2 动词afford用法问题

出自于某年高考阅读地方卷的句子,试卷经改编后afford这个词还是保留了下来。

原文出自于How the elevator transformed America - The Boston Globe

For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue, the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk, the car and the elevator have been locked in a secret war for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally (水平地), and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical (垂直的) columns.

问题是,这个afford如何理解?我查牛津词典给出的可能释义为:to provide sb with sth 提供;给予

例句里的宾语也是人,并非物,那这里的 the enthusiasm...that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles 是什么用法呢?

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2 个回答

曹荣禄  
擅长:动词用法,句法问题

其实牛津词典还告诉你,afford表示提供、给予这个意义时,是正式用词。它可以后接单宾语,也可以后接双宾语,afford sb sth. 词典在给出双宾语句型时,通常用sb表示间接宾语,用sth表示直接宾语。但并不是说间接宾语必须是某人,直接宾语必须是某物。你以为词典说sb就必须是某人,这是一种误解。例如我们常说 give sb sth. 但我们完全可以说 Give me Tom. (人作间接宾语);I will give my room a thorough clean.( 物作间接宾语)。所以你的句子中,that指代enthusiasm or interest,并在定语从句中作直接宾语, trains, jets, and even bicycles作间接宾语,意为美国人给予火车、喷气飞机、甚至自行车的热情或兴趣。句子结构正确,语义清晰,没有任何问题。

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刘永科   - 教育出版集团英语总顾问 & 英语系列图书主编
擅长:语法理论,语言学,文化背景

For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles.

to provide sb with sth 提供;给予。例句里的宾语也是人,并非物。

——网友的这个理解有误。本句, afford “人”是主语,“物”是宾语,“提供;给予”之意 。而且表示此意时,是非常正式的说法(fromal)

这里 afford 可以理解为“生产,制造”的意思,相当于 afford to produce。从结构看,黑体部分是 the enthusiasm or interest 的定语从句。

【翻译】对于大多数城市人来说,电梯是一种不起眼的设备,它不会像美国人制造火车、喷气机、甚至自行车那样激发起人们的热情或兴趣。

字面意思是:对于大多数城市人来说,电梯是一种不起眼的设备,它没有激发起任何热情或兴趣,而美国人的热情或兴趣给予了制造火车、喷气机、甚至自行车。

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  • 雪夫 提出于 2021-06-05 12:30