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