■ struggle

中国人可能由于多年来的经历，一看见英文 struggle 这个单词（无论是作为名词或是动词），马上的反应就是“斗争”，而且总是赋予积极乐观的含义，这基本上是对的。但是 struggle 在英文有时候比中文积极意义的“斗争”含有更多的“艰苦”、“困难”、“挣扎”的负面意义。

• Everything seemed such a struggle to her.对她来说，一切都是这样的艰苦。
• It's a struggle to make ends meet.很不容易收支相抵。
• We had quite a struggle to convince him.我们好不容易才说服了他。
• Royal's score was the highest for a Socialist since Mitterrand in 1988. But closing the gap with Sarkozy could be a struggle in round two. (The Associated Press, April 23, 2007)罗雅尔的得票率是 1988 年密特朗以来社会党人得票最高的。但是，要在第二轮投票中拉平同萨科齐的差距，可能是很艰苦的。
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority.他正在挣扎，设法如何应付自己威信的缩减。
• As he (= Eisenhower) strode to the head of the table, the British eyed him curiously, still struggling to fathom how such a man could emerge from low-born obscurity to hold this high command. (US News & World Report, Oct. 28, 2002, p.46)当艾森豪威尔朝着会议桌的首席走去时，那些英国人向他投出好奇的目光，他们仍然难以摸透，这样一个出身卑微的人，怎的竟能一跃而担任这个高级指挥职务。
• Moreover, Merck is still struggling with Vioxx fallout.而且，默克公司由于 Vioxx 这种药出了问题，还在艰苦挣扎中。
• The Republican-controlled Congress seems to be struggling lately to carry out its most basic mission: passing legislation. (The Washington Post, June 24, 2006)共和党所控制的国会近日来似乎对履行它的基本使命即通过法律感到十分吃力。
• While other financial news outlets are struggling, the cable network strikes gold.(Newsweek, Dec. 18, 2006, p.46)别的金融新闻媒体在苦苦挣扎，而有线网络却财源茂盛。

有时候 struggle 甚至干脆带有类似否定的意义，它后面可以有进一步否定的词语如 let alone 或 still less 之类与之呼应。

• Underdeveloped transport, lack of sophisticated logistics and the need for countless middlemen mean that foreign firms struggle to set up regional distribution networks, let alone national ones.由于交通不便、尖端物流技术缺乏，而且又需要无数的中间人，因而外资企业难以设立地区范围的销售网络，更不用说全国范围的了。