受母语干扰导致的常见惯用法错误
2. Her father was so angry _____ her that he slapped her face.
A. about B. with C. to D. towards
【分析】此题很容易误选C或D,因为汉语常说“对某人生气”,而英语中的 to 或 towards 正是“对”的意思。其实此题应选B,因为按英语习惯,要表示对某人生气,通常用 be angry with [at] sb,要表示对某事生气,通常用 be angry at [about] sth(在美国英语中也用 be angry with sth)。同样,以下表达也用不用介词 to 来表示“对”:
汉语说“对某物满意”,但英语不说 be satisfied to sth (应改用介词 with)。
但是,与此不同,以下各结构却要用介词 to来表示汉语的“对”,而不用 with:
汉语说“对某人客气”,但英语不说 be kind [nice] with sb (应改用介词 to)。
汉语说“对某人有礼貌”,但英语不说 be polite with sb (应改用介词 to)。
汉语说“对某人态度粗鲁”,但英语不说 be rude with sb (应改用介词 to)。
汉语说“对某人友好”,但英语不说 be friendly with sb (应改用介词 to,be friendly with sb 的意思是“与某人要好”)。
三、受母语词序影响错用英语惯用法
1. He said he would return the money, and I was ______.
A. foolish enough to believe him B. enough foolish to believe him
C. foolish enough believing him D. enough foolish believing him
【分析】此题最佳答案为A。汉语说“够蠢”,英语要说foolish enough。即按英语习惯,副词enough修饰其他形容词或副词时,总是放在被修饰的形容词或副词的后面,而不能放在其前面。
2. All people, both _____ , need ______.
A. rich and poor, food and drink B. rich and poor, drink and food
C. poor and rich, food and drink D. poor and rich, drink and food
【分析】许多同学受汉语表达的影响,将“贫富”直译为 poor and rich,将“饮食”直译为 drink and food,从而误选D。其实,此题的正确答案为A,即英语在表示“贫富”和“饮食”这两个概念时,与汉语表达的词序刚好相反,即要分别说成 rich and poor 和 food and drink。类似地,以下英汉语的表达也不一致,注意不要受汉语习惯的影响而弄错了英语表达的词序:land and water 水陆 / north and south 南北 / food and clothing 衣食 / flesh and blood 血肉 / backwards and forwards 来回地。
有时也有这样的情况,汉语只有一种词序,而英语即可倒过来,有两种词序。如英语可说day and night / night and day,但汉语只说“日夜”,不说“夜日”;英语可说old and young / young and old,但汉语只说“老少”,不说“少老”;英语可说father and mother / mother and father,但汉语只说“父母”,不说“母父”;英语可说mind and body / body and mind,但汉语只说“身心”,不说“心身”。再如,汉语说“兄妹”,英语通常说成 brother and sister,但有时也说 sister and brother,如 2001年春季上海高考英语的阅读理解题第A篇就有 his sister and brother 一说;还有,汉语说“男女”,英语通常说成 man and woman,但有时也说 woman and man,如2001年全国高考英语的阅读理解第E篇就有 200 women and men 一说;等等。
四、受母语思维影响错用英语惯用法
1. I’ll come to see you if ________.
A. you’re convenient B. it is convenient for you
C. you feel convenient D. it is convenient with you
【分析】此题最佳答案为B,但很容易误选A或C,因为按汉语意思,我们常说“如果你方便的话”,所以许多同学就将此直译为 if you are convenient 或 if you feel convenient。但事实上,英语中 convenient 的意思不是“感到方便的”,而是“使人感到方便的”,所以 be convenient 的主语不能是“人”。要表示“如果你方便的话”,英语通常 if it is convenient for [to] you,其中的介词可用 for 或 to,但一般不用 with。
2. “He is _____ to win the match.” “Really? But I don’t think so”
A. easy B. difficult C. possible D. sure
【分析】此题应选D,其余三项均有可能误选,因为假若单纯从中文意思来看,其余三个答案均说得通。但问题是将A、B、C三项填入空格处均不合英语习惯。按英语习惯,easy 和difficult 后接不定式时,其主语(或逻辑主语)通常应是 it,而不能是具体的人或物,除非这个主语与其后不定式有动宾关系。如:
我们很难准时赶到那儿。
误:We are very difficult to get there in time.
正:It is very difficult for us to get there in time. (用形式主语 it 作主语)
比较:He is very difficult to work with. 他这个人很难相处。(用具体的人作主语,但它与其后不定式具有动宾关系,即 to work with him)
3. It is so difficult a problem that ______ student in this class ______ work it out.
A. any, can’t B. no, can C. every, can D. no, can’t
【分析】此题很容易误选A,因为从句意上看,选A可将此句理解为“这个问题是如此之难,这个班任何一个学生都不可能做出来”。但按英语习惯,any(任何一个)作为非肯定句,它只能出现在否定词 not 之后,而不能在其前,即可说 not any, 但不说 any not。所以正确答案应选B。