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这些短语的常见意义为"比…更"，如：There are more cars on the roads in summer than in winter。夏天公路上的车比冬天多。但是这个释义并不适合所有的场合。在很多情况下，这些句型中A、B表示的是不同种类的比较，而且是表示在比较的基础上的一种选择关系，应该译为"与其说…还不如说"。如：Teaching can be more like guiding and assisting than forcing information into a supposedly empty head。

译文：教学与其说是把知识灌输到假定为一片空白的头脑中，还不如说是对其进行引导和帮助。(本句可理解为将"知识灌输"的行为与"引导和帮助"的行为进行对比，说明教学选择的是后一种行为。故译为"与其说…还不如说"。注意译文与原文的语序相反。)

It remains our view that a definition would be more likely to interfere with than to assist the competent organs of the United Nations to take quick and effective action to ensure the maintenance of peace。

译文：我们仍然认为，一项定义与其说是有助于，还不如说是有碍于联合国各个主管机构采取迅速而有效的行动确保和平。

It was a curious exchange,less a debate than a quarrel between two aggressive men, each of them determined to impress the audience as more peaceful than the other。

译文：这是一次奇妙的交谈，与其说是两个好斗的人之间的一场辩论，还不如说是一次吵嘴，双方都竭力想使听众觉得自己比对方更爱和平。

(2)no more...than，not any more than表示类比，意思是"和…一样都不"，"不比…更"。

no more...than与not any more不能简单地看做more...than 的否定形式。这一结果可能是带有一定的感情色彩的否定形式，也可能是一种较特殊的类比形式。

第一种情况：表示同类否定比较，可译为"不比…更"或"都…同样不"。

The heart is no more intelligent than the stomach, for they are both controlled by the brain。

译文：心脏和胃一样无智力可言，因为它们都是由大脑控制的。

The food on the ship was no better than on any other ship on which Billy had sailed。

译文：这条船上的(供应的)食品和比利工作过的其他船上的食品一样差劲。

第二种情况：表示两者的比较关系，可译为"正如…不，…也不"。

There is no reason they should limit how much vitamin you take, any more than they can limit how much water you drink。

译文：他们没有理由限制你服用多少维生素，正像他们不能限制你喝多少水一样。(这句话实际上是前后两部分进行比较的一种用法)

No one can hold back the tide of revolution any more than a man with a broom can hold a flood that has burst the dam。

译文：任何人都无法阻挡革命洪流，正如一个人不能拿着扫帚挡住决堤的洪水一样。

The archaeologists' efforts are not directed at proving the correctness of the Bible any more than belief in God can be scientifically demonstrated。

译文：考古学家的努力并不是要"验证"圣经的正确性，正如信仰上帝不能从科学上证明一样。

(3)rather than很多情况下是一个表示否定的词组，译成"而不是"。

He rather than you is responsible for the loss。

译文：损失由他而不是你负责。

Rather than a punishment or a burden, work is the opportunity to realize one's potential。

译文：工作不是惩罚，也不是负担，工作为个人潜力的发挥提供机会。

(4)only too...to相当于very...to表示"非常…"、"很…"。

I shall be only too pleased to help him。

译文：替他帮忙我是非常高兴的。

(5)cannot...too.。。的意思是"无论怎么也不会过分"，not表示的否定也可用scarcely这样的半否定词代替，意思相似。

A book may be compared to your neighbour; if it be good, it cannot last too long; if bad, you cannot get rid of it too early。

译文：一本书好比你的邻居；如果是好书，读书的时间再长也不嫌长；如果不是好书，你越早丢开它越好。

One can scarcely pay too high a price for liberty。

译文：为自由人们付出多大的代价都不过分。

(6)肯定句中other than 表示 different from或except,"不同于，除了"；在否定句中other than相当于except"除了"。

Plants which refine crude ores are often located in countries other than those in which the crude ores are mined。

译文：提炼矿石的厂房通常不设在采矿石的国家，而设在其他国家。

Holidays other than those in this brochure do not have free places for children。

译文：小册子上没写的节假日里小孩不免费。

We missed the last bus so there was no choice other than to walk home。

译文：我们错过了最后一班公共汽车，所以除了步行回家外别无选择。

(7)It is not that...but that.。。的意思是"这不是说，而是说"，或"原因不是…，而是…"。

It is not that the scales in the one case, and the balance in the other, differ in the principles of their construction or manner of working; but that the latter is a much finer apparatus and of course much more accurate in its measurement than the former.

译文：这并不是说面包师或卖肉者所用的磅秤和化学家所用的天平在构造原理或工作方式上存在差别，而是说与前者相比，后者是一种更精密得多的装置，因而在计量上必然准确得多。

(8)Cannot...too"再…也不过分"，"应该…"，参见技巧中的"正义反译和反义正译"部分。

You cannot be too careful in this matter。

译文：在此事上你再仔细也不过分。

We cannot estimate the value of modern science too much。

译文：对现代科学的价值再重视也不过分。

(9)much less, still less 用于否定句中，表示一种追加的否定，意思为"更不用说、更不要说"。类似的说法还有to say nothing of, not to speak of, not to mention, let alone，它们的意思也是"更不用说"，但是肯定句和否定句都可以用。

He knows little of mathematics, and still less of chemistry。

译文：他几乎不懂数学，更不用说化学了。

In old China, there was hardly any machine-building industry, to say nothing of an electronic industry。

译文：在旧中国，几乎没有机器制造业，更不用说电子工业了。

Some people never read a newspaper,let alone a book。

译文：有些人从未读过报纸，更不用说书本了。

He is the most intelligent, not to mention handsome, people I know。

译文：他是我知道的最聪明的人之一，而且他还很英俊。

(10)the last + 名词+不定式，或the last +名词+定语从句，意思是"…最不可能的，最不愿意的"。

You are the last person I want to see。

译文：你是我最不愿意见的人。

He would be the last person to go along with the proposal。

译文：他将是最不可能同意这项提议的人。

Breach of promise is the last thing that he is likely to commit。

译文：违约的事情他是绝不会干的。/他决不至于干出违约的事情。

(11)only to+动词"结果却…"，表示出乎意料的一种结果。

They don't have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre, the cinema or the opera, only to discover, perhaps, that the show is disappointing。

译文：他们不必花钱去剧院、电影院或歌剧院买价格昂贵的票，结果却发现，所演节目令人失望。

I went to pay a visit to my teacher only to find that the door was locked。

译文：我去拜访老师，结果却发现大门被锁上了。

(12)no...but"没有…不"，"任何…都"。

There is no man but has faults。

译文：没有人没有错误。/人皆有错误。

but在此是一否定关系代词，既代替前面的名词，又引出从句，而且具有否定意义，可理解为who...not, that...not, which...not。原句相当于There is no man who does not have faults。

(13)would rather...than"宁愿…","与其…不如"。

I would rather die with my head high, with indestructible faith and profound belief in the destiny of our country, than live in humility and renounce the principles which are sacred to me。

译文：我宁愿昂着头，怀着不动摇的信念，抱着对祖国前途的真切信心而死，也不愿在屈从之下背弃神圣的原则而生。(注：would rather 在某些英语中写成had rather)

(14)not nearly 相差很远，远远少于。

The food supply will not increase nearly enough to match this, which means that we are heading into a crisis in the matter of producing and marketing food。

译文：粮食供应将远远比不上人口的增长，这意味着我们在粮食生产和购销两方面正陷入危机。

(15)no less than简直是，实在是； no less... than不但…而且。

It is no less than blackmail to ask such a price for a mere vase。

译文：区区一花瓶索要如此高价，简直是敲诈。

There were no less than one thousand people at the meeting。

译文：到会的不少于1 000人。(强调人很多。比较There were not less than one thousand people at the meeting。到会的至少有1 000人。只说"不少于"，而不强调人多人少)

China insists always on the need for self-reliance, no less in economic policies than in making revolution。

译文：中国始终坚持独立自主，不但在进行革命方面，而且在经济政策方面亦如此。(注意：no less...than连接两个并列的成分，强调的重心在前面，因此汉译时被强调的部分要放在"而且"之后)

(16)anything but 根本不；all but 几乎，差一点；but for、but that + 从句"要不是"。

Alone in a deserted house, he was so busy with his research work that he felt anything but lonely。

译文：虽然他单独一人待在这所空寂的房子里，但是他埋头于工作研究，所以一点也没有感到孤独。

(anything but意思是not at all, but做介词，意为except)

The method of scientific investigation is nothing but the expression of the necessary mode of working of the human mind; it is simply the mode by which all phenomena are reasoned about and given precise and exact explanation。

译文：科学研究的方式不过是人类思维活动的必要表达方式，也就是对一切现象进行思索并给予准确而严谨的解释的表达方式。

It was all but impossible to climb back into the boat。

译文：要再回到船上已几乎不可能了。(all but相当于nearly, almost)

But for the rain we would have had a nice holiday。

译文：要不是因为下雨，我们的假日一定过得很惬意。

But that you had seen me in the water, I would have drowned。

译文：要不是你看见我掉在水里，我早就淹死了。