1.Unfortunately, sth. may affect sb.’s life to the point where……
例：Unfortunately, the desire to be well thought of affects one’s life to the point where he is reluctant to say no to anyone else regarding anything.
2.What does sth. mean?
3.How/Why does sth. affect our life?
4.What is it like to do……?
例：What is it like to have lost all confidence in oneself?
5.What would our society be like if there were no……?
例：What would our society be like if there were no public morals?
6.Should we put sth. above sth. else?或Should we attach as much weight to A as to B?
例：Should we put intellectual development above moral education?
7.Sth. is often referred to as/defined as……
例：Corrupt officials are often referred to as the most dangerous borers in our government bodies, who are nibbling away the healthy organism of our party by dishonest means.
8.Doing.Sth. is just the same as……/is compared to……/is likened to…… ./is like……
例：Life in the middle of marriage is often compared to wire walking, for in the early years spouses attract each other and in late years they need each other.
9.Sth. is to……what sth. else is to……
例：An individual human existence is to the human society what a river is to the ocean, small and busy rushing past rocks at first, but gradually growing wider and quieter until it becomes merged in the ocean in the end.
10.To/For/With most people/sb., sth. is/means……
例：To dishonest people, a friend means a target or an object that is of some use to them at present or in the future.
11.Sth. is the symbol/mark/equivalent of……/is symbolic of……/is equivalent to……
例：If selling one’s sex is the mark of degeneration, selling one’s power is equivalent to committing crime.
12.Suppose/Imagine that……/Let’s suppose/assume/imagine that……
例：Suppose, by any chance, you heartily disagree with anything that is going on about you, you are less likely to stay on the good side of people around you.
13.We often find ourselves caught/involved in a dilemma whether……
例：We often find ourselves caught in a dilemma whether we should reach for the bear’s paw or for the shark’s fin/whether to reach for……
14.If/In case/In the event that……, it is better to……/a better course is to……/sb. has no choice/option/alternative but to……/all we want to know is ho w……
例：In the event that you fall in a love river, all we want to know is how you will swim in it, as you are no longer a fisherman.