2013年1月18日星期五

古德明: 英文試卷的英文




問:香港中學文憑試英文科閱讀試卷有選擇題,問Which do each of the following people say can be learnt from board games?(以下各人說可以從棋盤遊戲中學得的是什麼?)那do字是不是應作does

答:「Each of+複數名詞」,應配單數形式動詞,例如:Each of the boys was given an apple(=The boys were given an apple each)(每個男孩子獲得一個蘋果)。讀者示下那一句,doeach of the following people連用,的確應改為does

問:同一試卷還有以下句子:Use one word to complete each blank. Hyphenated words count as one word(各空白處請填入一字。連字號接連的字,當作一個字)。Complete是不是應改為fill in?第二句是不是應作A hyphenated word is counted as one word

答:填充一般是說to fill in a blank,但說to complete a blank也可以,例如:You must complete all blanks(所有空白處都須填寫)。Complete也許不如fill in那麼好,卻不能算是錯誤。

Hyphenated words是說用連字號(hyphen)接連的兩個字,即two words joined with a hyphen,所以hyphenated words不應改為a hyphenated word

至於count字,除了解作「計算」,還可解作「視為」或「被視為」,例如:(1I count him as my best friend(我視他為最好的朋友)。(2This unsigned letter cannot count as evidence(這封沒簽名的信,不能當作證據)。試題那一句,count是「當作」的意思,也不應改為is counted