1. C 一对，一双　 two things related in some way; two things of the same kind
2. S 一些，几个　 a few; several; small number
3. C 夫妻，情侣　 a husband and a wife

　bring a ～ together　破镜重圆，使夫妻和好
　divide a ～　拆散一对夫妻
　form a ～　结成一对（夫妻），形成一双
　have a ～ of　有一对…
　join a ～　结成一对夫妻
　make a happy ～　结成幸福的一对
　part a ～　分离一对夫妻
　childless ～　没有孩子的夫妻
　divorced ～　一对离婚的男女
　engaged ～　订了婚的一对男女
　future ～　未来的夫妇
　happy ～　幸福的夫妻
　ill-matched ～　不般配的夫妻
　live-matched ～　情投意合的夫妻
　loving ～　相亲相爱的夫妻
　married ～　已婚夫妇
　newly-wedded ～　新婚夫妇
　old ～　老两口，老夫妻
　well-matched ～　般配的夫妻，一对佳偶
　young ～　年轻夫妻
　in ～s　成双成对地
　～ of days　两三天

　He presented us with a couple of jade lions.　他送给我们一对玉狮子。
　Her cheeks began to fill out after she'd been in the convalescent hospital for a couple of months.　在疗养院养了两个月以后，她的脸渐渐变圆了。
　We concede a couple of points in your contentions.　我们承认你的论点中有两点是正确的。
　We were thinking of moving and we looked over a couple of nice houses at the weekend.　我们想换个地方住，周末我们去看了几栋漂亮的房子。
　Supermarkets can afford to retail cigarettes at a couple of cents below the price charged by most tobacconists.　超级市场香烟零售可以比多数烟草商价格低几分钱。
　After a couple of minutes, I casually put out my hand, took the last biscuit and glanced at the man.　几分钟以后，我漫不经心地伸出手，拿出最后一块饼干，并且瞥了那人一眼。
　After a couple of weeks, almost all the infected plants bore cotton bolls.　一两个星期之后，几乎所有有病的棉花都结桃了。
　Evenings bring couples and singles for concert.　夜晚引得成对和单身的男女去听音乐会。
　The couple spent all day by the sea, and motored to the hotel in the evening.　这对夫妇白天在海边呆了一天，晚上乘车回旅馆。
　The territory was too expensive for anyone, so the two couples parcelled out a picnic lunch.　这地方什么都贵，因此，两对夫妇分享一顿野餐。
　A happy young couple reminded us of our old happy days.　看到了一对幸福的青年夫妇就使我们想起了我们自己当年的幸福日子。
　In China today each couple is required to strictly carry out a eugenic plan.　在今天的中国，要求每对夫妇都要严格执行优生计划。
　Because of the housing shortage many couples had to double up in one tiny apartment.　由于住房紧张，许多对夫妻只好挤在一栋小公寓里。
　They are a pleasant, sociable couple.　他们是喜欢与人交往、和善可亲的一对夫妇。
　A wedding ring is a symbol of eternal love between a married couple.　结婚戒指是已婚夫妇的永恒的爱的象征。
　A happy home life needs the effort from both sides of the couple.　美满的家庭生活要靠夫妻双方的努力。
　The children are carefully matched to the couples who are adopting them.　孩子们被慎重地安排给了适合领养他们的夫妇。
　Some couples, soon to marry, required new homes.　一些快要结婚的情侣需要建立新家。

 ♣ couple, pair
　这两个词都有“一双”“一对”的意思。其区别是：
1. couple指在一起或互有关系的两个人或物，但并不意味是同样的，且可分可合；pair指由两个一样的东西组成的“一对”“一双”“一副”，缺一不可。例如：
　I found a couple of socks in the room but they do not make a pair.　我在房间找到两只袜子，但不是一双的。
2. couple和pair都可指“夫妻”， pair更强调“般配”。例如：
　Not every couple is a pair.　天下夫妇多，珠联璧合少。
　pair　指夫妇时谓语动词用复数，而couple指夫妇时谓语动词用单数。
3. pair还可指夫妻之外有密切连带关系的人。

　有三对外国夫妇住在三楼。
　［误］ Three couples of foreigners live on the third floor.
　［正］ Three foreign couples live on the third floor.
　［析］ “三对外国夫妇”应该说成three foreign couples, three couples of foreigners表示“三对外国人”，并不一定是“夫妇”。

　英美在使用couple上，习惯不同：美式英语有时把couple直接放在名词前面；英式英语则用a couple of，只有在more, less, too many等表示多寡或程度的词前才可省略of. 例如：

　vt. & vi.连接，联结，联系 link or associate sb/sth with sb/sth

　～ abnormally　反常地联系
　～ hideously　可怕地联系
　～ generally　通常地连接
　～ normally　正常地联系
　～ shrewdly　准确地连接
　～ together　连接在一起
　～ in　结合
　～ to　连接，结合
　～ with　联系

　Two pairs of lovers coupled in wedlock in our company last week.　上周我们公司两对情人结为伉俪。
　The brake man coupled two freight cars.　制动员把两节货车连接到一起。
　The train was very full so they coupled two more carriages on.　火车上很拥挤，所以他们又挂上了两节车厢。
　The train will be ready to leave when all the carriages have been coupled.　所有的车厢都连接好以后，列车即可出发了。
　Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.　海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
　The strike, coupled with the flood, was expected to reduce supplies of food drastically.　罢工加洪水，预计会大量减少食品供应。
　A reputation for quality, coupled with very competitive prices, has made these cars very popular.　质量的信誉加上真正有竞争力的价格，使得这些汽车非常走俏。
　His energy and intelligence, coupled with her skill and patience, overcame all difficulties.　他的精力和智慧，配上她的技术和耐性，克服了重重困难。
　Working too hard, coupled with not getting enough sleep, made him ill.　工作太卖力，加上睡眠不足，使他病倒了。

 ♣ couple to　(v.+prep.)
　连接，结合　link or associate sb/sth with sb/sth
　An engine is coupled to a railway train.　火车头与车厢挂在一起。
　The shaft of the turbine is coupled to the rotor of the generator.　汽轮机的轴与发电机的转子相连接。
 ♣ couple together　(v.+adv.)
　连接，结合　link or associate sb/sth with sb/sth
　They coupled the carriages of the train together.　他们把这些列车车厢连接起来。
　I always couple Hemingway and Steinbeck together as being typically American writers.　我总是把海明威和史坦贝克联系在一起，认为他们是具有代表性的美国作家。
　The cars of the train are coupled together by shackles.　火车的车厢是用钩链连接起来的。
 ♣ couple with　(v.+prep.)
　与…连接在一起　join together
　〔说明〕 couple with通常不用于进行体。
　We couple the pump with the engine.　我们把水泵与引擎连接起来。
　People couple the name of Oxford with the idea of learning.　人们把牛津这个名字与学术观念联系在一起。
　Gambling is always coupled with degradation.　赌博总是与堕落相联系。
　The name of Mozart is coupled with the city of Salzburg.　莫扎特的名字是与萨尔茨堡城联系在一起的。

 ♣ couple to, couple with
　这两个短语都有“连接”的意思。其区别是：couple to用于成对的东西，一个接在另一个上；而couple with则用于两个个别的东西联结在一起，或用于两个抽象的事物被联结在一起。
　补充资料
　［同义词］ n. pair
　［反义词］ n. single
　［词源］　古法语cours <拉丁语bond（对，双，结合）