Richard doesn't think he could ever ____ what is called "free-style" poetry.
A. take on B. take over C. take to D. take after(全国研考,92-4)
规定的正确答案为 C(take to)。但我认为 D(take after) 也同样正确。不知您以为然否？
我们先来弄清两个短语动词的含义。take to 意为“喜欢”“爱”。例如：
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I took to her at once, she seemed such a charming person. (LDPV) 我一下子就喜欢上她了，她看来是那么有魅力的女人。
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It was embarrassing if the mother did not take to you. It looked as though it were your fault. (ODCIE) 如果母亲不喜欢你,那真是一件令人为难的事。看来这好像是你的过错。
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She has really taken to that child. (EPV) 她真的喜欢那个孩子。
take after 的常见意义是:“(在容貌、性格上)像”,但出题者忽略了它的另一含义:仿效;遵循;以……为榜样(to take as an example, follow):
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She is going to take after her grandmother—Elizabeth Taylor. (《英汉辞海》) 她要学她祖母——伊丽莎白·泰勒的样子。
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Helen: You're not fond of work, are you? Joe: No, I take after you. (ODCIE) 海伦: 你不喜欢工作, 是不是? 乔: 是的, 我是学你的样。
由此我们可以得出如下的结论:虽然语言学家 Wood 的原句是 Richard doesn't think he could ever take to what is called "free-style" poetry. (理查德认为他永远也不会喜欢所谓的“自由体”诗。)但是,在没有上下文的情况下,把 take to 换成 take after,句子仍然是成立的(理查德认为他永远也不会仿效所谓的“自由体”诗)。