no more…than與not more…than區別

1. no more than 表示“僅僅”、“衹有”(= only)，強調少；而 not more than 表示“不多於”、“至多”(= at most)。如：

He is no more than an ordinary English teacher. 他衹不過是個普通的英文老師。

He has no more than three children. 他衹有 3 個孩子。

He has not more than three children. 他最多 3 個孩子(有或許還不到 3 個之意)。

2. 用於比較兩件事物時，no more ... than 表示對兩者都否定，意爲“同……一樣不”(＝neither ... nor)；而 not more ... than 指兩者雖都具有某種特征，但程度不同，意爲“不如”、“不及”(= not so ... as)。如：

He is no more a writer than a painter. 他不是畫家，也不是作家(= He is neither a painter nor a writer)。

A whale is no more a fish than a horse is. 馬不是魚，鯨也不是魚(=Neither a horse nor a whale is a fish)。

She is not more clever than he is. 她不如他聰明(= She is not so clever as he is)。

有這樣一道考題，請看是該選no more…than還是not more…than？

You are _____ careful than your brother. You two can’t do the work that needs care and skill.

A. not more B. no more

C. not less D. no less

【分析】容易誤選A。要做對此題，首先要正確理解以下結搆的含義：

not more … than = 不如……

no more … than = 和……一樣不 (否定兩者)

not less … than = 不如……不 (即指不如 less 後形容詞的反麪)

no less … than = 和……一樣 (肯定兩者)

比較以下各句的意思：

You are more careful than he is. 你比他仔細。

You are not more careful than he is. 你不如他仔細。

You are no more careful than he is. 你和他一樣不仔細。

You are less careful than he is. 你不如他仔細（你比他粗心）。

You are not less careful than he is. 你比他仔細（你不如他粗心）。

You are no less careful than he is. 你和他一樣仔細。

通過以上分析，再結郃句子語境，可知此題最佳答案爲B。