Article 冠詞

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(1) The words "a", "an", "the" are called "articles". We use the articles "a" and "an" before a noun to show that the quantity of the noun is one.
. ^7 N/ M  R; i「冠詞」是指 "a", "an", "the" 這三個字。如果一個名詞的數量只有一個，我們可以用 "a" 或 "an" 這兩個「冠詞」放在名詞前面。
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(2) We use the article "the" to refer to the noun specifically.
我們會使用 "the" 這個冠詞來表示某個特定的名詞。

5 z# o5 U5 m/ [' xFor example 例如:
I want to buy a new pen.
5 @$ A5 ]8 ~- N) ?; l/ t(我想買一支新的原子筆。任何一支新的原子筆都可以，沒有特定的。)
* R: }) W# `9 h% j& w3 eI want to buy the new blue pen.
(我想買那支新的藍原子筆。說話者指向某支特定的藍原子筆，有特定的意思。)
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, y$ W0 n. E. I" W* S7 h" ~% ]I have eaten an egg.
(我吃了一隻蛋。沒有特定指是哪隻蛋，只是提出所吃的是一隻蛋。)
I have eaten the two eggs in my bowl.
6 \. J, d" S7 p9 o5 f( q/ J9 z, m(我吃了我碗裡的那兩隻蛋。說話者指向碗裡的那兩隻特定的蛋，有特定的意思。)
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3 _6 W0 u9 [: @  x/ ~) @(3) If the word after the article begins with a vowel (i.e. the sounds "a", "e", "i", "o", "u"), we use the article "an". Otherwise, we use the article "a".
+ l& ]( h4 H1 f# x" U4 E( i1 ~如果在冠詞後的那個英文字是以響音開首的 (即 a, e, i, o, u 這些音)，我們便用 "an"，否則，我們會用 "a"。
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Examples 例子:
& q& Y& H) y2 q6 \There is an elephant in the zoo.
There is a big elephant in the zoo.
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* \+ `7 l% v3 H7 p(4) We can use the article "the" for persons, places or things which are unique.
如果所指的人物、地方或東西是獨特的，我們會用 "the" 這冠詞。

For examples 例如:
the Earth　地球
the Moon　月亮
the east　東面
1 d6 [+ r# m( `3 t3 Lthe west　西面
6 S+ z- _8 P5 C1 f& K$ k3 w6 dthe Principal　校長
0 a/ X6 f. C4 Athe President　會長或總統
# k/ o1 x( X# H$ k$ e. N7 L, ?the world　世界
the Queen　皇后

- [9 {, l9 M$ g" c. o" J(5) Remember we also use the article "the" when using "superlative adjectives".
記著我們在最高級形容詞前面也需要加上 "the" 這字的。
# s3 ]( A( p7 G  v( H0 u! A% @% LFor example 例如:
0 y' j) p3 r7 l. D' T( bMy brother is the tallest one in my family.
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(6) We also use the article "the" to show priorities:
; o0 u* Y- E: [9 H/ I6 O! Z( f+ A我們也會用 "the" 來表示先後次序 :
, I9 V3 d$ F/ Y) Y8 sFor example 例如:
% i# I7 E2 u( w/ Othe first lesson　第一堂
the third page　第三頁
the sixth prize　第六名
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(7) We use "a" or "an" for the person or thing you mention the first time, then we use "the" when you mention that person or thing again.
當我們第一次提及某人或物時，我們會用 "a" 或 "an" 放在那名詞前。然後，當我們再次提起該人或物時，我們便要用 "the"。

. \) s$ a  ~4 f- YFor example 例如：
/ ?4 `3 ^6 k! W( l, RI see a cat on the street. The cat is black but it has a white tail. The tail is very long.