some might incorrectly use "nurse's" (possessive singular) or "nursess."
- Overusing the figurative verb sense: While valid, the figurative use of "nurses" (e.g., for a grudge or an ambition) should be used judiciously to avoid sounding overly dramatic or unnatural in everyday conversation.
- Misuse of prepositions with the noun: For instance, saying "nurses on the hospital" instead of "nurses at the hospital" or "nurses in the hospital."
常见问题
10 个问题As a noun, 'nurses' refers to healthcare professionals who care for people. As a verb, it means to provide care or attention, or to hold a feeling carefully, like 'nurses a grudge'.
Certainly! 'The nurses at the hospital worked tirelessly during the pandemic.'
Of course. 'She nurses her sick cat back to health every time it feels unwell.' Or, 'He nurses a secret ambition to become a chef.'
No, it doesn't. While it often relates to medical care, it can also mean to cherish or carefully develop something, like 'nurses an idea' or 'nurses a drink slowly.'
Yes, both the noun and verb forms are quite common, especially in discussions about healthcare or when describing careful attention to something.
The word 'nurse' comes from the Old French 'norrice,' meaning a foster mother or caretaker. It has evolved over time to encompass medical care.
One common phrase is 'to nurse a grievance' or 'to nurse a grudge,' meaning to hold onto feelings of resentment or anger for a long time.
Some synonyms for 'nurses' as healthcare professionals include caregivers, medical attendants, or healthcare providers.
For the verb 'nurses,' depending on the context, synonyms could be tends, cares for, fosters, cherishes, or cultivates.
'Nurses' is generally considered appropriate for learners at a B1 CEFR level, meaning they can understand and use it in familiar contexts.
自我测试 54 个问题
My mom is sick. A _______ helps her at the hospital.
A nurse cares for sick people.
Which person helps sick people get better?
Nurses take care of people who are sick.
The kind woman ______ her sick cat back to health.
To 'nurse' here means to care for the sick cat.
A nurse helps people when they are not feeling well.
Nurses are healthcare professionals who care for the sick.
To 'nurse' a plant means to give it water and help it grow.
To 'nurse' can mean to care for something carefully.
Nurses usually work in schools, not hospitals.
Nurses primarily work in healthcare settings like hospitals.
Listen for who is busy at the hospital.
Listen for what she does gently.
Listen for who works long hours.
Read this aloud:
Can you say: 'The nurses help sick people'?
Focus: nurses, help, sick
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Please say: 'She nurses a small plant'.
Focus: nurses, small, plant
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Try saying: 'My aunt is a nurse'.
Focus: aunt, nurse
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence describes where the healthcare professionals called 'nurses' work.
Here, 'nurse' is used as a verb, meaning to take care of someone who is sick.
In this sentence, 'nurses' means to carefully hold onto a strong feeling, in this case, a grudge.
Imagine you are a nurse. Describe a typical day at work, including your responsibilities and challenges.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
As a nurse, my day usually starts early. I check on my patients, give them their medication, and help them with their daily needs. I also communicate with doctors about their progress and assist with medical procedures. Sometimes it can be challenging, especially when a patient is very ill, but it's rewarding to help people feel better.
Write a short paragraph about someone you know who works as a nurse. What do they do, and what qualities do you think are important for their job?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
My aunt is a nurse, and she works in a children's hospital. She's incredibly caring and patient, which I think are very important qualities for a nurse, especially with young patients. She always knows how to make the children feel comfortable and helps their parents understand what's happening. She's a truly dedicated professional.
Complete the following sentence: 'It is important for a society to have good nurses because...' then explain your answer in 2-3 sentences.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
It is important for a society to have good nurses because they are essential for public health and well-being. They provide critical care, offer emotional support to patients and their families, and help people recover from illnesses and injuries. Without skilled nurses, healthcare systems would not function effectively.
What is Maria's primary goal in her profession?
Read this passage:
Maria has always wanted to be a nurse. She believes it is a noble profession where she can truly help people. After finishing her studies, she started working in a local clinic. She often nurses the sick children in the community, providing them with medication and comfort. She finds great satisfaction in her work.
What is Maria's primary goal in her profession?
The passage states, 'She believes it is a noble profession where she can truly help people.'
The passage states, 'She believes it is a noble profession where she can truly help people.'
According to the passage, what is a key difference in the role of nurses today compared to historically?
Read this passage:
The role of nurses has evolved significantly over the centuries. Historically, their duties were often limited, but today, they are highly skilled professionals who play a central role in patient care. They not only assist doctors but also independently manage various aspects of health. Many nurses also specialize in certain areas, such as critical care or pediatrics.
According to the passage, what is a key difference in the role of nurses today compared to historically?
The passage says, 'today, they are highly skilled professionals who play a central role in patient care. They not only assist doctors but also independently manage various aspects of health.'
The passage says, 'today, they are highly skilled professionals who play a central role in patient care. They not only assist doctors but also independently manage various aspects of health.'
In this passage, what does 'nursed a grudge' mean?
Read this passage:
After the argument, John nursed a grudge against his brother for several weeks. He couldn't forget the harsh words that were exchanged. Eventually, he realized that holding onto anger was only hurting himself, so he decided to talk to his brother and resolve their differences.
In this passage, what does 'nursed a grudge' mean?
The context 'He couldn't forget the harsh words' and 'holding onto anger' indicates that 'nursed a grudge' means to harbor a feeling of resentment.
The context 'He couldn't forget the harsh words' and 'holding onto anger' indicates that 'nursed a grudge' means to harbor a feeling of resentment.
This sentence describes the role of nurses as healthcare professionals.
This sentence uses 'nurses' as a verb meaning to care for someone sick.
This sentence uses 'nurses' as a verb meaning to hold an idea or feeling with great care.
The hospital is always looking for dedicated _________ to join their team and provide excellent patient care.
In this context, 'nurses' refers to healthcare professionals who provide patient care, fitting the sentence perfectly.
Despite the harsh criticism, she continued to _________ her innovative idea, believing it would eventually benefit many.
As a verb, 'nurses' can mean to hold an idea or feeling with great care, which aligns with the context of continuing to develop an innovative idea despite criticism.
The young mother carefully _________ her sick child back to health with constant attention and love.
The past tense of the verb 'nurses' means to provide medical care or to care for someone, which is appropriate for a mother caring for a sick child.
A person who 'nurses a grudge' is someone who quickly forgives and forgets an offense.
To 'nurse a grudge' means to carefully hold onto a feeling of resentment or anger over a long period, not to forgive quickly.
All nurses must have a medical degree and be able to perform surgery.
While nurses are healthcare professionals, they typically work under the supervision of physicians and do not perform surgery; that is the role of doctors.
The verb 'nurses' can be used to describe the act of caring for a plant or an animal.
The verb 'nurses' can indeed be used broadly to mean to tend to or care for something, including plants or animals, though its primary use relates to human medical care or nurturing feelings/ideas.
The dedicated team of ___ worked tirelessly through the night to ensure the patients' comfort and recovery.
The context requires a plural noun to refer to multiple healthcare professionals.
Despite the challenging circumstances, she continued to ___ her ambition of becoming a leading surgeon.
The sentence requires the base form of the verb 'to nurse' to fit the structure 'to nurse her ambition'.
After the accident, he spent weeks in recovery, being carefully ___ by a team of medical professionals.
The sentence requires the past participle form of the verb 'to nurse' to fit the passive voice construction 'being carefully nursed'.
The primary role of nurses is to diagnose illnesses and prescribe medication.
While nurses are integral to healthcare, their primary role is to provide care and support, often under a physician's supervision, not to diagnose or prescribe medication.
The phrase 'to nurse a grudge' implies holding onto feelings of resentment over a long period.
To 'nurse a grudge' means to harbor or carefully cultivate feelings of anger or resentment.
A person who nurses a cold is actively trying to spread it to others.
To 'nurse a cold' means to care for oneself while suffering from a cold, often by resting and taking remedies, not to spread it.
The meticulous care with which she _____ her nascent theories eventually led to groundbreaking discoveries in theoretical physics.
In this context, 'nurses' is used as a verb meaning to hold and develop an idea with great care, which aligns with the meticulous development of nascent theories.
Despite the harsh criticism, he continued to _____ a secret ambition to become a world-renowned playwright, honing his craft in obscurity.
Here, 'nurses' functions as a verb, indicating the act of carefully cultivating an ambition, even in the face of adversity, which fits the narrative of a secret ambition being nurtured.
The seasoned diplomat subtly _____ a long-standing grievance against the rival nation, influencing policy decisions over several decades.
As a verb, 'nurses' can refer to holding a feeling or grudge with careful attention, implying a calculated and sustained resentment that impacts diplomatic relations.
The dedicated team of palliative care _____ provided comfort and dignity to patients in their final days, embodying profound empathy.
In this sentence, 'nurses' is used as a noun, referring to healthcare professionals who specialize in providing care, particularly in palliative settings.
After the arduous expedition, the mountaineer had to _____ his frostbitten fingers back to health, a process demanding immense patience and resilience.
Here, 'nurse' is a verb meaning to provide careful medical attention and care to restore someone or something to health, fitting the context of healing frostbitten fingers.
The young prodigy meticulously _____ her unique artistic vision, resisting commercial pressures to dilute her authentic style.
Similar to nurturing an idea, 'nurses' as a verb here implies carefully cultivating and protecting an artistic vision, preventing it from being compromised.
This sentence describes the actions of skilled healthcare professionals during a critical situation, emphasizing their expertise.
This sentence uses 'nursing' in its metaphorical sense, illustrating the careful cultivation of an ambition.
This sentence uses 'nurses' in its verb form, but subtly implies the act of caring and developing, aligning with the extended definition.
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
