英語中表示倍數(shù)增加的表達方法

(一) A is N times as great(long，much，…)as B. (①)

A is N times greater (longer， more，…)than B. (②)

A is N times the size (length， amount，…)of B. (③)

以上三句都應譯為：A的大小(長度，數(shù)量，……)是B的N倍[或A比B大(長，多，……)N-1倍].

e.g. This book is three times as long as (three times longer than/three times the length of) that one.

這本書的篇幅是那本書的3倍(即長兩倍)。

注：當相比的對象B很明顯時，than(as，of)B常被省去。

(二)increase to n times(④)

increase n times/n-fold(⑤)

increase by n times(⑥)

increase by a factor of n(⑦)

以上四式均應譯為：增加到n倍(或：增加n-1倍)。

e.g. The production of integrated circuits has been increased to three times as compared with last year. 集成電路的產(chǎn)量比去年增加了兩倍。

e.g. The output of chemical fertilizer has been raised five times as against l986. 化肥產(chǎn)量比1986年增加了4倍。

e.g. That can increase metabolic rates by two or three times. 那可使代謝率提高到原來的2倍或3倍(即提高1倍或2倍)。

e.g. The drain voltage has been increased by a factor of four. 漏電壓增加了3借(即增加到原來的4倍)。

注：在這類句型中increase常被raise，grow，go/step up，multiply等詞所替代。

(三)There is a n-fold increase/growth…(⑧)

應譯為：增加n-倍(或增至n倍)。這個句型還有其它一些形式：

e.g. A record high increase in value of four times was reported. 據(jù)報道，價值破記錄地增長了3倍。

(四)double (增加1倍)，treble(增加2倍)，quadruple(增加3倍)。(⑨)

e.g. The efficiency of the machines has been more than trebled or quadrupled. 這些機器的效率已提高了2倍或3倍多。

(五)此外，英語中還有一種用again而不用倍數(shù)詞來比較倍數(shù)的方法，如：

A is as much (large，long，…)again as B.(= A is twice as much (large，long，…)as B.(⑩)

應譯為：A比B多(大，長，……)1倍。

A is half as much (large， 1ong，…)again as B.

(= A is one and a half times as much (large， 1ong，…)as B.)(11)

應譯為：A比B多(大，長……)一半(即A是B的一倍半)。