抽象名词可以分三类

一、高级英文的标准不仅仅是“分倒强、从虚副”

英文独有的语法特征，如“分词、倒装、强调、虚拟”，当然能够表征英文的地道，也因此能够反映作者的语言功底。难怪有这样的应试口诀：肯定不如双否好，陈述不如倒装妙；主动不如被动巧，分词结构不能少。同学们在熟练运用这些语法之后，要想进一步提高英文写作，就需要在“用词”上努力。今天我们要聚焦的就是一类“提分词”，你如果对这类词有感悟、有积累、能应用，你的英文定会与众不同。举个切近的例子吧：翻译“据说宋代有一个人很担心他的幼苗长得很慢”，你是写成①还是②：

①   It issaid that a man in Song Dynasty was worried that his seedlings grew slowly.

②   It is said that a man in Song Dynasty wasworried about the slow growth of his seedlings.

句②中的growth概括了“一个行为”，体现了作者思维的抽象性，契合了英语这门语言背后的文化思维，是故更加地道。今天我们的焦点便是这类名词，也就是“抽象名词”。

二、“抽象名词”的内涵与优势。

抽象名词不是像“太阳、学校、操场”这样的在现实物质世界中存在的，可以看得见、摸得着的东西。抽象名词是表示行为、品质等“从典型性上来讲是观察不到和不可测量”的抽象概念。抽象名词之所以表征英语的地道与高级，在于“深层”与“表层”两方面。从深层次来说，抽象名词的使用凸显了英语这门语言背后的“重客体，重逻辑”的思维文化；从表层来说，抽象名词可以让句式更简洁，更生动，甚至可以让语篇衔接更紧密。在书面英语，尤其是科技方面的书面英语，充斥着大量的“抽象名词”，这也是体现抽象名词优势的有力证据。

三、典型的“抽象名词”有哪些？

（一）行为抽象名词

(1) -ance /ence appear：appearance    perform：performance    guide：guidance      depend：dependence absent：absence;       present：presence;      acquire：acquisition   resist：resistance exist：existence        emerge：  emergence;       interfere：interference (2) -tion/-sion contribute：contribution    imagine：imagination    celebrate：celebration;   apply：application; consider：consideration    satisfy：satisfaction     expect：expectation;     object：objection appreciate：appreciation    realize：realization     adopt：adoption;        observe：observation adapt：adaptation         educate：education      participate：participation;       express：expression;      conclude：conclusion       decide：decision (3) -al arrive：arrival    survive：survival    approve：approval    propose：proposal   refuse：refusal deny：denial     withdraw：withdrawal    disapprove：disapproval (4) -ment disappoint：disappointment   amaze：amazement    arrange：arrangement   astonish：astonishment accomplish：accomplishment  achieve：achievement   develop：development   (5) –sis:       analyze：analysis;  emphasize：emphasis (6) —ness     aware：awareness;  conscious：consciousness (7) –ure:      fail：failure;      expose：exposure;    close：closure

行为抽象名词可以使“需要用句子来表达的某个动作行为”简化为一个单词，大大提高了文本的简洁性。大家可以看看下列例子中“句子到抽象名词”的转变。

(1)   He was absent from school thismorning, which made his parents angry.

His absence fromschool this morning anger his parents.

(2)   The woman was happy that hisson got adapted to his new surroundings quickly.

The woman washappy with his son’s quick adaption to his new surroundings.

(3)   She expressed her gratitude ina simple and touching way.

Her expression of gratitudewas simple and touching

(4)   We expect that you can arrive.

We expected yourarrival.

(5)   China has developed rapidly inrecent years, attracting worldwide attention.

China’s rapiddevelopment in recent years has attracted worldwide attention.

(6)   The teacher emphasized savingold materials constantly and this annoyed students.

The teacher’semphasis on the saving of old materials annoyed students.

(7) He was aware of his mistake. So he lowered his head.

His awareness of his mistake lowered his head.

(8) You fail to greet a person you recognize, and this behavior isan unkindness.

The failure to greet a person you recognize is an unkindness.

(二) 品质抽象名词

（1）-ance/ence confident  confidence   competent  competence diligent  diligence patient  patience   intelligent  intelligence  excellent   excellence different   difference  independent  independence indifferent   indifference  persist  persistence （2）-ity/ty/ydweew curious   curiosity    responsible responsibility    generous generosity  sincere sincerity secure security      popular popularity    hostile hostility (3) -cy   fluent fluency  efficient efficiency  frequent frequency    sufficient sufficiency (4) -th strong strength   deep depth   warm   warmth    grow growth true truth   young youth    long length  wide width (5)-ness careless carelessness   thoughtful thoughtfulness   clever cleverness   aware awareness (6) -ty safe safety    cruel cruelty (7) -ance ignore ignorance   significant significance  abundant abundance

(1) Our history isfull of expressions and incidents that demonstrate(显露) the indifference of our heroes towardsuffering or danger.

我们的历史充满了许多词语和事例，从中显露出我们的英雄能够泰然面对痛苦或危险。

(2) Your observance of Chinese table manners will earn your great popularity.

你若能遵守中国的餐桌礼仪，你一定会深受欢迎。

(3) He iswarmly welcome because of his fluency in English.

因为他的英语讲得流利，因此他收到热烈欢迎。

(4) Her depthin teaching made her very popular among students.

她精通教学，这使得她很受学生欢迎。

(5) Alice's carelessness provoked her teacher to an outburst.

      爱丽丝的粗引发老师的大怒。

艾丽斯的粗心大意使老师大为发火。

(6) Her cruelty kindled hatred in my heart.

     她的残暴点燃我心中的恨意。

她的残暴激起了我的憎恨。

（7）Our great ignorance about the distant past also makes it difficult to identifygreat men.

我们对远古的不了解，同时使我们很难确认伟人。

（三）情感抽象名词

所有的情感名词,它们可以由相应的动词或形容词演化而来。

admire — ________;            amaze — ____________;          annoy  — _______________;   angry — __________;           anxious — __________;           astonish — _______________; bitter — __________;            bore —  ____________;           content — ________________ confuse—_________:            delight  — _________;            despair—___________;             disappoint—_________;           embarrass — ______;            eager — __________；            excite —____________;           ecstatic — ________             fear  - _____________;              guilty — ___________;          happy  —  ___________;          horrify — __________;            irritate — ___________          joyful—   ___________;         lonely  —  ___________;            nervous — _________           puzzle  — _____________;       please  —___________;             proud —___________            regret  —  __________;           relieve — ____________;          sad — ____________;        satisfy (dissatisfaction)—  __________;   shame ——__________;             sorry — ___________________;  surprise — ________；         worry— ________

(1) Excitement deprived himof all words.

(2.1) Fear gripped her heart．她心中充满恐惧。'

(2.2) Anger seized me and brought out my criticism on him.

(2.3) Anxiety tore him intopieces.

(3) His curiosity got the better(good) of him

（4.1）Panic surged up within him ．

(4.2) He cast a cold eye to thedistance, disappointment taking (take) possession of him.

（5.1）A slight feeling of f______ slowly crept on him．

（5.2）Self-doubt began to g______ away at her confidence. 

自我怀疑正在蚕食她的自信心。

 (6) The agony seared (sear烤焦) his fleshes(肉),consuming (consume) his entire being.