above + Ving/N 用法

be above + Ving/N (比…高尚而) 不願意做某事

這個用法的主詞是人，above 後面接一個動作 (Ving) 或一件事 (N)，注意這裡的 above 帶有 not to do 的意思，翻做 “不做某事”。如果是 not above + Ving/N，就反過來了，意思是 “會做某事”，理解上可以把 not 和 above 看做抵消。見下圖：人在…之上 (above) 表示比其高貴，所以不願意做。在…之下 (not above = beneath) 表示比其低下，願意做。中文說某個人很 low，表示某人不道德高尚，說某件事很 low，所以我們不願意去做。

[MW] too proud or honorable to (太…以至於不能) stoop (原意是彎腰；失去尊嚴做) to + Ving

[例] not above taking undue (過度的) credit。過度取得功勞 → 搶功勞

[AL] too good for (some type of behavior, work, etc.)

[例] I thought you were above lying to people. 我以為你不會騙人。

[例] He was not above cheating when it served his purposes. 為達目的，他是會騙人的。

[例] Does she think she’s above that kind of work? 她覺得她太高貴而無法做這類工作嗎？

實戰上，不論文法是否正確，如果 above 後面是動詞 (Ving)，看到 above 就用 not 替換，not above 就直接把兩字槓掉。如果 above 後面是名詞 (N)，就用 can’t do 替換。

理解練習：

1. not above taking undue credit → taking undue credit

2. I thought you were above lying to people. → I thought you were not lying to people.

3. He was not above cheating when it served his purposes. → He was cheating when it served his purposes.

4. Does she think she’s above that kind of work? → Does she think she can’t do that kind of work?