源于于某年高考考试阅读地方卷的句子，试题经改编后afford这个词还是保留了下来。
原文源于于How the elevatortransformed America - The Boston Globe
For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine thatinspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets, and even bicycles. Dr. ChrisTOPher Wilk is amember of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding.Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers ortall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense,they argue, the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significantthan that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk, the car and the elevator havebeen locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spreadhorizontally , and elevators pushing them toward life in closegroups of towering vertical columns.
问题是，这个afford怎么样理解？我查牛津词典给出的可能解释为：to provide sbwith sth 提供；给予
例句里的宾语也是人，并不是物，那这里的 the enthusiasm...that Americansafford trains, jets, and even bicycles 是什么使用方法呢？
其实牛津词典还对你说，afford表示提供、给予这个意义时，是正式用词。它可将来接单宾语，也可将来接双宾语，afford sb sth. 词典在给出双宾语句型时，一般用sb表示间接宾语，用sth表示直接宾语。但并非说间接宾语需要是某人，直接宾语需要是某物。你以为词典说sb就需要是某人，这是一种误解。比如大家常说 give sb sth. 但大家完全可以说 Give me Tom. （人作间接宾语）；I will give my room a thorough clean.( 物作间接宾语）。所以你的句子中，that指代enthusiasmor interest，并在定语从句中作直接宾语， trains, jets,and even bicycles作间接宾语，意为美国人给予火车、喷气飞机、甚至自行车的热情或兴趣。句子结构正确，语义明确，没任何问题。
