奔波勞碌也好，披荊斬棘也罷，每個人都或多或少為了自己的生存、生活或崇高的目标在付出艱辛的努力，說白了就是都在做對自己有利甚至是對别人有利的事。做對自己有利的事，是天經地義的事，做對别人有利的事，是義不容辭的事。

說到“有利”，首先映入眼簾的是單詞 advantage [ədˈvɑːntɪdʒ]，benefit 和 profit，它們都有“好處或益處”的意思，但 profit 更多地用于“利潤，收益”等意思，例如：

1. advantage:

Is there any advantage in getting there early?

早到那裡是否有利？

The advantage of booking tickets in advance is that you get better seats.

提前訂票的好處是你能得到更好的座位。

2. benefit:

I've had the benefit of a good education.

我得益于受過良好教育。

He couldn't see the benefit of arguing any longer.

他看不出再争論下去有什麼好處。

3. profit:

The artist found much to his profit in the Louvre.

這位藝術家從盧浮宮受益頗多。

Future lawyers could study this text with profit.

未來的律師研讀這一文本也許會有裨益。

advantage 最最常用的一個搭配是 take advantage of sth/sb，幾乎是家喻戶曉，因此學會它的重要性不言而喻，有的時候我們可以在 advantage 前面加 full 等詞，它主要有兩個意思，例如：

1. 利用

I thought I'd take advantage of the sports facilities while I'm here.

我想我在這裡的時候會利用體育設施。

We took full advantage of the hotel facilities.

我們充分享用了旅館設施。

2. 欺騙；占…的便宜

I think she takes advantage of his good nature.

我認為她利用了他的善良本性。

I know she's offered to babysit, but I don't want her to think we're taking advantage of her.

我知道她願意當保姆，但我不想讓她認為我們在占她的便宜。

benefit 作動詞時，就可以豐富多彩地表達“受益”，例如：

1. benefit 受益

Investors will benefit because our advisers will be able to offer high quality advice.

投資者将受益，因為我們的顧問将能夠提供高質量的建議。

2. benefit from 受益于

Many oil companies benefited from the rising price of crude oil.

許多石油公司受益于原油價格的上漲。

3. benefit sb 讓某人受益

We should spend the money on something that will benefit everyone.

我們應該把這筆錢花在大家都能得益的事上。

advantage 對應的一個習語 be/work to your advantage，它就可以表示“

對…有利；轉而有利于”；benefit 的習慣表達方式 for sb's benefit/for the benefit of sb 也表達類似的意思，例如：

1. be/work to your advantage:

It would be to your advantage to attend this meeting.

參加這次會議會對你有利。

Eventually, the new regulations will work to our advantage.

新規章制度最終将對我們有利。

2. for sb's benefit/for the benefit of sth/sb

Don't go to any trouble for my benefit!

别為我費工夫！

She wanted her money to be used for the benefit of poor children.

她想把她的錢用于幫助貧困兒童。

表達“某物對某人有利”還可以用一個習語 stand in good stead，其中 stead 是名詞，意為“代替”，感覺它跟 instead 有着一定的聯系。stand in good stead 特别用于表示當某人需要某物時，某物對某人很有利，比如經驗或語言能力等：

His years of experience in the spoken English field has stood him in good stead.

他在英語口語領域多年的經驗對他很有幫助。

Getting some work experience now will stand you in good stead when you apply for a permanent job.

當你申請一份長期工作時，現在獲得一些工作經驗對你有好處。

Your languages will stand you in good stead when it comes to finding a job.

在找工作時，你會的語言會對你有利。

詞或詞組：

1. Eventually [ɪˈventʃuəli] 意為“最後，終于”

2. when it comes to doing sth 意為“當做某事時”

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