■ tension

本意是“紧张关系”、“张力”，但近年来越来越多用来表示“矛盾”、“对立”。中文近年来也常用“张力”表示这个意思，但似乎有点词不达意。

• The two approaches, though often in tension, were not mutually exclusive. (The Atlantic Monthly, July/Aug., 2006, p.34)两种做法，尽管常常互相对立，但并不是互不相容的。
• The tension between liberty and security is as old as the Republic—and as new as the latest high-tech listening device. In wartime, that tension very often plays itself out as a battle between the White House and the press. (Time, July 10, 2006, p.6)自由与安全之间的矛盾，要说历史悠久，可以同共和国一样悠久，要说是新近的事，又可以同最新式的高科技窃听装置一样新。在战时，这个矛盾常常展开表现为白宫和新闻界之战。