【问】 We've played this but we haven't won
 《TOEFL，GRE解题词典》(P. 631)认为上题中的many必须改为lots of。这是我所不能理解的。many+复数名词不是很常见的吗?如many people，many students，manymatches，many mistakes等等。
 【答】 出题者的目的，在于区分many和lots of(a lot of)的用法。一般而论，many和much大都用于否定句、疑问句和条件句中，而在肯定句中大都使用lots of或a lot of。R. Quirk等说得好：结果是many和much(至少是在非正式语体中)如果不含某种否定或疑问含义，就极少使用。
 但是，英语教师应当留意，在下列条件下，many也可以用在肯定句中：
 A.在正式语体中：
 1. I know many people in Boston. (CGEL)
 我在波士顿认识许多人。
 2. In the opinion of many scientists... (PEU)
 根据许多科学家的意见……
 3. When people move into a new place，they often destroy many wild plants.(JBO)
 当人们搬迁到一个新地方时，经常砍伐掉大量的野生植物。
 4. She has many good ideas.(CGEL)
 她有许多好主意。
 B. many本身带有修饰语时：
 1. You have too many books on the shelf.(LDCE)
 你书架上的书太多了。
 2. Isabell has as many books as her brother(has).(CGEL)
 伊莎贝尔拥有和她兄弟一样多的书。
 C. many用作表语时：
 1. His faults were many.(CGEL)
 他的错误是很多的。
 2. We are many，They are few. (Shelley)
 我们是多数，他们是少数。
 D. many前有定冠词时：
 1. I am well aware of the many dangers(that )we face.(CGEL)
 我充分意识到了我们所面临的很多困难。
 2. ...the many brilliant speeches that had been made...(EED)
 ……所做的很多精彩的演讲……
 E.当many+名词或many of+名词或代词用作主语时：
 1. Many of us were too tired to go further.(Palmer)
 我们中的很多人太累了，无法再往前走。
 2. Many people have been killed...许多人被杀死了……
 3. Many of the old people were blind.(EED)
 很多老年人是盲人。
 4. Many accidents arise as a result of negligence.(LDOCE)
 很多事故是由于疏忽大意而发生的。
 5. During the autumn，many rare birds may be observed on the rocky northern coasts ofthe island. (CGEL)
 秋天，在这个岛的多岩石的北部海岸可以观察到许多珍贵的鸟。
 现在回过头来讨论上面的试题：虽然PEU中的原句是：We have played lots of match-es...，但是，这并不意味着把lots of换为many就一定是绝对错误的，请对比A项中的例句。
 建议：在各类英语考试中不宜再出类似试题。