答:英语中表示一年中的四个季节的名词,即spring, summer, autumn和winter.它们的前面是否使用冠词,应注意以下几点:
1. 在通常情况下,其前通常不用冠词。如:
Spring is my favourite season. 春天是我最喜欢的季节。
但若特指某一年的某一季节,则要用定冠词。如:
He left for Hong Kong in the summer of 1979. 他在1979年夏天去香港。
有时这种特指是通过语境来体现的。如:
The spring was foul this year—it was cold and wet for weeks. 今春天气恶劣,一连几个星期又冷又潮湿。
2. 当季节名词前有during, (all) through, throughout, over, most of等词时,一般要用定冠词。如:
He lets out his house to tourists during the summer. 他夏天把房子租给游客。
It rained for most of the spring. 春天大部分时间都下雨。
3. 当季节名词前有介词in时,用不用the均可。如:
In (the) summer we go on holiday. 夏天我们常去度假。
另外,季节名词与all连用时,用不用the均可,但在否定句中一般不用the。如:
She'll be coaching all (the) summer. 她整个夏天将要做辅导工作。
4. 当季节名词受描绘性定语修饰时,其前通常要用不定冠词。如:
We don't often have a cold winter here. 我们这儿的冬天一般不冷。