PETS-2语法讲解(159)
Our cat had a litter..
对话
Millie: What a playful little kitten! Is it a boy or a girl?
Janet: It's a girl. We've decided to call her Winkie.
Millie: How sweet! How old is she?
Janet: Only six weeks.
Millie: Did you get her from a petshop?
Janet: No, our cat had a litter for four and she's the only one left.
Millie: How do you mean?
Janet: Well we've given the other three to friends but decided to keep her, as she was the prettiest of the bunch.
米莉:这小猫多么顽皮!是公猫还是母猫?
珍妮德:是母猫。我们叫它做‘眨眼儿’。
米莉:真可爱!它有多大了?
珍妮德:只有六个星期大。
米莉:是在宠物店买的吗?
珍妮德:不是,我们那只猫一胎生了四只小猫,现在只剩下这一只。
米莉:怎么只剩下一只?
珍妮德:我们把其余三只送了给朋友,但见这一只最漂亮,就把它留下来。
读者大概都知道litter解作‘垃圾’,是不可数名词(uncountable noun),例如:There is litter everywhere(处处都是垃圾)。但是,听见人家说Our cat had a litter,可不要以为他的猫有些垃圾,更不要以为这个litter是不可数名词,不可冠以a字。原来litter也可以指猫、狗、猪等一胎可生多只小动物,例如:(1) There were four kittens/puppies in the litter(那一窝小猫/小狗共有四只)。(2) She had a litter of (four) kittens/puppies(它生了一窝(四只)小猫/小狗)。一窝之中最弱小的一只,叫做the runt of the litter。I asked him for the runt of the litter即‘我问他要那窝小动物中最弱小的一只’。Litter也可作动词,例如:Our mouser littered(我们的猫生了一窝小猫)。Mouser顾名思义就是‘捉老鼠的动物’。又假如你听见人说:I'm training my cat to use the litter box,可也不要误会,以为他在训练猫儿在盆中产子。那句话其实是说‘我在训练猫儿在猫砂盆里便溺’。Litter可以指供动物在室内便溺的干砂。I bought some cat litter at the supermarket即‘我在超级市场买了些猫砂’。珍妮德叫她的小猫做Winkie,那wink是‘眨眼’,ie则常用在名词、动词、形容词之后,指‘小可爱’或 ‘和……有关的人、物’,例如dearie(宝贝)、lassie(小姑娘)、doggie(小狗)、oldie(老人)、movie(电影)、nudie(*电影)、walkie-talkie(无线电通话机)等。
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