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表示“舍去”概念的rather than
■本站特约作者 刘永科
在必修三第5单元中，有这样一个句子：Rather than take the aeroplane all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train west to east across Canada.他们不想一路乘飞机，而决定先飞到温哥华，再从西海岸乘火车横穿加拿大到达东海岸。在必修六第4单元也出现了类似的一个句子：It is human activity that has caused this global warming rather than a random but natural phenomenon. 这两句话里面都含有rather than这个短语，说明这是一个比较常用的固定词组。
rather than是一个常用的固定短语，表示“取舍关系”，rather than之后的部分为“舍”。 rather than的意思有两个：①“而不是”；②“宁可不”。在本句中rather than的用法属于后者“宁可不”。那么，rather than 之后可以跟什么成分呢？
当rather than表示“而不是”的意思时，它后面可以跟名词、代词、形容词、副词、介词短语、不定式、现在分词、过去分词、甚至从句，但这些必须和前面的成分是并列同等的。例如：
I like football rather than basketball. （名词）
You should go there rather than I.（代词）
These shoes are comfortable rather than good-looking.（形容词）
He writes fast rather than carefully.（副词）
She did it by herself rather than with the help of others.（介词短语）
She was smiling rather than laughing.（现在分词）
He was rewarded rather than punished.（过去分词）
We should try to reform criminals rather than (to) punish them.我们应该尽力改造罪犯，而不是惩罚他们。（不定式）
I come here to help you rather than to harm you.我到这里是来帮助你的，不是来伤害你的。（不定式）
I reasoned rather than quarreled with him. 我理论，而不是和他吵架。（并列过去式）
I should thank you rather than that you thank me.我应当谢你而不是你谢我。（句子）
I would go to see my uncle right now rather than when I have time some day.（从句）
上述例句中，rather than之后实际上是省略了与前面相对应的成分。
当rather than表示“宁可不”的意思时，其后的动词一律用原形，不管前面的谓语是什么时态。例如：
We insisted on starting the work at once rather than leave it for the next day.
He sold the vegetables at half price rather than allow them to go bad.
The hero would die rather than give in.
I prefer to walk there rather than take a bus.
Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.
It is better to express your anger, rather than bottle it up.生气宁可发泄出来而不要闷在肚内。
I prefer to walk there rather than take a bus.与其坐公共汽车去，还不如走路去。
此外，rather than经常和would和had 连用，构成would rather … than (宁愿…而不) 和 had rather … than (宁愿…而不)句型。例如:
The hero would rather die than give in.
I had rather wait here than go away.
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