37　school/the school　Track31

表示地点的名词如：

bed　church　court　hospital　prison　school

college　university　sea　work　office

当人们去这些地方做在这些地方应该做的事时，这些词前面不加冠词。因为这时这些名词只表示一种抽象概念，说话人并非特指具体的地点。如果我们去这些地方不是要做特定的事，而是由于其他原因，则要用the。例如：

a. His mother is in hospital and he has been in the hospital to take care of her.　他妈妈生病住院了，他就一直在医院里照顾她。

b. He is often invited to the prison to give lectures.

他经常受邀去监狱给囚犯做演讲。（我们想到的是某些特定的监狱）

c. He is in prison for bribery. （He is a prisoner.我们想到的并不是某一个特定的监狱）

d. Donald Trump came into office in 2017.

唐纳德·特朗普2017年上台当总统。

e. The headmaster came into the office and saw his secretary working there.

其他类似的还有：

to school/college/university (to study)　去学校/学院/大学读书

to church (to pray)　去教堂祷告

to hospital (as patients)　去医院就医

in class　在上课/ in the class　在这个班

当然我们也可以用其他介词：

at/from/in/to school/college/university

at/from/in/to class

to/in/into/from church

to/in/into/out of prison/hospital/bed

to/at/from work　去上班/在上班/下班

to/at sea　出海/在海上

to/in/from/out of town

at/from home

go to sea (as sailors)　（作为水手）出海

go to the sea=go to the seaside　去海边，去海滨

be at sea (as passengers or crew)　（作为旅客或船员）乘船旅行/航海

be at the sea=be at the seaside　在海边

by sea=by ship　乘船

by the sea=by the seaside　在海边

be in office　在任职

be in the office　在办公室里

be out of office　离职

be out of the office　离开办公室