問:I couldn't care less(我毫不關心)和I can't agree more(我完全同意)這兩句常用語,為什麼一用couldn't,一用can't?
答:讀者說的兩句,其實一般都習慣用假設語氣過去式的couldn't,偶然也有人用can't,但十分罕見,不宜仿效。例如:(1)"The government is deceitful and corrupt." "I couldn't agree more."(「這個政府狡詐腐敗。」「我完全同意。」)(2)The communists couldn't care less about China's future(共產黨對中國的未來漠不關心)。
有時,你會聽到I could care less這說法,表示「毫不關心」。那多見於美式英語,而且不少人都視為錯誤,因為I could care less應是「我本來可以關心得少一點」的意思,也即「我很關心」。那not字不應刪去。
問:Thank you for your hard work in making the project successful / a success這一句,哪個選擇正確?
答:兩個選擇都正確,意思也沒有分別,同樣是說「你努力工作,使這個計劃得以成功,謹此致謝」。A success和successful往往可以通用,例如:(1)The anti-drug campaign was enormously successful / an enormous success(反吸毒運動十分成功)。(2)She is successful / a success as a teacher(她是個出色的教師)。