【问】 The office manager insists that his staff use all of its vacation time. but he hardly nevertakes a vacation himself. (TOEFL.79.2—4)

试题判C为错误，应改为hardly ever。但hardly ever是什么意思呢?

【答】 hardly ever中的ever可以看作是加强语，来加强hardly的语气。

1. I hardly ever see him nowadays.

近来我几乎总看不到他。

2. It hardly ever snows in Florida.(DAI)

佛罗里达几乎总不下雪。

3. She hardly ever comes to see me.(CGEL)

她几乎从不来看我。

4. You are scarcely ever at home.(Eckersley)

你几乎总不在家。

5. I hardly ever go out. (i.e.I very，very seldom go out).(PEG)

我几乎总不外出。

6. I hardly ever got to bed till past twelve. (Galsworthy)

我几乎从不在十二点以前去睡觉。

7. Though he owned a large car.he hardly ever used it，preferring always to go on foot.

(New Concept English，Book 3，L.31)

虽然他拥有一辆大轿车，但他几乎从来不用它，而总是喜欢步行。