Unit 74

Plural and uncountable nouns with and without the

(a) Определенный артикль the обычно не

используется перед существительным, когда

имеем в виду что-то в целом, вообще:

- Scientists are so clever I'm afraid to speak to them.

(учёные вообще, а не отдельная группа учёных)

- I don't like cats.

- I like handball and chess.

- Life means everything to me.

- My favourite subject at school is literature.

Запомните:most people, most things.

(а не the most ...)

- Most people like to watch TV.

(b) The потребляется, когда мы имеем в виду

что-то конкретное:

- We went into the garden. The flowers were wonderful.

(not flowers in general but the flowers in this garden)

- Children like playing. (Children in general)

- Tom took the children to the Zoo. (not children in general but his

own children)

- I like all cars.

- The cars we saw were the latest model.

Разница между чем-то в обобщающем значении

и чем-то конкретным не всегда чётко ясна.

Например:

- Does he like tea?

- Does he like strong tea?

- Does he like the tea? (конкретный вид чая)