问英语｜英语常见问题解答

问

（1）We are eating later today. (CGEL)

(2) 'Will you come aboard for a beer?'

'Later,' the lieutenant said. (Hemingway)

(3) He handed in his resignation, and later (on) regretted his hasty action. (CGEL)

(4) The waiter brought coffee, and later presented a bill.

请问上面各句中的 later 是否都是 late 的比较级形式？它们的词义有无区别？

答

句(1)中的later是副词late(迟,晚)的比较级形式,其词义为“晚一些”“迟一些”“较迟”“较晚”。而句(2)、(3)、(4)中的later是独立的语义单位,其词义相当于after(that),afterwards,句(2)中的later可以译为“过一会儿”“待会儿再说”,句(3)中的later可以译为“后来”,句(4)中的later可以译为“过了一会儿”。

练习

“Oh, you don’t want to miss this match! It’s going to be very exciting, you know.” “Then I’ll do my work ____. Let’s go together.”
1. A
  finally
2. B
  of late
3. C
  later
4. D
  lonely
Bill couldn't stand on his head when school started, but later on he learned how.
1. A
  finally
2. B
  afterwards
3. C
  recently
4. D
  lately

问

An hour ____, however, they were all astonished when the gardener rushed in and said seriously that the dog was dead. A. later B. after C. past D. over(全国高考)

答案为 A。这无疑是正确的。但是,我不明白为什么选项 B(after) 是错误的。

答

这道试题犯了顾此失彼的毛病。它忽略了这样一个语言事实:在与过去时连用时,除了使用时间段+later的结构之外,有时也使用时间段+after(副词)的结构。请看下面的例证:

Twenty minutes later. In the hospital, the woman found her husband. 20分钟后。在医院里这位妇女找到了她丈夫。
He fell ill on Monday and died three days after. (ALD) 星期一他病倒了,3天后就去世了。

但是,时间段 + later 结构用得较多:

Ten minutes later I was walking into the bank where I work. (全国高考,93-44) 十分钟后我走进了我所工作的银行。

later

later¹

later²