这些名词均有“原因”之意。
cause : 指直接导致事情发生的原因，与所发生的事个有因果关系。
- Unemployment is a major cause of poverty.
失业是贫困的主要原因。 - There was discussion about the fire and its likely cause.
对那场火灾及其可能的起因进行了讨论。 - Drinking and driving is one of the most common causes of traffic accidents.
酒后驾车是导致交通事故最常见的原因之一。
reason : 强调指从逻辑推理上得出的结论性原因，不是直接说明起因。
- The reason for the disaster was engine failure, not human error.
这次灾难的原因是发动机故障，而非人为错误。 - The reason why grass is green was a mystery to the little boy.
对这个小男孩来说，草为什么是绿色的是一个谜。 - The reason (that) I'm calling is to ask a favour.
我打电话是为了恳请帮忙。 - The reason I walked out was because I was bored.
我走出去是因为我感到很无聊。
excuse : 指为自己辩解，希望得到谅解时所提出的种种理由，是借口性的理由。
- He'd better have a good excuse for being late.
他迟到最好有正当的理由。 - I've never known him to miss a meeting - I'm sure he'll have an excuse.
据我所知，他从来没有缺席过会议——我敢肯定他不来是有原因的。 - There's no excuse for that sort of behaviour.
根本没什么借口为那种行为开脱。
