one thing or another与one thing after another的区别

问题描述

下面的句子为2015高考英语浙江卷真题：

Jane’s grandmother had wanted to write a children’s book for many years, but one thing or another always got in the way. 简的祖母多年来一直想写一本儿童读物，但是一件接一件的事情总是妨碍她写书。

请问句中的 one thing or another 是什么意思？上面的句子将它翻译成“一件接一件的事情”，这对吗？为什么不用 one thing after another 来翻译呢？

老师答疑

龙老师：

one thing or another与one thing after another的用法稍有区别：

1. one thing or another 这样那样的事（强调所涉及的事很多，很杂）：

She is always out and about, doing one thing or another. 他总是在外面到处跑，有做不完的事。

Jane’s grandmother had wanted to write a children’s book for many years, but one thing or another always got in the way. 简的祖母多年来一直想写一本儿童读物，但总有这样那样的事让她未能写成。

比较：one…or another

Most people went on training courses of one sort or another last year. 多数人去年都上过这样那样的培训班。

Every day of our lives we encounter stresses of one kind or another. 我们在每天的生活中会面临这样或那样的压力。

All the kids in this class have learning difficulties of one sort or another. 这个班上的孩子在学习中都有这样或那样的困难。

His travel articles are always, for one reason or another, fascinating. 由于这样或那样的原因，他的旅游文章总是很吸引人。

2. one thing after another 一件事接一件事（暗示所发生的事有先后顺序）

I’ve been so busy today. It’s been one thing after another. 今天我忙得不可开交，事情一件接着一件。

It’s just one thing after another, isn’t it? First the car wouldn’t start, and then the bus was late. 真是祸不单行啊，对吧？先是车发动不起来，接着公车又晚点了。

比较：one…after another 一个……接一个……

She tells one whopper after another. 她说起谎来一个接一个。

He lit up one cigarette after another. 他一根接一根地抽着烟。

As a journalist, I get sent to one hot spot after another. 作为记者，我被派往一个个热点地区。

Ever since we moved here it’s been one problem after another. 自从我们搬到这里之后，问题一个接着一个。

She’s a very keen reader—she devours one book after another. 她非常喜欢读书——贪婪地读了一本又一本。

I’m not surprised he’s feeling ill—he was eating one ice-cream after another! 他生病我不觉得奇怪——他不停嘴地吃霜淇淋！

陈老师：

【1】one or another 表示某种, 这样或那样(大于等于3）

She'd catch the eye of one or another of the young men.
她吸引了一两个年轻人的目光。

【2】one +名词 or another表示某种, 这样或那样

I declined all the invitations on one pretext or another

我用种种借口，把各方的邀请都推却了。

The US government insisted that Saddam Hussein had ties of one kind or another with terrorist groups

美国政府坚称，萨达姆和恐怖组织有这样那样的关系。

We must in one way or another let the boss know that we are angry

无论如何，我们要使老板明白我们愤怒了.

For one reason or another, I don’t trust him

由于这样那样的原因，但我就是不信任他

【3】one after another 相继地，依次地；先后；连；接二连三

They went into the classroom one after another.

他们一个接一个地走进教室。

【4】one another  互相（大于等于2； each other=等于2)

They helped one another.

他们互相帮助。

【5】one or other 或者这个，或者那个，不管哪一个(大于等于2）

One or other of us will go there.

我们中间总要去一个人。

 【6】one or the other非此即彼（等于2）

One or the othes  knows how to answer the question.

总有一个知道如何回答这个问题