■cloth 的用法 1. 表示“布”“衣料”,是不可数名词。如:
She bought some cloth to make herself a dress.
她买了些布要给自己做一件连衣裙。
再如:a piece of cloth(一块布);three yards of cloth(3码布);a roll of cloth(一卷布)等等。
2. 表示用作某种特殊用途的布(如桌布台布,揩布等),是可数名词。如:
Clean the windows with a soft cloth.
用块软布擦窗子。
The box was covered with a black cloth by the magician.
盒子被魔术师盖上黑布。
再如:a tablecloth(桌布), a dishcloth(洗碟布),a face cloth(洗脸毛巾),等等。
■clothes的用法 1. 是衣服的统称,不仅包括coat, shirt, dress等这样的“衣服”,而且还包括 trousers, socks等穿在身上的所有东西。
2. 表示“衣服”,是一个没有单数形式的复数名词,其前不可加不定冠词,也不可加数词,但可用 some, these, those, many, (a) few等词修饰。如:
I need to buy some clothes.
我需要买些衣服。
These clothes wash well.
这些衣服经洗。
You look rather shabby in those clothes.
你穿着那种衣服显得很寒酸。
I don't have many clothes for summer.
我夏天穿的衣服不多。
As a student she lived very economically, rarely going out and buying very few clothes.
作为学生,她过得很节约,很少外出,也难得买衣服。
3. 虽然不受数词的修饰,但使用代词时可用ones. 如:
When he got a job in a bank, he had to wear formal clothes instead of informal ones.
他在银行谋了份工作后不得不把非正式衣服换成正式衣服。
4. 可受某些名词修饰,表示不同用途的衣服,如school clothes(校服), sports clothes(运动服), work clothes(工作服), play clothes(休闲服)等。
它还可以受季节名词修饰,表示不同季节穿的服装,如spring clothes(春装)、summer clothes(夏装)、autumn clothes(秋装)、winter clothes(冬装)。
另外还有men's clothes(男装);women's clothes(女装);children's clothes(童装)等,但是“婴儿服装”却是baby clothes, 通常不说babies' clothes.
5. 表示一套衣服,可以借助suit或set. 如:
George is wearing a new suit of clothes.
乔治穿着一套新衣服。
I'm going to take a set of clean clothes with me.
我要带一套干净的衣服。
■clothing的用法 1. 表示“衣服”的总称,是一个不可数的集合名词。如:
We need warm clothing for the winter.
我们需要暖和的衣服过冬。
用作主语时,其后谓语动词要用单数。如:
Loose clothing gives you greater freedom of movement.
穿宽松的衣服就能活动自如。
2. 表示一件衣服,可借助单位词article, item或piece。如:
A coat is an article of clothing.
上衣是一件衣服。
The police examined several items of clothing.
警方检查了几件衣服。
3. 汉语说“衣食”,但英语通常说成food and clothing。如:
We are well provided with food and clothing.
我们吃得好,穿得好。
Food, clothing and shelter are all basic necessities of life.
衣、食、住所是生活的基本必需品。
4. 习语a wolf in sheep's clothing的意思是“披着羊皮的狼”,其中的clothing习惯上不能换成clothes. 如:
He is not to be trusted. He is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
他是不能相信的,他是一个伪君子。
They were our worst enemies—wolves in sheep's clothing.
他们是我们最危险的敌人——是披着羊皮的狼。
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