l although; though; as
三者均可表示“尽管;虽然”,引导让步状语从句。although用法较正式,语气较强;though较常用;as则主要用于倒装句。它们的用法有如下几点值得注意:
Ø 状语从句由although, though或as引导,主句之前不可有but, and, so, however等并列连词,但可有yet或still等副词。although与though常可互换。例如:
Although/Though he believes it, yet he will not act.他虽然相信它,但却不肯有所行动。
Ø as表示“尽管;虽然”,只能用于倒装句,即:将表语、状语或谓语动词放在as之前。though也可这么用。例如:
Young as/though he is, he knows a lot.他虽然年纪不大,却懂得很多。
注意:如果表语是单数名词,要省略a。例如:
Child as/though he is, he can speak two foreign languages.虽然他是个孩子,但他会说两门外语。
Ø though可以放在句末,表示“但是”,although却不能。例如:
They said they would come; they did not, though.他们说他们会来,可是他们并没有来。
Ø although只用来陈述“事实”,不能表示“假设”。因此可以说even though“即使”以及as though“好像(=as if)”,不能说even although或as although。例如:
I believe you are on duty—even though you’re in plain clothes.尽管你穿着便衣,我相信你是在值勤。
l among/between
这两个介词都有“在……之间”的意思。between常用于两者之间;among一般指三者或三者以上之间。若指三个以上人或物中的每两个之间时,仍然要用between。
例如:The girl walked between her father and mother.这个女孩走在她父亲和母亲之间。
She is the tallest among her classmates.她在她同学之间是最高的。
Switzerland lies between France,Italy,Austria and Germany.
瑞士位于法国、意大利、奥地利和德国之间。
l argue debate dispute 都含“辩论”的意思。
Ø argue 着重“说理”、“论证”和“企图说服”, 如:
I argued with her for a long time, but she refused to listen to reason.
我和她辩论了好久, 但她还是不听。
Ø debate 着重“双方各述己见”, 内含“交锋”的意思, 如:
We have been debating about the issue.我们一直在就这个问题进行辩论。
Ø dispute 指“激烈争辩”, 含有“相持不下”或“未得解决”之意,如:
Whether he will be elected as chairman is still disputed.他是否当选为主席, 仍然有争论。
l argue;quarrel;discuss
这三个动词均有“争”的意思,但“争”法不同。
Ø argue着重就自己的看法或观点,提出论证,同他人“争论”或“辩论”。例如:
We heard them arguing in the other room.我们听见他们在另一个房间里争论。
另外,argue同with搭配,其后接人;与about连用,其后接事物。例如:
We argued with them about this problem for a long time.这个问题我们同他们辩论了很长时间。
Ø quarrel是指对某事不喜欢或强烈不满而发生的“争吵”或“吵架”。同with搭配,其后接某人;和about连用,其后接某事。例如:
He often quarrels about their housework with his wife.他常为家务事同妻子争吵。
Ø discuss是指认真交换自己的意见或看法的“讨论”。例如:
We'll discuss the use of the articles tomorrow.明天我们将讨论冠词的用法。
l as (so) far as; as (so) long as
Ø as(so)far as的意思是“就……而言(所知)”,as (so) far as sth.is concerned是其中一种具体用法,意为“就某事而言”;as (so) long as意为“只要”,引导条件状语从句。如:
As far as I know, more than 10 million laid-off workers have found their new jobs.
就我所知,一千多万下岗工人已经找到了新的工作。
There is nothing that we can’t do so / as long as we keep on trying to do it.
只要我们不断地努力去做,就没有什么事干不成。
As far as the tourism of China is concerned, there is a long way to go.
就中国的旅游业而言,需要做的工作还很多。
l asleep/sleeping二者都是形容词。asleep仅用作表语,不能作定语,表示“睡着,熟睡”的意思;而sleeping一般只能用作定语,放在名词前,表示“睡眠中的,休止的”意思。
如:我们不能说:an asleep baby,但可以说:a sleeping baby(一个熟睡的婴儿)。
再如:He was asleep with his head on his arms.他头枕着手臂在熟睡。
asleeping dog正在熟睡的狗 sleeping car卧车 sleeping bag睡袋
l assert,affirm,maintain Ø assert宣称、断言,常指某人主观自信,坚持己见,有时不顾客观事实而断言下结论。Ø affirm指以事实为依据,深信不疑地肯定某种观点或看法。Ø maintain指在相反的证据或论点面前,重申原来的某种观点、立场。
A.Despite all the policeman’s questions the suspect ___ that he had been at home all evening.
B.It is nonsense to ___ that smoking does not damage people’s health.
C.Throughout his prison sentence Dunn has always ___ his innocence.
Answers:A. affirmed B. assert C. maintained
l as though;even though;though
Ø as though(=as if),意为“好像;似乎”,引导方式状语从句或表语从句。如:
He spoke as though(as if)he had been here before.他说话的口气好像他以前来过这里。
It looks as if(as though)it is going to rain.看起来好像要下雨。
Ø even though(=even if),意为“即使”,引导让步状语从句。though也引导让步状语从句,意为“虽然”;even though有退一步设想的意味,与though不同。though引导的句子所说的是事实,even though引导的句子所说的则不一定是事实。例如:
He will not tell the secret even though(even if)he knows it.即使他知道这个秘密,他也不肯说出来。
He will not tell the secret though he knows it.他虽然知道这个秘密,但他不会说出来。
l at the beginning;in the beginning Ø at the beginning 在……初;在……开始的时候。常与of连用。例如: Students usually have a study plan at the beginning of term. 学生们在开学初制定学习计划。 Ø in the beginning 相当于at first,表示“起初、开始”时,含“起初是这种情况,而后来却不是这种情况”之意,不与of连用。例如: In the beginning,some of us took no interest in physics. 起初我们有些人对物理不感兴趣。
l attack assail assault charge beset
Ø 都含有"攻击"的意思。
Ø attack 是常用词, 指"攻击敌人"或"用言论攻击他人", 如:
Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941. 德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。
Ø assail 指"猛烈连续地攻击", 如:
The enemy plane assailed our defence position. 敌机不断猛烈地攻击我们的阵地。
Ø assault 语气比 assail强, 指"突然猛烈地进攻", 暗示"武力的直接接触" (如肉搏等), 也有"暴力"的意思, 如:The enemy assaulted us at dawn. 敌人在黎明时向我进攻。
Ø charge 指"冲击"或"骑兵的突然攻击", 如:
The cavalry charged to the front. 骑兵猛烈向前线冲击。
Ø beset 指"围攻", 即从各个方向攻击, 如:
In the swamp we were beset by mosquitoes. 在沼泽地里, 我们受到蚊子的围攻。