He was lying there in the grass,hiding and thinking.
He had studied the little girl's habits.He knew she would come outside her grandfather's house mid-afternoon to play.
He hated himself for this.
In his whole miserable life he'd never considered anything so callous as kidnapping.
Y et here he was,lying in the grass,hidden by trees from the house,waiting for an innocent,red-haired,two-year-old girl to come within reach.
It was a long wait;there was time to think.
Maybe all his life Harlan had been in too much hurry.
He was five when his Hoosier father had died.
At fourteen he dropped out of Greenwood School and hit the road.
He tried odd jobs as a farmhands,hated it.
Tried being a bus conductor and hated that.
at sixteen he lied about his age and joined the Army--hated that,too.When his one-year enlistment was up he headed for Alabama,tried blacksmithing and failed.
He became a railroad locomotive fireman with the Southern Railroad.He liked that.Figured maybe he had found himself.
At eighteen he got married,and within months,wouldn'd you know she announced she was pregnant the day he announced he'd been fired again.
Then,one day,while he was out job hunting,his young wife gave away all their possessions and went home to her parents.
Then came the depression.
Harlan couldn't win for losing,as they said.
He really tried.
Once,while working at a succession of railroad jobs,he tried studying law by correspondence.
But he dropped out of that,too.
He tried selling insurance,sellings tires.
He tried running a ferryboat,running a filling station.No use.
Face it--Harlan was a loser
And now here he was hiding in the weeds outside Roanoke,Virginia,planning a kidnapping.
As I say,he'd watched the little girl's habits,and knew about her afternoon playtime.
But,this one day,she did not come out to play,so his chain of failures remained unbroken.
Late in life he became chief cook and bottle washer at a restaurant in Corbin.And did all right until hte new high way bypassed the restaurant.
And then his expected life span ran out.
He was not the first man nor would he be the last to arrive at the twilight of life with nothing to show for it.
The blue bird of happiness,or whatever,had always flown just out of reach.
He'd stayed honest--except for that one time when he had attempted kidnapping.In fairness to his name it must be noted that it was his owe daughter he'd meant to kidnap from his runaway wife. And they both returned to him,the next day,anyway.
But now the years had passed by and a lifetime was gone and he and they had nothing.
He had not realy felt old until that day the postman brought his first Social Security check.That day,something within Harlan resented,resisted,and exploded.
The government was feeling sorry for him.
It was time to give up and retire.
His restaurant customers in Corbin said they'd miss him,but his Government said sixty-five candles on the birthday cake is enough.They sent him a pension check and told him he was "old". He said,"Nuts."
And he got angry he took that $100 check and started a new business.
Today that business is still prospering.For over twenty years untill his death he carried on with remarkable success.
For the man who failed at everything but one thing...the man who might have been a law-breaking kidnapper had he not also failed at that...the man who never got started untill it was time to stop...was Harlan Sander.
The new business he started with his first Social Seurity check was Kentucky Fried Chicken.Now you know the rest of the story.
英语语法---比较级和最高级的用法 在英语中通常用下列方式表示的词:在形容词或副词前加more(如 more natural,more clearly )或加后缀 -er(newer,sooner )。典型的是指形容词或副词所表示的质、量或关系的增加。英语句子中，将比较两个主体的方法叫做“比较句型”。其中，像“A比B更……”的表达方式称为比较级；而“A最……”的表达方式则称为最高级。组成句子的方式是将形容词或副词变化成比较级或最高级的形态。 一、形容词、副词的比较级和最高级的构成规则 1．一般单音节词和少数以-er，-ow结尾的双音节词，比较级在后面加-er，最高级在后面加-est； （1）单音节词 如：small→smaller→smallest short→shorter→shortest tall→taller→tallest great→greater→greatest （2）双音节词 如：clever→cleverer→cleverest narrow→narrower→narrowest 2．以不发音e结尾的单音节词，比较在原级后加-r，最高级在原级后加-st； 如：large→larger→largest nice→nicer→nicest able→abler→ablest 3．在重读闭音节（即：辅音＋元音＋辅音）中，先双写末尾的辅音字母，比较级加-er，最高级加-est； 如：big→bigger→biggest hot→hotter→hottest fat→fatter→fattest 4．以“辅音字母＋y”结尾的双音节词，把y改为i，比较级加-er，最高级加-est； 如：easy→easier→easiest heavy→heavier→heaviest busy→busier→busiest happy→happier→happiest 5．其他双音节词和多音节词，比较级在前面加more，最高级在前面加most； 如：beautiful→more beautiful→most beautiful different→more different→most different easily→more easily→most easily
一、后接人称代词用主格还就是宾格 由于than既可用作连词也可用作介词,所以当后接人称代词时,可用主格也可用宾格。通常认为在正式文体中多用主格,在口语或非正式文体中多用宾语。如: Ｅｖｅrｙonｅheｒe is talleｒtｈan I [ｍｅ]、这儿得每一个人都比我高。 Her ｓｉster ｓwims fａster tｈan shｅ[heｒ]、她姐姐游泳比她快。 但就是,若人称代词之后跟有动词,则只能用主格。如: Eｖｅryoｎe here is talleｒthan I aｍ、这儿得每一个人都比我高。 Her sister swｉmｓfaster ｔhａn shｅdoes、她姐姐游泳比她快。 注意：有时用主格或宾格会导致意思得变化。比较: I lovｅyou moｒe thaｎｈe （ｌikeｓｙou）、我比她更爱您。 Ｉloｖe you more ｔhan (he liｋes）ｈim、我爱您胜过爱她。 二、后接动词用不定式还就是动名词 1、当连接两个非谓语动词时,通常应使用一样得形式。如: Ｉｔiｓmuch easier ｔo geｔｉｎｔo ｄｅbt tｈan to gｅｔout of it、借债容易还债难。 He ｌｉｋes ｐlａyｉng ｃhｅss more ｔｈanｗatching TV、与瞧电视相比，她更喜欢下棋。 比较: He thｉnｋs it is ｓafeｒｔo drive hiｍselｆｔhaｎ(to) ｌｅt me drｉvｅ、 =He ｔhiｎkｓｔhat dｒivｉnｇhimself ｉs ｓafｅrｔhａnｌetｔing mｅｄrｉｖ e、她认为她自己开车比让我开车要更安全些。 2、若不就是连接两个非谓语动词,则其后出现得动词通常用动名词形式(虽然也可用不定式,但不如用动名词普通)。如: Tｈere aｒe ｗorse caｌａｍitieｓthan fａiｌing yｏur drｉvｉngｔｅｓt、比起您驾驶考试不合格来说，更大得灾难还多着呢。 Nｏthiｎg giveｓme moｒe pｌeａsｕre than lisｔｅｎinｇto Mｏzarｔ、再没有比听莫扎特得乐曲更让我高兴得事了。 Noｔhｉｎg is morｅunplｅａｓａnt than ｆindｉnｇ［tｏfind] iｎｓeｃts in your bath、最使人不快得就是在浴室里发现有虫子。 三、引导比较状语从句得时态问题 若ｔhaｎ引导得比较状语从句与主句动作不一致,可以根据情况使用适当得时态形式。如: He driveｓfaster than ｈe did a ｙear aｇo、她开车比一年以前快了。 Ｔhｅｈouse is ｒather bｉgger than ｗｅｔｈoｕｇht、这所房子比我们想得大得多。若主句为将来时,ｔhan引导得从句可用现在时态表示将来,也可直接使用将来时态。如： Ｗe'll prｏbably drive fastｅr than you ｄｏ[ｗilｌ]、我们开车可能会比您们快。四、引导比较状语从句得倒装问题 than引导比较状语从句时,从句语序通常不需倒装,但在正式文体中，有时也可倒装。如: City dｗeｌler hａvｅa ｈiｇｈeｒｄｅath raｔe tｈａｎｃouｎtry pｅople do、 =City dweｌｌer have a highｅｒｄeａth rａte thａｎｄｏcoｕｎtrｙpeople、城市居民死亡率比农村居民高。 五、引导比较状语从句且在从句中充当成分 有时可引导一个从句并在从句中充当句子成分(主语、宾语、表语),为便于理解,有时可视为thaｎ后省略了ｗｈat: We dｏn't want to ｄｏmorｅthan ｉs necｅssary、我们不想做不必要得事情。
would rather,rather than与other than 用法总结would rather, rather than 与other than 这三个短语形式相近,意思相关,用法值得总结。 一、would rather的用法： 首先，我们注意到would do ...rather than do与would rather do...than do,这两个短语均是“宁可做...而不做...”的意思。其实，这两个短语非常容易掌握。Would是can系列情态动词（can, may, must，could, would, should, might, ought to, used to, shall, will）,其后必接动词原形。rather than是一个并列连词,根据对等原则，其后自然也接动词原形。如： She'd rather die than surrender.=She'd die rather than surrender. ①would do ...rather than do...与would rather do...than do…也可以颠倒为： rather than do…would do …。若选用的动词相同，那么than 后的动词还可以省略。如： I would rather have noodles than rice. Rather than work in such bad condition, he would give up. ②would rather do…than…, than 的前后要用两个同类的词或词组，如两个名词、两个不定式、两个介词短语等。如： I would rather go to work by bike than by bus. I would rather talk with his mother than with his father. ③ would rather 的否定形式为would rather not do ...。 He’d rather not work in the city than in the city countryside. 在疑问句式中，would rather 与would rather…than…中的would要放在主语之前 Would you rather stay here than go home? Which would you rather have, apples or bananas? Would you rather read a novel than read a poem? ④would rather that…that后接虚拟语气。如： He would rather that he got back home right now. ⑤如果只涉及主语本人而不涉及另一个人，则would rather之后不接that从句而接have done结构。如： I would rather have gone to the movies than stayed home night. He would rather be poor than have got money by dishonest methods． 其次，我们还要知道would prefer to do...rather than (to ) do...也是“宁可做...而不做...”的意思。这个短语的对等形式是Rather than do...would prefer to do...,只是此时rather than后必须省略to；“宁可做..”.的内容放在would prefer to do...之后，“而不做...”的内容放在rather than...之后，不能弄错。 We would prefer to listen to the teacher attentively in class rather than stay up late. Rather than stay up late we would prefer to listen to the teacher attentively in class. 再次，我们要知道结构：would rather do…than do…，与prefer doing... to doing...和prefer sth. to sth的区别与联系。如： He prefers wine to beer．= He would rather drink wine than beer． I prefer tennis to golf．= I’d rather play tennis than golf． 最后，would rather do = would prefer to do I’d rather fly than go by sea．= I’d prefer to fly． 顺便提及would prefer to do这个短语中不能省略to的原因是would like/love/prefer 用法与want一样，所以其后接动词时必须接to。 二、rather than的用法。 rather than “而不是”之意。其实，前面would do...rather than do...,would prefer to do...rather than do... 已经涉及到rather than 的具体用法。下面只是补充一下。正如前面谈到的它是一个并列连词,它连接的并列成分可以是名词、代词、形容词、介词(短语)、动名词、分句、不
more than的多种用法 简简单单的“more than”，用法可多呢！ 下面是些好例子： ●A. “More than＋名词”表示“多于……”、“非但……尤其是”如： 1)Modern science is more than a large amount of information. 2)Jason is more than a lecturer; he is a writer, too. ●B. “More than＋数词”含“以上”或“不止”之意，如： 3) I have known David for more than 20 years. 4)Let's carry out the test with more than the sample copy. ●C. “More than＋形容词”等于“很”或“非常”的意思，如： 5)In doing scientific experiments, one must be more than careful with the instruments. 6)I assure you I am more than glad to help you. ●D. 在“More...than...”中，肯定“more”后面的而否定“than”后面的，约等于“是……而不是……”如： 7)The difference between pure linguistics and applied linguistics is more apparent than real. 8)This book seems to be more a manual than a text. 9)Catherine is more diligent than intelli-gent. 10)Hearing the loud noise, the boy was more surprised than frightened. ●E. “More than”或“More...than...”＋含“can”的分句时表示“否定意”，如： 11)That's more than I can do. 12) Don't bite off more than you can chew. 13)In delivering his lecture, Jason makes sure not to include more things than the students can understan d. ●F. “No more...than...”表示“不……；不如……”，如： 14) I can no more do that than anyone else.
英语语法--- 比较级和最高级的用法 在英语中通常用下列方式表示的词: 在形容词或副词前加more（如more natural,more clearly ）或加后缀-er（newer,sooner ）。典型的是指形容词或副词所表示的质、量或关系的增加。英语句子中，将比较两个主体的方法叫做“比较句型”。其中，像“A比B更……”的表达方式称为比较级；而“A 最……” 的表达方式则称为最高级。组成句子的方式是将形容词或副词变化成比较级或最高级的形态。 一、形容词、副词的比较级和最高级的构成规则 1?一般单音节词和少数以-er , -ow结尾的双音节词，比较级在后面加-er , 最高级在后面加-est ； （1 ）单音节词 女口：small f smaller —smallest short —shorter —shortest tall —taller —tallest great —greater —greatest （2）双音节词 如：clever —cleverer —cleverest narrow —narrower—narrowest 2. 以不发音e结尾的单音节词，比较在原级后加-r，最高级在原级后加-st ; 如：large —larger —largest nice —nicer —nicest able —abler —ablest 3. 在重读闭音节（即：辅音＋元音＋辅音）中，先双写末尾的辅音字母，比较级加-er ，最高级加-est ； 如：big —bigger —biggest hot—hotter —hottest fat —fatter —fattest 4 ?以“辅音字母+ y”结尾的双音节词，把y改为i，比较级加-er，最高级加-est ； 如：easy—easier —easiest heavy —heavier —heaviest busy—busier —busiest happy —happier —happiest 5 .其他双音节词和多音节词，比较级在前面加more,最高级在前面加most; 如：beautiful —more beautiful —most beautiful different —more different —most different
more tha n other tha n rather tha n …之钻石题组（教师版） ★.（2007 福建）—Do you need any help ，Lucy? —Yes.The job is _____ I could do myself. A.less than B.more than C.no more than D.not more than 【解析】B. more than+ 含有情态动词ca n，could 的状语从句连用, 表示“不可能” 、“简直不可能” ★.（2009 浙江）It took ____ building supplies to construct these energy-saving houses. It took brains, too. A. other than B. more than C. rather than D. less than 【解析】B. 建造这些节能住宅不仅仅需要供给建筑材料，还需要人类的大脑。more than 不仅仅；other than （相当于but）除了；rather than 而不是；less than 少于。 ★.（2011 课标卷全国I）The form cannot be signed by anyone ___________ yourself. A. rather than B. other than C. more than D. better than 【解析】B 此表格必须由你本人签字。考查短语辨析。rather than 而不是；other than 除了；more than 超出，不仅仅；better than 胜于。女口：All parts of the house other than the windows were in good condition. 除了窗户外，屋子其他部分都很好。 ★（2011 江西宁冈期中） I should thank you ____ that you should thank me. A. because B. rather than C. for D. as 【解析】B. rather than 而不是 ★（2011 襄樊高一检测） Nuclear science should be developed to benefit the people ___________ harm them. A. better than B. more than C. other than D. rather than 【解析】D. rather than 而不是 ★（2011 湖北八校二联） The disaster stricken village was inaccessible ______ by helicopter, and the storm added to the rescuer ifficult'y. s d A. instead of B. other than C. rather than D. regardless of 【解析】B. other than 除了 ★（2011 福建四地六校第三次联考） The drunken driver, rather than the passers-by _______ for the traffic accident. A. was to be blamed B. was to blame C. were to be blame D. were to blamed 【解析】B. be to blame该由 ..... 承担责任”固定结构.谓语动词与rather than前的主语照应 ★（2012 山东潍坊三县市上学期联考）My son prefers us to email each other once a week ____ spend half an hour on the phone every night. A. other than B. rather than C. otherwise D. instead of 【解析】B. rather than 而不是 ★（2012 郑州第一次质量预测） To help the children who have lost their parents, it takes love and care ______ money. A. no more than B. rather than C. less than D. other than 【解析】B. other than 除了; no more than 仅仅 ★（2012 山东聊城一中月考）The driver, _____ the passengers, _______ responsible for the accident. A. more than; are B. rather than; is C. other than; were D. less than;was 【解析】B. rather than 而不是 ★（2012 宁波质检） In no country _____ B ritain, it has been said, can one experince four seasons in
more than... 与more ...than ... more than 与more …than 短语在英语中使用得十分广泛。其用法和意义并不简单，一不留神就可能用错。因为more than 与more …than 除了具备其基本用法外，还有些特殊用法。理解和翻译时要特别小心，不能一看到more than就简单地按照字面上的意思将其理解为“比……更……”或“超过”等，而是要根据上下文找出more than 短语的确切含义，只有这样才不至于贻笑大方。 more than 相当于一个形容词或副词短语，在句中作定语或状语，修饰其后的动词、副词、数词或名词等。 一. more than 的用法 1. more than 后跟数词，相当于over，翻译成“……多、超过……”等，强调某物数量上超出某一范围。 More than 1,500 people were killed in the earthquake. 地震中有一千五百多人遇难。 I have collected more than 3 hundred stamps so far. 到目前为止，我已收集了300多张邮票。 I’ve known him for more than 20 years. 我认识他已经二十多年了。 Their college enrolled more than five hundred new students this year. 他们学院今年招收了五百多名新生。 2. more than 后跟名词或动名词，相当于over, not just, not only，表示“不只是、不仅仅是”等。例如： She is more than a teacher to us, she is our friend. 他不只是教师，她还是我们的朋友。 Hibernation is more than sleep. 冬眠不仅仅是睡眠。 Wood is used for more than building. 木头不仅仅用于建筑。 Blood is much more than the simple fluid it seems to be. 血液不仅仅是一种外表似乎简单的液体。 My trip to Beijing is more than sightseeing. 我去北京不仅仅是旅游观光。 I like autumn more than summer. 我喜欢秋天胜过夏天。
形容词比较级 (一)一般句式的构成： A + is / are+ 形容词比较级+ than + B A 是主格 B 是宾格 如：She is taller than me. 主格形容词比较级宾格 （二）英语形容词比较级的构成 英语形容词比较等级有三个：原级，比较级和最高级。 形容词比较等级形式变化有规则的和不规则的两种。 规则变化 1）单音节词末尾加-er（比较级），-est（最高级） 【例】原级比较级最高级 great greater greatest small smaller smallest clean cleaner cleanest 2）单音节如以e结尾，只加-r（比较级），-st（最高级） 【例】fine finer finest wide wider widest 3）闭音节单音节词如末尾只有一个辅音字母，须先双写这个辅音字母，再加-er（比较级），-est（最高级） 【例】big bigger biggest hot hotter hottest red redder reddest 4）少数以-y，-er，ow，-ble结尾的双音节词，末尾加-er（比较级），-est（最高级）。以-y结尾的词，如-y前是辅音字母，则变y为
-i，再加-er和-est。以-e结尾的词只加-r和-st。 【例】clever cleverer cleverest narrow narrower narrowest able abler ablest easy easier easiest 5）其它双音节和多音节词皆在前面加单词more和most。 【例】careful more careful most careful difficult more difficult most difficult delicious more delicious most delicious 不规则变化 原级比较级最高级 good/well better best bad worse worst many/much more most little less least far farther/further farthest/furthest 注：有些形容词一般没有比较等级。如：right, wrong, 等。 形容词的比较等级的用法：比较级用于二者的比较。 【例】Li Ping is older than Wang Hai. 李平比王海年纪大。 There are more students in Class One than in Class Two.一班比二班学生多。 二、形容词各等级的用法： 1、原级（同级）比较： （1）very、so、quite、too等词后用原级
than的十个难点用法（二） 六、后接时间或条件状语从句 若语义需要，有时其后可接when引导的时间状语从句以及if 引导的条件状语从句。如：You are a little fatter than when I saw you last. 你比我上次见你时胖点了。 Joe carries only nine pounds more than when he was twenty. 乔比他20岁时只重了九磅。They work better together than if they are alone. 他们一起干比他们单干效果要好。 七、同质比较还是异质比较 than 通常用于两个不同的人或物在同一方面进行比较，但有时指的可能是同一个人或物在两个不同的方面进行比较，此时只用于more…than…结构，而不能用–er…than…的形式(即使是单音节也是如此)，这类结构通常可译为“与其……不如……”“有……无……”。如： He’s more fat than sh ort. 与其说他矮不如说他胖。 They are more brave than wise. 他们有勇无谋。 If we tell him about it, it may do more harm than good. 倘若我们把情况告诉他，那可能弊多利少。 八、与never (a) 连用时如何理解 有时than与带有never (a) 的比较级结构连用，表示强调，通常表示最高级的含义。如： I’ve never had a worse morning than today. 我哪一天早上也不像今天早上这样倒霉。 若意思明确，有时可省略than结构。如： He is fine, never better. 他很好，比以往任何时候都好。 I’ve never seen a finer bird. 我从未见过比这更美的鸟。
一、 more than 1. more than 可放在数词之前，意为“超过；不止；以上”，用于此意义时可与 over 互换使用。例如： Altogether more than 70 percent of the surface of our planet is covered by water. 整体说来，我们这个星球表面有 70% 以上都为水所覆盖。 2. more than 可放在名词之前，表示“不只是；不仅仅”。例如： Hibernation is more than sleep. 冬眠不仅仅是睡眠。 Bamboo is used for more than building. 竹子不只是用于建筑。 3. more than 用于形容词或副词前，作“非常；十分”解，与 very 同义。例如： She is more than careful in doing things. 她做事非常细心。 In class, he listens more than attentively. 在课堂上，他听讲十分认真。 4. more than 之后接含有 can 的从句时，常表示否定意义。此时，从句中的谓语动词必须是及物动词，并且与句子的主语呈现逻辑上的动宾关系。例如： This secret is more than we can let out. 这个秘密我们是不能泄露的。（主语 secret 是 let out 的逻辑宾语） 比较：less than 后面接形容词、副词时，意为“不；很少；不到”，具有否定意义。例如： a) We were busy and less than delighted to have company that day. 那天我们很忙，不高兴有客人来。 b) The young man is less than twenty years old. 这个年轻人不到 20 岁。 二、more … than 1. more … than 意为“与其……不如……”；“是……而不是……”，常可与“ rather than ”或“ not so much … as”互换使用。例如： He is more like a spear than anything else. = He is like a spear rather than anything else. = He is not so much like anything else as like a spear.
1．“A + be +形容词比较级+ than + B”意思为“A比B更……”。 如：This tree is taller than that one. 这棵树比那棵树高。注意： ①在含有连词than的比较级中，前后的比较对象必须是同一范畴，即同类事 物之间的比较。 ②②在比较级前面使用much，表示程度“强得多”。 如：A watermelon is much bigger than an apple. ③very, quite一般只能修饰原级，不能修饰比较级。 2．“比较级+ and + 比较级”或“more and more +原级”表示“越来越……”如：It becomes warmer and warmer when spring comes. 春天来了，天气变得越来越暖和了。It is getting cooler and cooler. 天气越来越凉爽。 The wind became more and more heavily. 风变得越来越大。 Our school is becoming more and more beautiful. 我们的学校变得越来越美丽。 3．在含有or的选择疑问句中，如果有两者供选择，前面的形容词要用比较级形式。 如：Who is taller,Tim or Tom? 谁更高，Tim还是Tom? 4. “the +比较级……, the+比较级”，表示“越……越……”。 The more money you make, the more you spend. 钱你赚得越多，花得越多。T he sooner，the better. 越快越好。 5. 表示倍数的比较级用法： ①. A + be +倍数+ times + the + 形容词对应名词形式+ of + B. 如：The new building is three times the height of the old one. 这座新楼比那座旧楼高三倍。(新楼是旧楼的四倍高) ②. A + be +倍数+ times +as +原级+ as+ B. 如：Asia is four times as large as Europe. 亚洲是欧洲的四倍大。(亚洲比欧洲大三倍) ③. A + be + 序数词+比较级+ than + B. 如：Our school is twice bigger than yours. 我们学校比你们学校大两倍。 6.形容词、副词的最高级形式主要用来表示三者或三者以上人或事物的比较，表
与than有关短语的用法例析 一、more than的用法 1. “more than＋名词”表示“不仅仅是” Modern science is more than a large amount of information. 现代科学不仅仅是大量的信息。 Jack is more than a teacher, he is a writer, too. 杰克不仅是一位教师，而且也是个作家。 We need more than material wealth to build our country. 建设我们国家，不仅仅需要物质财富. 2. “More than＋数词”含“以上”或“不止”之意，如： I have known David for more than 20 years. 我认识大卫不止20年了。 More than one person has made this suggestion. 不止一人提过这个建议. 3. “More than＋形容词”等于“很”或“非常”的意思，如： In doing scientific experiments, every student must be more than careful with the instruments. 在做科学实验时，每个学生必须非常小心地（使用）仪器。 I tell you that I am more than glad to help you. 我告诉你：我很高兴帮助你。 4. more than + (that)从句，其基本意义是“超过（=over）”，但可译成“简直不”“远非” “难以，完全不能（其后通常连用情态动词can）”，如： That is more than I can understand. 那非我所能懂的。 That is more than I can tell. 那事我实在不明白。 The heat there was more than he could stand. 那儿的炎热程度是他所不能忍受的 5. “more than”也在一些惯用语中出现，如： More often than not, people tend to pay attention to what they can take rather than what they can give. 经常，人们更关注他们所获得的，而不是他们所给予的。 All of us are more than a little concerned about the current economic problems. 我们中所有人非常关心目前的经济问题。 二、more...than 的用法 1. 比……多，比……更 He has more books than me. 他的书比我多。 He is more careful than the others. 他比其他人更仔细。 2. 与其……不如 He is more lucky than clever. 与其说他聪明，不如说他幸运。 He is more (a) scholar than (a) teacher. 与其说他是位教师，不如说他是位学者。 【注意】：该句型主要用于同一个人或物在两个不同性质或特征等方面的比较，其中的比较级必须用加more 的形式，不能用加词尾-er的形式。 三、no more than 与not more than 1. no more than 的意思是“仅仅”“只有”“最多不超过”，强调少。如： This test takes no more than thirty minutes. 这个测验只要30分钟。 The pub was no more than half full. 该酒吧的上座率最多不超过五成。 For thirty years，he had done no more than he (had) needed to. 30年来，他只干了他需要干的工作。
more than 结构用法小结 英语中more than 的用法比较复杂，它除了用于比较结构外，还可以与名词、形容词、动词或从句等连用，表达不同的含义。下面是more than 结构的一些常见用法 1. more than 结构后跟名词表示“不只是”；“不仅仅”等。例如： (1) However, we must consider more than the beginning of the motion. 然而，我们必须考虑的不只是运动的初始阶段。 (2) Peace is more than the absence of war. 和平不只是意味着没有战争。 2．more than 用来修饰形容词、分词和动词，表示所修饰的词份量不重或含义不够，而加以说明，译成汉语可为“非常”，相当于“very”或“much”。例如： (1) He is more than selfish. 他非常自私。 (2) He is more than happy about it. 他对此事极为高兴。 (3) I am sure conditions over there will more than satisfy your requirements. 我相信那边的条件会极大地满足你的要求。 3．more than 后接单数名词，谓语动词用单数。例如： (1) More than one person has been concerned in this. 这里涉及的不止是一个人。 (2) More than one member protested against the proposal. 不止一个成员反对这个建议。 4. more A than B 结构。用来比较两种说法的正确程度，即前一种说法（A项）比后一种说法（B项）要正确一些，表示“与其……不如……”。在这个句型里，more 后不能用形容词或副词的比较级形式，而要用原级形式，此外还可用名词、代词、动词、介词短语等。例如：(1) He is more good than bad. 与其说他坏不如说他好。 (2) It is more a poem than a picture. 与其说这是一幅画，不如说这是一首诗。 5. more than 或more... than 后接从句，可表示否定意义。例如： (1) The beauty of Hangzhou is more than words can describe. 杭州景色之美是说言所不能描述的。 (2) That is more than I can tell you,sir. 这一点我是不能告诉你的，先生。 （注意：在这种句型中，more than 后常接含有can 或could 的从句，表示“……不能”。）对于下列表示否定意义的句子，有的语法学家认为在than 后面省略了when，有的认为省掉了it，也有的认为than 用作关系代词，因而并无省略。这类句子在理解上并不困难，结构上变化也不大，从实用出发，可将其视为一种句型来学习。例如： a. You spent more money than was intended to be spent. 你花掉的钱比原计划的要多。（原计划要花的钱没有这么多。） b. This is more money than is needed. 这笔钱比需要的多。（需要的钱没有这么多。） c. We often advise him not to drink more wine than is good for his health.
比较级:使用than的常见语法难点 一、后接人称代词用主格还是宾格 由于than既可用作连词也可用作介词，所以当后接人称代词时，可用主格也可用宾格。通常认为在正式文体中多用主格，在口语或非正式文体中多用宾语。如： Everyone here is taller than I [me]. 这儿的每一个人都比我高。 Her sister swims faster than she [her]. 她姐姐游泳比她快。 但是，若人称代词之后跟有动词，则只能用主格。如： Everyone here is taller than I am. 这儿的每一个人都比我高。 Her sister swims faster than she does. 她姐姐游泳比她快。 注意：有时用主格或宾格会导致意思的变化。比较： I love you more than he (likes you). 我比他更爱你。 I love you more than (he likes) him. 我爱你胜过爱他。 二、后接动词用不定式还是动名词 1. 当连接两个非谓语动词时，通常应使用一样的形式。如： It is much easier to get into debt than to get out of it. 借债容易还债难。 He likes playing chess more than watching TV. 与看电视相比，他更喜欢下棋。 比较： He thinks it is safer to drive himself than (to) let me drive. =He thinks that driving himself is safer than letting me drive. 他认为他自己开车比让我开车要更安全些。 2. 若不是连接两个非谓语动词，则其后出现的动词通常用动名词形式(虽然也可用不定式，但不如用动名词普通)。如： There are worse calamities than failing your driving test. 比起你驾驶考试不合格来说，更大的灾难还多着呢。 Nothing gives me more pleasure than listening to Mozart. 再没有比听莫扎特的乐曲更让我高兴的事了。 Nothing is more unpleasant than finding [to find] insects in your bath. 最使人不快的是在浴室里发现有虫子。 三、引导比较状语从句的时态问题