请老师帮忙剖析一个句子结构,并请详细讲解:Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death?
此句源自以下这段话:
The night had fallen. I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death? On one star, one planet, my planet, the Earth, there was a little prince to be comforted, I took him in my arms and rocked him.
The night had fallen. I had let my tools drop from my hands. Of what moment now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death?
【翻译】夜幕已然即将来临,我把手中的工具放手。目前,我的锤子、螺栓、饥渴抑或死亡,还要紧吗?
这句话中,moment 是抽象意思,意为“要紧,重大”,等于importance。 Of what moment = Of what importance = How important。
这是一个特殊疑问句,实质表达反问的意思。我改写一下:
Of what importance now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death?
How importnt now was my hammer, my bolt, or thirst, or death?
of 表示“事物具备的品质或特质”,之后一般跟表示“意义的抽象名词”,比如:quality(水平), value(价值),use(作用与功效), importance(重要程度), significance(意义), beauty(漂亮),moment(要紧,重大)等。
把“of + 抽象名词” 理解为形容词使用方法。比如:
This method is of use. 这种办法有用处。(of use = useful)
This book is of value. 这本书有价值。(of value = valuable)
The meeting is of importance. 会议非常重要。(of importance = important)
我演绎一下结构的转换:
of use = useful
用于特殊疑问句时,Of what + 名词 = How + 形容词:
of what use = how useful
What use is the book of? =
Of what use is the book? =
How useful is the book?