20230904 程度副詞強調句型：too...to...(90)

程度副詞強調句型：too...to...
Adverbs of Degree: too...to...
The pattern "too + adj./adv. + to" is used to describe the degree of something and the relevant results, stating a cause-effect relationship. Take note that this pattern has a "negative connotation". Take "This box is too heavy to be carried by one person." for example. In this sentence, "too...to" can be interchanged with "so...that", with a "not" being a necessity in the latter. "This box is too heavy to be carried by one person." is, therefore, the same as "This box is so heavy that it cannot be carried by one person." Please note that if "not" appears in a "too...to" sentence, then the sentence becomes positive, ie, "I am too tired not to fall asleep if I lie down."

英文中 too + adj./adv. + to 的句型描述某事物的程度與其連帶產生的結果，有一層因果關係，表示「太…以致於不能…」。

要注意這種句型本身帶有「否定涵義」。例如 This box is too heavy to be carried by one person. 本句中，由於箱子太重，因此是「無法」被一個人搬動的。

too... to... 的句型可以與另一種 so + adj./adv. + that + S... 的句型替換，只是當替換成這種句型時必須加入否定詞 not，例如剛剛的句子我們可以改寫為 This box is so heavy that it cannot be carried by one person. 注意其中的 cannot 為否定詞，然而在 too...to... 句型中是沒有明顯否定詞的。

但注意 too...to... 中假如出現了 not，那便有「負負得正」的效果，例如 I am too tired not to fall asleep if I lie down. 這句話意思符合中文的「我太累的，因此假如我躺下就會睡著」。要是說 I am too tired to fall asleep 反而怪怪的，因為語意會變為「我太累了，因此無法入睡」。

例句
It's too hard (for me) to explain.

這太難了，（我）無法解釋。

That hill's far too steep to cycle up.

那個小山丘太陡了，無法騎自行車上去。

That question is so stupid that I just can't be bothered to answer.

那個問題太蠢了，因此我根本不屑回答。