newspaper是可数名词还是不可数名词

发布时间:2022-04-17T17:24:23 英语语法

newspaper是可数名词还是不可数名词

newspaper是可数名词还是不可数名词? 请看这道题:

When I came in, my father was reading __________ in bed.

A. a newspaper B. a piece of newspaper

C. newspaper D. a pile of newspaper

此题应选 A。容易误选B,C。因为构成newspaper的news(消息)和paper(纸)都是不可数名词,所以不少考生受此影响误认为newspaper(报纸)也是不可数名词。

其实,newspaper表示供阅读的一张一张的“报纸”,是规则的可数名词。如:

Give me some newspapers to read. 给我几张报纸读。

When I entered he was reading a newspaper. 我进来时他在读报纸。

但是若不是将 newspaper当作是供阅读或传递信息的一种东西,而是把它仅仅当成一种“纸”来看待,则也可以是不可数名词。如:

Wrap it in (a sheet of) newspaper. 把它用 (一张)报纸包起来。

类似地:请注意tear(眼泪)一词,有的考生对此是这样推理的:“眼泪”即“泪水”,而“泪水”是一种水,水不可数,所以“眼泪”(tear)不可数。但事实上,tear在通常情况下却是一个可数名词。如:

He was moved to tears. 他被感动得流了泪。

When I told her the unpleasant news, I saw two great tears coming down her face. 当我告诉她这个令人不愉快的消息时,我看见两颗大泪珠从她的脸上掉了下来。