【问】(1) I ate as much as I could.

(2) Our factory consumes as much as 500 tons of solid fuel per week. (CGEL)

句(1)和句(2)中as much as的意义和用法是否相同?

【答】 句(1)中的as引出一个从句。从句中常含有助动词can，could等。其意义为：尽……那样多。例如：

1. He picked up as much information as he could.

他收集了尽可能多的信息。

2. Learn as much as you can about what to expect in the jungle. (RL，Book 1，P. 7)

对于预料在丛林中会发生的事要尽量多了解一些。

句(2)中的as much as用在数词之前，意在表达“言其多”的口气，例如：

1. Plants presently being studied could convert as much as 55 percent of the fuel energy toelectric energy，if they indeed perform as predicted by thermodynamic analysis.

目前正在研究的一些发电站，如果确实按热力学分析所预示的那样工作的话，可以将多达55%的燃料能转换成电能。

2. The deepest holes of all are made for oil，and they go down to as much as 25，000 feet.

在一切洞之中，最深的是为了寻找石油所钻的洞。这些洞深达二万五千英尺。

3. By operating at high current densities，the cost of the electrowinning plant may be re-duced by as much as one-third.

由于在高的电流密度下操作，电解沉积装置的费用可减少三分之一之多。

有时，亦可使用as high as：

The cost of one day in an average hospital in the United States can run as high as ＄ 250.

在美国，一家普通医院一天的住院费可高达二百五十美元。

在后一情况下，去掉as much(high)as后，结构仍然完整，只是失掉了“言其多”的口气。