eighty-five在汉英笔译和英语写作中，经常会遇到数字；哪些 场合用单词表示，哪些场合用阿拉伯数字表示，往往使人难以确定，现行语法书中也极少涉及此类问 题。 实际上，以英语为母语的国家，在书写数字时已形 成几条约定俗成的规则，现总结如下供读者参考。 一. 英美等国的出版社在排版时遵循一条原则， 即1至10用单词表示，10以上的数目用阿拉伯数字 （也有的以100为界限），这条原则值得我们行文 时借鉴。Eg. That table measures ten feet by five.那个工作台长10英尺，宽5英尺。Eg. The traditional pattern of classroom experience at the college level brings the professor and a group of 20 to 30 students together for a 45-to-50-minute class session two or three times a week.由一个教授和十名学生每周会晤两三次，每次授课时间45到50分钟，是大学程度课堂教学的传统方式。二. 人数用阿技伯数字表示显得更简洁明了，但不定数量、近似值用单词表示较恰当。Eg. There are 203817 voters on the electoral rolls.选举名单上有203817个投票人。Eg. Nearly thirty thousand voters took part in this election.近3万个投票人参加了这次选举。三. 遇到日期、百分比、带单位的特殊数字，通常用阿拉伯数字。Eg. Maximum swivel of table is l20.工作台的最大回转角度是120度。Eg. 3rd March l991或3 March l991； a discount of 5 percent（5%的折扣）；Eg. purchased 7 yards of carpet（买7码地毯）； Eg. ordered 2 pounds of minced steak （订购2磅剁碎的肉）。如果涉及的数目和单位是不定数，可用单词表示。Eg. about five miles per hour（每小时大约5英里）Eg. at least ten yards away（至少有10码远）Eg. hesitated for a moment or two（犹豫了片刻）Eg. I have warned you a hundred times（我已经警告你多少遍了）。四. 在科技文章中，数字频繁出现，用阿拉伯数字比用单词陈述更有利。Eg. The new engine has a capacity of 4.3 litres and a power out-put of 153 kilowatts at 4400 revolutions per minute.这台新发动机的容积为4.3升，转速为每分钟4400转时输出功率是153千瓦。Eg. We know that the weight of a cubic foot of air at 0oC and 76cm，pressure is 0.08l pound, or 12 cubic feet of air weigh a pound.我们知道，1立方英尺的空气在0摄氏度和760毫米汞柱压力下，重量是0.81磅，也就是说12立方英尺空气的重量是1磅。五. 句首不用阿拉伯数字，句末要尽量避免用阿拉伯数字。Eg. 4th July is an important date in American history.应该写成The fourth of July...Eg. 19 couples took part in the ballroom dancing competition.19对选手参加了交际舞比赛。应改写成：Nineteen couples took...Eg. 60％profit was a reported．据报道有60％的利润。应改写成：Sixty per cent profit…Eg. 1345 kilograms force was applied at the center point of the bar.试验时在杆的中点加1345公斤力。可改成When tested, a force of l345 kg was applied...六. 遇到分数，可用带连字符号的单词表示。Eg. At 1east two-thirds of the class have had colds.这个班至少有三分之二的学生患重感冒。Eg. Nitrogen forms about four-fifths of the atmosphere. 氮约占大气的五分之四。
我躲在墙角哭
