17. "cannot…too…"结构,"cannot…too…"意为"It is impossible to overdo…"或者,即"无论怎样……也不算过分"。"not"可换用"hardly","scarcely"等,"too"可换用"enough","sufficient"等
You cannot be too careful.
18. "否定+but "结构,在否定词后面的"but",具有"which not","who not","that not",等等否定意义,构成前后的双重否定。可译成"没有……不是"或"……都……"等
Nothing is so bad but it might have been worse.
19. "否定+until (till)"结构,在否定词"no","not","never","little","few","seldom"等的后边所接用的"until/till",多数情况下译为"直到……才……","要……才……",把否定译为肯定。
Nobody knows what he can do till he has tried.
20. "not so…but"和"not such a …but"结构,这两个结构和"否定+but"的结构差不多,不同之点是这两个结构中的"but"是含有"that…not"意味的连续词,表示程度。可译为"还没有……到不能做……的程度","并不是……不……","无论怎样……也不是不能……"等。
He is not so sick but he can come to school.
21. "疑问词+should…but "结构,这个结构表示过去的意外的事,意为"none…but",可译为"除了……还有谁会……","岂料","想不到……竟是……"等。
Who should write it but himself?
22. "who knows but (that)…"和"who could should…but"结构,这个结构是反问形式,一般意译为"多半","亦未可知"等等,有时也可直译。
Who knows but (that) he may go?
23. "祈使句+and"和"祈使句+or"结构,"祈使句+and"表示"If…you…","祈使名+or"表示"if…not…,you。
Add love to a house and you have a home. Aad righteousness to a city and you have a community. Aad truth to a pile of red brick and you have a school.
24. "名词+and"结构,在这个结构中,名词等于状语从句,或表示条件,或表示时间。
A word, and he would lose his temper.
25. "as…,so…"结构,这里的"so"的意思是"in the same way"(也是如此)。此结构表明两个概念在程度上和关系上相似。
As rust eats iron, so care eats the heart.
26. "if any"结构,"if any"和"if ever",意思是"果真有……","即使有……",表示加强语气。与此类似的还有:"if anything"(如有不同的话,如果稍有区别),"if a day"(=at least,至少)。
There is little, if any, hope.
27. "be it ever(never)so"和"let it be ever(never)so"结构,这里,"be it"中的"be"是古英语假设语气的遗留形式,现代英语则使用"let it be"。"ever so"和"never so"都表示同一意思,都表示"very"。
Be it ever so humble (let it be ever so humble), home is home.
28. "the last+不定式"和"the last +定语从词"结构,这种结构中的"last"意思是"the least likely",用于否定性推论。可译为"最不大可能的","最不合适的",由原意的"最后一个……"变成"最不可能……的一个"。
He is the last man to accept a bride.
29. "so…that…"句型,这个句型的意思是"如此……,以致于……",但在翻译成汉语时,许多情况下,并不是一定要译成"如此……以致于……",而是变通表达其含义。
He ran so fast that nobody could catch him up.
30. "more + than+原级形容词(副词)"结构,这是将不同性质加以比较,其中的"more"有"rather"的意思。
It is more than probable that he will fall.
31. "more than +动词"结构,这种结构表示动词的程度,可译为"异常","岂止","十二分地"等。
This more than satisfied me.