fairly,quite,rather,very,pretty程度副词辨析
■含义上的区别
(1) fairly 语气最轻，尽管经常与褒义词连用，但由于语气较弱，往往不带明显的恭维或赞赏，通常译为“还算”、“相当”。比如要说某部电影 fairly good，指的可能是还勉强过得去，只是没有否定。
(2) quite 语气稍重，意为“颇”或“相当”。要是说某一部电影quite good，那是说这部电影相当不错，虽不是最好，但至少值得看。
(3) rather 或 pretty 在语气上又稍重一点,意为“十分”或“相当” (pretty 不如 rather 正式)。要是说某一部电影 rather / pretty good，指的是这电影相当不错，语气比较重，意指要高出一般水平或出乎意料地好。
两者均可与褒义或贬义形容词连用。与褒义词连用，表示一种愉快的心情；与贬义(包括中性)词连用，表示一种不赞成或不满意的心情。如：
a rather [pretty] good play 相当好的戏
rather [pretty] poor work 相当差的工作
(4) very 语气最强，意为“很”或“非常”。要是说某一部电影very good，这是说这部电影很不错，算得上是精品之作。
这些词语气的轻重可大致描述为：
(not) → fairly → quite → rather / pretty → very
语法易错题
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高中英语课本
■用法上的差别
(1) 以上各词中，只有 rather 可以与比较级以及副词 too (太) 连用。如：
It’s rather warmer today. 今天暖和多了。
This one is rather too large. 这个稍大了一点。
注：quite 有时也与比较级连用, 但通常只限于 quite better (身体好)这一表达中。
(2) rather 和 quite 有时可直接修饰动词, 而其他几个副词一般不这样用。如：
I quite agree with you. 我完全同意你 (的意见)。
We rather like the book. 我们很喜欢这本书。
(3) rather, quite 与“冠词＋形容词＋名词”连用时, 通常置于冠词之前，有时也可放在冠词之后。但遇此类似情况，very 或 fairly 则只能放在冠词之后(形容词之前)。如：
It’s quite /rather a good idea. / It’s a quite/rather good idea. 那可真是个好主意。
注：若此结构中没有形容词，则 quite 和 rather 则只能放在冠词之前。如：
It was quite [rather] a success. 那事相当成功(from www.yywords.com)。
(4) 修饰不可分级的形容词(如：right, wrong, ready, full, empty, perfect, impossible, alone, unique 等，通常只用 quite，此时quite 并不表示“相当”或“很”，而表示“完全”。如：
You’re quite right (wrong). 你完全正确(错了)。
That’s quite impossible. 那完全不可能。
Born in a fishing village in Japan, Fujiyama, 25, recalls a childhood dominated by health concerns. Doctors told his parents that he had a hole in his heart and “they didn’t think I had a lot longer to live”. But during a later visit to the doctor, his family learned the hole had closed. “Somehow I was cured and I became a normal kid,” Fujiyama says. “And I had a second chance.”
During his second year at the University of Mary Washington, he volunteered in Honduras with a campus group and was struck by the extreme poverty he saw—barefoot children collecting cans and sleeping in the streets. Fujiyama realized he could help give other children their own second chance.
Today, his organization, Students Helping Honduras, brings education and community projects to children and families in need.
He started by telling his friends about his experience and collecting spare change at his two campus jobs. “When I had my very first meeting, only two people showed up,” he says. “I knew I had to keep fighting.” He persuaded his younger sister, Cosmo, to join the cause. “She’s dynamite.” He says. “When she talks in front of a crowd, she can move mountains. Knowing that she was behind it, I knew I could do anything.” Since 2006, the siblings’ organization has grown to 25 campuses and raised more than $750,000 to fund projects, including the construction of two schools and the establishment of scholarships to help young women attend college.
