It was as much of a success as I had hoped.

She is more of a singer than a guitarist.

【答】为了理解方便，我们把much of 看作起程度副词的作用，说明后面的名词具有多大的程度。请看以下具体分析：

1. “much of a +名词”：

much of ：表示“在很大程度上”。

She is not much of a journalist.  她并不是一个好记者。

It’s not much of a day for a walk.  今天的天气不适于散步。

His brother is not much of a companion for him.  他兄弟与他情趣不甚相投。

Breaking the law is too much of a risk. 违反法律太危险了。

He was too much of a gentleman to ask them for any money. 他太绅士气了，不好意思向他们要钱。

He was too much of a coward to tell the truth even to his closest friend. 他太胆怯，甚至对最亲密的朋友也不敢说出真相。 　

I find this town too much of a backwater.  我觉得这个城镇太闭塞。

2. “as much of a +名词+ as”：

这是“much of a +名词”的原级比较结构。

It was as much of a success as most of us hoped. 这正是我们大多数人所期望的那种成功。

I was as much of a nuisance as any small boy. 我小时候象任何一个小男孩那样很讨人嫌。

Maggie wondered what he was thinking, were his thoughts as much of a jumble as hers? 玛吉想知道他正在想些什么，是否他的思绪也跟她的一样是一团糟?

3. “more of a +名词 + than”：

这个比较级形式是“much of a +名词”的变式。than 前后是一种取舍关系，即：肯定than前面的名词，否定than后面的名词。

She is more of a singer than a guitarist. 她更像一个歌手，而不是一个吉他手。

This is more of a sitting room than a kitchen.  与其说这是一个厨房，还不如说这是一个起居室。

She was more of a hindrance than a help. 她非但没帮上忙，反而碍事。

4. “less of a +名词 + than”：

这个比较级形式也是“much of a +名词”的变式，跟上面的意思相反。

Parking is less of a problem with a small car.  对于小汽车来说，停车场地不会有问题。

He is less of a fool than he looks.  他不象看上去那样笨。