課本中不會教你的[A]53、answer for和answer to

53　answer for和answer to

① answer for通常表示兩種含義。

(1)表示"對......負責，擔保"，相當于be responsible for。

We can't answer for her actions. 我們不能對她的行為負責。

I can't answer for his experience，but I can answer for his honesty. 我不能擔保他有經驗，但我能擔保他誠實。

(2)表示"為......吃苦頭，受報應"，相當于suffer as a result of。

You will answer for your carelessness some day. 總有一天你會為粗心大意而吃苦頭的。

He will have to answer for his crime. 他會因其罪行而受懲罰的。

② answer to通常表示"和......一致，對......作出響應"。

His action does not answer to his words. 他做的和說的不一樣。

She answered to her mother's call by coming downstairs. 她聽到母親的喊聲就下樓了。

③ answer to還可表示"對......負責"，這時它可以同answer for換用。

You'll have to answer to me if any harm comes to this child. 如果這孩子受到任何傷害，你得對我負責。

提示

"in answer to+名詞"為慣用短語，意為"響應，回答"，在句中作狀語。

She came in answer to the telephone call. 她接到電話就來了。

In answer to her shouts，people ran to help. 聽到她的呼叫聲，人們就跑去救她。