英语比较状语从句㈦

 

取录自《英语自学参考系列·句法手册》 第五章  第六节  英语比较状语从句(简写本)

编者  川竹 樑翁

 

二、双重比较句及比较从句省略㈠

 

（续前：一、as与than引导的比较状语从句  3.英语比较之特殊形态含than句  ⑽ nothing more than与nothing less than结构）

在这一目里所介绍的内容，是含有比较概念的特殊结构或句式。其中有的并不是比较状语从句，但因其含有比较词语，容易为初学者所混淆，故需将其提说以分清是非。

1. 英语双重比较句与比较词重复

这里要说的是两种比较词语重复而又截然不同的语法现象，它们所表达的是两种不同的概念：双重比较句包含有比较状语从句，而比较词重复则与比较状语从句毫无关系。

⑴“the more…,the more…”句式——该句式是一个特型复合句，结构相同的主句和从句都含形容词或副词比较级，故尔称为双重比较句(double comparative sentence)。

“the more…, the more…”是现代英语中常用的一种简约句式结构，此句式特点是前后两子句结构相同而平行，并以逗号隔开。通常是前面的“the more…”子句是状语从句，后面的“the more…”子句是主句。句中的两个the都是副词，而不是冠词；两个more都泛指比较级，即表示此处需用形容词或副词的比较级形式，而不一定指more本身的词义“多”。该句式若用汉语文字叙述便是“the+比较级…，the+比较级…”【本手册叙述句式将英汉两种形式兼用】，所表达的中文意思便是：“越…，就越…”。主要用来表示相比的两种事物按比例而增加或减少，或者表示一物的增加程度与另一物的减少程度呈反向对应。如果所表述的内容特别短少，主从句间的逗号也可以略而不用。

 

①“The more…, the more…”句式——表示后者即主句在程度上随着前面从句变化而变化，常是把被强调部分提前。

其完全句式为：“The more +主语+谓语部分, the more +主语+谓语部分.”。

例：The more I know him, the more I like him. 我越了解他，就越喜欢他。

The more you read, the more you understand. 你读的书越多就懂得越多。

The more exciting it is, the happier they are. 越是有趣，他们就越是高兴。

The higher the ground is, the thinner air becomes. 离地面越高，空气就越稀薄。

 

②在“the more…, the more…”句式中，主从句的时态基本要求一致，常用一般现在时或一般过去时。

例：The more he gets, the more he wants. 他越来越贪。【一般现在时】

The more she learns, the more she wants to learn. 她越学越想学。

The more I read the book, the more I liked it．这本书我越看越喜欢。【一般过去时】

The better I knew him, the more I liked him. 我越了解他就越喜欢他。

The harder he worked, the more he got. 他工作越努力，得到的就越多。

 

③“the more…, the more…”中，有时候前一个“the +比较级”相当于条件状语从句，后一个“the +比较级”是其主句。故若主句谓语须用将来时态，从句谓语便不可用将来时态而应用一般现在时表将来。

例：The faster they run, the better it will be. = If they run faster, it will be better. (如果)他们跑得越快，那就越好。

The hotter the air is, the more quickly it will rise. = If the air is hotter, it will rise more quickly.

(如果)空气越热，它就上升得越快。

The harder you study, the greater progress you will make. = If you study harder, you will make greater progress.

你(若)越用功，进步就会越大。

又例：The more you eat, the fatter you will be. 你吃得越多长得就越胖。

The earlier you start, the sooner you’ll be back. 你出发得越早，回来得就越早。

The harder you study, the better result you’ll get. 你学习越努力，成绩就会越好。

The more books you read, the more knowledge you will get. 你读书越多，你获得的知识就越多。

The longer the war lasts, the more the people there will suffer. 战争持续得越久，那里的人们受难就越多。

 

④“the more…, the more…”这种句式中，其比较部分通常是表语、状语、宾语，也可以是主语。当“the+比较级”修饰宾语时，采用这种句式自然要将宾语提前。若比较级作表语而且不位于句首时，the可不用。

例：The busier he is, the happier he feels. 他越忙越开心。【表语】

The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. 年纪越轻，学习越容易。

The better I know her, the more I admire her. 我对她越了解，我就越爱慕她。【状语】

The more you practise, the better you can understand. 你练习得越多，理解得就越透。

The more we get together, the more we know each other. 我们相聚越多，我们相互了解就越多。

The more money you make, the more you spend. 你挣的钱越多，花的钱也越多。【宾语前移】

The more money you have, the better life you will live. 你的钱越多，你生活就越好。

The more English you practise, the better your English is. 你英语练习得越多，你的英语就会越好。

The more colors there are on the picture, the better it will look. 图画颜色越多，效果显得越好。【there be句主语】

The more air there is inside the tyre, the greater pressure there is in it. 轮胎里空气越多，承受的压力就越大。

 

⑤在双重比较句中，两个比较级部分所充当的成分也可以有所不同。

例：你用词越准确，人们就能越容易理解你的意思。【先比较下面译句中的粗体字】

译：The more exact your words are, the easier it is for people to understand you. 【从表主状】

The more exactly you use your words, the more easily people will understand you. 【主从皆状语】

The more exact words you use, the more easily people will understand you. 【从宾主状】

又例：The more you learn, the better your score will be. 你学的越多，你的成绩就越好。【从宾主表】

The more careful you are, the fewer mistake you will make. 你越细心，你犯的错误就会越少。【从表主宾】

The more I know, the more I know that I don’t know. 我知道的越多，我越知道我还有不知道的。【从宾主状】

The more we listen to the teacher, the more we understand. 我们听老师讲的越多，我们就懂得越多。【从状主宾】⑥

 

⑵“the more…, the less…”——句中more换用less，表“越…，越不…”或“越不…，越…”

①若需表示“一物的增加程度与另一物的减少程度呈反向对应”，就用“the more…, the less…”句式。

例：The more I thought about it, the less I like it. 我越想越觉得不是味儿。

The more she flatters me, the less I like her. 她越逢迎我，我越不喜欢她。

The more you hurry, the less progress you are likely to make. 欲速则不达。

The more she slept, the less comfortable she felt. 她越是睡觉，感觉就越不舒服。

The more leisure he has, the less he stays at home. 愈是有空，他愈不肯待在家里。

The more I want to change, the less my ability is. 我越想改变，我的能力就越差。

The greater the enrichment, the less the critical mass. 浓缩程度越大，临界质量越小。

The more airs he gives himself, the less respect we’ll show him. 他越是神气，我们越不买账。

The more difficult the questions are, the less likely he is able to answer them. 问题越难，他能回答的可能性就越小。

 

②less是more的反义词，意“较少”；如要表示“相比的两种事物按比例而减少”，就需后面主句用“the less…”，而前面从句得用与“the less”概念同向的相应词义比较级。

例：The smaller the house is, the less you have to pay for it. 房子越小付的钱越少。

The earlier you get there, the less money it will cost. 你到达那里越早，所花费的钱越少。

The lower the tone frequency the less audible it tends to be. 音频信号的频率越低，便越难被听到。

The less the lame loon learn on its little lame leg, the less the loon limped.

跛足的笨蛋对它的小跛足依靠得越少，笨蛋跛行就越少。

 

③若要表示“越不…就越…”，常用“the less…, the more…”句式。

例：The less the spots intermingle, the better it is. 斑点越没混合，那就越好。

The less he worried, the better he worked. 他越不烦恼，工作就干得越好。

 

⑶“the more…, the more…”句中语序——从句不可倒装而主句可以倒装。

①一般说来，从句中的主语与谓语必须是主前谓后的正常语序，不能够语序倒装。但主句却可以根据需要而行调整：既可采用正常语序，也可采用倒装语序【指主谓换位倒装而非比较部分提前】。

例：The nearer we go to the south, the warmer it will be. 越往南走，天气越暖和。【主句正常语序】

The harder you work, the sooner you will make progress. 你越努力，进步就越快。

The longer she waited, the more impatient she became. 她等得越久，就越不耐烦。

The smaller the house is, the less will it cost us to heat. 房子越小，花的取暖费就越少。【主句倒装语序】

The noisier the children were, the happier was their mother. 孩子越吵闹，他们的母亲就越高兴。

The more we thought of the lost boy, the more did we get worried. 我们越想那个丢失的孩子，就越是着急。

 

②除上述情况外，还存在着主句在前，从句在后的特殊情况。此时，主句中的“the+比较级”多放在主句之末。汉译时要按汉语习惯先译主句，再译从句。

例：He is the busier, the happier he feels. 他越忙越高兴。

You are the heavier, the more you eat. 你身体越重就吃得越多。

We climb the higher, the farther we will see. 爬得越高，就看得越远。

I became the more annoyed, the happier he was. 我越恼火, 他越高兴。

 

⑷“the more…, the more…”的句中省略

①在通常情况下，如果主、从句中的谓语动词是联系动词be，而且主语不是代词时，此时be常常省略；但若含be子句的主语是代词，该be便不能省略。

例：The higher the tree (is), the stronger the wind (is). 树大招风。【主语是名词可省be】

The better the boy (is), the more I like him. 这男孩愈好我愈喜欢他。

The bigger the house (is), the more money it will cost. 房子愈大愈值钱。

The greater (is) the resistance, the less (is) the current. 电阻越大，电流就越小。

The better the food (is), the more popular a restaurant gets. 食物越可口，饭店的生意就越红火。

The colder the weather (is), the more comfortable my life (will be). 天气愈冷，我的生活就愈舒服。

但：The more exercise you take, the stronger you are. 锻炼得越多，身体越强壮。【主语you系词are不能省】

The greater the size (is), the easier it is for you to spot. 体积越大，你就越容易弄污。【it is中is不能省略】

 

②对于主句在前，从句在后的特殊情况，主句中形容词或副词前的the常常省略；若比较级作表语且不位于句首时，the也可省而不用。

例：I knew him (the) more, the more I liked him. 我越了解他就越喜欢他。【前位主句可省the】

You practise (the) more, the better you can understand. 你练习得越多，你理解得就越透。

若：When we are (the) more in danger, we should be braver. 越是危险，我们越应勇敢。【非句首表语省the】

 

③主、从句的主语和谓语动词在叙述的场合有默契，可酌情省略。

例：The sooner (you finish it), the better (it will be). 你完成得越快越好。

The more (you know), the more dangerous (it will be). (你)知道得越多，(处境)就越危险。

 

④谚语、俗语的表达，要求只要意义明确便越简练越好。因此“the more…, the more…”省略句就常用于谚语、俗语的表达。

例：More haste, less speed. 欲速则不达。【谚】

The sooner, the better. 越早越好／事不宜迟。

The more, the better. 多多益善。【越多越好。】

The higher, the colder. 越高越冷。【海拔越高，气温越低。】

The more I learn, the less I feel I know. 学而后知不足。

The more noble, the more humble. 结实愈丰者，其穗愈低。

The more you have, the more you want. 越有钱，越贪心。【谚】拥有愈多，欲望愈高。

The more you beat iron, the harder it grows. 铁不炼不成钢，玉不琢不成器。

The nearer to the church, the farther from God. 离教堂越近，离上帝越远。【谚】

 

⑸非比较句之比较词重复——用and连接同一比较级词的重复：“比较级+ and +比较级”(越来越…)——简单句中的比较，偶尔也出现在复合句的主句或从句中，但不是比较状语从句。

①固定结构“better and better”——该结构的本身意义可译为“越来越好”，它还表示单音节词比较级的重复方式，因为单音节词比较级的构成，都是在其词尾加-er即成“-er+and +-er”，或为“better and better”、“worse and worse”之类不规则变化的比较级形式。这类重复的形容词比较级，多是用在“主—系—表”句中半系动词后面作表语；重复的副词比较级则是用在“主—谓—宾”句中作状语。

例：The boy is growing taller and taller 那男孩长得越来越高了。【“主—系—表”句】

The man is becoming lazer and lazier. 那人真是变得越来越懒了。

It’s getting colder and colder after White Dew. 白露过后天气越来越冷了。【该It表天气】

It’s pity he is getting poorer and poorer. 真可怜他越来越穷了。【该It是代主语从句的形式主语】

The summer is coming; the weather becomes hotter and hotter. 夏天到来，天气变得越来越热。

The situation is getting worse and worse. 情况越来越糟了。【不规则变化比较级】

His English is getting worse and worse. 他的英文变得越来越差。

Your English is getting better and better. 你的英语越来越好了。

Things are getting better and better every day. 情况一天天好起来。

That boy studies English harder and harder. 那小子学习英语越来越用功了。【“主—谓—宾”句】

John ran faster and faster on the last lap. 约翰在最后一圈时跑得越来越快。

He watched the airplane ascend higher and higher. 他看到飞机飞得越来越高。

 

②many比较级的“more and more”——该结构的意义可译为“越来越多(的)”，内中more是形容词many的比较级形式，其后可接一复数名词或不可数名词。“more and more +名词”，可用作句子的主语或宾语。

例：More and more people turn to computer science. 愈来愈多的人从事计算机科学研究。【同作主语】

More and morewomen are wearing men’s fragrances. 越来越多的女士在用男士香水。

More and more young men are widowed by cancer. 越来越多的青年男子被癌症夺去了妻子。

More and more old people have capital tied up in a house. 越来越多老年人的资金全让房子给套牢了。

The proposal is gaining more and more adherents. 该建议得到越来越多的支持者。【同作宾语】

The beautiful scenery here is fetching in more and more tourists. 这里优美的风景吸引了越来越多的旅游者。

As her illness got worse, she lost more and more colour. 随着病情恶化，她脸上越来越没有血色了。【接不可数名词】

He now assumed more and more responsibility for details. 现在，他越来越不放心，事无巨细，都要亲自过问。

 

③much比较级的“more and more”——该结构中的more是副词much的比较级形式，其意为“在很大程度上越来越…”，它可用在及物或不及物动词后面修饰该动词，作其状语。

例：New fashions are exposing more and more the body. 新式服装越来越露。【修饰及物动词】

Age stole onward and benumbed me more and more. 年纪渐老使得我(反应)越来越迟钝。

The weakness of his regime is showing more and more. 其政权不稳逐渐显现出来。【修饰不及物动词】

It was a progressive disease and he would suffer more and more. 病情逐渐加剧，他将忍受越来越大的痛苦。

More and more she resembled the dead film star. 她越来越像那位已故的影星了。【提到句首修饰谓语动词】

 

④“more and more+原级”结构——“more and more”更是常在其后与形容词【包括形容词化的分词】或副词原级连用，表示多音节词比较级的重复方式，因为多音节词和部分双音节词的比较级都得在其原形前面加more才能构成，比较级重复便成了：“more and more+形容词／副词的原级”。

例：I find English is more and more difficult. 我发现英语越来越难了。【修饰形容词】

This girl is becoming more and more beautiful. 这姑娘长得越来越漂亮了。

The UN began to get more and more powerful. 联合国开始变得越来越强大了。

This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling.这一带越来越繁华了。

People are dying of cancer more and more often. 死于癌症的人越来越多了。【修饰副词】

He speaks more and more openly about his problem. 他越来越公开地谈他的问题。

Fanned by the wind, the fire burned more and more furiously. 火借风势，越烧越旺。

The weather was hot; they walked more and more slowly. 天气炎热，他们走得越越慢。

The singing is getting more and more spirited. 歌声越来越高昂。【修饰形容词化的分词】

I began getting more and more enraged at my father. 我开始变得越来越生父亲的气了。

Learning becomes more and more difficult as we get older. 随着年龄增长，学习变得越来越难。【复合句中】

As time goes on, my hometown will become more and more beautiful.随着时间的推移，我的家乡将变得越来越美丽。

He grew more and more bad-tempered as the afternoon wore on. 随着下午一点点地过去，他的脾气也越来越坏。

As the minutes ticked away, she became more and more irritated. 随着时间一分一分地过去，她变得更加不耐烦。

Increasing frailty meant that she was more and more confined to bed. 日益衰弱意味着她愈来愈需要卧床。

 

⑤反义结构“less and less”——“more and more”意“越来越多”，表示逐渐增多，逐渐上升；若有表示逐渐减少，逐渐下降的含意，那就得用其反义结构“less and less”。

例：The noise became less and less. 声响渐渐小了起来。【less and less直接作表语】

The amount of water which is suitable to drink is less and less. 适合人类喝的水是越来越少了。

I was always penniless because the work was less and less. 翻译活儿越来越少，我的钱包经常唱空城计。

She looks less and less beautiful. 她越来越不美。【less and less与其后的形容词共作表语】

Holiday tickets are getting less and less expensive. 假日机票越来越便宜了。

As I spoke to him, he became less and less angry. 我跟他说着话,他越来越不生气了。

As he grew older, he became less and less active. 随着他年龄的增长,他变得越来越不活泼了。

Gary and I saw each other less and less. 我和葛瑞彼此见面的机会愈来愈少。【less and less作状语】

He played the piano less and less as he grew older. 他随著年龄的增长，弹钢琴的次数越来越少了。

特别提示：别将little and little与less and less相混淆

与less and less外形相近的little and little，其意为“一点一点地”；因little是原形否定词而不是比较级，不含比较意；而less正是little的比较级形式，故此两者貌同而义不同。

例：By little and little, I have learned to read Japanese. 我逐渐学会阅读日文。

After the operation, he was gaining in health by little and little. 手术后，他渐渐康复了。

Profound knowledge is accumulated little and little. 渊博的知识是一点点积累起来的。

 

⑥“less and less”修饰名词——跟“more and more”一样，“less and less”也可以修饰名词作其定语，然后与该名词一起充当句子的主语、宾语或表语。

例：There are more and more gossipers. 现在传闲话的人越一越多了。【主语】

There was less and less respect for authority. 人们对权力的崇拜越来越淡。

More and more people are giving up smoking. 戒烟的人越来越多了。

More and more people are going in for table tennis. 爱好打乒乓的人越来越多了。

More and more students become interested in English. 越来越多的学生对英语感兴趣了。

She spends more and more time alone in her room. 她独自呆在房间里的时间越来越多了。【宾语】

Beethoven senior drank more and more and earned less and less. 老贝多芬酒喝得越来越多，钱挣得越来越少。

We are gaining more and more fortune, but less and less morality. 我们拥有的财富越来越多，道德品质却日益沦丧。

As machines did more and more work, people did less and less. 因机器做了越来越多的事情，而人类做的越来越少。

That means there will be less and less space for wildlife. 这意味着野生生物的生存空间将越来越少。【表语】

（未完待续）