《商务英语语法》9（2）-Comparative Construction

1、Lecture 25 Comparison and Comparative Constructions Introduction：Most adjectives and adverbs are gradable and can be used in comparative clauses. (p283)Task ONE Comparison Task TWO Comparative ConstructionsTask THREE TEM 4 & this lecture25. 1 Comparison of adjectives and adverbsWith gradable adjecti

2、ves and adverbs, there are three degrees of comparison: positive/absolute degree（原级） comparative degree（比较级）superlative degree（最高级）Question:1. What is Synthetic Form?2. What is Analytic Form? 25. 2 Comparative constructionsThere are three types of comparative construction:1. “as . as” construction(1

3、) The basic pattern of as . as construction is as + adjective,/ adverb + as, e.g.:John is as bright as Bob.This can be negated to produce either John is not as bright as Bob“. orJohn is not so bright as Bob.(2)用来比较同一个人或事物的不同方面, 如:The girl was as bright as she was beautiful. （既又）用来比较不同人或事物的不同方面, 如:Th

4、e swimming pool is as wide as that one is long.Cathy is as beautiful as Sam is strong.(3) 在此结构中，形容词之前可以有一个状语加以修饰，如：almost, by no means, exactly, just, nearly, not half, quite, twice, three (four) times等. Jack is almost as tall as John. This room is three times as large as that one. (4) Another patte

5、rn of as . as construction is as much/many +noun + as-clause, in which much and many are determiners.The negative form of this pattern is not as/so much / many +noun + as-clause, e.g.: You can take as much butter as you need.She wrote as many essays as her brother (did).He didnt drink as / so much w

6、ine as his roommate.There is, in addition, a variant（变体） form of as . as construction: as + adjective + noun phrase + as-clause, eg:George is as efficient a worker as Jack.= George is a worker as efficient as Jack.(5) set phrases as blind as a bat 目光如豆 as busy as a bee 忙忙碌碌 as cold as ice 冰冷 as cool

7、 as a cucumber 泰然自若 as easy as pie 轻而易举 as light as a feather 轻如鸿毛 as poor as a church mouse 一贫如洗2. more . than construction(1) The basic pattern of more . than construction is comparative degree + than-clause, e.g.:This parcel is heavier than that one. This can be negated to produce:This parcel is

8、less heavy than that one.Or，This parcel is not so / as heavy as that one.(2) 在此结构中，形容词之前可以有一个状语加以修饰，通常是：a good deal, a lot, even, hardly, any, many, much, no, rather, somewhat, three (four) times等，但不能用very 。Willy is much stronger than Bob. He is three inches taller than his brother. (3) Another patt

9、ern of “more than” construction is “determiner more / less / fewer + noun + than-clause”. As in the case of “as .as” construction, the noun is always embedded in the comparative.e.g.I have done more work this morning than he.You have made fewer mistakes than I have.A variant（变体） form of more . than

10、construction is comparative adjective + noun + than-clause, e.g.:John is a more efficient worker than Jack.This sentence can be rephrased as:John is a worker more efficient than Jack.but less frequently as:John is more efficient a worker than Jack.Another variant form of more . than construction is

11、the +comparative adjective / adverb + of phrase. e.g.:John is the brighter of the two boys.Of the two boys John behaves ( the ) more politely.A third variant form of more . than construction is more / less of a + noun + than-clause. e.g.:He is more / less of a sportsman than his brother.= He is more

12、 / less sportsmanlike than his brother.3) (The) + superlative adjective /adverb + scope of comparison25. 3 Contrast between comparative constructions1) more . than vs quasi- coordinative typeApart from the basic use, more . than can also perform a quasi-coordinative function, as in:He is more good t

13、han bad.= He is good rather than bad.Less . than can perform the same function with a reversed interpretation:He was less hurt than frightened.= He was frightened rather than hurt.2) “not so . as” vs “not so much . as” (p292)e.g.:It wasnt so much his appearance I liked as his personality.（与其不如）= I l

14、iked his personality rather than his appearance.3)“no morethan” “ not any more than” (p292)意为“与同样不是” “与 一样不”如：He is no wiser than you. 他跟你一样不聪明。A whale is not a fish any more than a horse.正如马不是鱼一样，鲸也不是鱼。4) The more . the more vs more and moree.g.:The older I get, the happier I am.= When I get older,

15、 I become happier.e.g.:The car was running faster and faster.His health is getting better and better.Assignment Exercise 25 G(P294)Assignment Set 5 TEM 4 & this lecture1. Which of the following italicized phrases is INCORRECT? (2011, 56)A. The city is now ten times its original size.B. I wish I had

16、two times his strength.C. The seller asked for double the usual price.D. They come here four times every year. 1. Which of the following italicized phrases is INCORRECT? (2011, 56)A. The city is now ten times its original size.B. I wish I had two times his strength. twiceC. The seller asked for doub

17、le the usual price.D. They come here four times every year.2. It is not so much the language _ the cultural background that makes the book difficult to understand. (2011, 57) A. as B. nor C. but D. like2. It is not so much the language _ the cultural background that makes the book difficult to under

18、stand. (2011, 57) A. as (not so much as与其说。不如说。） B. nor C. but D. like3. A new laptop costs about _ of a second-hand one. (2009, 55) A. the price of three times B. three times the price C. as much as the three times price D. three times more than the price3. A new laptop costs about _ of a second-ha

19、nd one. (2009, 55) A. the price of three times B. three times the price C. as much as the three times price D. three times more than the price倍数表示方法：This room is three times as large as that one. This room is three times larger than that one. This room is three times the size of that one. 4. They st

20、ood chatting together as easily and naturally as _. (2008, 60)A. it could be B. could be C. it was D. was4. They stood chatting together as easily and naturally as _. (2008, 60)A. it could be B. could be (as can be尽可能地）C. it was D. was5. The square itself is five hundred yards wide, five times _ the

21、 size of St. Peters in Rome.A. / B. that of C. which is D. of5. The square itself is five hundred yards wide, five times _ the size of St. Peters in Rome.A. / 倍数表达法B. that of C. which is D. of6. There are as good fish in the sea _ ever came out of it. (2007, 51) A. than B. like C. as D. so6. There a

22、re as good fish in the sea _ ever came out of it. (2007, 51) A. than B. like C. as 海中好鱼取不尽。纵然失去一个好机会，但不愁没有其他机会。 D. so7. It is not _ much the language as the background that makes the book difficult to understand. (2007, 57) A. that B. as C. so D. very7. It is not _ much the language as the backgroun

23、d that makes the book difficult to understand. (2007, 57) A. that B. as C. so not so much as D. very8. The research requires more money than _. (2007, 61) A. have been put in B. has been put in C. being put in D. to be put in8. The research requires more money than _. (2007, 61) A. have been put in

24、B. has been put in has之前省略了it，指代money C. being put in D. to be put in9. Overpopulation poses a terrible threat to the human race. Yet it is probably _ a threat to the human race than environmental destruction. (2007, 62) A. no more B. not more C. even more D. much more9. Overpopulation poses a terrible threat to the human race. Yet it is probably _ a threat to the human race than environmental destruction. (2007, 62) A. no more B. not more C. even more D. much more译文：人口过剩对人类造成严重威胁。但与其说人口过剩可能威胁人类，不如说可能威胁环境。no