选D.
英语中的sure和certain是近义形容词,均有“肯定的;确信的;有把握的”的意思,它们的用法也大体相似,许多情况下可以通用,但它们之间也有一些差别,现归纳如下:
一、相同点
1.两者都能用于“be sure/certain + about /of短语”句型中,表示“对(某事)有把握”.主语必须是人,about/of之后多跟名词、代词.如:
I am sure/certain of his returning.我确信他会回来.
He is quite sure/certain of /about it.他对这事很有把握.
2.两者都能用于be sure/certain to do sth句型中,表示“一定会做某事”,主语可以是人,也可以是物.如:
Spring is sure/certain to follow winter.冬天过后一定是春天.
They are sure/certain to come.他们一定会来的.
3.两者都能用于“be sure/certain +从句”句型中,表示“确信……”,主语只能是人,而不能是物.如:
Tom is sure/certain that I put the key on the table.汤姆确信我把钥匙放在桌子上了.
We are sure/certain that the book will be of great help to us.我们相信这本书对我们会有很大帮助.
4.两者都能用于“make sure/certain +从句”结构中,表示“确定;弄清楚”,主语只能是人.如:
You must make sure/certain when the bus will leave.你必须弄清汽车何时出发.
5.“I ' m not sure…”与“I ' m not certain…”意思相同.如:
I ' m not sure/certain where he is.我不能确定他在哪儿.
I ' m not sure/certain how to do it.我不能确定如何做这件事.
二、不同点
1.“I ' m sure…”与“I ' m certain…”均可译为“我深信(确)信……”,但两者的含义却不同.前者表示一种主观上的判断或感觉,事实并不一定如此.后者强调的则是客观事实,意为主语已经知道后面的内容是既定的事实.试比较下面一组句子:
I ' m sure he didn ' t steal it.He isn ' t that kind of person.我确信他没偷,他不是那种人.
I ' m certain he didn ' t break the cup.I broke it myself.我敢肯定他没有打碎那个茶杯,(因为)那个茶杯是我打碎的.
2.如果it作为形式主语代替从句时,则其后的表语用certain,而不能用sure.如:
It isn ' t certain whether he will give us a report next Monday.下星期一他是否来为我们作报告还不能确定.
3.两者在作定语时含义不同:sure意为“可靠的;无误的”;而certain若修饰可数名词,意为“某一;某些;某种;一些”,若修饰抽象名词,表示程度,意为“有点;有些”.如:
The letter was sent by a sure hand.信已由一位可靠的人寄出了.
He made a sure answer.他回答得准确无误.
A certain person called on me yesterday.昨天有个人来找过我.
4.在祈使句中常用sure,不宜用certain.如:
Be sure and remember what I told you.千万要记住我对你讲的话.
Be sure to write and tell me all the good news.务必写信告诉我所有的好消息.
5.口语中,sure常作副词,用在肯定答语中替代surely,这时与of course,certainly意思相当,而certain不可作副词用.如:
—Would you please turn down the radio a little bit?请你把收音机音量拧小点,好吗?
—Sure/of course/certainly.当然可以.