than

在这类句子里有时可以把 than 看作是关系代词, 充当句子的主语(请与充当主语的关系代词 that 和 as 作比较):

1. You spent more money than was intended to be spent. (CGEL) 你花掉的钱比原计划的要多。

2. That morning we drank more tea than had been our custom. 那天早晨我们喝的茶比通常多了一些。

3. More middle-aged persons suffer from heart trouble than is generally realized. (Wood) 患心脏病的中年人比一般所认为的要多。

4. This is more money than is needed. 这笔钱比需要的多。

5. You seem to take keener interest in the subject than has ever been shown before. 看来你现在对这个科目的兴趣比以前要浓厚得多。

6. The town offers better cultural advantage than has been generally supposed. 这座城市所能提供的文化上的优越性比普遍所认为的还要好。

但是,也有人解释说,在此类句子里,than 从句中省略了主语 it(即把 than 看作是连词,而不是关系代词):

There were more casualties than was reported.

→There were more casualties than it was reported there were. (Wood)

伤亡人数比报道的要多。

令人遗憾的是,这两种解释之中的任何一种解释都不适用于此类句型中的所有句子。例如,把 than 看作关系代词的语法学家,不能解释 than 之前没有中心词的句子以及 than 从句

的谓语动词在数上与中心词不一致的句子：

1. I don't think this is any better than was ordered. 我认为它并不比订的货好。

2. The really serious cases are fewer than has been suggested. (Wood) 真正严重的病例比人们推测的要少。

而把 than 看作是连词的语法学家则不能解释 than 从句的谓语动词使用复数的句子：

He smoked fewer cigarettes than were normally available.

因此,有的语法学家对此采取了灵活的态度,即有时把 than 看作是关系代词,有时则看作是连词。例如,R.Quirk 等人把下列句子里的 than 看作是连词:

Given that this work was produced under particularly difficult circumstances, the result is better than could be expected. (CGEL, p. 905)

由于这件工作是在极其困难的条件下完成的,所以结果比所预料的要好。

而把下列句子的 than 看作是关系代词：

1. He smoked fewer cigarettes than were normally available. (GCE, p. 686)

2. You spent more money than was intended to be spent. (CGEL, p. 1131)

并建议读者与下列句子中的 that 和 as 进行对比：

1. You spent the money that was intended.

2. She is extremely popular among students, as is common knowledge. (CGEL, p. 1116).

TOEFL 的测试专家们是坚决主张把此种用法的 than 看作是关系代词的(答案只能是 D, 不允许选 B):

"How embarrassing we are nowadays!" "The next war will be more cruel ____ can be imagined." A. that B. than it C. which D. than

在你耐心地读完

上面的试题作为语法结构试题是不恰当的，因为它有两个语法结构正确并符合惯用法的选项D和A。遇到这样的试题，出题者和解答者总是解释说，这里有一个最佳答案的问题。但是，请问学习英语的中学生对于两个语法结构正确且符合惯用法的句子能够辨别出哪个是最佳的吗？我们的英语教学对于他们应当有此种要求吗？再说，我们的英语教师甚至英语研究者能够鉴别出哪个句子是最佳的吗？上面的试题和解答者的解答很好地说明了这个问题：解答者认为欠佳因而应当落选的句子(D)恰恰是著名英国语言学家F.T.Wood写出的句子(见Current English Usage,p.264)，那个解答者认为最佳的句子又是谁写出的呢？这是一个在英语测试中应当引起重视的问题。建议今后在英语测试题中尽量避免让学生在两个语法结构正确且符合惯用法的句子中进行选择。

下面让我们来证明选项D和选项A都是正确的。

选 D 时, 可把 than 看作是关系代词, 作从句的主语, 亦可把 than 看作是连词, 其后省略了主语 it。类例:

Robert did more work than was intended. 罗伯特干的工作比计划的多。

选 A 时, than 用作连词, 其后省略了主语 it 和助动词 is。类例:

1. You arrived earlier than (it was) necessary. 你来得比规定的时间早了一些。

2. If you go to Xi'an, you will find the palaces there more magnificent than commonly supposed. (上海高考, 94–26) 如果你去西安, 你就会发现那里的宫殿比通常所想象的还要雄伟。

上面的句子犯了比较对象不正确的毛病。按照逻辑以及英语惯用法，应当是中国人与其他国家的人(民)作比较，而不是中国人与其他国家作比较。上面的句子可改为：The Chinese eat less sugar than people of many other countries in the world. 参见any $^{2,3,4}$ 。下面的句子也犯了同样的毛病：

The population of China is larger than the United States. (应为 than that of the United States) 请做下面的英语试题：

The cost of living in Shanghai is still higher than any other city in China. (上海高考,94-35)

正确答案是[A]exist。要理解这个句子，必须搞清 than 的用法。最简单明了的方法是把 than 看作是关系代词，引导定语从句，它在定语从句中作主语，其先行词是 restrictions。另一派英语语法学家则把 than 看作是连词，引导比较状语从句，在这里可以理解为省略了 the restrictions which 或者 those which。不管如何解释，exist 都被看作是从句的谓语动词（见 than $^{1,3,4}$ ）。由此可以证明选[D]to exist 是错误的。

[句意]这些提议要求在使用和复制数字信息时采用比传统媒体更加严格的限制。请做下面的英语试题：

1. He often sat in a small bar drinking considerably more than _. A. he was in good health B. his health was good

than did it 1480 C. his good health D. was good for his health(全国六级,95.6-52)

2. The project requires more labor than ____ because it is extremely difficult. A. has been put in B. have been put in C. being put in D. to be put in(全国研考,92-28)