at的最基本含义是“在(某一点)”,有些同学可能有点困惑,别急,还是结合语境,让我们逐个分析at这个词在牛津词典中的15种意思。
1、at the corner of the street;They arrived late at the airport.I met her at the hospital;How many people were there at the concert?可见,这时候at表示“在(某一地点)”,而且是具体的地点,可以让人找得到的那种地点。
2、He’s been at the bank longer than anyone else;She’s at shcool. 此时at表示“在(工作、学习的地点)”,但是注意区分,at school表示在学校这个地点,如I am at shcool,而in shcool表示在学校里学习,比如Students study in shcool。
3、We left at 2 o’clock;At night you can see the stars;What are you doing at the weekend?此时at表示“在(某一时间点或时刻)”
4、She got married at 25;He left school at the age of 16.此时at表示“在(人生的某一时间点)”
5、He pointed a gun at her;Somebody threw paint at the prime minister;What are you looking at?此时at表示“朝/向(某一个点)”,这个点通常是人或者某个东西。
6、He clutched wildly at the rope as he fell;She nibbled at a sandwich. 此时的at(用于动词后,涉及未做成或未做完的事)
7、Can you read a car number plate at fifty metres?此时at表示“在…远;从相隔…远的地方”,可以将其理解为“在(多远的一个点)”
8、The country is now at war;I think Mr Harris is at lunch;I felt at a disadvantage. 此时at表示的是“处于……状态”
9、He was driving at 70 mph;The noise came at two-minute intervals.此时at表示“在(某一速度点或者频率点、比率点)”
10、This was Henman at his best;The garden’s at its most beautiful in June.此时at表示“在(最好或者最差的那个点,或者说顶点或底点)”
11、I’m good at French;She’s hopeless at managing people. 此时at表示“在……方面”,但我更建议就理解为在“在(某一个能力点)”
12、They were impatient at the delay;She was delighted at the result. 此时at表示“(与形容词连用)因为,由于,对…”,这是at的引申义了,由某个点到某件事,即“在(某一件事)”
13、They attended the dinner at the chairman’s invitation. 此时at表示“应…(而);响应;回答”,这也是约定俗成的用法了,直接记忆。
14、You can reach me at 637-2335, extension 354. 这是约定俗成的用法,此时at表示“在(某一号码)”
15、the symbol (@) used in email addresses. 这个@符号想必大家都不陌生,它就是at这个单词。