（上接 第一部分 ）

1. at a guess : approximately, especially when you do not know the correct number or amount and are guessing what it is

备注： "at a guess" 常用于口语中。

例：

At a guess, I'd say around 3000 people took part in the demonstration. （大约有 3000 人参加了这次游行示威。）

It was a cold night. About two or three degrees at a guess. （那晚很冷，可能只有两三度。）

"How much will it cost?" "A hundred and twenty pounds, at a guess." （ - 那东西要卖多少钱？ - 大约 120 英镑。）

2. close to : almost a particular number, amount, especially a surprisingly large one, or almost a particular time, especially a very late time

备注：英式英语中也写作 "close on" 。

例：

The government spends close to $100 billion a year on education. （政府每年在教育上的投入大约 1000 亿美元。）

There must be close to a hundred people in the hall. （大厅里大约有 100 个人。）

We drove close on 500 miles Saturday. （周六，我们大约行驶了 500 英里。）

It was close on midnight by the time they got home. （他们到家的时候已经快 12 点了。）

3. not quite : use this when you want to emphasize that something is a little less than a number or amount, or a little before a particular time

例：

"Is he 60?" "Not quite!" （ - 他 60 岁？   - 没到 60 ，快了。）

It's not quite time to go yet. （还不到出发的时间呢。）

4. almost/nearly : use this to say that something is a little less than a number or amount, or a little before a particular time

备注： "almost" and "nearly" have the same meaning, but "almost" is much more common than "nearly" in American English. In British English both words are common （美式英语中， "almost" 比 "nearly" 更常用；英式英语中，这两个词用法差不多。）

例：

I've been a teacher for nearly 10 years now. （我已经差不多做了 10 年的老师了。）

We had money and almost $1000 in traveler's checks. （我们有现钱，还有大约 $1000 的旅行支票。）

John is three years old and Sally is almost six. （约翰 3 岁，莎莉大约 6 岁。）

very nearly

It's very nearly time to go home. （差不多是时候回家了。）

5. approaching/nearing : almost a particular number, amount, time etc., and still increasing or getting nearer to that number, amount, time etc.

例：

In the North East, the unemployment rate is now nearing 20 percent. （在东北部，失业率差不多到了 20% 。）

be fast approaching (=very nearly a particular time)

By now the winter was fast approaching, and further travel would soon be inadvisable. （冬天就要来了，到了那会儿再继续前进就很不明智了。）

6. getting on for : to be almost a particular time, age, or period of time

备注： "getting on for" 常用于英式英语非正式的场合，美式英语中常用 "getting on toward" 。

例：

it's getting on for something

It's getting on for 10 years since we last saw each other. （我们有大约有 10 年没见了。）

It must be getting on for lunch time. I'm starving. （肯定快到吃饭时间了，我快饿死了。）

somebody is getting on for 40, 50 etc. (=use this when guessing an older person's age)

"How old's Diane?" "She must be getting on for 50." （ - 戴安娜几岁了？ - 她肯定快 50 了。）

7. be going on (for) : to be nearly a particular time, age, number etc.

例：

Nancy must be going on for 60. （南希肯定快 60 岁了。）

She's one of those wise teenagers who's 16 going on 70 (= she behaves as though she is older than she is ) . （她比较少年老成。）

8. be pushing 40/50 etc. : to be almost forty, fifty etc .- use this when you are guessing an older person's age

备注： "be pushing..." 常用于非正式的场合。

例：

She's probably pushing 50 by now. （她今年快 50 了吧。）

9. in the (right) ball park : close to the amount, price etc. that you want or are thinking about

例：

Their estimate is in the right ball park. （他们估计对了一大半。）

a ball-park figure/estimate/amount : a number or amount that is almost but not exactly correct

He said $25,000, but it's just a ball-park figure. （他猜了个 $25,000 ，但只猜对了个大概。）

10. somewhere/something in the region of : about - used with very large numbers or amounts

备注： "somewhere/something in the region of" 常用于正式的场合。

例：

Last year he earned something in the region of $60 million. （去年他赚了大约 6000 万美元。）

It costs somewhere in the region of £100,000 to train a new doctor. （培养一个医生大约要花 10 万英镑。）

11. circa : about – used with dates a long time ago in the past

备注： "circa" 常用于正式的场合。

例：

The house was built circa 1530. （这个房子大约建成于 1530 年。）

12. or thereabouts :

at 10 o'clock or thereabouts/in the 1950s or thereabouts etc .: use this after a time, date etc that is not exact, especially when it is not important to know the exact time, date etc

例：

They're old apartments, built in the 1930s or thereabouts. （这些老房子大约建成于 20 世纪 30 年代。）

The book will be published in May or thereabouts. （ 5 月左右这本书会出版。）

13. upwards of : more than a number or amount

例：

The aircraft can carry upwards of 400 passengers. （这架飞机可供 400 多名乘客乘坐。）