零基础学英语：assume & presume

In common usage both assume and presume can mean ‘suppose’ and are often interchangeable in this meaning.

在常见的用法中，assume和presume与suppose有相同的含义，意为假设/假定，表示这个含义是可以相互替换。

However, technically there is a subtle difference between the two words。

然而，严格来讲，这两个词之间还有一些微小的差别。

1.presume is to ‘suppose to be the case on the basis of probability’:

1.presume表示依据一定的可能性做出的假设：

Two of the journalists went missing and are presumed dead.

两名记者失踪，推测其已经死亡。

2.Assume on the other hand is to ‘suppose to be the case without proof’:

2.Assume则表示作出的推测和假设是不基于任何依据的：

I just assumed it to be the case.

我只是假设它是这样的。

另外这两个词都有“承担责任”的含义，表示这个含义时，assume意为“承担一种角色”：

I assumed the role of the aggressor in the conversation.

在这个对话中，我承担起侵略者的角色。

Presume多表示态度有关：

He had presumed too great a level of familiarity.

他在亲密程度上有过分的冒犯。

小测验：选词填空

1.You ____ his innocence before hearing the evidence against him.

assume presume

2. With the glances she was throwing at their adopted children, I would ____ the reason was jealousy.

assume presume