set:核心动词,意为“设定、确立”;
oneself:反身代词(需与主语保持人称一致,如I→myself,he→himself等),强调“自己(主动)”;
an ultimate goal:“终极目标”(ultimate表示“最终的、首要的”,突出目标的根本性、最终性);
of sth.:介词短语作后置定语,说明目标的具体内容或指向(sth.可接名词、动名词等)。
该短语是双宾语结构(set sb. sth. = set sth. for sb.)的变体,核心逻辑是“主语为自己主动设定某终极目标”。使用时需注意以下几点:
反身代词要对应主语的人称和数,避免不一致:
第一人称:I → myself;we → ourselves
第二人称:you(单/复数)→ yourself / yourselves
第三人称:he→himself;she→herself;it→itself;they→themselves
"of"后接名词(表示具体事物)或动名词(表示动作/行为),说明目标的具体内容:
接名词:of success(成功)、of happiness(幸福)、of financial freedom(财务自由);
接动名词:of becoming a scientist(成为科学家)、of running a marathon(跑马拉松)、of learning a new language(学一门新语言)。
"set"的过去式/过去分词均为"set",需根据语境调整时态:
一般现在时:He sets himself...(他设定...)
一般过去时:She set herself...(她曾设定...)
现在完成时:They have set themselves...(他们已经设定...)
1、 第一人称:I set myself an ultimate goal of publishing a novel by the age of 30.
(我为自己设定了30岁前出版一本小说的终极目标。)
2、 第三人称单数:He set himself an ultimate goal of climbing Mount Everest next year.
(他为自己设定了明年攀登珠穆朗玛峰的终极目标。)
3、 复数主语:We set ourselves an ultimate goal of traveling to all 50 U.S. states.
(我们为自己设定了游历美国全部50个州的终极目标。)
4、 建议句:You should set yourself an ultimate goal of mastering public speaking—it will help your career.
(你应该为自己设定掌握公众演讲的终极目标——这会对你的事业有帮助。)
该短语可替换为更直白的结构 "set an ultimate goal of sth. for oneself",意思完全一致:
原句:She set herself an ultimate goal of starting her own business.
转换:She set an ultimate goal of starting her own business for herself.
总结:这个短语强调主动为自己确立“最终要达成的核心目标”,适用于描述长期、根本性的人生/事业规划。