447　look，appear和seem

① look指从外表上看。appear指表面看起来“似乎”，给人以某种印象，但有时事实上并非如此。seem指主观上看法的“似乎”，常暗含有一定的判断，此判断往往近乎事实。

She looks like his mother. 她看上去像他母亲。（两人相像）

She seems to be his mother. 她像是他母亲。（说话人的判断）

Things are not always as they appear to the eye. 事情并不全是你从表面上看到的那样。

It appears/seems that the book is too difficult for them. 看来这本书对他们来说太难了。

It appears/seems as if it is going to rain. 好像天要下雨。

It seems uninteresting at first，but it grows upon you. 它起先看来似乎没有趣味，但渐渐会得到你的欢心。

I seem to have seen him somewhere before. 我似乎曾经在什么地方见过他。

That plan appears very plausible. 那个计划看起来好像很合理。

He appears to know more than he really does. 他看起来懂得很多，其实懂得没有那么多。

② appear和look后均可接 as if 引导的表语从句，appear的形式主语要用 it，而look的形式主语可以是 it，也可以是其他人称代词。

It looks as if we'll stay here for the night. 看起来我们要在这里过夜了。

She looked as if she had suffered a lot. 她看上去好像遭受过许多苦难似的。

It appears as if it is going to rain. 看起来要下雨了。

③ appear和seem后可接 that从句，而look则不可。

It appeared to me that you are mistaken. 我觉得你错了。

It seems that something is wrong. 好像出了什么错了。

It appears that the research is progressing smoothly. 研究进行得似乎很顺利。

④ appear和seem可用于 there appears/seems 句型中，而look则不可。

There appears to be only one room. 好像只有一个房间。

There seemed something wrong with her feet. 她的脚似乎不对劲。

There seemed to be thousands of people on the square. 广场上似乎有成千上万的人。

⑤ appear和seem后常接 to be，而look后接 to be 为美式英语用法。

He seemed to be in a great hurry. 他似乎很匆忙。

Judging by her letter，she looks to be the best person for the job.从信上判断，她好像是做这项工作的最佳人选。