cannot (never )... too... 结构及其它
请看下面这道高考题:
( 2003 北京春) I was riding along the street and all of a sudden, a car cut in and knocked me down.
---- You can never be ________ careful in the street.
A. much B. very C. so D. too
分析:该题考查的是 cannot ( never )too 结构的用法。答案为 D .此题意为:
我在街上骑车,突然一辆汽车超车,把我撞倒。
在街上骑车,你越小心越好。
cannot too 结构表示无论怎么也不算过分、越越好、要格外、应该特别等意思。表示此意的结构有下列几种:
1. cannot +动词+ too +形容词或副词,例如:
We cannot be too careful in doing experiments. 我们做实验时越仔细越好。
I cannot thank you too much. 我无论怎么感谢你也不过分。
2. cannot + over- 动词 /cannot + be + over- 形容词,例如:
We cannot overemphasize the importance of learning a foreign language. 我们无论怎么强调学外语的重要性也不过分。
We cannot be overvigilant. 我们应该特别警惕。
3. cannot +动词+ too much ( much enough ) ,例如:
We cannot praise him too much. 我们无论怎样表扬他也不算过分。
He is very reliable. You can't trust him too much ( much enough )。 他很可靠,他是你最值得信赖的人。
4. cannot +动词+形容词或副词+ enough
在 cannottoo 结构中的 too 可换成 enough , sufficient 或 sufficiently ; not 也可换成 never , hardly , scarcely 等否定词。例如:
You can never be strong enough. 强壮的身体有百利而无一害。
Drinking water can never be pure enough. 饮用水越纯越好。
5. cannot +动词+ too many +可数名词 / too much +不可数名词,例如:
I think it right that one cannot learn too much knowledge. 我认为一个人的知识愈多愈好。
It is wrong to think that one cannot bear too many children. 认为一个人孩子生得愈多愈好是错误的。
6. It is impossible ( difficult ) to too = cannottoo ,例如:
It is impossible to emphasize this point too much. (= One cannot emphasize this point too much. )要特别强调这一点。
与 cannottoo 相似的结构主要有:
1. cannot help + doing :该结构意为禁不住做、忍不住干,指身不由己地去做某事。例如:
We could not help thinking when we saw the Great Wall in China.
看到中国的长城,我们不禁浮想联翩。
I couldn't help crying when I heard the bad news. 听到那不幸的消息,我忍不住大哭起来。
cannot help but do sth. 也表示不得不、忍不住。例如:
We could not help but walk from dawn to dusk. 我们不得不从黎明走到黄昏。
Hearing the inspiring news, we couldn't help but cheer. 听到这个鼓舞人心的消息,我们不禁欢呼起来。
2. cannot but do sth :该结构表示不得不。例如:
I cannot but admire his courage. 我不得不钦佩他的勇气。
I couldn't but laugh on reading such a funny joke. 读到如此滑稽的笑话,我忍不住笑了。
在上面句式里,可以说 cannot 后面省略了 do anything .例如:
The prisoner could not ( do anything ) but hand in his knife. 那个犯人不得不交出刀子。
can but do sth. 表示只得做某事。例如:
The boy made an apology to his teacher, so the teacher could but give up the idea of punishing him. 那男孩向老师道了歉,老师只得打消惩罚他的念头。
类似这一结构的 cannot choose but to sth 也表示不得不、只得。例如:
It rained hard, so they couldn't choose but stay at home. 雨下得很大,他们只得呆在家里。
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