The following adjectives are frequently used with these nouns. 下列形容词常与这两个名词连用：

• State is a more general word than condition and is used for the condition that something is in at a particular time. It can be used without an adjective. * state 较 condition 通用，指特定时间的状况，可不加形容词：◆the present state of medical knowledge 目前医学知识的状况◆We're worried about his mental state. 我们担心他的精神状况。◆What a state this room is in(= very bad). 这房间真糟糕。
• Condition is used with an adjective and refers especially to the appearance, quality or working order of somebody or something. * condition 与形容词连用，尤指人或事物的外观、品质或工作状况：◆The car is in excellent condition. 这辆汽车的车况好极了。

These are all words for a medical problem. 以上各词均表示健康问题。

• disease a medical problem affecting humans, animals or plants, often caused by infection 常指人、动植物感染的病、疾病：◆He suffers from a rare blood disease. 他患有一种罕见的血液病。
• illness a medical problem, or a period of suffering from one 指病、疾病或患病期：◆She died after a long illness. 她久病不愈而亡。

disease or illness? 用 disease 还是 illness？

Disease is used to talk about more severe physical medical problems, especially those that affect the organs. Illness is used to talk about both more severe and more minor medical problems, and those that affect mental health. * disease 指较严重的身体疾病，尤其是影响身体器官的疾病。illness 指重病或小病均可，也可指精神上的疾病：◆heart/kidney/liver illness◆mental disease Disease is not used about a period of illness. * disease 不指患病期：◆She died after a long disease.

• disorder (rather formal) an illness that causes a part of the body to stop functioning correctly 指失调、紊乱、不适、疾病：◆a rare disorder of the liver 一种罕见的肝病 NOTE A disorder is generally not infectious. Disorder is used most frequently with words relating to mental problems, for example psychiatric, personality, mental and eating. When it is used to talk about physical problems, it is most often used with blood, bowel and kidney, and these are commonly serious, severe or rare. * disorder 一般不传染，多与有关精神问题的词连用，如 psychiatric/personality/mental/eating disorder（精神错乱；人格障碍；精神紊乱；进食障碍）。谈到身体方面的问题常与下列词连用，如 blood/bowel/kidney disorder（血液病；肠道失调；肾脏疾病），这些疾病一般用 serious、severe 或 rare 等词修饰。
• infection an illness that is caused by bacteria or a virus and that affects one part of the body 指由细菌或病毒引起的身体某部位的感染或传染疾病：◆a throat infection 喉部感染
• condition a medical problem that you have for a long time because it is not possible to cure it 指因不可治愈而长期患有的疾病：◆a heart condition 心脏病
• ailment (rather formal) an illness that is not very serious 指轻病、小恙：◆childhood ailments 儿童期小病
• bug (informal) an infectious illness that is usually fairly mild 指轻微的传染病、小病：◆a nasty flu bug 严重的流感

Patterns

• to have/suffer from a(n) disease/illness/disorder/infection/condition/ailment/bug
• to catch/contract/get/pick up a(n) disease/illness/infection/bug

These are all words for the conditions and facts that are connected with and affect the way things are. 以上各词均指情况、状况。

• situation all the things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place 指情况、状况、形势、局面：◆the present economic situation 目前的经济形势
• circumstances the facts that are connected with and affect a situation, an event or an action; the conditions of a person's life, especially the money they have 指条件、环境、状况、境况，（尤指）经济状况：◆The ship sank in mysterious circumstances. 那艘船神秘地沉没了。
• position the situation that sb is in, especially when it affects what they can and cannot do 指处境、地位、状况：◆She felt she was in a position of power. 她觉得她自己有权力。
• conditions the circumstances in which people live, work or do things; the physical situation that affects how sth happens 指居住、工作或做事情的环境、境况、条件，影响某事发生的物质环境、状态、条件：◆We were forced to work outside in freezing conditions. 我们被迫在户外天寒地冻的环境下工作。

circumstances or conditions? 用 circumstances 还是 conditions？

Circumstances refers to sb's financial situation; conditions are things such as the quality and amount of food or shelter they have. The circumstances that affect an event are the facts surrounding it; the conditions that affect it are usually physical ones, such as the weather. * circumstances 指人的经济状况；conditions 指人的食宿等状况。circumstances 指影响某事的周边环境；conditions 通常指影响某事的物质环境，如天气。

• things (rather informal) the general situation, as it affects sb 指形势、局面、情况、事态：◆Hi, Jane! How are things? 喂，简，近来怎么样？◆Think things over before you decide. 先把情况考虑周全再作决定。
• the case the true situation 指实情、事实：◆If that is the case(= if the situation described is true), we need more staff. 如果真是那样，我们就需要更多的员工了。
• state of affairs a situation 指事态、情况、形势：◆How did this unhappy state of affairs come about? 这种不幸的情况是怎么发生的呢？

situation or state of affairs? 用 situation 还是 state of affairs？

• State of affairs is mostly used with this. It is also used with adjectives describing how good or bad a situation is, such as happy, sorry, shocking, sad and unhappy, as well as those relating to time, such as present and current. Situation is much more frequent and is used in a wider variety of contexts. * state of affairs 多与 this 连用，亦与表示形势好坏的形容词（如 happy、sorry、shocking、sad 和 unhappy）以及与时间有关的形容词（如 present 和 current）连用。situation 常用得多，且用于更广泛的语境中。

Patterns

• in (a) particular situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
• the/sb's economic/financial/social situation/circumstances/position/conditions
• (a/an) happy/unhappy situation/circumstances/position/state of affairs
• to look at/review the situation/circumstances/conditions/things