（上接
第一部分
）
1.
at a guess
: approximately,
especially when you do not know the correct number or amount and are guessing
what it is
備注：
"at a
guess"
常用于口語中。
例：
At a guess, I'd say around 3000 people took
part in the demonstration.
（大約有
3000
人參加了這次游行示威。）
It was a cold night. About two or three
degrees at a guess.
（那晚很冷，可能只有兩三度。）
"How much will it cost?" "A
hundred and twenty pounds, at a guess."
（
-
那東西要賣多少錢？
-
大約
120
英鎊。）
?
2.
close to
: almost a particular
number, amount, especially a surprisingly large one, or almost a particular
time, especially a very late time
備注：英式英語中也寫作
"close
on"
。
例：
The government spends close to $100 billion
a year on education.
（政府每年在教育上的投入大約
1000
億美元。）
There must be close to a hundred people in
the hall.
（大廳里大約有
100
個人。）
We drove close on 500 miles Saturday.
（周六，我們大約行駛了
500
英里。）
It was close on midnight by the time they
got home.
（他們到家的時候已經(jīng)快
12
點了。）
?
3.
not quite
: use this when you want
to emphasize that something is a little less than a number or amount, or a
little before a particular time
例：
"Is he 60?" "Not
quite!"
（
-
他
60
歲？
? -
沒到
60
，快了。）
It's not quite time to go yet.
（還不到出發(fā)的時間呢。）
?
4.
almost/nearly
: use this to say
that something is a little less than a number or amount, or a little before a
particular time
備注：
"almost"
and "nearly" have the same meaning, but "almost" is much
more common than "nearly" in American English. In British English
both words are common
（美式英語中，
"almost"
比
"nearly"
更常用；英式英語中，這兩個詞用法差不多。）
例：
I've been a teacher for nearly 10 years now.
（我已經(jīng)差不多做了
10
年的老師了。）
We had money and almost $1000 in traveler's
checks.
（我們有現(xiàn)錢，還有大約
$1000
的旅行支票。）
John is three years old and Sally is almost
six.
（約翰
3
歲，莎莉大約
6
歲。）
very nearly
It's very nearly time to go home.
（差不多是時候回家了。）
?
5.
approaching/nearing
: almost a
particular number, amount, time etc., and still increasing or getting nearer to
that number, amount, time etc.
例：
In the North East, the unemployment rate is
now nearing 20 percent.
（在東北部，失業(yè)率差不多到了
20%
。）
be fast approaching
(=very nearly a particular time)
By now the winter was fast approaching, and
further travel would soon be inadvisable.
（冬天就要來了，到了那會兒再繼續(xù)前進就很不明智了。）
?
6.
getting on for
: to be almost a
particular time, age, or period of time
備注：
"getting
on for"
常用于英式英語非正式的場合，美式英語中常用
"getting on toward"
。
例：
it's getting on for something
It's getting on for 10 years since we last
saw each other.
（我們有大約有
10
年沒見了。）
It must be getting on for lunch time. I'm
starving.
（肯定快到吃飯時間了，我快餓死了。）
somebody is getting on for 40, 50 etc.
(=use this when guessing an older person's age)
"How old's Diane?" "She must
be getting on for 50."
（
-
戴安娜幾歲了？
-
她肯定快
50
了。）
?
7.
be going on (for)
: to be nearly a
particular time, age, number etc.
例：
Nancy must be going on for 60.
（南?？隙?
60
歲了。）
She's one of those wise teenagers who's 16
going on 70 (= she behaves as though she is older than she is ) .
（她比較少年老成。）
?
8.
be pushing 40/50 etc.
: to be
almost forty, fifty etc .- use this when you are guessing an older person's age
備注：
"be
pushing..."
常用于非正式的場合。
例：
She's probably pushing 50 by now.
（她今年快
50
了吧。）
?
9.
in the (right) ball park
: close
to the amount, price etc. that you want or are thinking about
例：
Their estimate is in the right ball park.
（他們估計對了一大半。）
a ball-park figure/estimate/amount
: a number or amount that is almost but not exactly correct
He said $25,000, but it's just a ball-park
figure.
（他猜了個
$25,000
，但只猜對了個大概。）
?
10.
somewhere/something in the region of
: about - used with very large numbers or amounts
備注：
"somewhere/something
in the region of"
常用于正式的場合。
例：
Last year he earned something in the region
of $60 million.
（去年他賺了大約
6000
萬美元。）
It costs somewhere in the region of
￡100,000 to train a new doctor.
（培養(yǎng)一個醫(yī)生大約要花
10
萬英鎊。）
?
11.
circa
: about – used with dates a
long time ago in the past
備注：
"circa"
常用于正式的場合。
例：
The house was built circa 1530.
（這個房子大約建成于
1530
年。）
?
12.
or thereabouts
:
at 10 o'clock or thereabouts/in the
1950s or thereabouts etc
.: use this after a time,
date etc that is not exact, especially when it is not important to know the
exact time, date etc
例：
They're old apartments, built in the 1930s
or thereabouts.
（這些老房子大約建成于
20
世紀
30
年代。）
The book will be published in May or
thereabouts.
（
5
月左右這本書會出版。）
?
13.
upwards of
: more than a number or
amount
例：
The aircraft can carry upwards of 400 passengers. （這架飛機可供 400 多名乘客乘坐。）
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