英语中表示比较意义时,常用“as...as”或“比较级+than”的结构来表示。有人认为似乎只有这两种形式才能表示比较意义,其实不然,下列形式也可表示比较意义。
+ s: M, R4 e" |4 D& i c( b 一、用the+比较级+of the two... 来表示。例如:7 E4 n# z" d+ i7 U$ I3 L: }/ x
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Tom is the taller and the more handsome of the two brothers. 汤姆是两兄弟中个子较高、长得较俊的一个。
+ y2 D: C- l3 C) w3 x( }, {0 N Mount Tai is the higher of the two mountains. 泰山是这两座山中较高的一座。: b k/ i3 b# l: ]
I think this dictionary is the more useful of the two. 我认为这本字典是两本中更有用的一本。
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( D7 w( U* n j& U1 m& X 二、above,over,below,compared with,next to等词常可表示比较意义。例如:
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He thinks that the interests of the people are above everything. 他认为人民的利益高于一切。( ~2 W9 |: z" k5 j5 O! i
The output value in January this year is eight percent over that of the same period last year. 今年一月的产值比去年的同期增长了百分之八。
4 l# y. ?6 H; _% w5 O1 R$ B A captain in the army ranks below a captain in the navy. 陆军上尉的级别低于海军上校。
3 o* Y9 B a5 b. V) u I don't think you can be compared with him. 我认为你不能同他相比。. n4 a. e7 N6 J
As long as men live,water will continue to be what it is today—next in importance to oxygen. 只要有人类存在,水就仍然像今天这样——其重要性仅次于氧。, g; I7 k' |3 Y& \2 n( l# W4 \
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三、某些源于拉丁文以?鄄or结尾的形容词,可表示比较级的意义,被比较的对象前用介词to,不用than。用于这种结构的形容词有senior, junior,superior,prior,inferior,anterior,posterior等。例如:
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& l% j1 K+ v3 @3 R' y John is three years senior to Jack. 约翰比杰克大三岁。
' t( d. I+ ^0 b2 ] This machine is superior to that one in many respects.这台机器在许多方面比那台机器好得多。
" H* T+ W9 h+ d; P7 { This book is inferior to what I had expected. 这本书比我期望的差。
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# R+ j8 f( V) m 四、句子中如有not to speak of,not to mention,to say nothing of,let alone 等否定结构时,也可表示比较概念。例如: X. x9 v8 u* J$ ?* ~
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He cannot afford to buy a silver watch,not to speak of a gold one. 他没有钱去买一只银表,金的就更不必说了。
! v6 H8 D0 A1 J0 r8 } You are too ill to get out of bed,let alone go shopping. 你病得连床都起不来,更不用说去买东西了。: ? t2 |8 M. X) i
The boy has not learnt arithmetic,not to mention algebra. 这孩子算术还没学会,更谈不上代数了。$ A( ?8 }. G8 H
5 t% M @$ O& X0 }: l3 V9 Z 五、在两个并列分句或两个相互独立的句子中,有时第一个分句暗示某种程度,第二个分句则暗含比较意义。例如:
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The project is great, but the new pro-ject will be greater and more arduous. 这项工程是伟大的,但新工程更伟大、更艰巨。
2 u0 T" z% ~; S5 p 六、动词choose...before, pre-fer...to, prefer to do rather than do,可表示“宁可……”、“更喜欢……”的比较意义。例如: 0 t& u4 b; E% `+ l$ S! w4 \
The young man chose going to the front before staying at home. 这位年轻人宁可上前线,也不愿呆在家里。 ' `4 g/ ^0 `* B8 o3 s# A
The heroine, a girl of strong will,preferred death to surrender.那位女英雄是一个意志坚强的姑娘,她宁死不屈。
r8 L, m' n# Q3 | I prefer to take the whole blame myself rather than allow it to fall on the others.我宁肯自己承担全部责任,也不愿把责任推在别人身上。
0 @/ n. ~5 t, j( m2 K) x* ~/ Q 形容词preferable也可表示比较意义。例如:
" y/ E* A/ n- g$ `# c& E The first method is preferable to the second one. 第一种方法比第二种方法更可取。 |