注意不要按漢語習慣省掉該用的物主代詞

■請看下面的題，要填物主代詞嗎？

When I told him the news, he smiled and shook __________ head.

A. the                   B. his                    C. a                    D. ×

■此題應選B。容易誤選D。因為按照漢語習慣，通常只說“搖頭”，而不說“搖他的頭”。

在漢語中，像“我的”、“你的”這類詞有時可以省略，但在英語中，這類相應的物主代詞卻通常不宜省略。如：

◆有問題請舉手。

正：Put up your hands if you have any questions.

誤：Put up hands if you have any questions.

◆他切傷了手指。

正：He had his finger cut.

誤：He had finger cut.

◆他拿起帽子就走出了房間。

正：He picked up his cap and left the room.

誤：He picked up cap and left the room.

◆別把手放在口袋里。

正：Don’t put your hands in your pockets.

誤：Don’t put hands in pockets.

有時英語中也可以省略物主代詞。如：

◆他來時，我正在吃早餐。

正：When he came, I was having breakfast.

正：When he came, I was having my breakfast.

但是有時物主代詞的有無，會產生語義上的差異。如：

lose heart 灰心

lose one’s heart (to) 傾心于(某人)，愛上(某人)