问英语
原书主词条 · 6 个连续词条

though

原书 PDF 第 1566—1568 页

though1

问

He (=The cat) looked very well, though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk. (New Concept English, Book 3, L. 19)

[原译]虽然它很口渴，喝了半瓶牛奶，但看上去却很健康。(中译本)

句中的 though 是表示让步关系吗？

答

句中的 though 并不是引出让步状语从句的连词,因此不能译作“尽管”“虽然”。“渴”是一时的生理要求,它不是身体健康与否的一项内容,因此“口渴”与“身体健康”不能构成让步关系,例如我们不能说,“尽管我很渴,但我身体很健康”。

应当记住, though 除引出让步状语从句外, 还可以用在主句后引出补充说明, 在意义上相当于 and, yet, however。R. Quirk 等人曾经指出, He is poor — though he is satisfied with his condition. 在意义上并不等于 Though he is satisfied with his condition, he is poor. 而是等于 Though he is poor, he is satisfied with his condition. 类例:

  1. I knew his story, though I didn't want to tell it just then. (EE) 我知道他的身世,但是当时我不想把这一点告诉你们。

  2. I shall come to the meeting, though I can't stay till the end. 我可以到会，不过不能一直待到会议开完。

[试译]它看上去很健康,不过很口渴,一下子喝了半瓶牛奶。

练习

  1. It's true that the old road is less direct and a bit longer. We won't take the new one, ____, because we don't feel as safe on it.

    1. A

      somehow

    2. B

      though

    3. C

      halfway

    4. D

      onehalf(全国研考)

      (参见 although/though)

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-8.md · 10738—10763 行PDF：第 1566 页 · though 1-2

though2

问

An attempt was made to give some coherence to agrarian policy in the two “green plans” of 1961 and 1966 which proved to be effective, though the funds made available were still below what was required.

[原译]1961和1966年两次实施有效的农业计划，企图调整意大利的农业政策。可是拨用的款项远远不够应用。（《英美时文选读》，p.90）

上面句子里的 though 是作“可是”解吗？

答

与前面所讨论的几个例句中的 though 用法不同,本句里的 though 是表示让步关系的,故不应译为“可是”。

[试译]1961年和1966年两次实行的农业计划，企图对意大利的农业政策作某些调整，后来证明这两项计划是颇为成功的，尽管所拨的款项低于所需要的数目。

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-8.md · 10764—10777 行PDF：第 1566 页 · though 1-2

though3

问

“新娘尽管快乐，但起初会想家。

[误] Though happy the bride is, she will feel homesick at the beginning.

[正] Happy as the bride is, she will feel homesick at the beginning.

[正] Though the bride is happy, she will feel homesick at the beginning.

[说明]though 连接的从句不用倒装,可改用 as,或改为正常词序。”(《英语正误辨析词典》,上海外语教育出版社,1995年,p.351)

该书作者说“though连接的从句不用倒装”的说法是否准确？

答

这是我国英语著作很常见的说法。但是，这种说法是不准确的。其实，though连接的从句也可以采用倒装语序：

Happy though the bride is, she will feel homesick in the beginning.

更详细的情形,请见 as20as^{20} 。

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-8.md · 10778—10799 行PDF：第 1567 页 · though 3-5

though4

问

We will take the Endeavour. It is a good, strong ship, though not very fast.

如何分析句中的 though ... fast?

答

though 是个从属连词, 引导让步状语从句。当从句的主语与主句的主语相一致, 并且从句的谓语动词是 be 时, 常常省略主语和 be(参见 ellipsis 5^{5} )。

... though not very fast = though it is not very fast

下面是一些类似的例句：

  1. Though not large, the room was well lit... 这个房间虽然不大,但是采光很好……

  2. Though old and a little deaf, Dr. Johnson still had a good brain. (全国高考,93,阅C) 约翰逊先生虽然年老而且有点儿耳聋，但是头脑清晰。

  3. Though tired, she still kept on running. 尽管很疲劳，但她继续跑。

  4. The article is very important though short. 那篇文章虽短,但很重要。

  5. Though understanding no Spanish, she was able to communicate with the other students. 尽管她不懂西班牙语，但是她能够同其他学生进行交流。

  6. Though refusing to eat, he admitted he was hungry. 虽然他拒绝吃饭，但他承认他饿了。

练习

  1. Though ____ money, his parents managed to send him to university.

    1. A

      lacked

    2. B

      lacking of

    3. C

      lacking

    4. D

      lacked in(上海高考,02-33)

  2. Though ____ in San Francisco, Dave Mitchell had always preferred to record the plain facts of small-town life.

    1. A

      raised

    2. B

      grown

    3. C

      developed

    4. D

      cultivated(全国研考,93-25)

  3. David Singer, my friend's father, ____ raised and educated in New York, lived and lectured in Africa most of his life.

    1. A

      who

    2. B

      if

    3. C

      while

    4. D

      though(全国英语专业四级,93-57)

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-8.md · 10800—10837 行PDF：第 1567 页 · though 3-5

though5

问

“[误]Complicated though the problem is, it can be solved in only two minutes with an electronic computer.

[正] Complicated as is the problem it can be solved in only two minutes with an electronic computer.

[译文]虽然这个问题很复杂,但是用一台电子计算机只需两分钟就能解出。

[解释]倒装式的让步状语从句的句型为: 表语 + as + 主语代词 + 连系动词, 或表语 + as + 连系动词 + 主语名词。虽然在此句型中 as 的意义和 though 相同, 但是却不能用 though 代替。”(《英语正误详解词典》, 复旦大学出版社, p. 694)

请问上面的说法正确吗？

答

这是我国很常见的说法(见 as20\mathrm{as}^{20} )。但是，这种说法是不正确的。其实，though也可以用在上面的异常语序的让步从句中，代替as。可以见到以下几种情况：

A. 形容词(或副词) + though + 主语 + 连系动词或实义动词:

  1. Rich though he is, he is not happy. 虽然他很富有，但是他并不幸福。

  2. Tired as they were( =Tired though they were), Jurgis and Ona sat up late. 尽管朱尔金斯和奥纳很疲惫, 但是他们很晚才睡。

  3. Much though I admire her, I cannot excuse her faults. 虽然我非常崇拜她，但我不能原谅她的错误。

  4. Happy though the bride is, she will feel homesick in the beginning. 虽然新娘很欢乐，但是开始时她会想家的。

B. 名词(不带冠词) + though + 主语 + 连系动词 be:

  1. Genius though she was, she was quite unassuming. 虽然她是个天才，但是她很谦逊。

  2. Coward though he is, do not bully him. (Curme) 尽管他是个胆小鬼，但不要欺侮他。

C. 实义动词 + though + 主语 + 助动词 [如果没有助动词, 则要加上一个 do (does 或 did)]:

  1. Change your mind though you will, you will gain no additional support. 即使你要改变主意，你也不会得到另外的支持。

  2. Fail though I did, I would not abandon my goal. 虽然我失败了,但是我不会放弃我的目标。

Markdown：英语常见问题解答大词典-8.md · 10838—10873 行PDF：第 1567 页 · though 3-5

though6

though/although

问

Much although I have traveled, I have never seen anyone to equal her in thoroughness, whatever the job. (全国研考, 94–16)

谢振元教授主编的《历年英语考研试题精解及模拟试题》(中国人民大学出版社,1999, p. 104)说：“应将(A)中的‘Much although’改为‘Much as’。”我同意这种改法。但是能否改为“Much though”呢？

答

既可改为“Much as”，亦可改为“Much though”。although 不可用于这种异常语序的让步状语从句之中，而 though 却可以，见 although/though，as 20^{20} 。

though/as 见 as 19,20^{19,20}

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