不可避免地，副词

Adverbs are another important kind of modifier. Here’s a definition that we’ll refer to time and again: 副词是另一种重要的修饰语。下面这个定义我们会一再用到：

Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. 副词是修饰动词、形容词和其他副词的词。

When adverbs modify verbs, they indicate when, where, why, * or how the action was performed. 当副词修饰动词时，它们表示动作发生何时、何地、为何、或如何*。

Let’s begin with the simple sentence He ran. Ran is a verb and the complete predicate in this sentence, and we can expand the predicate by adding any possible adverb: 让我们从简单句 He ran.（他跑了。）开始。Ran（跑）是本句的动词和完整谓语，我们可以通过添加任何可能的副词来扩展谓语：

He ran quickly. 他跑得快。

Instead of quickly, we could use *slowly, clumsily, gracefully, * *erratically, fast, then, later, *and many others. 除了 quickly（快地），我们还可以用 slowly, clumsily, gracefully,（慢地、笨拙地、优雅地、）erratically, fast, then, later,（不稳地、快地、然后、后来、）以及许多其他词。

All the adverbs we can add to He ran answer this question: “When, where, why, or how did he run?” Common adverbs that modify verbs include *soon, later, now, then, before, after, here, * there, forward, backward, badly, well, far, also, not, too, and many more. 我们能加到 He ran（他跑了）上的所有副词都回答这个问题：“他跑的何时、何地、为何或如何？”修饰动词的常见副词包括 soon, later, now, then, before, after, here,（很快、后来、现在、那时、之前、之后、这里、）there, forward, backward, badly, well, far, also, not（那里、向前、向后、糟糕地、好、远、也、不、）too（也），以及更多。

Remember the point we saw in Chapter 3: When a word appears between an auxiliary verb and the main verb, it’s an adverb that modifies the main verb: 请记住我们在第 3 章看到的一点：当一个词出现在助动词和主动词之间时，它是修饰主动词的副词：

He had finally stopped the noise. 他终于停止了噪音。

Remember, too, that all the adverbs we add to a sentence to modify the verb are part of the complete predicate. 还要记住，我们为修饰动词而加到句子中的所有副词，都是完整谓语的一部分。

When adverbs modify adjectives, they appear before the adjective* and modify the quality expressed by the adjective: 当副词修饰形容词时，它们出现在形容词之前并修饰形容词所表达的*性质：

The bright red car sped away. 那辆鲜红色的汽车疾驰而去。

We use (and overuse) several adverbs to modify adverbs, particularly very. We could write quite, extremely, somewhat, or * rather. Here, the adverb helps to describe the color of the red car. 我们（并且过度）使用几个副词来修饰副词，尤其是 very（非常）。我们可以写 quite, extremely, somewhat,（相当、极度、有点、）或 rather*（颇）。这里，副词有助于描述红色汽车的颜色。

When adverbs modify other adverbs, adverbs modify the quality expressed by the other adverb: 当副词修饰其他副词时，副词修饰另一个副词所表达的性质：

Mr. Morton ran quite quickly. 莫顿先生跑得相当快。

Instead of quite, we could write *somewhat, very, a bit, rather, * more, or less. Here, adverbs answer the question, “How quickly did Mr. Morton run?” 除了 quite（相当），我们可以写 somewhat, very, a bit, rather,（有点、非常、一点儿、颇、）more,（更）或 less.（较少。）这里，副词回答的问题是：“莫顿先生跑得有多快？”

Notice that, when adverbs modify adjectives or other adverbs, they nearly always appear just before the word they modify. 注意，当副词修饰形容词或其他副词时，它们几乎总是恰好出现在所修饰词的前面。

Clearly adverbs are a diverse class of words; they have a great many uses and forms. 显然，副词是一个多样化的词类；它们有极多的用法和形式。

COMPARISONS OF ADVERBS

副词的比较

Some adverbs, like many adjectives, have three forms, which together make the comparison of the adverb: 有些副词，像许多形容词一样，有三种形式，它们共同构成副词的比较（comparison）：

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

原级

比较级

最高级

close fast early warmly generously suspiciously closer faster earlier more warmly more generously more suspiciously closest fastest earliest most warmly most generously most suspiciously （近 / 快 / 早 / 温暖地 / 慷慨地 / 怀疑地；更近 / 更快 / 更早 / 更温暖地 / 更慷慨地 / 更怀疑地；最近 / 最快 / 最早 / 最温暖地 / 最慷慨地 / 最怀疑地）

Here again, we use the positive when we’re describing the action or quality of one thing, we use the comparative when we’re comparing two (and only two), and we use the superlative when we’re comparing three or more. 同样地，当我们描述一个事物的动作或性质时用原级；当我们比较——且仅比较——两个事物时用比较级；当我们比较三个或更多事物时用最高级。

A relatively small number of adverbs form comparisons with the -er and -est suffixes: 数量相对较少的副词用 -er 和 -est 后缀构成比较级和最高级：

Susan runs fast. Susan runs faster than Alice. In fact, she runs fastest of all. 苏珊跑得快。苏珊比爱丽丝跑得快。事实上，她是所有之中跑得最快的。

The examples above show that some adverbs (like fast) resemble adjectives with little or no difference in spelling or pronunciation, but with a clear difference in their use. This is obvious if we compare the three sentences above about Susan with the similar sentences we saw in Chapter 4: 上面的例子表明，有些副词（如 fast）与形容词在拼写或发音上几乎或完全没有差别，但用法上有明显区别。如果我们把上面关于苏珊的三个句子与第 4 章中看到的类似句子比较，这一点就很明显：

Susan is a fast runner. Susan is a faster runner than Alice. In fact, she’s the fastest runner of all. 苏珊是个跑得快的赛跑者。苏珊是比爱丽丝跑得更快的赛跑者。事实上，她是所有人中跑得最快的赛跑者。

With fast (and some words like it), we can distinguish the adverb fast from the adjective fast only by the context. When we use a word like fast to modify a verb, grammarians say that we use it adverbially. 对于 fast（以及一些类似的词），我们只能通过语境来区分副词 fast 和形容词 fast。当我们用像 fast 这样的词来修饰动词时，语法学家说我们是在作副词用（adverbially）。

Most of the adverbs that end with -ly use the more and most comparisons. Dictionaries can always help you find the right forms. 大多数以 -ly 结尾的副词使用 more 和 most 的比较形式。词典总能帮你找到正确的形式。

THOSE MOST IRREGULAR COMPARISONS

那些最不规则的比较

There are also irregular adverbs that don’t follow the usual patterns. They are some of the most commonly used adverbs, so you know most of them already: 也有一些不规则副词不遵循通常的模式。它们是最常用的副词中的一些，所以你多半已经知道其中大部分：

Positive Comparative Superlative badly well little much (or many) far worse better less more farther further worst best least most farthest furthest （原级 / 比较级 / 最高级）badly 糟糕地 / well 好地 / little 少 / much（或 many）多 / far 远；worse 更糟 / better 更好 / less 更少 / more 更多 / farther 更远 / further 更远；worst 最糟 / best 最好 / least 最少 / most 最多 / farthest 最远 / furthest 最远

Far requires some attention. In prescriptive grammar, *far, * farther, and farthest are supposed to be used to describe physical distance: Far（远）需要一些注意。在规范语法中，far、farther 和 farthest 应当用于描述物理距离：

He ran farther than I did. 他比我跑得远。

Far, further, and furthest are to be used in every other kind of situation: Far、further 和 furthest 用于所有其他类型的情形：

He went further in school than I did. 他在学业上比我走得更远。

It’s no surprise that some writers find this distinction unnecessary, especially because most Americans aren’t even aware of it. These writers argue that the adverb is always clear no matter which form is used, so we need to settle on one set of comparisons and use it in most or all situations. 有些作者认为这种区分没有必要，这并不奇怪，尤其是因为大多数美国人甚至都没有意识到它。这些作者认为，无论使用哪种形式，这个副词的意思总是清楚的，所以我们需要选定一组比较形式，并在大多数或所有情形中使用它。

But there is no clear consensus on how to simplify the far comparison. (That word is far too troublesome.) In your professional writing, an editor or supervisor may expect you to do it the prescriptive way. 但关于如何简化 far 的比较，并没有明确的共识。（那个词 far 太麻烦了。）在你的专业写作中，编辑或主管可能期望你按规范语法的做法来做。

NOUNS USED ADVERBIALLY

名词作副词用

Used correctly, other words can modify verbs—particularly nouns that specify where, *how, *or when the action occurred: 使用得当的话，其他词也能修饰动词——尤其是那些指明动作发生何地、如何、或何时的名词：

We walked home. We walked single file. 我们走回家。我们排成一列走。

This may seem odd, but it will be clearer when we discuss form, function, and parts of speech in Chapter 16. 这看起来可能有些奇怪，但当我们第 16 章讨论形式、功能和词类时会更清楚。

Nouns regarding time are commonly used adverbially: 表示时间的名词常被用作副词（adverbially）：

They celebrated her birthday yesterday. Tomorrow we go on vacation. Monday we return from vacation. They worked in the yard Saturday. 他们昨天庆祝了她的生日。明天我们去度假。星期一我们从度假回来。他们星期六在院子里干活。

Nouns can also function adverbially to modify adjectives. In these sentences, the modified adjective is in bold: 名词也可以起副词作用来修饰形容词。在这些句子中，被修饰的形容词用粗体标出：

My son is now four feet tall. My daughter is two inches taller. They worked all day long. 我儿子现在四英尺高。我女儿高出两英寸。他们整天都在工作。

Finally, adverbial nouns can modify other adverbs. In these sentences, the modified adverbs are in bold: 最后，作副词用的名词可以修饰其他副词。在这些句子中，被修饰的副词用粗体标出：

I wish we had left a day later. We can go ten miles farther. 我真希望我们晚一天出发。我们可以再走十英里。

CURIOUS ADVERBS: WHEN, WHERE, WHY,

AND HOW

奇妙的副词：何时、何地、为何、

以及如何

When, where, why, and how are four of the most important adverbs in our language. They are the interrogative adverbs, the ones we use to ask questions. We usually place them at or near the beginning of a question: When, where, why,（何时、何地、为何、）和 how（如何）是我们语言中最重要的一些副词。它们是疑问副词（interrogative adverbs），即我们用来提问的副词。我们通常把它们放在问题的开头或靠近开头的位置：

Where are you going? When will you be back? 你要去哪里？你什么时候回来？

There are of course other useful question words, like who or what, but those are interrogative pronouns, which we’ll learn about in Chapter 19. 当然还有其他有用的疑问词，比如 who 或 what，但那些是疑问代词（interrogative pronouns），我们将在第 19 章学习。

In this chapter, we’ve learned that nouns can be used adver- bially, and the interrogative adverbs return the favor. Sometimes they are used as nouns: 在本章中，我们学到名词可以用作副词，而疑问副词也投桃报李。有时它们被用作名词：

I know I’m supposed to be someplace today, but I can’t remember where or when. 我知道今天我该在某个地方，但我记不起是哪里或何时了。

POINTS FOR WRITERS

写给写作者的要点

1. Place adverbs correctly.

1. 正确放置副词。

Adverbs that modify verbs are often moveable; they can be placed in several places in the sentence without changing the meaning: 修饰动词的副词通常可以移动；它们可以放在句子中的几个位置而不改变意思：

Quickly Phil called the police. Phil quickly called the police. Phil called the police quickly. 飞快地，菲尔报了警。菲尔飞快地报了警。菲尔报了警，飞快地。

Quietly the children hurried home. The children quietly hurried home. The children hurried home quietly. 安静地，孩子们赶回家。孩子们安静地赶回家。孩子们安静地赶回家。

Then he ran. He then ran. He ran then. 然后他跑了。他然后跑了。他跑了，然后。

The three underlined adverbs obviously work in several places in the sentence. Moving them doesn’t alter the meaning, although it may alter the rhythm or emphasis in the sentence. But moving some words, like only or however, can change the meaning: 三个带下划线的副词显然在句子中的几个位置都行得通。移动它们不会改变意思，尽管它可能改变句子的节奏或强调。但移动某些词，比如 only（只）或 however（然而），会改变意思：

Only Mr. Morton broke the vase. [Mr. Morton broke it all by himself.] 只有莫顿先生打碎了花瓶。[莫顿先生是完全独自打碎的。]

Mr. Morton only broke the vase. [He didn’t do anything else to it.] 莫顿先生只打碎了花瓶。[他没有对它做别的事。]

Mr. Morton broke only the vase. [He didn’t break anything else—yet.] 莫顿先生只打碎了花瓶。[他还没打碎别的东西——到目前为止。]

As we move only, the new contexts change its meaning in the sentences above. (In the first sentence, only is an adjective.) 随着我们移动 only（只），新的语境改变了它在上面句子中的意思。（在第一句中，only 是形容词。）

2. Distinguish good and well.

2. 区分 good 与 well。

Writing for publication or for other professional reasons, you must observe the distinction between good and well: 为出版或其他专业原因写作时，你必须注意 good 和 well 之间的区别：

He is a good writer. He writes well. [Never write *He writes *good.] 他是个好作家。他写得好。[绝不要写 *He writes good。]

Good is an adjective. Well is sometimes an adverb and some- times an adjective, depending on context. It can be an adjective meaning healthy, in sentences like this: Good 是形容词。Well 有时是副词，有时是形容词，视语境而定。它可以作形容词，意为健康，如下面的句子：

Finally my son is* well. 终于，我儿子健康了。

It’s hard to use well well. Probably everyone has confused good and well in casual conversation at one time or another, and there it seldom matters. But readers and editors will assume that you’re a careless writer if you confuse the two in your professional work. 要把 well 用得好并不容易。大概每个人都在随意对话中某个时候混淆过 good 和 well，而在那种场合很少有关系。但读者和编辑会认为，如果你在专业作品中混淆二者，你就是个粗心的作者。

EXERCISES

练习

These exercises refer to matters you’ve read about in the last two chapters. Don’t hesitate to turn back to Chapter 4 if you need to review. 这些练习涉及你在过去两章中读到的内容。如果需要复习，尽管翻回第 4 章。

5a. In the following sentences, mark the underlined words to classify them as adjectives (ADJ) or adverbs (ADV). Count the articles a, an, and the as adjectives. The adverbs here modify verbs only. Here are examples to help: 5a. 在下列句子中，标出带下划线的词，将它们归类为形容词（ADJ）或副词（ADV）。把冠词 a、an 和 the 算作形容词。这里的副词只修饰动词。以下是一些示例供参考：

ADJ ADJ This is a pleasant day. ADJ ADJ 这是愉快的一天。

ADJ ADJ ADV The small child runs quickly. ADJ ADJ ADV 那个小孩跑得快。

ADJ ADJ ADV The other child runs faster. ADJ ADJ ADV 另一个孩子跑得更快。

  1. The smaller child learned the simplest tasks.

  2. 那个较小的孩子学会了最简单的任务。

  3. The child learns eagerly.

  4. 那孩子学得很急切。

  5. John almost had an answer to the difficult question.

  6. 约翰几乎有了那个困难问题的答案。

  7. Father always encourages realistic thinking.

  8. 父亲总是鼓励务实的思考。

  9. The furious family did not wait to see the busy manager.

  10. 那愤怒的一家人没有等见那位忙碌的经理。

  11. A thick, wet snow fell softly.

  12. 一场厚厚、潮湿的雪轻轻落下。

  13. Silently, a strange man in a black cape stood in the shadows.

  14. 寂静中，一个披着黑斗篷的怪人站在阴影里。

5b. Write the comparative and superlative forms of these adverbs; use a dictionary when you need to. 5b. 写出下列副词的比较级和最高级形式；需要时请使用词典。

  1. Fast

  2. 快（fast）

  3. Quickly

  4. 快地（quickly）

  5. Slowly

  6. 慢地（slowly）

  7. Angrily

  8. 愤怒地（angrily）

  9. Carefully

  10. 小心地（carefully）

  11. Well

  12. 好地（well）

  13. Badly

  14. 糟糕地（badly）

  15. Early

  16. 早（early）

  17. Far (referring to geographical distance)

  18. 远（far，指地理距离）

  19. Often

  20. 经常（often）

**5c. **In these sentences, classify the underlined adverbs: Do they modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs? 5c. 在这些句子中，标出带下划线的副词：它们修饰动词、形容词，还是其他副词？

  1. Your mistake was a very small one.

  2. 你的错误是一个很小的错误。

  3. He does well when he tries hard.

  4. 他努力尝试时做得好。

  5. He does quite well when he tries.

  6. 他尝试时做得相当好。

  7. The secretary’s notes are evidently missing.

  8. 秘书的笔记明显不见了。

  9. Now we finally have the notes.

  10. 现在我们终于有了笔记。

  11. We took notes rather rapidly, but we could not keep up.

  12. 我们记笔记相当快，但跟不上。

  13. We still need good notes.

  14. 我们仍然需要好的笔记。

**5d. **Correct the errors in the underlined adjectives and adverbs, which may include suffixes or, in some cases, the placement of the word. Some are correct. 5d. 改正带下划线的形容词和副词中的错误，可能包括后缀，或在有些情况下是词的位置。有些是正确的。

  1. Esther and Ryan play good, but Esther plays best.

  2. 埃斯特和瑞安打得好，但埃斯特打得最好。

  3. By sunset we will have hiked ten miles or further.

  4. 到日落时我们将已徒步十英里或更远。

  5. The library has the most complete book on baseball.

  6. 图书馆有最完整的棒球书。

  7. Bob was the student only left behind. [Here the writer is

  8. 鲍勃是唯一被落下的学生。[作者想说的是 trying to say that no one else was left behind.] 没有别人被落下。]

  9. Final we reached the motel.

  10. 最终我们到达了汽车旅馆。

  11. Be real careful on this highway.

  12. 在这条公路上要真小心。

  13. We saw that Bart looked sadly.

  14. 我们看到巴特看上去很伤心。

  15. Bart was looking sad at his wrecked car.

  16. 巴特正伤心地看着他撞坏的车。

  17. Bart was feeling sadly on his way home.

  18. 巴特在回家路上感到很伤心。

  19. In the lab, we measured the results as precise as we could.

  20. 在实验室里，我们尽可能精确地测量结果。