stress and emphasis

Stress can be made through “topic-comment” structure or pattern (as is explained in Workbook p.168). “When a piece of new information is introduced, it becomes a known or the focus/topic in the following statement.”

The use of “才” (grammar points explained on page 31 of workbook) usually expresses a tacit assumption or prerequisite to be met.

Examples:

  1. She didn’t get married until she was 50 years old. 她50岁才结婚。
  2. The coffee is only a nickel per cup. 咖啡一杯才五分钱。
  3. You can’t board the plane unless you show me your ticket. 给我看你的飞机票才能上飞机。
  4. You must finish eating before you can play outside. 你吃完饭才能出去玩。
  5. You may go to bed after you have done your homework. 你做完功课才能睡觉。
  6. I go watch a movie with you if you say you love me.
  7. He didn’t go to college until 22 years old.
  8. Last year he called his girlfriend only once.
  9. Only after you have money can you be independent. 独立 (dú lì)
  10. Go to bed only after you say you are sorry.

越 A. . . 越 B (with this . . . that . . . ); this pattern is used to establish the correlation between two phenomena or processes; pattern; translate the following into Chinese;

e.g. 她越不给我打电话，我越想她。The less she calls me, the more I think of her.

  1. The closer to the campus, the more expensive the apartments.
  2. Farther away from the road, the quieter it gets.
  3. The prettier the clothe you wear, the more your boyfriend likes you.
  4. The better you prepare for the exam tomorrow, the easier it gets.
  5. The faster you drive, the easier it is to run people over (压死).
  6. The more you hang out with him, the more his mom dislikes you.
  7. The sooner you purchase the airplane tickets the cheaper they are.
  8. The older people get, the more they are afraid of being sick.
  9. The higher you stand, the farther you see.
  10. The faster the economic development, the more severe the air pollution.

Not in the least; not at ll; such stress and emphasis are achieved through the use of “一 … 也/都不/没 … ” pattern: subject + the least amount + noun + 也/都 + 不/没 + verb.

For example： 我一分钱都没有。(I am penniless) as opposed to 我没有钱 (I am broke)。

连 . . . 都 . . . exercise;  stress and emphasis exercise;

  • 我连一分钱也/都没有。
  • 爸爸连妈妈都不认识了。
  • 来美国十年了，他连他的英文名字都不会写。
  • 他们忙得连吃饭的时间都没有。
  • 那个老师连纽约都没去过。
  • 妹妹太小，连吃饭穿衣都得妈妈帮忙。
  • 她病了，连呼吸(hū xī, breathe)都很困难(kùn nán, difficult)。
The stress can be made stronger with the use of 连 . . . 都 . . .
W 他越来越胖 W 连大号衣服都穿不下了。
He is getting fat, even newly bought clothes no longer fit him.
1. 姐姐的工作很好，可是她常常忙得 A. 连两张床都放不下。
2. 那个汉字很难 B. 连她都听不下去。
3. 他不喜欢旅行，哪都没去过 C. 连觉都睡不着了。
4. 我的老师病得越来越重，现在 D. 连中国人都不知道怎么写。
5. 弟弟已经9岁了，可是很懒 E. 连一个朋友都没有。
6. 她宿在舍的房间很小 F. 连吃的东西都买不起。
7. 听说女朋友不跟他好了，他昨晚 G. 连飞机都没坐过。
8. 妹妹的男朋友唱歌很难听 H. 连上厕所的时间都没有了。
9. 因为他刚从中国来美国，现在 I. 连穿衣服都要妈妈帮忙。
10. 爸爸妈妈两年没工作了，现在我们 J. 连我他都不认识了。

～～～～～～～～～～～～～·

Match fragments with the pattern “not in the least”, 一 . . . 都不/没 . . .

  1. 李友吃素，王朋请她吃饭_____都没放。                (    A   ) 一个电影
  2. 哥哥很不高兴，吃晚饭______都没说。                  (    B   ) 一杯咖啡
  3. 他刚来美国，在学校______都不认识。                  (    C  ) 一句话
  4. 爸爸在北京工作很忙，上个月_____都没给妈打。(    D   ) 一个朋友
  5. 去年一年我______都没去听。                                   (    E    ) 一点肉
  6. 他学中文一年，可是_____也不会写。                      (    F    ) 一件衣服
  7. 下个星期我有考试，我_____也不去看。                  (    G   ) 一个音乐会
  8. 昨天我跟我的朋友在一起_____都没喝。                  (   H    ) 一个电话
  9. 虽然昨天是爸爸的生日，我们_____都没唱。          (     I  ) 一个中国汉字
  10. 他的钱很少，昨天在商店他_____都没买。              (    J    ) 一个歌

Emphasis or stress can also be achieved through the use of question words such as 什么、谁、哪、怎么 to mean “any”, “whoever”, “wherever” or “however”.