2. 比较级
1) Children now enjoy better medical treatment than before.
2) We can live longer without food than we can (live ) without water.
3. 最高级
1) This is the most interesting book I`ve ever read.
2) Of all his novels I like this one best.
4. the more…the more…结构
1) The harder you work, the greater progress you will make.
2) The more a man knows, the more he discovers his ignorance.
5. 选择比较
1) I prefer staying at home to going out.
2) They prefer to work rather than (to) sit idly.
3) He prefers to work alone.
注意:这里的1)句用的是Prefer A to B结构,to为介词,后接名词或动名词;2)句是以不定式作 prefer的宾语;3)句用法同2),只是不把rather than部分表达出来。
6. 对比
1) Motion is absolute while stagnation is relative.
2) He is tired out, whereas she is full of vigour.
注意:while 和whereas均可用于连接两个意义对立的分句,相当于汉语的"而"字。许多考生能较好地运用这一句式,尤其在图表作文中。
三、 表达原因的结构
考生病句:
1. The real reason to our failure is not far to seek.
2. The reason for this is because some people want to earn plenty of money without
working hard.
正确表达:
1. The real reason for our failure is not far to seek.
2. The reason for this is that some people want to earn plenty of money without working
hard.
评议与分析:
以上两个病句分别引自92年1月和97年12月四级考试的考生作文。从遣词造句上看,这两位考生具有一定的写作能力,not far to seek, plenty of money以及without working hard等均运用正确、恰当。但令人遗憾的是,第一位考生不知道reason不与to搭配而应接介词for,第二位考生犯了一个中国学生常犯的错误,就是用because引起表语从句,because这个词不能引起表语从句,在本句中只能改用that才正确。
掌握好表达原因的结构是十分重要的,几乎所有的写作试题都要求写原因或可以写原因。在大学英语四、六级考试、研究生入学英语考试以及TOEFL考试中,写作的文体基本上是议论文,而议论文的基本模式是摆事实、讲道理,讲道理就是说明原因。写作测试的文体决定了表达原因结构的重要性。
英语中用来表达原因这一概念的结构有多种。我们可用as , because, since, seeing that, considering that, now that, not that...等词组引出表示原因的从句。例如: