controversy、argument、conflict、debate、dispute、quarrel与strife这组名词均有“争执、不和”之意。
controversy : 侧重指深刻的意见分歧，多指对引起广泛兴趣或非常重要的问题的辨论。
- There was a big controversy surrounding/over the use of drugs in athletics.
体育界对使用违禁药物争议很大。 - The policy has caused fierce/heated controversy ever since it was introduced.
这项政策自推行以来已引起了激烈的争论。
argument : 指辩论双方均以事实或理由来说服对方的辨论。
- The children had an argument about/over what game to play.
孩子们为了玩哪个游戏吵了起来。 - He got into an argument with Jeff in the pub last night.
昨晚他和杰夫在酒馆里起了争执。 - A decision was finally made after some heated argument.
经过激烈的争辩，最终作出了一项决定。
conflict : 指双方坚持已见、互不妥协，怀有敌意的争论，多暗示分歧极为严重，有时用语言无法解决，只得诉诸武力。
- There was a lot of conflict between him and his father.
他和父亲之间存在着许多分歧。 - It was an unpopular policy and caused a number of conflicts within the party.
这项政策不得人心，在党内引起了很多分歧。 - His outspoken views would frequently bring him into conflict with the president.
他对自己的看法总是直言不讳，这常常使他和总统发生争执。
debate : 通常指经过仔细组织和计划的个人或团体之间的辩论。
- Education is the current focus of public debate.
教育是目前大众谈论的焦点。 - How we proceed from here is a matter for debate.
我们下一步怎样做还需要讨论。 - Over the year we have had several debates about future policy.
一年来，我们就未来的政策进行了几次讨论。
dispute : 普通用词，侧重指长时间，言词激烈，针锋相对的争辩。
- a bitter/long-running dispute
激烈／长期的争执 - a border dispute
边界争端 - a pay/legal/trade dispute
工资／法律／贸易纠纷 - They have been unable to settle/resolve the dispute over working conditions.
他们无法解决工作条件方面的争端。 - The unions are in dispute with management over pay.
工会与管理层在工资问题上存在分歧。
quarrel : 普通用词，既可指言词激烈的争吵，也可指温和的言词上的不和。
- They had a bitter quarrel about/over some money three years ago and they haven't spoken to each other since.
他们3年前因为钱的问题有过一次激烈争吵，从此以后就互不理睬了。 - We have no quarrel with the people of your country (= we have no reason to disagree with or dislike them).
我们没有理由对贵国人民不满。 - They seem to have patched up their quarrel (= finished their disagreement and started to be friendly).
他们似乎在争吵后重归于好了。
strife : 指因不可缓和的矛盾而引起的争吵或斗殴。
- What are the prospects for overcoming the strife between the Christian minority and Muslim majority?
解决基督教少数派和穆斯林多数派之间冲突的前景如何？ - 20 years of civil strife have left the country's economy in ruins.
20年的内战使该国经济满目疮痍。
