Ｕｎｉｔ９词语辨析

刘世一

gold, golden

（1）gold “金子的”、“含金的”、“金（制）的”。指含有金子，像金子或由金子做成的，没有比较级，只能出现在被修饰的名词前面。

He jumped into the water and brought up a gold axe.

他跃身跳入水中，捞上来一把金斧头。

He once worked in a gold mine. 他曾在一个金矿工作过。

Mrs. Smith bought a gold watch. 史密斯太太买了一块金表。

（2）golden “金黄色的”、“黄金般的”。一般指外表像金子或具有金子的光泽。为性质形容词，可以有比较级。该词用于转义时，含有“宝贵”的意义。

Overhead, he saw great golden stars.

在头顶上空，他看到一颗颗金色的大星星。

A girl with golden hair was sitting beside him.

他身旁坐着一位金发女郎。

In early June, you will see vast stretches of golden wheat everywhere.

六月初，到处可以看到一望无际的金黄色的麦子。

could, can

（1）can表示能力，意为“能、能够、会”。表示许可，意为“可以、可能”，相当于may。如：

I can speak a little Japanese. 我能说一点儿日语。

You can/may go home now. 现在你可以回家了。

在否定句、疑问句或感叹句中，表示说话人“怀疑、猜测、惊异、不肯定、不相信”的态度。如：

He cant be more than thirty. 他不可能超过三十岁。

Can the news be true? 这个消息会是真的吗？

How can you be so careless! 你怎么会如此粗心！

表示建议或请求时，可用Can I (we)…?和Can you…?结构，语气比较客气。如：

Can we go now? 我们现在可以走了吗？

Can you come here for a minute, please? 请你到这儿来一下，好吗？

（2）could表示过去的能力或可能性。用来表示请求许可，此时could并不表示过去，它可与can互换，只是用could更婉转、更客气。如：

She said she could swim at the age of four. 她说她四岁时就会游泳。

Could you tell me the way to the post office?

请告诉我去邮局的路好吗？

Could/Can you give me a cup of tea? 请给我一杯茶喝，好吗？

但要注意的是，could表示请求时主要用于疑问句中，答语中不能用could。其应答语是肯定的，通常可以说Certainly./Of course./With pleasure.等；若应答语是否定的可以说Im sorry I cant./No, Im afraid not.等。如：

——Could you help me carry the new books to the classroom?

请你帮我把新书搬到教室里去好吗？

——Certainly.当然可以。

——Could you lend me your pen? 我可以借用你的钢笔吗？

——Yes, you can./No, you cant. 可以。/不行。

当用于疑问句中和否定句中表示“惊异、怀疑、不相信等态度”,这时could也可与can互换，只是could的语气比can缓和一些。如：

How could he be so happy? 他怎么会如此高兴？

The sweater is so old; it couldnt/cant be Lilys.

这件毛衣如此旧了，它不可能是莉莉的。

join， join in, take part in

（1）join意为“加入某一种组织，成为其中一员”，后面还可接表示人的名词或代词，表示加入到某人或某些人的行列中去。join是非延续性动词，不可与时间段状语连用，这时可用be with, 这一短语表示状态，可与时间段连用。

I joined the army three years ago. 我三年前就参军了。

My uncle joined the Party in 1978. 我叔叔是1978年入党的。

Ive been with the group for many years.

我参加这个组织已经多年了。

（2）join in表示“加入”，“参与”某种活动，in之后可接名词或v-ing形式，表示“参加某人的活动”，可以说join sb. in (doing) sth.。

He joined them in the work. 他同他们一起工作。

Will you join us in playing basketball? 你跟我们一起打篮球好吗？

（3）take part in指参加会议或群众性活动，重在说明句子主语参加该项活动并在其中发挥的作用。

The teacher took part in our discussion yesterday.

昨天老师参加了我们的讨论。

When will you take part in the meeting? 你将什么时候参加会议？

注意：join in后面可以不跟宾语，take part in后面必须跟宾语。

start, begin

（1）begin是很普通的用语。指开始某一行动或进程，与end相对。

New term begins on September first. 新学期九月一日开始。

The English evening will begin at 9:00. 英语晚会九点开始。

What time do you begin school? 你什么时候开始上学？

（2）start动作性较强，着重于开始或着手这一点，带有突然开始的意思，其反义词为stop。

Lets start to sweep the room at once.

咱们现在就立刻开始打扫这个房间吧。

As soon as we got there, it started raining. 我们一到那儿就下雨了。

（3）这两个动词都可以作及物或不及物动词，作及物动词时都可跟名词、动词-ing形式或动词不定式。在许多场合它们实际上没有什么差异。

Shall we start/begin dinner? 我们可以吃饭了吗？

Hell begin/start working. 他将开始工作。

When did we start/begin this lesson?

我们是什么时候开始讲这一课的？

但是，在表示“（机器）开动”、“创办”，“开设”、 “出发”，“动身”等情况时，只能用start,不能用begin。

The man cant start the car. 这辆车这个人发动不起来。

He started a new shop last year. 去年他新开了一家商店。

We must start early. 我们得早点出发。

how long, how soon

（1）how long是“多久（时间）”的意思，表示的是多长时间。用于对时间段提问，询问某一动作进行多长时间了。

It takes two months to finish the work. (对划线部分提问）

→How long does it take to finish the work?

（2）how soon是“过多久”的意思，用于将来时态的问句中，回答用“in+ 一段时间”的时间状语。

We can be ready in five minutes. (对划线部分提问）

→How soon can you be ready?

练习：

根据句意用所给词语的适当形式完成句子。

1. gold, golden

① He bought a ____ ring for his wife.

② The ____ sunshine made the place look even more beautiful.

③ Overhead, he saw the ____ sun hanging in the sky.

④ Did you hear the story about the ____ mountain?

⑤ He often went to the beach and enjoyed the ____ sunset on the sea.

2. can, could

① ____ you speak Chinese?

② He ____ speak English very well now.

③ ____ you tell me about it?

④ She ____ not ride a bicycle last year.

⑤ ____ I take this book home to read?

⑥ ____ you carry the heavy box?

⑦ Turn around; you ____ took this way.

3. join, join in， take part in

① My father is going to ____ the parents meeting.

② They danced and danced until a lot of us ____.

③ You go first. Ill ____ you soon.

④ We ____ the peasants ____ getting in the rice.

⑤ We hope everybody will ____ this struggle.

⑥ Have you ____ the League?

4. begin, start

① The children like to see the train ____.

② The students ____ doing their homework.

③ He ____ a newspaper last month.

④ School ____ at eight. The children all ____ early.

⑤ It ____ to get dark before we know it.

⑥ I ____ at seven and arrived at nine.

5. how long， how soon

① ——____ will George come back from Australia?

——In four days.

②——____ have Henry and Emma been in China?

——For about two years.

③——____ will your father leave for London?

——In a week, I think.

④——____ did it take you to finish the work, Jenny?

——Three days.

Keys:

1.①gold ②golden ③golden ④gold ⑤golden

2.①Can/Could ②can ③Can/Could ④could ⑤Could/Can ⑥Can ⑦can

3.①take part in ②joined in ③join ④joined, in ⑤join in/take part in

⑥joined

4.①start ②began/started ③started ④begins/starts, start ⑤began/started

⑥started

5.①How soon ②How long ③How soon ④How long