(一)off 的介词用法
1.off=in the sea near； a short distance seaward,相当于near， along。
In 1989 an oil tanker hit a rock off the northwest coast of Alas-ka.1989年,一艘油轮在靠近阿拉斯加的西北海面上触礁。
The largest coral bed in the world is one which lies off the northeast coast of Australia.世界上最长的珊瑚礁位于澳大利亚的东北沿海。
A GREat many cities off the coast of China have been opened to foreign countries.许多中国沿海城市已经对外开放。
You will find the post office just off High Street.就在大街附近,你会找到那个邮局。
They were sailing off the coast of France.他们正在离法国海岸不远的海面上航行。
My house is off the main road.我家离大路不远。
The ship sank （a mile） off the port entrance.船在靠海港入口一英里处沉没了。
2.fall off从……上摔下
He fell off the bike and hurt his right leg.他从自行车上摔下,伤了右腿。
(二)more than的语义和翻译
more than是一个常见的习语,有多种语义和译文。
1.后接数量词,意为“多于……”,表示在数量上超过了某种程度。
There are more than 20 people waiting for the bus.那儿有20多个人在等公共汽车。
It took me three hours to finish the writing.写那篇文章花了我三个小时。
注意:若more than前有no， not,则表示在数量上只能达到某种程度,no more than意为only,not more than意为the most。
I have no more than five yuan.我只有五块钱。
The boats are not more than 45 feet long.这些船至多只有45英尺长。
2.后接名词,意为“不止,不仅”。
Peace is much more than the absence of war.和平不仅仅意味着战争。
His report is more than a survey.他的报告不只是一份调查。
Hibernation is more than sleep.冬眠不只是一般的睡眠。
no（not much， nothing） more than意为“只不过是”。
He is no more than a police man.他只不过是个警察。
3.后接动词,表示程度,意为“十分,非常,极大地,不只是”。
This more than satisfied me. 这使我非常满意。
The result will more than pay you for your efforts.所得结果补偿你所花的力气绰绰有余。
4.后接形容词或副词,表示程度,意为“十分,非常,简直”。
They were more than glad to help.他们非常乐意帮忙。
She was dressed more than simply.她穿得岂止是朴素,简直是破烂。
The boy was more than slightly hurt.这男孩伤得可不轻。
5.和含情态动词can，could的从句连用时,往往表达否定意义,意为“不可能,简直不可能”。
The beauty of Mount Tai is more than words can describe.泰山景色之美是语言无法描绘的。
That is more than I can tell.那我不知道了。
The cold was more than the old could bear.天冷得简直让老人们难以忍受。
6.more...than...通常表示比较级句型。
Facts are more eloquent than words.事实胜于雄辩。
7.more...than...用来修饰人或物时,表示同一个人或物的两种特性的对比,可译为“与其说……不如说……”。
It is more a poem than a picture.与其说是一幅画,不如说是一首诗。
The book seems to be more a dictionary than a grammar.这本书与其说是语法书,不如说是词典。
注意:这个结构中的more +形容词/副词不能改为形容词/副词+er的形式。
He is more mad（不说madder）than stupid.与其说他傻,不如说他疯了。
no more...than...意为“不……,正如……不,和……一样不”,前后两者均否定。
He is no more than a boss than I am.他和我一样都不是老板。
I could no more do than you.你不能做那件事,我也不能。
但not more...than...表示“A不如B”,不表示二者均否定。比较:
He is not more diligent than you.他不比你用功。
He is no more diligent than you.他和你一样都不用功。
(三)but for
but for意为“如果没有,如果不是,要不是”,表示与实际情况相反的假设,后跟词组作宾语,相当于条件状语从句,主句的谓语动词用虚拟语气形式。
The ship would have sunk with all on board but for the efforts of the captain.如果没有船长的努力,这艘轮船连同船上的所有的人都会沉下去的。
But for the heavy rain， we would have had a very pleasant trip.要不是那场大雨,我们的旅行会是很愉快的。
I would not have succeeded but for your help.如果没有你的帮助,我是不会取得成功的。
(四)out of...的常见语义
1.“从……出来”。与into相对,例如:He walked out of the hall， all smiles. 他从大厅里走出来。
2.“由于,出于”。例如:He did it out of pity. 他做这事是出于同情。
3.“不在……里面”和in相对,例如:Out of sight， out of mind.眼不见,心不烦。Get out of the way.不要挡路。
4.“用……(作为材料组成)”,out of可省略为of。例如:The bridge is built （out ） of stone. 这桥是用石头建成的。
5.“从……(里)” 。例如:It happened in nine cases out of ten. 十次有九次是这样。
6.“用完,卖完,没有”。例如:They are out of water.他们缺水了。He was out of work. 他失业了。
7.“(和be连用)离开”。例如:The doctor says he is out of danger. 医生说他已脱离危险。
8.“不再处于某状态”。例如:The machine is out of order. 这台机器坏了。
9.“不合适,不协调”。例如:Loud talk was out of keeping in the library.图书馆里禁止喧哗。
10.out of question“不成问题”,out of the question“不可能”。例如:Your request is out of question.你的请求不成问题。I’m afraid your question is out of the question.恐怕你的要求办不到。
11.out of order“发生故障,不整齐”。例如:The elevator was out of order， and we had to walk to the tenth floor. 电梯坏了,我们不得不走到十楼。I hate to see the book GREatly out of order.我讨厌看到这些乱七八糟的书。
(五)rather than的用法
1.rather than起并列作用,有时相当于介词,有时起连词的作用,意为“与其,不愿;不要;不是,而非”。其连接的两个成分的词性应该一致。
I think I’ll have a cold drink rather than coffee.我想喝冷饮,不想喝咖啡。
It’s management that’s at fault rather than the work force. 错在资方,而不在劳方。
I decided to write rather than telephone. 我宁可写信,而不愿打电话。
He ran rather than walked.他是跑来的而不是走来的。
2.rather than 后跟不定式和过去式的意义不同。
He stayed rather than went. 他留下来而没有走。
He stayed rather than go. 他宁愿留下而不愿走。
3.rather than位于句首时,只能跟不带to的不定式。
Rather than run the risk of losing everything they accept this term.
4.后也可跟与谓语动词时态一致的动词形式(多为过去时)。构成prefer to do something rather than do something。
I prefer to work rather than remain idle.我宁愿工作而不愿闲着。
有时rather than后的不定式可以带to。
He prefer to live with a native woman rather than to work for a living.他宁愿和一个本地妇女生活在一起,也不愿靠做工来谋生。
5.构成 would rather than do something
I’d rather walk than take a bus.我宁愿走路而不愿坐公共汽车。
—Some more wine? 再来点酒好吗?
—Thank you， I’d rather not， I have to drive home.不要啦,不能再喝了,我还得开车回家呢。
6.rather than表示客观事实,意为“……而不是,与其说是,……不如说是”。
He is a writer rather than a poet. 与其说他是一位诗人,不如说他是一位作家。
It was a careless action rather than a calculated one.这是一次轻率的而不是有计划的行动。
iwms 4.6