standard: applies to any authoritative rule, principle or measure by which the qualities, worth or nature of sth. can be measured: the book is a classic by any ~.


criterion: applies to anything used as a test of quality WHETHER formulated as a rule, principle OR not: in art there are no hard and fast ~(复数ria).


gauge: applies to a means of testing a particular dimension such as thickness, diameter,or a particular quality, aspect: congressional mail is not always an accurate ~ of public opinion.


yardstick: informal substitue for standard or criterion that sug. quantity MORE THAN quality: the movie was a flop by most ~.


touchstone: sug. a simple test of authenticity or value of sth intangible: fine service is a ~ of first-class restaurant:


standard标准: 权威衡量(mesure)的规则原则量度,criterion也是标准: 测试(test)依据,无论是否形成standard,gauge:测量特定属性,yardstick: 强调数量>质量,touchstone试金石:简单测试真伪价值。


另： measure衡量目的是：大小长短等，定量，test测试目的是：是否合格，定性。


记忆方法： 1）首字母联想SCGYT，联想成市场高于天==>衡量业绩的标准。

          2）标准的意思是确定事物优劣的方法mean a means of determing what a thing should be.