第18课：最短的词：“a”（及其朋友“an”和“the”）

Lesson 18: The Shortest Word: ''a" (and its friends "an" and "the")

这三个词被称为“文章”。 这三篇文章只有英文版。

These three words are called "articles". There are only these three articles in English.

'a'和'an'被称为无限期文章。 它们指的是非特定或未识别的人或物。

'a' and 'an' are called indefinite articles. They refer to a person or a thing that is non-specific, or not identified.

''是一篇明确的文章。 它指的是特定或识别的人或事物。 换句话说，该人或事物已经被谈论过，或者是常识，或者即将被识别。

'the' is a definite article. It refers to a person or thing that is specific or identified. In other words, that person or thing has already been talked about, or is common knowledge, or is about to be identified.

例如：

For example:

“这是一只狗”。 狗不具体 - 它可能是任何狗。

"It was a dog". The dog is not specific - it could be any dog.

It was a dog.

“我喂了马”。 这匹马是特定的。 这句话指的是之前被谈过的特定马。

"I fed the horse". The horse is specific. The sentence refers to a particular horse that has been talked about before.

I fed the horse.

“我给这个男孩写了一本书”。 这本书并不具体，男孩是。

"I gave a book to the boy". The book is not specific, the boy is.

I gave a book to the boy.

“我给了一个女孩一个苹果”。 苹果和女孩并不具体。 他们可能是任何苹果和任何女孩。

"I gave an apple to a girl". The apple and the girl are not specific. They could be any apple and any girl.

I gave an apple to a girl.

“他在一所公立学校读书”。 公立学校不具体。

"He studied at a public school". The public school is not specific.

He studied at a public school.

“他在Box Hill的公立学校学习”。 这句话指的是墨尔本郊区Box Hill的一所特定公立学校。

"He studied at the public school in Box Hill". The sentence refers to a specific public school, in the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill.

He studied at the public school in Box Hill.

“他把橙色给了女孩”。 橙色和女孩是特定的。

"He gave the orange to the girl". The orange and the girl are specific.

He gave the orange to the girl.

这是一个较长的例子：

Here is a longer example:

“亚历克斯和伊丽莎白坐在一起。亚历克斯拿着一本关于诗歌的书。我从亚历克斯那里拿了这本书给了那个女孩。” 这本书和女孩都是具体的，之前在两句话中已经提到过。

"Alex was sitting with Elizabeth. Alex was holding a book about poetry. I took the book from Alex and gave it to the girl." Both the book and the girl are specific, having been mentioned in the two sentences before.

Alex was sitting with Elizabeth. Alex was holding a book about poetry. I took the book from Alex and gave it to the girl.

英语提供“a”和“an”来完成同样的工作。 规则是，在以元音开头的单词前面使用“an”。 在其他地方使用“a”。 这里有些例子：

English provides both "a" and "an" to do the same job. The rule is, use "an" in front of a word that begins with a vowel. Use "a" everywhere else. Here are some examples:

一辆车，一张桌子，一只

a car, a table, a dog

橙子，苹果，眼睛

an orange, an apple, an eye

为什么英语有这个规则？ 与“橙色”相比，更容易说“橙色”。 试试两者。 你会发现你不必用“an”来移动你的嘴巴。

Why does English have this rule? It's easier to say "an orange" compared with "a orange". Try them both. You will find that you don't have to move your mouth as much, with "an".

这是一个例外！ 您可以说“酒店”，或者您可以说“酒店”而不说“h”.

Here is an exception! You can say "a hotel", or you can say "an hotel" without saying the "h".

旅馆或旅馆

a hotel or an (h)otel

英语也允许两个发音“the”，原因相同：

English also allows two pronunciations of "the", for the same reason:

的, 的

the and the(e)

汽车，桌子，狗

the car, the table, the dog

橙子，苹果，眼睛

the orange, the apple, the eye