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Hello!
大家好!
This week on Ask a Teacher, we will answer a question about noncount and mass nouns.
本周《名师答疑》，我们回答关于不可数名词和物质名词的问题。
Dear Learning English, thank you so much for your excellent programs.
亲爱的英语学习栏目，非常感谢你们的优秀节目。
How do we know how to use the singular and plural of some nouns like “effort” vs. “efforts?”
怎样才能知道如何使用一些名词的单数和复数形式呢？比如effort和efforts。
Both show in people's writing.
这两个形式都在书面语中出现过。
For some nouns, it is very hard to know if they should be used in the singular or plural, like "experience” or "faculty.”
有一些名词，很难知道应该用单数还是复数，比如experience或faculty。
Thank you, Lily.
谢谢你，莉莉。
Dear Lily, thank you for your question.
亲爱的莉莉，谢谢你的提问。
These words are in a group called “mass” or “noncount” nouns.
这些词属于“物质”名词或“不可数”名词。
These nouns are not counted as individual things.
这些名词不被算作单个事物。
They present problems even for native speakers of English sometimes.
有时，英语母语者也会对这些单词有疑问。
While there are many noncount and mass nouns, we will provide some general rules to help you use them.
虽然有许多不可数名词和物质名词，但我们将给出一些一般规则来帮助你使用这些词。
Noncount and mass nouns do not have a plural form.
不可数名词和物质名词没有复数形式。
For example, sand or milk would be difficult to count.
例如，沙子和牛奶很难数清楚。
Particles of sand are too small and numerous, and milk is a liquid.
沙粒又小又多，而牛奶是一种液体。
Mass nouns or noncount nouns can describe abstract concepts like “advice.”
物质名词或不可数名词可以描述诸如“建议”这样的抽象概念。
In some cases, “faculty” is a collective noun, not a mass noun.
在某些情况下，faculty是一个集合名词，而不是物质名词。
Collective nouns describe many individuals who form a group.
集合名词指的是许多个体组成的一个群体。
For example, the “faculty” is made up of individual teachers.
例如，“全体教师”是由单个教师组成的。
However, if you hear the word “faculties,” it often is describing a person’s powers of the body or mind.
然而，如果你听到faculties这个词，那么它通常指的是一个人的身体能力或心理能力。
The teacher aimed to develop the students’ faculties of critical thought.
这位老师的目标是培养学生的批判性思维能力。
Noncount nouns are always singular. There are no plural forms of noncount nouns.
不可数名词总是单数形式，没有复数形式。
Sometimes nouns can be both mass and count nouns.
有时名词既可以是物质名词，也可以是可数名词。
Many people use “effort” and “experience” as mass nouns, while describing a concept, but they can become plural when talking about repeating or multiple attempts (efforts) or individual experiences.
当描述一个概念时，许多人把effort（努力）和experience（经验）用作物质名词，但当谈论重复或多次的尝试(efforts)或单次的经历（experiences）时，它们可以变成复数。
Her boss noticed her efforts on the project over the past few weeks. (repeating or multiple attempts)
她的老板注意到她过去几周在这个项目上做了很多努力。(重复或多次的尝试)
The vacation package offers many different experiences like snorkeling, swimming in the ocean or hiking in the rainforest.
度假套餐提供许多不同的体验，如浮潜、在大海中游泳或在雨林中徒步旅行。
Another example of a noun that can be a mass or count noun is “paper.”
名词作为物质名词或可数名词的另一个例子是paper。
The teacher collected the students’ final papers. (count noun referring to the students’ individual pieces of writing)
老师把学生的期末试卷收了上来。(可数名词，表示学生们各自写的试卷。)
I need to buy some paper for the printer. (mass noun)
我需要为打印机买一些纸。(物质名词)
Since noncount nouns cannot be counted, numbers are not used with them.
由于不可数名词不能计数，因此不能与数字连用。
We need to add other words if we want to talk about an amount of a noncount noun.
如果想要谈论不可数名词的数量，我们需要添加其他单词。
We use words like “types,” “slices” or “pieces.”
可以用“种类”“片”或“块”之类的词。
Kelly always has four types of cheese in her refrigerator.
凯莉的冰箱里总是放着四种奶酪。
The teacher handed the student three pieces of paper to take his test on.
老师递给学生三张纸用于考试。
I eat two slices of bread in the morning.
我早上吃两片面包。
Lastly, we do not use the indefinite articles “a” or “an” with noncount or mass nouns.
最后，不可数名词或物质名词不与不定冠词a或an连用。
We do use the definite article “the.”
但可以用定冠词the。
The rising water flooded the town.
上涨的洪水淹没了小镇。
Please let us know if these explanations and examples helped you, Lily.
莉莉，请让我们知道这些解释和例子是否对你有帮助。
And that’s Ask a Teacher.
以上就是本期《名师答疑》。
I’m Faith Pirlo.
我是费思·皮尔洛。
