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在英语教学中，你可别小看定冠词the，它的用法真可谓变化无穷，稍一疏忽，便会出错。下面的实例说明 ，有无定冠词the，意义上竟会有天壤之别。所以在教学中要慎之又慎，决不可掉以轻心而误人子弟。例子是不 胜枚举的，下面仅举一些，以此引起同行们的重视。
1.behind time 过了时刻，迟了
behind the time 落在时代后面，不合时
The train is ten minutes behind time. 火车晚点十分钟。
Such books are behind the times. 这种书落后于时代了。
2.by day 在白天
by the day 计日，论日，按日计
They don’t work by day but by night. 他们白天不工作，晚上工作。
The bank calculates the interest on bills by the day.银行按日计算帐息。
3.by hand 手工做的
by the hand 搀着（手）
Was this tablecloth made by hand? 这块桌台布是用手工做的吗？
He took his grandmother by the hand when they crossed the street. 过马路时，他搀着他祖母（ 的手）。
4.by sea 由海路
by the sea 在海岸上，在海滨
Marco Polo came to China by land and returned to Italy by sea.马可·波罗由陆路来中国，由海 路返回意大利。
My friend spent his holiday in a rest home by the sea. 我朋友在海滨一个招待所度假。
5.give battle 开战
give the battle 打败仗
They decided to give battle to the enemies. 他们决定向敌人开战。
They gave the battle in the end. 他们最后打了败仗。
6.go to sea 去当水手
go to the sea 出海
The boy wanted to go to sea. 这男孩想当水手。
The fisherman went to the sea early in the morning. 这渔夫一大早就出海去了。
7.go to war 交战
go to the war 参军
England want to war with Germany in 1939. １９３９年英国和德国交战。
The two brothers went to the war. 两兄弟从军去了。
8.in case of 如果，万一
in the case of 就……来说，至于
You can come to our hospital in case of illness. 你如果有病，可以到我们医院来。
In the case of physical change,no new substance is formed. 就物理变化来说，没有新的物质产生 。
9.in charge of 负责，主管（表示主动）
in the charge of 由……负责，被……主管（表示被动）
Dr Bethune was in charge of the operation. 白求恩大夫负责这次手术。
This kindergarten is in the charge of a young girl. 这个幼儿园由一个年轻的姑娘负责。
10.in course of 正在……中
in the course of 在……的过程中
An international meeting is in course of preparation. 正在筹备一次国际会议。
New arts have been born in the course of the history of man.在人类历史发展过程中，新的艺术 不断诞生。
11.in future 从今以后
in the future 在将来
In future meetings will start ten minutes earlier. 从今以后会议要提前十分钟开始。
Today,107 chemical elements have been discovered and more willbe discovered in the future.
目前，已经发现了一百零七种元素，将来会发现更多的元素。
12.in person 亲自，外貌上
in the person 以……资格，代表
I can’t go in person ,but I’m sending my secretary. 我不能亲自去了，但是我派我的秘书去。
She looks younger in person than on the screen. 她看上去比她在银幕上的形象更年轻。
He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency. 他代表新华社讲话。
13.in place of 代替
in the place of 在……的地方
We use chopsticks in place of knives and forks. 我们用筷子代替刀叉。
The traffic accident happened in the place of Lorraine. 交通事故发生在洛林这个地方。
14.in possession of 占有，拥有（表示主动）
in the possession of 被（为了）……占有（所用）（表示被动）
She was found in possession of dangerous drugs. 有人发现她拥有危险药品。
That island was in the possession of that country late in thesixteenth century. 这个岛屿１ ６世纪末被那个国家占有。
15.in red 身穿红衣服
in the red 亏损，有赤字
The girl in red is our professor’s daughter. 那个身穿红衣服的姑娘是我们教授的女儿。
The company was in the red . 这家公司出现了赤字。
16.in secret 暗地里，秘密地
in the secret. 知道内情，参与秘密
She wept in secret. 她暗暗哭泣。
She wrote to the newspaper in secret. 她秘密给报社写了信。
I know a man who is in the secret. 我认识一个了解内情的人。
17.in sight of 看得见，在看得见……的地方
in the sight of 在……看来，从……观点来看
Are we in sight of land yet? 现在看得见陆地了吗？
He should be sentenced to death in the sight of law. 从法律角度来看，他该被判处死刑。
18.in view of 鉴于，由于
in the view of 按……的意见
In view of the circumstances,we should give up the plan. 考虑到情况的变化，我们应该放弃这 项计划。
In the view of Marxist-Leninist,the people are the makers ofhistory. 马列主义者认为人民是 历史的创造者。
19.keep house 管理家务
keep the house 守在家里
Richard’s wife,Harriet.had been ill in bed for five years,andso his sister Caroline kept house. 理查德的妻子哈丽特病卧在床五年了，因此他的姐姐卡罗琳管家。
Mr Smith had to keep the house that night. 那天晚上史密斯先生不得不守在家里。
20.on fire 着火
on the fire 在考虑中，在准备中
The enemy could not but abandon the warship on fire. 敌人只好放弃着火的战舰。
The young writer has a new novel on the fire. 这位年轻的作家正打算写一部新小说。
21.out of question 不成问题，无疑的
out of the question 不可能
If you persist,your success is out of question. 如果你坚持下去，成功是无疑的。
It is out of the question for anyone to build a castle in theair. 任何人想建立空中楼阁都是 不可能的。
22.take air 传播，泄漏
take the air 出外，呼吸新鲜空气，兜风
The story has taken air. 这件事已经传开了。
At the door of the engine room,the engineer sat smoking a pipeand taking the air. 机械师 坐在机房门口，边抽烟斗边透一透空气。
23.take place 发生
take the place of 代替
Great changes have taken place in our country since 1978. 自从１９７８年以来我国已经发生了 巨大的变化。
Eiectric trains have taken the place of steam trains in someplaces in China.在中国，电气火 车已经在有些地方取代了蒸气机火车。
