第二类,than的比较结构
比较结构more ... than...和less...than...
以上两个结构意思相反,在这里作为一组进行对照解析。A more ...than B表示“A比B更......”,而more A than B表示“与其说B不如说A”或者“是A不是B”。同样地,A less ...than B表示“A不如B......”,而less A than B则表示“与其说A不如说B”或者“是B不是A”。
1)China is larger than any country in Africa .
2)A dictionary is more useful than interesting .
3)This dress is less beautiful than that one .
4)A dictionary is less interesting than useful .
经分析发现,第一个例句符合A more ...than B的结构,即A(China)和B(any country in Africa)这两个事物的比较;第二个例句符合more A than B的结构,即同一个事物(a dictionary)的A(useful)和B(interesting)这两个方面的比较;第三个例句符合A less ...than B的结构,即A(This dress)和B(that one)这两个事物的比较;第四个例句符合less A than B的结构,即同一个事物(a dictionary)的A(useful)和B(interesting)这两个方面的比较。根据这些结构所表示的含义,它们分别可以翻译成“中国比非洲任何一个国家都大”、“与其说字典有趣不如说它有用”、“这件衣服不如那件好看”、“与其说字典有趣不如说它有用”。
比较结构no more ...than...和no less...than...
以上两个结构意思相反,在这里作为一组进行对照解析。A no more ...than B表示“A和B(一样)都不......”,而no more A than B则表示“既不A也不B”。A no less ...than B表示“A和B(一样)都......”,而no less A than B则表示“既A也B”。此外,no more...than...等同于not any more...than...,no less...than...等同于not any more...than...。
1)Mary is no more intelligent than Alice .
2)Mary is no more intelligent than beautiful .
3)Mary is no less intelligent than Alice .
4)Mary is no less intelligent than beautiful.
经分析发现,第一个例句是A no more ...than B的结构,即A(Mary)和B(Alice)这两个事物之间的比较;第二个例句是no more A than B的结构,即同一个事物(Mary)的A(intelligent)和B(beautiful)这两个方面的比较;第三个例句是A no less...than B,即A(Mary)和B(Alice)这两个事物之间的比较;第四个例句是no less A than B的结构,即同一个事物(Mary)的A(intelligent)和B(beautiful)这两个方面的比较。根据这些结构所表示的深层含义,它们分别可以翻译成“玛丽和爱丽斯都不聪明”、“玛丽既不聪明,也不漂亮”、“玛丽和爱丽斯都不聪明”、“玛丽既聪明,又漂亮”。
以上是考研常考的六个比较结构,考生的突破口就是抓住每个比较结构的深层含义,并在具体的例子中加以灵活转换。
最后,分析一下上面举例说明部分剩下的真题例句:
But his primary task is not to think about the moral code , which governs his activity , any more than a businessman is expected to dedicate his energies to an exploration of rules of conduct in business . (2006, 49)
这个例子包含的是than类的比较结构:A not any more...than B,表示“A 和B一样都不......”,其中A为his primary task is to think about the moral code,B为a businessman is expected to dedicate his energies to an exploration of rules of conduct in business。由此可见,译文应该为:“他的主要任务不是去思考支配其行为的道德准则,正如人们不应该期待商人去致力于探索商业行为规范一样”。