通過比較級和最高級表示否定意義

　　眾所周知，英語中的形容詞和副詞有比較級和最高級兩種形式。這兩種形式除了分別表示兩者之間和兩者以上之間的比較外，還可用來表示否定意義。這種用法主要見于：

　　1.know better than+不定式。這種結(jié)構(gòu)意為“不至于”：

　　She knows better than to go alone on such a night.

　　在這樣的夜晚，她不至于連不宜單獨(dú)外出也不知道。

　　know better than to do sth.的含義是be wiser,better informed,or more sensible than to do or believe sth.

　　以此類推，下列三句有類似意義，如：

　　I am wiser than to believe that.

　　我不至于蠢到竟然相信這件事。

　　You have a better command of French than to make such mistakes.

　　你的法語較好，不至于犯這樣的錯誤。

　　He is more experienced than to do such a thing.

　　他比較有經(jīng)驗，不至于做這樣的事。

　　2.more than…can。這種句型形式上是肯定，實(shí)際上有否定含義，如：

　　The boys in the street have become very insolent and it is more than flesh and blood can bear.

　　街上的男孩變得非常無禮,到了人所不能忍受的地步。

　　The beauty of the place is more than I can describe.

　　那地方美得無法形容。

　　This is more than I can tell.

　　這我簡直不懂。

　　He has bitten off more than he can chew.

　　他承擔(dān)了力所不及的事。

　　3.用the last，the least等最高級形式表示強(qiáng)烈的否定意義，如：

　　He would be the last man to say such things.

　　他決不會說這樣的話。

　　This is the last place where I expected to meet you.

　　我萬萬沒有想到會在這兒碰上你。

　　That was the least of his worries.

　　那可是他最不擔(dān)心的事情。