not anything还是not something

在通常情况下，something 用于肯定句，anything 用于否定句或疑问句。如：

There is something I can do for you. 我可以帮你一些忙。

There isn’t anything I can do for you. 我帮不了你什么忙。

但是，当something 的意思不是表示“某种东西”，而是表示“那种东西”或“这种东西”（即心中最想要的那种东西，相当于 the thing）时，其否定式要用 not something，不用not anything。比如以下各题，其答案都是something：

1. It’s not _____ that we want to talk about; let’s change the subject.

A. anything           B. something            C. nothing            D. everything

2. It’s not _____ I enjoy; I do it purely out of a sense of duty.

A. anything           B. something            C. nothing            D. everything

3. Self-control is not _____ that comes with your birth.

A. anything           B. something            C. nothing            D. everything

4. This is not _____ that would disturb me anyway.(www.hxen.com)

A. anything           B. something            C. nothing            D. everything