过去我们曾经认为有些不可数名词可转化为可数名词,其实,那并不是“转化”的问题,而是这个名词本身就兼有不可数和可数两种属性,而这两种属性下,其词义自然就有不同。
例:Every year the school consumes lots of ____ to print examination _______.
A. paper; papers
B. paper; paper
C. papers; papers
D papers; paper
答案A。paper做不可数名词是“纸张”的意思,而做可数名词是“试卷、报纸、文件”的意思。
因此,识记名词首先要看分类属性,然后再记词义。在理解和把握名词的“数”时,还要注意下面几个问题:
1.“绝对的”不可数名词
英语中,有些不可数名词,如:fun,progress等,是“从一而终”的,也就是说,在任何情况下都不能用不定冠词(a/an)和数词限定。
例一:_____ fun it is to jump into a pool or go swimming in summer!
A. What a B. How
C. How a D. What
答案D。本题容易误选A。
例二:But back then, it was a huge ____ , especially when compared with the car mobile phones that had been in use since the 1940s.
A. progress B. mistake
C. advancement D. failure
答案C。本题容易误选A。
2.具体化了的不可数名词
属于不可数名词的有些抽象名词,可以具体化。这时,它的前面要用不定冠词修饰。如:
rain(雨)一a heavy rain(一场大雨),
swim(游泳)一have a swim(去游泳)
knowledge(知识)一a good knowledge of French(对法语很好的了解和熟悉)
例 Many people agree that ___ knowledge of English is a must in ___ international trade today.
A.a; / B.the; an
C.the; the D./; the
答案A。作为抽象名词的knowledge,在这里表示“知道;熟悉”,被具体化了。
3.名词身有两性,即兼有可数和不可数性
英语里有很多名词既可以是可数的,又可以是不可数的。有时意思相近,但更多的是语义大相径庭。
例一:The teacher asked his students to help the old lady to do some housework and they made a good _____ of it.
A. job B. work
C. task D. justice
答案A。本题容易误选B。work当“工作”“活儿”讲时,是不可数名词,不能用不定冠词来限定。
例二:He gained his______ by printing _______of famous writers.
A.wealth; work
B.wealths; works
C.wealths; work
D.wealth; works
答案D。wealth 指“财富”,是不可数名词;复数形式的works,指文学、艺术作品。
例三:Mr. Johnson used to work in the ___ department of the chemical ____.
A. sale; work
B. sales; work
C. sales; works
D. sale; works
答案C。复数形式的works可以指工厂(factory)。the chemical works指化工厂。
例四:____ came that they had ___ with each other for the property division.
A. Words; word
B. Word; word
C. Word; words
D. Words; words
答案C。不可数形式的word指的是“消息”,而可数的word的复数形式在这里指“争吵”。
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