story

/ˈstɔːri/ (bre, ipa) · [stˈɔri] /ˈstɔːri/ (ame, ipa) · [stˈɔri] /ˈstȯr-ē/ (ame, mw)

story — 名詞

  • storysingular
  • storiesplural

1. A series of connected events and characters, whether real or imaginary, that som

1.名詞A2
釋義

故事

描述真實或虛構事件的敘述

A series of connected events and characters, whether real or imaginary, that someone tells or writes to amuse, inform, or hold a listener's or reader's attention.

例句

Rodrigo told his little sister a funny story about a talking dog before she fell asleep.

Rodrigo 在妹妹睡著前講了一個關於會說話的狗的有趣故事。

tell + someone + a story + about

The old oak tree seemed to have a story to tell about every couple that sat beneath it.

公園裡那棵老橡樹似乎對每一對曾在樹下坐過的情侶都有一個故事要說。

have a story to tell (personified subject)

同義詞
  • tale

    Often suggests a traditional or folk narrative; slightly more literary than 'story'.

  • account

    Focuses on factual reporting of events; less imaginative than 'story'.

  • narrative

    More formal; describes the structured telling of events in writing or speech.

文法句型

a story about [topic]

the story of [someone/something]

常見錯誤

❌She read me a history before bed.
✅She read me a story before bed.
💡'history' refers to the study of past events, not a narrative meant to entertain.
❌The tale of the book is hard to follow.
✅The story of the book is hard to follow.
💡'tale' often suggests a folk or fairy story, while 'story' is the general term for any narrative.

2. An article or broadcast that presents facts about a recent event, typically foun

2.名詞B1
釋義

報導

新聞媒體對事件的報導

An article or broadcast that presents facts about a recent event, typically found in a newspaper, shown on TV, or posted on a news website.

例句

The local newspaper ran a front-page story about the fire at the old train station.

當地報紙在頭版刊登了舊火車站火災的報導。

run a front-page story about [event]

Femi saw the story about the election results on the evening news broadcast.

Femi 在晚間新聞報導中看到了關於選舉結果的報導。

see a story on the news

同義詞
  • report

    More formal than 'story'; used for official or detailed accounts of events.

  • article

    A general piece of writing in a publication; may be opinion-based rather than factual.

文法句型

a story about [event]

the story of [event]

用法筆記

Frequently paired with newspaper-related adjectives such as 'front-page', 'breaking', 'cover', and 'top' to indicate the importance or placement of the report.

常見錯誤

❌The newspaper printed an article about the event.' (when 'story' would be more natural).
✅The newspaper printed a story about the event.
💡'story' is the standard word for a news report; 'article' is more general.

3. An excuse or explanation that the speaker thinks was invented rather than honest

3.名詞B1
釋義

謊話

不真實的說詞或藉口

An excuse or explanation that the speaker thinks was invented rather than honest.

例句

The boy told a story about a giant monster that ate his homework, but the teacher did not believe him.

那個男孩說了一個關於吃掉作業的巨獸的謊話，但老師不相信他。

tell a story (informal: make an excuse)

Rachid knew his friend was telling a story when he claimed to have met a famous actor at the supermarket.

Rachid 知道朋友聲稱在超市遇見知名演員只是在說謊話。

telling a story (informal for lying)

同義詞
  • lie

    Direct and neutral; 'story' is softer and more colloquial.

  • fib

    A small, harmless lie; lighter in tone than 'story'.

  • tall tale

    An exaggerated or unbelievable story told as if it were true.

反義詞
  • truth

    Factual account of what really happened.

文法句型

tell a story (meaning tell a lie)

用法筆記

Informal register. Commonly appears in fixed expressions such as 'a likely story' or 'telling stories'. Not appropriate in formal or academic writing.

常見錯誤

❌She told him a story about where she had been.' (intended as lie but ambiguous).
✅She told him a story about where she had been.' in context: 'She told him a story about where she had been, but he knew she was lying.
💡the meaning relies on context to distinguish from Sense 1.

4. Each horizontal section of a building that contains the rooms on a single floor

4.名詞B1
釋義

樓層

建築物中兩個地板之間的空間

Each horizontal section of a building that contains the rooms on a single floor surface, from the ground up to the roof.

例句

Their apartment is on the third story of the old brick building near the river.

他們的公寓在河邊那棟舊磚樓的三樓。

on the [ordinal] story of [building]

The library has a quiet reading room on the top story with large windows and a river view.

圖書館頂樓有一間安靜的閱覽室，有大窗戶和河景。

同義詞
  • floor

    More common in everyday speech; 'story' is more technical and used for describing building structure.

  • level

    Neutral term that works for both buildings and underground spaces.

文法句型

on the [number] story

top story

lower story

用法筆記

Spelled 'storey' in British English; 'story' is the American English spelling for this meaning. Both are pronounced identically. A 'multi-story building' has several floors.

常見錯誤

❌The building has twenty storeys.' (correct in British English but not in American).
✅The building has twenty stories.' (American English) or 'The building has twenty storeys.' (British English)
💡choose based on your audience.