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小议more than和less than的用法

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  More than和less than的用法很复杂,但在英语中经常使用。下面我把它们的用法归纳如下;
  一、more than 与less than
  1.a.more than放在数词之前,意为“超过,不止,以上”,用于此意义时,可以与over互换使用。例如:
  My grandfather and my grandmother are more than seventy.我祖父母七十多岁了。
  b.more than放在名词之前,表示“不只是,不仅仅”。例如:
  He is more than a father to her.他待她胜过父亲。
  She is more than a friend to me.她对我不只是一个朋友。
  c.more than 放在形容词或副词前,意为“非常,十分”,相当于“very”或“much”。例如:
  He is more than selfish.他非常自私。
  I was more than pleased with my pay rise.我对涨工资非常高兴。
  d.more than 后面接含有can的从句时,表示否定意义,从句的谓语动词必须是及物动词,并与主句的主语逻辑上是动宾关系。例如;
  The beauty of Hangzhou is more than words can describe.杭州景色之美是语言不能描述的。(主语The beauty of Hangzhou 是describe 的逻辑宾语)
  2.less than放在形容词、数词之前,表示“不,很少,不到,不太,一点也不”,具有否定意义。例如:
  The boys were less more happy about having a party.开晚会男孩子们并不很高兴。
  The girl is less than eighteen years old.这个女孩不到 18岁。
  二、more...than 与less ...than
  1.a.more ...than 表示“与其……不如……”“是……而不是……”可以和“rather than ”或“ not so much...as”互换使用。例如:
  The book is more like a dictionary than a grammar.=The book is like a dictionary rather than a grammar.=The book is not so much like a grammar.as a dictionary.与其说这是一本语法书,倒不如说是一本词典。
  She is more clever than lucky.与其说她聪明,不如说她幸运。
  b.more ...than后面接含有 can 的从句时,同样表示否定意义。例如:
  Jack has more insolence than I can stand.=Jack 's insolence is more than I can stand.
  杰克的傲慢使我难以忍受。
  2.less ...than意为“不像(如)……不是……与其……不如……”表示此义时可与“more...than”结构替换(但要注意次序变化)。例如:
  He is less honest than his brother.他不如他哥哥诚实。
  He is less a teacher than an expert./He is more an expert than a teacher.与其说他是老师,不如说他是专家。
  三、 no more than或 nothing more than/only与no less than
  1.a.no more than或 nothing more than/only的意思均为“只有,仅仅,不过(=only,just)”,前者多用于书面语,后者常用于口语。例如:
  It took him no more than one hour to finish this work.他只花了一个小时就完成了这项工作。
  He is nothing more than a teacher.=He is only a teacher.他只是一位老师。
  b.“no less than”相当于“as much(many)as”意为“不少于,不下于……之多,多达……”例如:
  The audience was no less than five thousand.听众有五千人之多。
  四、no more...than 或not ...any more than 与 no less ...than
  1.a.no more...than 或not ...any more than 表示“正如……一样也不……与……同样不是,和……一样不”,表示两者都否定,但说话人往往着重否定前面一个分句,其左右相当于“neither...nor”。例如:
  He is no more diligent than me.= Neither he nor I am diligent.他和我两个人都不勤奋。
  b.表示“不……正如……不……一样”,常用来加重说话者的语气,“not...just as...not”。例如:
  You can no more swim than I can fly.=You can not swim just as I can not fly.你不能游泳正如我不能飞行一样。   2.no less...than意为“(至少)和……一样”,相当于“as well as”,它强调的对象是“no less”之后的事物。汉语关联词“不但……而且……”的重点在后面,这与“no less...than”的重点正好相反,所以翻译的时候,应该先译“than”后面的,再译“no less”后面的。例如:
  She is no less beautiful than Mary.她和玛丽一样美丽。
  Andy Lau is no less a player than a singer./Andy Lau is a player as well as a singer./Andy Lau is not only a singer but also a player.刘德华不但是个歌手,而且是个演员。
  五、not more than与 not less than
  1.not more than放在数词之前,意为“至多,顶多,不超过”,其意义与 at (the) most 相同。例如:
  She has not more than three hats .她至多有3顶帽子。
  2.not less than意为“不少于,至少,不比……差”,同 at (the) least 。严格地说, no less than 和 not less than不同,但二者如今均相当于“as many as”。例如:
  Our school has not less than/three thousand students.我们学校拥有的学生不下3,000人。
  There were not less than fifty students in the class教室里至少有五十名同学。
  比较;He has no less than seven daughter.他有7个女儿之多。
  He has not less than seven daughter.他至少有7个女儿。
  六、not more ...than与not less...than
  1.not more...than意为“不如……不及于……”语气常着重否定后面一个分句,可与“not so/as...as”互换使用。例如:
  You are not more careful than he is.=You are not so/as careful as he is.你不如他仔细。
  2.not less...than意为“至少不比……差”,意味或许还要强一些,但现在基本和no less than混用。例如:
  This song is not less popular than that one.这首歌受欢迎的程度不比那首歌差。
  The old copy of the dictionary is not less expensive than the new one.旧版的词典比新版的更贵。
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