警惕！高考英语陷阱 Trap 8 词义误解型
有许多所谓的陷阱题，倒不是因为句子结构有多么复杂，用词多么生僻，而是因为其中有个别词（尤其是其中的关键词）的词义很容易误解，或是同学们对此平时没引起足够的重视，对这类词理解不准，在运用时其词义在脑海中模棱两可，从而导致做题失误。下面请看几道实例：
1. Mr. Black, who is a _____, is now in love with Miss Smith, who is a _____.
A. cooker, typewriter B. cook, typist C. cooker, typist D. cook, typewriter汉语中的“厨师”，说成英语是cook，还是cooker?汉语说“打字员”，说成英语是typist，还是typewriter?你若分不清，此题将无法做对。
2.They decided to _____ their new product on TV.
A. advertise B. advertise on C. advertise for D. advertise to D. advertise
是及物动词还是不及物动词？或者既可用做及物动词也可用做不及物动词，只是含义不同？要表示为某物打广告以便将其卖出，其英语表达是advertise sth，还是advertise for sth？这个介词for该不该用？或者用与不用有什么区别？
3. I _____ him not to go abroad, but he wouldn't listen.
A. persuaded B. tried to persuade C. have persuaded D. was persuaded
persuade的真正意思是“说服”，还是“设法说服”？换句话说，它是表示“说服”的过程，还是表示“说服”的结果？你想知道以上问题的答案吗？请听下文分解。
1. cooker是“厨师”、typewriter是“打字员”吗Mr. Black, who is a_____, is now in love with Miss Smith, who is a ______.A. cooker, typewriter B. cook, typist C. cooker, typist D. cook, typewriter此题正确答案为B，但容易误选A，许多同学想当然地认为：cook用做动词，表示“煮饭”，所以cooker应是其相应的名词，表示“煮饭的人”，即“厨师”；type用做动词，表示“打字”，所以typewriter应表示“打字员”。而事实是：cook =厨师，cooker =炊具；typist =打字员，typewriter =打字机。比较：The cook bought a new cooker.这个厨师买了件新炊具。The typist bought a new typewriter.这个打字员买了台新打字机。
2. twin是指“双胞胎”还是指“双胞胎之一”
These ______ much alike that I can't tell which is which.
A. twin looks B. twins look C. twin look D. twins looks
此题容易误选C，误认为twin的意思是“双胞胎”，指两个，表复数意义。其实，此题的正确答案为B，twin的意思是“孪生子之一”或“双胞胎之一”，英文解释为either of two children born of the same mother at the same time，即它指的是两者中的一个，而不是两个，要表示双胞胎，要用复数twins。类似地，parent的意思是“父（母）亲，父亲或母亲”，其英文解释是the father or mother of a person or animal。要表示“父母双亲”，要用复数parents。如：Where are your parents?你父母在哪儿？Denise and Martin have recently become parents.丹尼斯和马丁最近当爸爸妈妈了。Being a parent can be hard work.为人父母是件很辛苦的事。To have good children one must be a good parent.要想培育出好的孩子，自己必须要是好的父母。
3.是advertise sth还是advertise for sth
If you want to sell your product you must _____ it.
A. advertise B. advertise for C. advertise on D. advertise to
此题正确答案为A，但容易误选B，认为advertise的意思是“做广告”，advertise for的意思是“为……做广告”。事实上，advertise可用做及物和不及物动词，及物时，其意为“为……做广告”、“登广告宣传”；不及物时，其意为“做广告”、“登广告”，此时通常后接介词for，表示“做广告征求”。比较：advertise for sth (sb)广告征求或寻找某物或某人
(此时advertise不及物)advertise sth为……登广告，登广告宣传……(此时advertise是及物动词，其后要直接跟被宣传的东西作宾语)He advertised for a new secretary.他登广告招聘一名新秘书。People advertise things that they wish to sell.人们为要卖的东西登广告。
再比较：advertise jobs登广告招人，advertise for jobs登广告求职
(1) We must _____ the people heart and soul.
A. serve B. serve for C. serve to D. serve on
答案选A，serve意为“为……服务”，可直接用做及物动词，其后不能按汉语意思误加介词for。
(2) I _____ you yesterday, but you weren't in.
A. rang B. rang to C. rang with D. rang to
答案选A，ring可以用做及物动词，表示“给……打电话”，故其后不用介词。
(3) How can I _____ you?
A. contact B. contact with C. contact to D. contact for
答案选A，contact为及物动词，表示“与……联系”，其后不接介词。
4. choose后介词from可以省略吗
There are five pairs, but I'm at a loss which _____ to buy.
A. to be chosen B. to choose from C. to choose D. for choosing
此题容易误选C，其实应选B。choose表示“选择”，其实是指“选择出来”(pick out)，而不是指“从……选择”，要表示后者的意思，要用choose from，有时也用choose among。同样地，下面两例中的介词from也不可省略：
Here are some books for you to choose from.
这些书可供你选择。
There are too many cakes to choose from.
蛋糕太多了，不知要选哪个好。
比较：
He didn't know what to choose.他不知道选什么。
He didn't know what to choose from.他不知道从哪儿去选。
5.这个when是表示“当……的时候”吗
They kept trying _____ they must have known it was hopeless.
A. if B. because C. when D. where
此题最佳答案为C，when在此的意思不是“当……的时候”，而是“尽管”、“虽然”的意思。又如：He walks when he might take a taxi.尽管他可以坐出租车，但他却走路。He stopped trying when he might have succeeded next time.尽管他本来下次就可以成功的了，但他却停止努力了。The boy was restless when he should have listened to the teacher carefully.这男孩子本来应该专心听老师讲的，但他却坐立不安。
有许多同学只知道when表示“当……的时候”，而不知道它还有其他许多意思，除上面提到的表示“尽管”、“虽然”外，when还可表示“既然”、“考虑到”。如：Why do you want a new job when you've got such a good one already? 既然你有了这么好的一份工作，你为什么还要找新的工作呢？
6. persuade是“说服”还是“设法说服”
I _____ him not to go abroad, but he wouldn't listen.
A. persuaded B. tried to persuade
C. have persuaded D. was persuaded
此题正确答案为B，但容易误选A。persuade的真正意思是“说服”，而不是“设法说服”，要表示后者的意思英语应用try to persuade (当然也可用其他词，如advise等)。类似地：kill的意思是“杀死”，不表示“设法杀死”，要表示后者的意思英语用try to kill；prevent 的意思是“阻止”，不表示“设法阻止”，要表示后者的意思英语用try to prevent等等。
(4) “What did he ask you?” “_____ I would be late.”
A. That B. When C. Where D. Whether
此题选D，为He asked me whether I would be late.之省略。
3. If not, not作何解
If the weather is fine, we'll go. If _____, _____.
A. not, not B. no, no C. not, no D. no, not
此题应选A。If not, not.为If the weather is NOT fine, we will NOT go.之省略，全句意为“如果天气好,我们就去；如果天气不好，我们就不去”。该句的特点是：后句与前句的用词和句式完全相同,只是前句为肯定，后句为否定，为了简洁起见,于是将后句与前句相同部分省略，只保留否定词not。
If it is cheap, I'll buy it. If not, not.如果这东西便宜，我就买；如果不便宜，我就不买。If you study hard, you'll succeed. If not, not.你若努力，你就会成功；你若不努力，你就不会成功。
If you start at once, you'll catch the train. If not, not.你若马上动身，你就会赶上火车；你若不马上动身，你就赶不上火车了。请再看以下例子(只保留否定词not)。如：
“Can you repair it yourself?” “I am afraid not.”“你自己会修吗?”“恐怕不行。”(I'm afraid not.为I am afraid I can't repair it myself.之省略，注意不能说I'm not afraid，后者的意思是“我不怕”)“Did you know anything about it?” “Not until you told me.”“这事你以前知道吗?”“你告诉我才知道。”(Not until you told me.为I didn't know anything about it until you told me.之省略)“Will it rain today?” “I hope not.”“今天会下雨吗?”“希望不会。”(I hope not.为I hope it will not rain today.之省略)
4.这个答语省略了什么
“She's not a dancing teacher, is she?” “_____.”
A. Yes, and she isn't B. Yes, but she was
C. No, but she isn't D. No, but she was
此题最佳答案为D，可视为No, she isn't. But she was a dancing teacher.之省略，即其意为“她现在不是舞蹈教师，但她过去是”。此题也可以这样回答：No, but she used to be.
5.请补出此句省略的if从句
She's too thin. She ____ gain some weight but she _____ too little.
A. would, ate B. will, eats C. would, eats D. will, ate
此题有些难度，许多同学不知如何分析。我们先根据题目所提供的选项将句意大致概括出来：她太瘦了。她会增加体重的，但她吃得太少了。根据句首She's too thin这一所给信息可知，“她瘦”应是客观事实。按照一般的常识，“吃得少”就会导致“瘦”，“吃得多”就会导致“胖”，根据句首的信息，“她瘦”是客观事实，所以她“吃得少”也应是事实，因此第二空应填eats(即用一般现在时表示现在的事实)。根据上面的分析：“她瘦”和“她吃得少”均为现在的事实，那么“她体重会增加”就应是假设(注意句中的转折连词but)，所以第一空应填would，其实，此句可理解为其后省略了一个条件状语if she ate more (如果她多吃一点的话)。此题最佳答案选C。
6. 是you还是me，或是I还是you
“I like you more than her, my dear.” “You mean more than _____love her or more than she loves _____?”
A. you, me B. she, you C. I, me D. I, you
做对此题的关键是要弄清填空句是个省略句，补充完整为：You mean that you love me more than you love her or that you love me more than she loves me? 句意为：“你是说你爱我胜过你爱她，还是说你爱我胜过她爱我？”所以最佳答案应选A。
7.这个I was是怎么回事
“Alice, why didn't you come yesterday?” “I______, but I had an unexpected visitor.”
A. had B. would C. was going to D. did
此题应选C，为I was going to come.之省略，意为“我本来是打算来的”，这与其后but I had an unexpected visitor的语境刚好吻合。注意不能选would，因为它没有“打算”之意。
8. until spoken to是如何省略来的
He is a man of few words, and seldom speaks until _____ to.
A. spoken B. speaking C. speak D. be spoken
此题容易误选B，认为until是介词，后接动词时用动名词形式。其实，此题应选A，until spoken to为until he is spoken to之省略。句意为“他是个沉默寡言的人，别人不同他说话，他很少同别人说话”。按英语习惯，一些表示时间、地点、条件、方式、让步等的状语从句，若其主语与主句主语一致，且从句谓语包含动词be,那么可将从句的主语和动词be省略：
You must study hard while (you are) young, or you will regret when (you are) old.趁年轻时要努力学习，不然到老了你会后悔的。
I won't go unless (I am) invited. 我不会去,除非请我。
Look out for cars when (you are) crossing the streets.过马路时要注意汽车。
While (I was) waiting I was reading some old magazines.等的时候我在看一些旧杂志。
He worked very hard though (he was) still rather poor in health.尽管身体还不好，但他仍努力工作。
He will work hard wherever (he is) sent by the Party.无论党把他派往哪里,他都会努力工作。
(1) If _____ carefully, the experiment will be successful.
A. do B. does C. done D. doing
答案选C，可视为if it is carefully done之省略。
(2) The research is so designed that once _____ nothing can be done to change it.
A. begins B. having begun C. beginning D. begun
答案选D，可视为once it is begun之省略。
9. If not more than是个省略结构
In that month, he earned as much as, if ____ than, $40 000.
A. no more B. not more C. no much D. not much
此题最佳答案应是B。if not more than实际为if he didn't earn more than $40 000之省略。
请看类似试题（答案均选B）：
(1) Her pronunciation is as good as, if ____than, her teacher's.
A. no better B. not better C. no good D. not good
(2) This church is as old as, if _____ than, that one.
A. no older B. not older C. no old D. not old
(3) He has read the book as many as, if _____ than, five times.
A. no more B. not more C. no much D. not much
13.如何理解这个not
They are different in form but _____ in meaning.
A. not B. no C. aren't D. don't
最佳答案选A，but not in meaning为but they are not different in meaning之省略。
(1) In the accident the child was hurt, but the mother _____.
A. killing B. to kill C. killed D. kill
最佳答案选C，but the mother killed.为but the mother was killed之省略。
(2) The apartment's fine for two people, but_____.
A. no more B. no any C. not more D. not any
最佳答案选C，but not more.为but it is not fine for more than two people.之省略。
14.做对此题要结合语境和省略?
“Everyone says you are a good student. You never sleep in class, do you?”
“_____.”
A. Yes, never B. Yes, sometimes C. No, sometimes D. Oh, really
答案选B，答句是针对You never sleep in class, do you? 这一问句来回答的，Yes, sometimes.为Yes, I do. Sometimes I sleep in class.之省略，其意为“不，我上课有时睡觉”。其余几项不合语境。
“You've never been to the village, have you?”
“____. It is the most beautiful village I've ever seen.”
A. No, never B. No, I have C. No, only once D. Yes, only once
答案选D，Yes, only once.为Yes, I have. But I've been there only once.之省略，句意为“不，我去过，但只去过一次”。注意句末的It is the most beautiful village I've ever seen.表明“我”去过那儿，所以不能选A。