2010/4/13 9:45:00 浏览:580 来源:武汉家教网
众所周知,英语中的形容词和副词有比较级和最高级两种形式。这两种形式除了分别表示两者之间和两者以上之间的比较外,还可用来表示否定意义。这种用法主要见于:
1.know better than+不定式。这种结构意为“不至于”:
She knows better than to go alone on such a night.
在这样的夜晚,她不至于连不宜单独外出也不知道。
know better than to do sth.的含义是be wiser,better informed,or more sensible than to do or believe sth.
以此类推,下列三句有类似意义,如:
I am wiser than to believe that.
我不至于蠢到竟然相信这件事。
You have a better command of French than to make such mistakes.
你的法语较好,不至于犯这样的错误。
He is more experienced than to do such a thing.
他比较有经验,不至于做这样的事。
2.more than…can。这种句型形式上是肯定,实际上有否定含义,如:
The boys in the street have become very insolent and it is more than flesh and blood can bear.
街上的男孩变得非常无礼,到了人所不能忍受的地步。
The beauty of the place is more than I can describe.
那地方美得无法形容。
This is more than I can tell.
这我简直不懂。
He has bitten off more than he can chew.
他承担了力所不及的事。
3.用the last,the least等最高级形式表示强烈的否定意义,如:
He would be the last man to say such things.
他决不会说这样的话。
This is the last place where I expected to meet you.
我万万没有想到会在这儿碰上你。
That was the least of his worries.
那可是他最不担心的事情。