【问】 hundred，thousand，million是数词，还是名词?如果是数词，为什么它们有复数形式?
 【答】 许多权威的英语词典均未把hundred，thousand，million看作是数词，而看作是“名词;形容词”(ALD)。有趣的是，R. Quirk等人在CGEL中解释这类词时竟出现了混乱。他们在§6.65中说hundred，thousand和million可以用作数词，如Ten million viewers saw the titlefight on TV.但是他们在§5.89中却说two hundred people中的hundred是数量名词(quan-titative noun)。因此，我们最好还是不去争论这些词的词性，而是弄清它们的用法。对此，语言学家们已经作了全面的总结。
 当hundred，thousand，million，billion和dozen受数词或不定数量词修饰时，总是用零
 复数形式(即意义上是复数，而形式上无复数标志)：
 1. two hundred/thousand/million/billion/people
 2. several hundred/thousand/million/billion/people
 3.They want {a few hundred.tenthousand. (CGEL)
 4. The UN estimate is that 6. 3 million Africans are suffering its effects today. (TheGuardian)
 据联合国估计，有630万非洲人如今正在遭受这种干旱的影响。(卫报)
 5. Several billion molecules would be needed to fill a thimble. (RWRT)
 要充满顶针般大小的容器就得需要几十亿个分子。
 6. The radio programe has an audience of several million. (OSD)
 广播节目有几百万听众。
 当dozen，hundred，thousand，million后面接of短语时，则在标准英语中大都采用复数形式：
 many(several/a few)dozens/hundreds/thousands/millions of people
 1. “Have you ever gone water-skiing before?” “Oh，yes，dozens of times.” (TOEFL.72. 10)
 “以前你滑过水吗?”
 “是的，去过几十次。”
 2. Hundreds of men，women and children came for a weekly ritual：scouring the stalls insearch of food and clothing. (NEWSWEEK)
 数百名男女和儿童前来参加宗教仪式：在摊子上寻找食品和衣物。(新闻周刊)
 3. Billions of molecules would be needed to fill a thimble. (RWRT)
 要充满顶针般大小的容器就得需要几十亿个分子。
 请做下面的英语试题：
 1. The Millicent Rogers Museum houses five thousands pieces of Hispanic and American
 Indian jewelry，textiles，and other objects documenting the vibrancy of these two cultures. (TOEFL，91.8)
 2. Scientists estimate that as many as two hundred millions visible meteors enterthe Earth’s atmosphere every day. (TOEFL，91.1)
 3. George Washington Carver found hundred of uses for the peanut，the sweet potato，and the soybean and thus stimulated the cultivation of these crops. (TOEFL，89.1)
 (参见 dozen)