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此句不能按字面譯作:"你不能過分小心。"因為cannot...too是個固定結構,其義為"無論如何...也不過分"。如用英語闡述,上句相當于: You should be as careful as possible. 我們在學習英語的時候,遇到這類實際意義與其字面意義大相徑庭的句子,必須小心區別,正確地理解其涵義。
下面請看幾個類例:
We cannot recommend this book too strongly.
這本書很好,無論我們如何推薦也不過份。
You can't be too careful in dong this experiment.
在做這個實驗時,你們愈仔細愈好。
One cannot be too careful in matters like that.
人們在處理這種事情時必須非常慎重。
要注意的是,cannot...too有幾個變體結構,我們可以用impossible,difficult等字去代替cannot;以enough,difficulty,sufficiently,exaggerate,to over-等字去替代too.
下面的一些句子就是"cannot...too"結構的變體:
I couldn't get home fast enough.
我恨不得馬上回到家里。
You cannot take sufficient care.
你要特別小心。
The importance of this session cannot be exaggerated.
這次大會極為重要。
No man can have too many friends.
朋友愈多愈好。
新概念第二冊其中一課"Do You Call That a Hat?"
中有這么一段風趣的夫妻對話,丈夫和妻子都用了這個句型的變體:
"I find it beautiful," I said. "A man can never have too many ties."
"And a woman can't have too many hats," she anwered.
"這條領帶很漂亮,"我說道。 "男人的領帶愈多愈好。"
"女人的也是愈多愈好啊," 她答道。
我們來實踐一下，翻譯幾個句子吧：(答案拉動黑框即可看到)
1. 過馬路的時候要愈當心愈好。
You cannot be too careful in crossing the street.
2. 對于你們的幫忙和關心，無論怎樣感謝也不為過。
I cannot be too grateful for your help and concern.
3. 一部詞典好比鄰居，如果是好的，相處越久越好；如果是壞的，分手越早越好。
A dictionary may be compared to your neighbor; if it is good, it cannot last too long; if it is bad, you cannot get rid of it too early.
4. 在今天的中國發展房地產業和汽車工業，無論如何重視也不過分。
We cannot estimate too much the importance of the development of real estate and auto industry in China today.
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