逆向第一个逗号读thousand;向左再推三位,第二个逗号读million;第三个逗号读billion;第四个逗号就是trillion。这几个逗号的作用在于,当我们听到若干thousand时,立即写下这个数,并在其后打一个逗号,并留出3位;当听到若干million,则写下数字,并在其后打一逗号,留出6位;听到若干billion,方法同上,在后面留出9位,后面的million、thousand依此法类推,让所有数字各就其位。
读法上须注意以下几点:
a.在英式英语中,一个数的最后两位(十位和个位)得用“and\'’,但美式英语中则不用。如:3,077读作:U.S:three thousand seventy—seven.
b.不定冠词“a”只在数的开头才和hundred,thousand等连用。试比较:
146读作:ahundred(and)forty-six
2,146读作:twothousand,one hundred(and)fortysix
c.1,000这个整数我们说athousand,在and前我们也说a thousand,但是在一个有百位数的数目前就得说one thousand试比较:
1,031读作:a thousand,(and)thirty-one,
1,150读作:one thousand,one hundred(and)fifty
d.hundred,thousand和million这几个词的单数可以和:“a”者“one”连用,但是不能单独使用。在非正式文体中“a”比较常见;当我们说话比较准确的时候就用“one”试比较:
I Want to live for a hundred years.
The journey took exactly one hundred days.
e.我们常常说eleven hundred(1,100),twelve hundred(1,200)等,而不说one thous and one hundred.从1,100到1,900之间的整数,这种说法最常见。
5位以上数字的读法
11,234读作:eleven thousand two hundred(and),thirty—four
155,721读作:one hundred(and)fifly-fivethous and seven hundred(and)twenty-one
6,155,702读作:six million one hundred(and)fifly-five thous and seven hundred and two
26,000,008读作:twenty-six million and eight
326,414,718读作:three hundred(and)twenty-six mil-lion,four hundred(and)four teen thous and,seven hundred(and)eigh-teen
4,302,000,000读作:four billion three hundred(and)two million