2011下半年英語(yǔ)六級(jí)考試輔導(dǎo)之復(fù)數(shù)名詞

字號(hào):

2011下半年英語(yǔ)六級(jí)考試輔導(dǎo)之復(fù)數(shù)名詞
    “Another option is to prevent pneumonia in susceptible individuals by vaccination against the pneumococcal bacteria, which is a common cause of pneumonia.”.com
    英語(yǔ)的“bacteria”(細(xì)菌)是個(gè)復(fù)數(shù)名詞,單數(shù)是“ bacterium”。既然如此,后頭形容詞分句里的動(dòng)詞應(yīng)該是“which are”才是。
    這個(gè)錯(cuò)誤的根源,就是復(fù)數(shù)名詞“bacteria”引起的;這類麻煩的復(fù)數(shù)名詞就是本文的主題。
    大家知道,英語(yǔ)名詞有單數(shù)和復(fù)數(shù)之分。通常名詞后頭有“-s” 或“-es”的是復(fù)數(shù),但是不是所有的名詞都如此。許多外來(lái)詞,特別是技術(shù)專有名詞,是多彩多姿的,其復(fù)數(shù)形式并不加“-s”或“ -es”。下面便是些常見(jiàn)的例子:
    一、外來(lái)詞及其原有的復(fù)數(shù)形式,如:
    ① agendum: agenda; ② datum: data; ③ analysis: analyses; ④ criterion: criteria; ⑤ phenomenon: phenomena; ⑥ basis: bases.
    二、外來(lái)詞原有的復(fù)數(shù)或英語(yǔ)復(fù)數(shù),如:
    ① curriculum: curricula/ curriculums; ② formula: formulae/ formulas; ③ index: indices/ indexes; ④ terminus: termini/ terminuses.
    三、有些名詞只有復(fù)數(shù)而沒(méi)有單數(shù),如:
    ① scissors; ② spectacles; ③ trousers; ④ pants; ⑤ measles; ⑥ mumps; ⑦ annals; ⑧ assets.
    四、有些名詞形式是復(fù)數(shù),但是含義是單數(shù),如:
    linguistics, economics, news, the Philippines.
    五、有些名詞形式是單數(shù),但常當(dāng)復(fù)數(shù)用,如:
    people, police, cattle, vermin
    六、有少數(shù)復(fù)數(shù)名詞,既可當(dāng)復(fù)數(shù)用,又可當(dāng)少數(shù)用,如下列句子所示:
    ① The quickest means of travel is by plane.
    ② What Tom has just done is a means to an end.
    ③ What are the important means of transport in Singapore?
    ④ There are ways and means of solving a problem..com
    七、有些名詞,單數(shù)是個(gè)意思,復(fù)數(shù)又是個(gè)意思,如:
    ① a. paper(一種原料,即紙)`
    b. papers(報(bào)紙、文件)
    ② a. work(工作)
    b.works(工廠、作品)
    八、有些名詞,單數(shù)有兩個(gè)意思,復(fù)數(shù)只有一個(gè)意思,如:
    ① a. people(人們、種族)
    b. peoples(種族)
    ② a. light(光明、電燈)
    b. lights(電燈)
    ③ a. practice(練習(xí)、風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣)
    b. practices(風(fēng)俗習(xí)慣)