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2022年12月英语六级语法用法辨析之more than 与 less than 的用法
一、more than
1. more than 可放在数词之前,表示“超过;不止;以上”,用于此义时可与 over 互换使用。如:
Altogether more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet is covered by water. 整个说来,我们这个星球的表面有百分之七十以上为水所覆盖。
2. more than 可放在名词之前,表示“不只是;不仅仅”。
Hibernation is more than sleep. 冬眠不仅仅是睡眠。
Bamboo is used for more than building. 竹子不只是用于建筑。
3. more than 可用于形容词或副词前,表示“非常;十分”,与 very 同义。
She is more than careful. 她非常细心。
In class, he listens more than attentively.在课堂上,他听讲十分认真。
4. more than 之后接带有 can 的从句时,常表示“否定意义”。此时,从句中的谓语必须是及物动词,并且与句子的主语发生逻辑上的动宾关系。例如:
This secret is more than we can let out. 这个秘密我们是不能泄露的。(主语secret是let out的逻辑宾语。)
▲ less than 表示“不;很少;不到”,具有否定意义,接形容词、副词。
We were busy and less than delighted to have company that day. 那天我们很忙,不高兴有客人来。
The young man is less than twenty years old. 这个年轻人不到20岁。
二、more…than
1. 表示“与其……不如……”;“是……而不是……”,常可与 rather than 或 not so much…as 互换使用。
He is more like a spear than anything else. 与其说他(指大象)像别的什么东西,不如说他像一根梭镖。
= He is like a spear rather than anything else.
= He is not so much like anything else as like a spear.
He is more poltroon than cautious. 与其说他谨慎不如说他是怯懦。
2. more…than 之后接含有 can 的从句同样表示否定意义。
Tom has more insolence than I can stand. =Tom's insolence is more than I can stand. 汤姆的傲慢使我难以忍受。(见上面第一大条第4点)
▲ less … than 意思是“不像……;不是……”。
Joseph is less honest than his brother. 约瑟弗不是(像)他兄弟那样诚实。
三、no more than 或 not any more than
两者的意思均为“只有;仅仅;不过”(= only; just)。前者多用于书面语;后者常用于口语。
Abram Lincoln's whole school education added up to no more than one year. 亚伯拉罕·林肯所受的全部学校教育总共不过一年。
▲ no less than 意思是“不少于;不下于…之多;多达”
In that battle, we wiped out no less than twenty thousand enemies. 在那一次战役中,我们消灭敌人不下两万人。
四、no more … than 或 not … any more than
1. 表示“和……一样地不……”,意味着两者都否定,但往往着重说明前面的一个分句,其作用相当于 neither … nor。如:
Mary is no more diligent than Tom. = Neither Mary nor Tom is diligent. 玛丽和汤姆俩人都不勤奋。
2. 表示“不……正如……不……一样”,常用来加重说话者的语气。如:
We can no more leave the Party than fish can leave water. 我们不能离开党,正如鱼儿离不开水一样。
▲ no less…than 表示“(至少)和……一样”
He is no less active than he used to be. 他和以前一样活跃。
五、not more than
常用于数词之前,意为“至多;顶多;不超过”,其意义与 at (the) most 相同。
There on some hay on the ground lay a peasant boy of not more than seventeen. 地上的干草上躺着一个农家孩子,最多不过17岁。
▲ not less than 表示“不少于”,意义同 at (the) least。
Our school has not less than three thousand students. 我们学校的学生不下三千人。
六、not more …than
表示“不如……;不及于……”,语气常着重于后面的一个分句,常可与 not so / as … as 互换使用。
This story is not more interesting than that one. = This story is not so / as interesting as that one. 这个故事不如那个故事有趣。
▲ 严格说来 not less … than 的意思是“至少不比……差”,意味着或许还要强一些,但现在基本和 no less than 混用。
His English is not less than yours. 他的英语至少不比你的英语差。