名詞的“兩面派”

姜經志

英語中,有些名詞具有“兩面派”的特點,它們既可以用作可數名詞,又可以用作不可數名詞,其表達的含義不同。

1. fish用作可數名詞,指魚的尾數時單數和復數形式相同(如:one fish一尾魚,two fish兩尾魚);指魚的種類時可用復數形式fishes(如:two fishes 兩種魚)。fish用作不可數名詞時無復數形式,意思是“魚肉”。例如:

There is some fish on the plate. 盤子里有一些魚肉。

2. room用作可數名詞時意思是“房間”;用作不可數名詞時意為“空間;余地”。例如:

We had better find a room to live in. 我們最好找個房間住下。

Can you make room for the old woman, young man? 年輕人,你能給老太太讓個地方嗎?

3. chicken用作可數名詞時意為“(小)雞”;用作不可數名詞時意為“雞肉”。例如:

It looks like a chicken. But I dont think chickens can swim.

它看起來像雞,但是我認為雞不會游泳。

Help yourself to some chicken. 請吃雞肉。

4. orange用作可數名詞時意為“桔子,橙子”;用作不可數名詞時意為“桔汁”。例如:

There are a few oranges on the tree. 樹上有些桔子。

Would you like another cup of orange? 你想再喝一杯桔汁嗎?

5. sport用作可數名詞時意為“運動會;體育項目”;用作不可數名詞時意為“運動,體育鍛煉”。例如:

Bicycling and hunting are his favourite sports. 騎自行車和打獵是他最喜愛的運動。

How many hours of sport do you do every day? 你每天進行多少小時的體育鍛煉?

6. hair用作可數名詞時指“一根根頭發”;用作不可數名詞時指“毛發”,也可通指頭發。例如:

My mother has some white hairs in her head. 我母親頭上有幾根白發。

The cat has a fine coat of hair. 這只貓長著一身好毛。

Kates hair is long. 凱特的頭發長。

7. work用作可數名詞時意為“著作;作品;成果”;用作不可數名詞時意為“工作”。例如:

Thats a work of art. 那是一件藝術品。

I have a lot of work to do today. 今天我有許多工作要做。

8. exercise用作可數名詞時意為“練習;作業;體操”;用作不可數名詞時意為“運動,(體育)鍛煉”。例如:

Doing morning exercises is good for your health. 做早操對身體有益。

If you want to be thinner, you must take enough exercise. 如果你想減肥,你必須多運動。

9. time用作可數名詞時意為“次數,倍數”;用作不可數名詞時意為“時間”。例如:

We have meals three times a day. 我們一天吃三頓飯。

Lets hurry; theres little time left. 咱們快點,幾乎沒有時間了。

10. glass用作可數名詞時意為“玻璃杯”;用作不可數名詞時意為“玻璃”。例如:

There are two glasses of milk on the table. 桌上有兩杯牛奶。

Glass can be made into bottles. 玻璃能制成瓶子。

11. paper用作可數名詞時意為“考卷、論文、報紙”;用作不可數名詞時意為“紙、紙張”。例如:

Please help me hand out the papers. 請幫我分發試卷。

Please give me a piece of paper. 請給我一張紙。

【小試牛刀】將下列句子譯成英語。

1. 你想吃魚嗎?這條河中有許多種魚.

Would you like some ____? There are many ____ in this river.

2. 這位老太太的頭發是白色的。

The old womans ____ is white.

3. 地板上有三玻璃杯水。

There are three ____ of water on the floor.

4. 我想要兩瓶桔子汁和四箱桔子。

I would like two bottles of ____ and four boxes of ____.

5. 我家有兩間房,但是沒有地方給它住。

There are two ____ in my house, but there is no ____ for it to live in.

6. 我不喜歡小雞,但我喜歡吃雞肉。

I dont like ____, but I like (eating) ____.

[Key:1.fish; fishes 2.hair 3.glasses 4.orange; oranges 5.rooms; room 6.chickens; chicken]