高中学生在初中阶段学习了many, much, any, some等表示数量多少的概数，在高中阶段又接触了a great deal of, a large number of, scores of, dozens of, hundreds of thousands of等大量的概数。
这些概数有明确的分工，有的用来修饰可数名词，有的可以限定不可数名词，有的'两者皆可用。另外，还有以容器量化名词，用介词结构表示概数，借比喻或引申描述概数等方法。这里按照英语里概数的功能分类阐述。
按概数的功能分类
1. 限定可数名词的概数:
many, a good/great many, many a, (not/quite) a few, few, several, a couple of, dozens of, scores of, a score of, hundreds/thousands/millions…of, a (great/large) number of, numbers of, a group of, a team of, one out of/in ten, a pack of (一群)
Many hands make light work.
众人拾柴火焰高。
A great many guests were invited to dinner.
大批客人受邀就餐。
Many a ship has been wrecked on the rocks.
不少船只撞在岩石上失事。
My friend speaks several languages.
我朋友会讲好几种语言。
There are a couple of vacant rooms behind the office.
办公室后有两三间空房。
He planned to buy dozens of reference books.
他打算买几本参考书。
I’d escaped death a score of times by a hair’s breadth.
我多次死里逃生。
I’ve been there scores of times.
我多次到过那里。
I have a number of things that I must see to.
我有很多事要处理。
Numbers of people came to the meeting from all over the country.
来自全国的许多人士出席了本次会议。
A group of children were playing tag.
一群孩子正在拔河。
Few words are best.
少言最妙。
Three are too many to keep a secret and too few to be merry.
人多难守密，人少不成欢。
Not a few readers wrote letters of commendation to the magazine.
相当多的读者给杂志社写表扬信。
There are quite a few students absent from class today.
今天有不少学生缺课。
In some parts of Britain, one person in ten, by the age of thirty, has no teeth left.
英国有些地方十分之一的人年方三十，牙齿就脱光了。
A multitude of people assembled in the stadium.
大批观众聚集在运动场。
They’re just a pack of liars.
他们不过是一群骗子而已。
2. 限定不可数名词的概数:
a little, little, much, a bit of, a good/great deal of, a large/great amount of, amounts of
I like the country, but I have little opportunity of seeing it.
我喜爱这个国家，但少有机会观光。
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
缺乏知识是一件危险的事。
The English do not drink much wine.
英国人饮酒不多。
Let’s have a bit of music.
让咱们来点音乐。
He has given me a great deal of help.
他已给我不少帮助。
A large amount of damage was done in a very short time.
短期内造成了巨大损失。
He must often memorize large amounts of material.
他一定经常记住了不少素材。
书香门第
