英语中有些名词既可用作可数名词,也可用作不可数名词,当它们以抽象名词或以其复数形式出现时,其意义往往大不相同。因此,在教与学的过程中教师不可忽视,学生更不可大意。

　　1.evidence / evidences

　　evidence作"证据" 解时,是抽象名词;作"迹象"解时,既是可数名词又是不可数名词。

　　Is there any evidence for his guilt?

　　There are evidences that somebody has been living here.

　　2.relation / relations

　　relation作抽象名词解时,指"联系,关联";作可数名词解时,指"亲戚,亲属"。

　　The cost of this experiment has no relation to the results.

　　All of his relations came to spend their holidays at his home.

　　3.property / properties

　　property作集体名词解时,为"(财产的)总称";作可数名词解时(通常用其复数形式),为"性能,特性;(舞台上或电影中)表演用的可移动物件"。

　　The police found some stolen property hidden in the chief's house.

　　Many plants have medical properties.

　　4.doubt / doubts

　　doubt作抽象名词表示"怀疑";作可数名词表示"怀疑的念头,疑虑"。

　　There is not much doubt about it.

　　Sudden doubts came to his mind.

　　5.term / terms

　　term作可数名词解时,表示"术语;学期"等;其复数形式,表示"措辞;条件;关系"等。

　　Most schools have a fall term and a spring term.

　　I can't accept his terms.

　　6.compliment / compliments

　　compliment作"称赞;尊敬"时,通常为可数名词(多以单数形式出现);作"致意,祝贺"时,用其复数形式。

　　He paid his boss a high compliment.

　　Give my best compliments to your parents.

　　7.amusement / amusements

　　amusement作"消遣;娱乐"解时,是抽象名词;作"娱乐活动"解时,常用其复数形式。

　　His favorite amusement is hunting.

　　There are plenty of amusements in a big city-plays, moving pictures, concerts, football matches, and so on.

　　8.ash / ashes

　　ash作"灰,灰末"解时,是不可数名词;作"灰烬;废墟"解时,多用其复数形式。

　　Don't drop your cigarette ash on the carpet.

　　A large number of houses were burnt to ashes.

　　9.attainment / attainments

　　attainment作抽象名词时,表示"达到";常以名词复数形式出现时,表示"造诣,学识"。

　　The right of speaking freely is one of the necessary means to the attainment of the truth.

　　Once language developed, the possibilities for humankind's future attainments and cultural growth increased.

　　10.responsibility / responsibilities

　　responsibility 作抽象名词,表示"责任,职责";以名词的复数形式出现时,表示"家务事"或对家庭承担的"责任,义务"。

　　They were quick to exploit the natural resources of the country.

　　His resource has saved him from denth many times.

　　11.resource / resources

　　resource作可数名词,表示"自然资源;消遣方法";作不可数名词,表示"智略,机敏,创造精神"。

　　They were quick to exploit the natural resources of the country.

　　His resource has saved him from death many times.

　　12.art / arts

　　art作"(一门)手艺,技能"解时,常用名词单数形式;指大学里开设的哲学、文学、语文、历史等文科课程时,却用其复数形式arts或arts subjects。

　　She has an art for making people feel at ease.

　　History and literature are among the arts.

　　13.society / societies

　　society 作"社会"解时,是不可数名词;作"(为某种目的组成的)社团,团体"解时,是可数名词。

　　We all have to learn how to behave ourselves in society.

　　He joined various university societies and clubs.

　　14.force / forces

　　force 作抽象名词解时,意为"力量,暴力";作可数名词解时,意为"自然力,势力"。

　　He didn't use much force.

　　Religion and politics are powerful forces in society.

　　15.ethic / ethics

　　ethic以单数形式出现时,表示"道德标准";以复数形式出现时,表示"伦理,道德规范"。

　　the Christian ethic基督教伦理

　　The ethics of his decision are doubtful.

　　16.violation / violations

　　violation作抽象名词解时,是"违背,违反";作可数名词解时,是"违犯行为"。

　　He was fined for his violation of the traffic laws.

　　These are gross violations of human rights.

　　17.business / businesses

　　business 作不可数名词,表示"买卖;商业";作可数名词,表示"商业机构,商店"。

　　We don't do much business with foreign companies.

　　Many small businesses have gone bankrupt recently.

　　18.privilege / privileges

　　privilege 作不可数名词,表示"(有钱有势者的)特权";作可数名词,表示"特别给予的好处或待遇、优惠"。

　　The beautiful girl had led a life of luxury and privilege.

　　What are the privileges that go with the job?

　　19.loss / losses

　　loss 作抽象名词,表示"丧失,损失"; 作可数名词,表示"(生意等)亏损的钱"。

　　The loss of his wife was a great blow to him.

　　Oil suffered losses in the export market.

　　20.prospect / prospects

　　prospect的单数形式,表示"景色,景象"; 其名词复数形式,表示"前景,前程,前途"。

　　The hill commands a fine prospect.

　　In recent years, the prospects of car manufacture are good.

　　21.production / productions

　　production 作"生产、制造"解时,是抽象名词;作"(文艺)作品"解时,是可数名词。

　　Production is at all times and under all conditions social production.

　　They saw several National Theatre productions.

　　22.product / products

　　product 作"商业产品总称"解时,是不可数名词;作"某事物的产物"解时,是可数名词。

　　We should improve the gross national product.

　　They are the products of post-war influence.

　　23.institution / institutions

　　institution 作"建立;任命"解时,是不可数名词;作"慈善机关,福利院;风俗,习惯"解时,是可数名词。

　　Wise men favor the institution of a savings bank in every big city.

　　Working houses, homes for poor or orphan children and asylums are institutions.

　　24.youth / youths

　　youth 作不可数名词,表示"青少年时期;青春,活力"; 作可数名词,表示"青年男子,小伙子"。

　　Her youth gives her an advantage over the other runners.

　　As a youth, he showed little promise.

　　过关练习:

　　1.There is ample________that interplanetary travel will soon be reality.(evidence / evidences)

　　2.He is a distant________of mine.(relation / relations)

　　3.She was responsible for buying the________for the play. (property / properties)

　　4.I have great ________about the wisdom of what he is doing. (doubt / doubts)

　　5.________will I do such a thing. (On no term / On no terms)

　　6.Extend my________to your mother. (compliment / compliments)

　　7.I find________in collecting stamps. (amusement / amusements)

　　8.The building was burned to________.(ash /ashes)

　　9.Alice is a scholar of high________. (attainment / attainments)

　　10.Mr. Li had no sense of ________. (responsibility /responsibilities)

　　11.He is a person of no ________.(resource / resources)

　　12.This________of seeing for others means that the commentator has to be very good at talking. (art / arts)

　　13.She'd like to join the school debating ________. (society / societies)

　　14.We will fight against the________of nature. (force / forces)

　　15.Medical________forbid a doctor to have a love affair with a patient. (ethic / ethics)

　　16.A country isn't respected if it acts in ________ of international agreement. (violation / violations)

　　17.He works in the oil________.(business / businesses)

　　18.Use of the library is a________, not a right. (privilege / privileges)

　　19.He makes________on the deal. (loss / losses)

　　20.The job has no________. (prospect / prospects)

　　21.________ must become more efficient. (Production / Productions)

　　22.There are the literary________of the age. (product / products)

　　23.Giving presents on Christmas is an ________. (institution / institutions)

　　24.The fight was started by some ________who had been drinking. (youth / youths)

　　参考答案：1.evidence 2.relation 3.properties 4.doubts 5.On no terms 6.compliments 7. amusement 8.ashes 9.attainments 10. responsibility 11.resources 12.art 13.society 14.forces 15.ethics 16.violation 17.business 18.privilege 19.losses 20.prospects 21.Production 22.products 23.institution 24.youths

　　(文/高芳；英语通大学英语六级考试版 03～04学年第3期； 版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)