英语中,表示“更可取;偏爱;优先;宁愿”等倾向性选择时,有几个与rather 或 than 相关联的短语,如:or rather, rather than, would rather, other than, more than,它们非常相似。下面结合例题,厘清其区别,以帮助同学们掌握好这个知识点。 or rather or rather起副词的作用,通常作插入语。“A, or rather B”用于纠正所说的话或提供更确切的信息,意为“A,更准确地说是B”。 例1He worked till late last night, or rather, early this morning.他一直工作到昨天深夜,更确切地说,是今天凌晨。 例2She worked as a secretary, or rather, a personal assistant. 她当了秘书,确切地讲,是私人助理。 rather than A rather than B相当于A instead ofB,意为“是A,而不是B”。 例3I, rather than you, should do the work. 该做这工作的是我,而不是你。 例4Why didn’t you ask for help, rather than trying to do it on your own?你干吗非得自己做,而不请人帮忙? (值得注意的是,本句中rather than 后的trying也可以换成动词原形try。) would rather (1) would rather后接省略to的动词不定式,构成 would rather do的结构,意为“宁愿……”;其否定式为would rather not do,可用于任何人称。 例5—Will you join us in the game? —Thank you, ______ A. but why not? B. but I’d rather not. C. and I won’t. D. and I’ll join. 解析: 由对话可知,答句表示转折意义。答案应为B。 (2) would rather后可接省略to的动词不定式的完成式,构成would rather (not) have done的结构,意为“当时宁愿(没)做……”,表示后悔之意。 例6I raised objections at the meeting, but now I would rather not have done that. 在会上我提出了反对意见,但我现在宁愿没那样做过。 (3) would rather 可与than连用,构成would rather A thanB的结构,此结构还可以表示为:would A rather than B,意为“宁愿A,而不是B”。 例7Tom would rather stay at home than go out with me. Tom 宁愿待在家里,而不愿和我一起出去。 (4) would rather后接从句时,从句中的谓语动词为虚拟语气,用过去式表示现在或将来的意义,用过去完成式表示过去的意义。 例8Don’t come and see me again today. I’d rather you came tomorrow. 今天不要再来看我了,我希望你明天来。 other than (1) other than相当于except,other than A意为“除了A”或“除A之外”。 例9We’re going away in June but other than that I’ll be here all summer. 我们6月份外出,除此之外,我整个夏天都在这儿。 (2) other than与different(ly) from相当时, 意为“不同于……”或“不……”。 例10The truth is quite other than what you think. 事实真相同你想的完全不同。 (3) none / no other than A意为“正是A”或“除A之外无他”。 例11The new arrival was none other than the President. 刚到达的那个人正是总统。more than (1) 置于名词、形容词、副词、动词及从句之前时,意为“多过……”“非常……”“不止……”“……以上”。 例12—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: 根据对话可知“我”需要帮助,因此答句意为这项工作超出了“我”的能力范围。答案为B。 (2) more A than B意为“与其说B,不如说A”或“A更甚于B”。 例13She was more sad than angry when her son lied again. 当儿子再次说谎时,她的悲伤甚于愤怒。 (3) no more than强调数量之少的程度,相当于“仅仅”“只不过”;而not more than是客观的描述,表示 “(数、量)不超过”。 例14There were no more than five students in the classroom then. 当时教室里仅有五个学生。(强调学生数量之少) 例15There were not more than five students in the classroom then. 当时教室里有不到5个学生。(着重客观描述学生数量) (4) A no more... than B的结构意为“A与B一样不……”;而A not more... than B的结构意为“A不比B……”