more than 是英语中常见的用于两者比较的结构,表示“超过,多于”,在这里不必赘述。本文就 more than 的其它用法归纳如下,供英语学习者参考。
一、 more than 后跟形容词、副词、分词、动词、名词, more than 起强调作用,含义是 more than 后的形容词、副词、分词、动词、名词的分量不足以反应实际情况而加以说明,汉语意思是:“十分,非常,岂止,简直,不仅仅,绰绰有余”。例如:
I am more than content with what you said.
我对你的讲话十分满意。
She was dressed more than simply.
她穿着太朴素了。
Being a good listener means much more than just listening with ears.
做一个好的听者不仅仅意味着“用耳朵听”。
Peace is much more than the absence of war.
和平不仅仅是没有战争。
二、 more than / more … than 跟含 can 的从句,这种结构不能照字面来翻译。 more than 之后的从句里,英语里虽是肯定形式,却表示否定概念。 more than … can …的结构意为“简直不可能”:“ more … than … can …”的结构意为“达到不可能的程度”。例如:
The beauty of the place is more than I can describe.
那个地方美得我简直不可以言表。
How he manages to live is more than I can tell.
他怎样生活的,我简直猜不透。
He has more money than he can spend.
他有花不完的钱。
三、 more … than 通常用于比较两个不同的人物,但有时也可用来指一个人物本身的两种特性,这时其意义和 rather than 相同,肯定 more 后面的,而否定 than 后面的。汉语意思是“与其说……不如说……”,“是……而不是……”。例如:
He is more diligent than clever.
与其说他聪明,不如说他勤奋。
She is more shy than unsocial.
她是害羞,而不是不爱社交。
He is more of a fool than a knave.
与其说他是个无赖,不如说他是个笨蛋。
四、 no more than 与 not more than 后跟名词所表含义的区别:
no more than 后跟名词的意思是“只不过,仅仅”,有“轻视,嫌少”之意。例如:
He is no more than a puppet.
他只不过是个傀儡。
He felt no more than five dollars in the bag.
他的袋子里只剩下 5 美元(有言其少之意)。
not more than 后跟名词的意思是“不超过,至多”,是一般的否定,或客观地说明数字。例如:
They were not more than two hours from the place.
他们离那个地方最多不过两个小时的路线。
I have not more than five dollars in my pocket.
我口袋里的钱不多于 5 美元(最多 5 美元,不超过 5 美元)。
五、 no more … than ( not … any more than )跟从句,表示两者皆否定的观念,意思是“不……正如……不……一样”。例如:
He's no more fit to be a minister than a school boy would be.
小学生不适合当部长,他也不适合当部长(这句话的重点在 He's no more fit to be a minister )。
A nation cannot exist without people any more than a tree can grow without roots.
一个国家不可能离开人民而存在,正如树没有根不能生长一样。
not more … than 跟从句表示两者皆肯定的观念,只是有差别而已,意思是“不及……那样”。例如:
He is not more diligent than you are.
他不象你那样勤奋。
(重点在 you are diligent .他也勤奋,但不如你勤奋。)
六、 little more than; no less than
little more than ,因 little 含有否定意义,因此其汉语意思是“不过,仅仅,多不了多少”。例如:
That is worth little more than one dollar.
那不过值一美元。
no less than ,因“ no less ”含双重否定,因此其汉语意思是“不少于,有……之多”。例如:
There were no less than fifty killed and wounded.
死伤者不少于 50 人。
七、 more than 虽属比较结构,但可辅以一定的词汇手段,如: no, nothing, nobody, nowhere, any, anything else, hardly, scarcely 等否定句,便可表达最高级的含义。例如:
Nothing is more precious than time.
没有什么比时间更可贵的东西了。
No complaint is more common than that of a scarcity of money.
最普通的就是说钱不够用。
George did more work this morning than anyone else.
乔治今天上午干的工作比任何人都多。