as much as用法詳解

本站特約作者  陳根花（本文原載《第二課堂》雜志）

as much as 看似簡單，但在實際運用中卻相當復雜，不僅用法頗多，而且許多含有as much as 結構的句子往往不好理解（尤其是不好翻譯成中文），對許多同學來說都是一個難點。為幫助同學們攻克這一難點，本文擬對此作一個全面的總結和分析。

一、表示數量

1. 表示具體的數量，其后通常接有具體數量，其意為“……之多”“多達”“整整”，強調“多”。如：

In fact it cost me as much as 100 dollars. 事實上，它整整花了我100美元。

We walked as much as 50 miles that day. 那天我們整整走了50英里。

She trained hard for the race, sometimes running as much as 60 miles a week. 為了比賽，他拼命地訓練，有時一個星期要跑60英里。

—Is it hot up there? 那上面熱嗎？

—Of course, as much as 45 degrees. 當然熱，高達45度。

The speed can vary by as much as 15per cent. 其速度的差別可高達15%。

注：如上例所示，as much as 用于表示具體的數量時，其后接的可能是可數名詞，但由于它們意義上仍然為不可數，故用as much as，不用as many as。如100 dollars，盡管其中的dollars為可數名詞的復數形式，由于100 dollars仍是一個不可數的概念，仍是不可數的。但是下面這句是錯的：I read as much as 100 articles today. 因為這里的100 articles表示的是可數概念，故應改為：I read as many as 100 articles.

2. 表示模糊的數量，其意為“與……一樣多”，有時much后可接被修飾的名詞(不可數)。如：

I ate as much as I could. 我能吃多少就吃了多少。

I’ll spend as much as necessary. 需要花多少錢，我就花多少錢。

Give me as much as you gave Jane. 給我的要和你給簡的一樣多。

I haven’t got as much money as I thought. 我不像原來想象的有那么多錢。

I'm sorry I haven't done as much as I should. 我很抱歉，我做得很不夠。

Some of the doctors are paid almost twice as much as the nurses. 有些醫生所獲得的報酬差不多是護士的兩倍。

We can take as much as our buyer can supply. 買主能提供多少我們就能要多少。

If you charge as much as that, you’ll scare customers off. 如果你要價那么高，你會把顧客嚇跑的。

二、表示程度

1. 譯為“盡量”“盡最大努力(可能)”，主要用于as…as possible [one can]。如：

You ought to rest as much as possible. 你應當盡量多休息。

I have helped you as much as I can. Now it is up to you.  我已盡我所能地幫助你了。現在該看你自己了。

I won’t have a pudding it was as much as I could do to finish the very large first course. 我不要布丁了——我能把第一道大菜吃完就已經很不容易了。

2. 譯為“像……一樣(的程度)”。如：

He doesn't think of you as much as he ought to. 他沒有像本應該的那樣對你好。

We’re in the dark just as much as you are. 我們跟你們一樣被蒙在鼓里。

I don’t pretend to know as much as he does about it. 我不敢說我對此事的了解有他那樣多。

He doesn't think of you as much as he ought to. 他沒有像本應該的那樣對你好。

I like cats as much as dogs. 我喜歡貓和喜歡狗和程度相同。(此句可視為 I like cats as much as I like dogs 之省略)

3. 譯為“與……一樣多”。如：

I haven’t as much responsibility as before. 我不再擔負過去那樣多的責任了。

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