名词的“两面派”

姜经志

英语中,有些名词具有“两面派”的特点,它们既可以用作可数名词,又可以用作不可数名词,其表达的含义不同。

1. fish用作可数名词,指鱼的尾数时单数和复数形式相同(如:one fish一尾鱼,two fish两尾鱼);指鱼的种类时可用复数形式fishes(如:two fishes 两种鱼)。fish用作不可数名词时无复数形式,意思是“鱼肉”。例如:

There is some fish on the plate. 盘子里有一些鱼肉。

2. room用作可数名词时意思是“房间”;用作不可数名词时意为“空间;余地”。例如:

We had better find a room to live in. 我们最好找个房间住下。

Can you make room for the old woman, young man? 年轻人,你能给老太太让个地方吗?

3. chicken用作可数名词时意为“(小)鸡”;用作不可数名词时意为“鸡肉”。例如:

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

它看起来像鸡,但是我认为鸡不会游泳。

Help yourself to some chicken. 请吃鸡肉。

4. orange用作可数名词时意为“桔子,橙子”;用作不可数名词时意为“桔汁”。例如:

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

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

5. sport用作可数名词时意为“运动会;体育项目”;用作不可数名词时意为“运动,体育锻炼”。例如:

Bicycling and hunting are his favourite sports. 骑自行车和打猎是他最喜爱的运动。

How many hours of sport do you do every day? 你每天进行多少小时的体育锻炼?

6. hair用作可数名词时指“一根根头发”;用作不可数名词时指“毛发”,也可通指头发。例如:

My mother has some white hairs in her head. 我母亲头上有几根白发。

The cat has a fine coat of hair. 这只猫长着一身好毛。

Kates hair is long. 凯特的头发长。

7. work用作可数名词时意为“著作;作品;成果”;用作不可数名词时意为“工作”。例如:

Thats a work of art. 那是一件艺术品。

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

8. exercise用作可数名词时意为“练习;作业;体操”;用作不可数名词时意为“运动,(体育)锻炼”。例如:

Doing morning exercises is good for your health. 做早操对身体有益。

If you want to be thinner, you must take enough exercise. 如果你想减肥,你必须多运动。

9. time用作可数名词时意为“次数,倍数”;用作不可数名词时意为“时间”。例如:

We have meals three times a day. 我们一天吃三顿饭。

Lets hurry; theres little time left. 咱们快点,几乎没有时间了。

10. glass用作可数名词时意为“玻璃杯”;用作不可数名词时意为“玻璃”。例如:

There are two glasses of milk on the table. 桌上有两杯牛奶。

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

11. paper用作可数名词时意为“考卷、论文、报纸”;用作不可数名词时意为“纸、纸张”。例如:

Please help me hand out the papers. 请帮我分发试卷。

Please give me a piece of paper. 请给我一张纸。

【小试牛刀】将下列句子译成英语。

1. 你想吃鱼吗?这条河中有许多种鱼.

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

2. 这位老太太的头发是白色的。

The old womans ____ is white.

3. 地板上有三玻璃杯水。

There are three ____ of water on the floor.

4. 我想要两瓶桔子汁和四箱桔子。

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

5. 我家有两间房,但是没有地方给它住。

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

6. 我不喜欢小鸡,但我喜欢吃鸡肉。

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

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