13 习语at all也可用在肯定句中

问：我在学习过程中遇见这样一个句子：（1）As Dr. Samuel Johnson said in a different era about ladies preaching, the surprising thing about computers is not that they think less well than a man, but that they think at all. 我的问题是，at all怎么能用在肯定句里呢？at all不是用在否定句中，用来加强语气吗？句中的at all是什么意思？请解释。

答：应该说，习语at all多用于否定句中，其意为“根本，丝毫，一点”（to the slightest degree used with a negative），用以加强语气（used for emphasis）。例如：

（1）They appeared not at all concerned.

（2）He hardly speaks English at all.

（3）When I speak my native tongue in its utmost purity in England, an Englishman can not understand me at all.

同样，at all也可用于疑问句和条件从句中，用于强调（used in a question or in an if-clause to emphasize what you are saying），分别意为：“究竟，到底，真的；（如果）确实”。例如：

（4）Do you know anything about it at all？

（5）Doesn’t she know any English at all？

（6）If you want to consult me at all, gave me a ring.

（7）If one loses his way at night at all, he can recognize his direction by looking at the Big Dipper.

上述是at all的通常用法。其实，at all不仅如此，它也可用于肯定句中，只是使用频率比上述用法少些而已，它也起强调作用，表示说话人的情感，有时含有疑问语气，其意为“竟然，居然，真的（地），确实”等。例如：

（8）Considering the hard storm, I was surprised that he came at all.

（9）This is the first time that I have ever been abroad at all.

（10）To be able to do that at all meant the assimilation of the complete range of science as well as a deep knowledge of history and philosophy.

你所提问的句（1）即是at all用于肯定句的用法。该句可直译为：“……而是它们（指计算机）竟（居）然会思考。”