speak

speak 用作不及物动词时,侧重于说话的动作本身,而不涉及讲话的内容。从小孩学说话到发表演说,都可以用 speak 这个词:

1. The child hasn't learned to speak yet. 这孩子还没有学会说话。

2. Could I speak to Jim, please? 我可以同吉姆讲话吗?

3. The chairwoman spoke for an hour at the meeting. 女主席在会上讲了一个小时。当 speak 接 English, Chinese, French 等表示语言的词语时, 可以用作及物动词:

4. Do you speak English? 你(会)说英语吗?

5. I can speak French. 我会说法语。

say 侧重所说的内容, 它几乎总带有宾语[名词、代词、从句(包括直接引语和间接引语)]。答题时要抓住 say 的这一特点。上面试题中的 much 便是 say 的宾语, 而 speak 是不能带此类宾语的, 故不能选 C。

1. What did he say? 他刚才说什么？(what 是 say 的宾语)

2. He says (that) he is busy. 他说他很忙。(that 从句是 says 的宾语)

3. I think we can say it's a "plike". 我想我们可以说它是 plike。(it's a plike 是省略 that 的宾语从句)

4. “I don't know,” he says. (直接引语是 says 的宾语) “我不知道，”他说。请做下面的英语试题：

5. ——Hello. May I speak to Zhao Hua? ——Yes. ____.
   A. My name's Zhao Hua B. I'm Zhao Hua
   C. This is Zhao Hua speaking D. Zhao Hua is me(全国高考,92-15)

6. How do you ____ it in English? A. say B. talk C. speak D. tell

7. She began to ____ something but stopped when she heard the teacher ____.
   A. tell... saying B. speak... talking
   C. say... speaking D. talk... telling(上海高考,92-21)

speak 和 talk 用作不及物动词时,有时候差异很小,因此,上面两句中的 speak 和 talk 可以互换。但是,有时候它们是有区别的:speak 侧重表达主语在说话,别人在听,而 talk 则侧重表达两人或两人以上的交谈或讨论,即主语和主语以外的人共同说话。

1. He never spoke at meetings ... 他从未在会上发过言……

2. Speak more slowly. 说得慢一些。

3. She is talking to her boyfriend on the telephone. 她正在跟男朋友通电话。

4. What were they talking about? 他们在谈什么？

[附注]在用作及物动词时,speak 只用表语言的词语作宾语,而 talk 除此之外,还可用其他词语作宾语:

1. There were a lot of people on the boat talking French. 船上有很多人讲法语。

2. It's no use talking nonsense. 瞎扯是没用的。

3. You're talking rubbish. 你胡说。