Do you enjoy listening to records? I find records are often ____ or better than an actual performance. A. as good as B. as good C. good D. good as(全国研考,96-1) 规定答案为 A。但是,我想知道能否选 B。
此题来源于1972年6月的TOEFL,见上条。大家知道,TOEFL的专家们只承认规范的书面英语的用法,而排斥非正式语体的用法。按照这个观点,此题只能选A。但是,在非正式语体中,as good as or better than, as well as or better than, as great as or greater than 省略后一个as,是符合惯用法的。例如:
There is no surgical patient I cannot treat competently, treat just as well or better than any other surgeon. (摘自《大学英语》)
[附注]MWDEU(p.129)指出, as good or better than 等结构是历史悠久的习语, 并举例证明了它们的“合法性”:
- ... a rate it said was as good or better than conventional trains — N. Y. Times 9 Apr. 1970
as good as
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... but the mayors have as good if not a better point — Glenn A. Briere, Springfield (Mass.) Sunday Republican, 1 Dec. 1985
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... a giant rocket with lifting power as great or greater than the Saturn 5's.