问英语｜英语常见问题解答

问

中国的英语著作一般都认为 n times as much as 是指“……的 n 倍”，而 n times more than 是指“比……多 n 倍”。英语的实际使用情况究竟如何？

答

让我们引用 A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language 的论述, 就可以弄清这个问题。

“可数的 as many (…) as 和不可数的 as much(…) as 由一个倍数短语作前置修饰时，就等于 more(…) than:

Five times as many people came to the demonstration as (did) last time.

$= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \text{Five times more people came to the demonstration than (did) last time.} \end{array} \right.$

参加示威游行的人是上次的五倍。

I paid three times as much for the meal as they did.

$= \left\{I\text{ paid three times more for the meal than they did.} \right.$

我付的餐费是他们付的三倍。

$= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll}\text{The Gross National Product is four times as much/high as (it was) a decade ago.}\\ \text{The Gross National Product is four times more/higher than (it was) a decade ago.}\\ \text{国民生产总值是十年前的四倍。”(CGEL, § 15.71)} \end{array} \right.$

[参见 more(n times more than), times $^{1,2}$ ]

练习

Americans eat ____ as they actually need every day.
1. A
  twice as much protein
2. B
  twice protein as much twice
3. C
  twice protein as much
4. D
  protein as twice much(全国四级,98.6-56)
  
  not so much as 见 not so much...as