even 用法 1(even/ alone)
問：She even helped me do propaganda work among the woman.
有人譯為: 甚至她也幫助我在婦女中間做宣傳工作。這樣譯對嗎?
答：even 用法有一個特點: 它總是放在它所修飾的詞語之前:
- Even a child can understand the book.
甚至孩子也能讀懂這本書。 - This morning he had not even come to see them off.
今早他甚至沒給他們送行。 - Even Bob was there
甚至鮑勃也在那裡。 - I often lead her money even now.
甚至現在我還經常借給她錢。
不難看出, 你所提問的句子中的even 用法是修飾動詞helped 的。因此, 上面的句子應譯為:
她甚至幫助我在婦女中間進行宣傳工作。
請注意下面兩個句子意義上的差別:
(a) Even the President knelt at the memorial to the dead.
甚至總統也在烈士紀念碑前下跪了。
(b) The President even knelt at the memorial to the dead.
總統在烈士紀念碑前甚至下跪了。
而alone 作修飾語時, 則總是放在被修飾語之後:
- Simon alone know the truth.
只有西蒙知道真情。 - The nobility alone possessed political power.
只有貴族擁有政治權力。
even 用法2 (even if)
問：Even if it rains, we shall carry out or plans.
even if 子句是條件子句嗎?
答：if 除引導條件子句之外, 還可引導讓步子句(見if 條) 。even if 是if 讓步子句的加強形式, 大體上相當於even though (即使, 雖然, 儘管) 。這兩者有時可以互換使用。
- He will come even if he is ill
即使他病了, 他也會來的。 - Even though given every opportunity, they would not cooperate with us.
即使把每一個機會都給予他們, 他們也不願意同我們合作。
- Even if he had been here, I should have said the same thing.
即使那時他在這裡, 我也會那麼說的。 - Even if they offered to pay, I wouldn’t accept any money from them.
即使他們主動提出付款, 我也不會收他們的錢的。
小練習：請選出錯誤的地方，並予改正。（留言作答）
I should not have recognized the man even you had told me this name.
(研究所考試英語試題, 86A)
even 用法3 (even less / still less/ let alone)
問：He knows little of mathematics, ________ of chemistry.
A. as well as
B. still less
C. on less than
D. still more (日本高考試題, 81)
請就上面的試題談談still less 的用法。
答：still less 屬並列連接詞之列, 亦作much less, even less, 它的同義詞語是let alone。但後者為非正式用法。still less (much less), 同let alone 一樣, 大都用於否定句之後。例如:
- I don’t suspect him of robbery, still less of robbery with violence.
我不懷疑他搶劫, 更不用說暴力搶劫了。 - I’ve not even read the first chapter, still less finished the book
我連第一章都沒有讀完, 更不用說讀完全書了。 - The baby can’t even walk, much less run.
這個嬰兒連走都不會, 更不用說跑了。 - He can’t run a hundred yards, even less a mile.
他連100 碼都跑不了, 更不用說1 英里了。
小練習：請選出正確的答案。（留言作答）
1. I’ve never been back since we moved out, not even to the town, _________ to the house where I was born.
A. even not
B. still not
C. still less
D. even ever
2. The amount of knowledge in all the sciences has grown at such a rapid rate that no one can keep fully abreast of one major field, ________ more than one.
A. leave alone
B. let alone
C. not mention
D. not to say