一、people
1、people 泛指“人”，“人们”，【men，women and children】，没有复数形式，是集合名词。用作主语时，其谓语动词须用作复数形式。
（1）广义时，不加冠词。
The streets were crowded with people.街道上熙熙攘攘全是人。
People judge you by what you are，what you have.一般人看人的标准是你的地位和财产。
People are funny.人很有意思。
People praised the film with one accord.人们一致称颂这部影片。
People know more about nature today.今天人们对大自然了解得更多了。
People from all walks of life were present at the meeting：各行各业的人都出席了这次大会。
Many people go to the beach in summer.夏天许多人都到海边去。
（2）加修饰语后，用the。
The people in the village like the new doctor.村里人喜欢新来的医生。
The people in our village are still very conservative.我们村里的人还很保守。
The people in the village were dying off from disease .村里的人相继因病丧身。
The people here were hit by a natural calamity last year.这里的老百姓去年遭受了灾害。
The people upstairs are watching TV.楼上的人在看电视。（副词作定语，后置）
The people there hate the tax-policy more now. 那里的人民现在更加痛恨这种税收政策了。（more，副词）
The people in Shenzhen reviewed their experience and decided to shift the zone’s economy from a domestic orientation to an external orientation, which meant that Shenzhen would become an industrial base and offer its products on the world market.
他们自己总结经验，由内向型转为外向型，就是说能够变成工业基地，并能够打进国际市场。
2、加饰了定冠词the（无修饰语），它就作“人民”讲，是狭义的；
The wisdom of the people is inexhaustible.人民的智慧是无穷无尽的。
The people have become the masters of their countries.人民已成了国家的主人。
The people have become the true masters of their country, their society and their own destiny. 人民真正当家作主，成为国家、社会和自己命运的主人。
3、用作可数名词，加饰了a，便作“民族”讲【a nation】，其复数可以加“s”，有单复数变化。
The Chinese are a peace-loving people.中国人是个热爱和平的民族。
They are all brave and intelligent peoples.他们都是勇敢而智慧的民族。
The peoples of China love peace.中国各族人民热爱和平。
Thirty years in a man’s life is a lot-but only an instant to a people with several thousand years of history.对个人来说，30年算是很长的时间了，但对于一个具有几千年历史的民族来说，只不过是一刹那。
Today’s votes have made crystal clear who are the friends and who are the enemies of a people fighting for its freedom and independence.
一个为自由和独立而斗争的民族，谁是它的朋友，谁是它的敌人，通过今天的表决，已经一清二楚了。
【our people】
Our people are encouraged to be proactive, think creatively and share their ideas with each other.This personal initiative is at the core of our entrepreneurial spirit.
我们鼓励员工积极进取，开拓创造性思维并互相交换想法。发挥个人主观能动性是我们创业精神的核心。
China has a long history, a vast territory, and a huge population.Our people are of many ethnic groups, different professions, ages, experiences and educational levels, and they have varied customs, cultural traditions and preferences for art.
我国历史悠久，地域辽阔，人口众多，不同民族、不同职业、不同年龄、不同经历和不同教育程度的人们，有多样的生活习俗、文化传统和艺术爱好。
Our people’s support is a bulwark against the enemy.人民给予我们的支持是我们抵御敌人的堡垒。
Our people were better people than these in the old country.We ought to do more than they do, and see further ahead.
咱们家的人在老家时就比这些人棒。我们应该比他们干得更多，看得更远。
Our people will be going to their country more.我们更多的人民将前往他们的国家。
【a great people】
As you said in your toast, the Chinese people are a great people, the American people are a great people.If our two peoples are enemies the future of this world we share together is dark indeed.But if we can find common ground to work together, the chance for world peace is immeasurably increased.
正如你在祝酒时讲的那样，中国人民是伟大的人民，美国人民是伟大的人民。如果我们两国人民互相 为敌，那么我们共同居住的这个世界的前途的确很暗淡。但是，如果我们能够找到进行合作的共同点，那么 实现世界和平的机会就将无可估量地大大增加。
【The People’s 】
The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949.
The people’s court shall notify the parties and other participants in civil case three days before the opening of a court session.
人民法院审理民事案件，应当在开庭三日前通知当事人和其他诉讼参与人。
二、people和person
1、people是个集合名词，不宜用来指个别几个人；要用，以改用person较为赅意。
A large number of people have assembled there.那边已有一大群人聚集起来了。
Five persons were injured in the accident.有5个人在事故中受了伤。
比较：
Who are those people standing over there？那边站着的是些什么人？
Who are those persons standing over there？那边站着的是哪几个人？
2、在科技专业的文件里，往往使用person，不用people。
比较：
The new hall holds 1500 people or so.那幢新盖的礼堂能容纳1500人左右（一般用语）
The new hall holds1500 persons.礼堂设计的座位是1500个。（图纸上的用语）
3、严格地说，person的复数是people，不是persons，这是因为person总是指一个一个可数的人。
比较：
People say that what’s done is done.人们说，木已成舟。（不说Persons say that…）
Many persons say that whats done is done.人人都说，木已成舟。（不说Many people say that…）
三、country，state和nation
1、名词country和nation均可表示“国家”：
（1）country主要指国土与居民，也可指祖国或国籍所属的国家(a nation or state with its land or population)；
（2）nation着重指一个政府领导下的人民或民族的统一体(a large group of people living in one area and usu. having an independent government)。
Italy is a European country.意大利是欧洲国家。
He was ready to die for his country.他准备为国捐躯。
The President spoke on radio to the nation.总统向全国发表了广播演说。
The people of these two nations are almost together Mohammedans.这两国的人几乎全是伊斯兰教徒。
Each nation has a flag of its own.每个国家都有自己的国旗。
The United States is a nation of diverse peoples.美国是个多民族的国家。
2、名词state和nation均可表示“国家”：
（1）state侧重“政体”，“政府”(a country considered as a political organization; the government of a country)；
（2）而nation却侧重人民及其语言、历史和政府而组成的“民族”，“国家”(a body of people with a common language, history and government )；
Railways in Great Britain belong to the State.大不列颠的铁路属于国家。
The United States was the first state to prove that people can govern themselves without a king.
美国第一个证明了没有国王人民能够自己管理好自己的国家。
France is a European nation.法国是个欧洲国家。
No agreement was reached between the two nations.这两个国家没有达成任何协议。