The definite article the is the most frequent word in English.
定冠詞the是英語中最常用的單詞。

We use the definite article in front of a noun when we believe the hearer/reader knows exactly what we are referring to.
當(dāng)聽的人和讀者確切知道我們指得是什么時(shí)，我們用定冠詞the修飾名詞。

because there is only one:
因?yàn)槭俏ㄒ坏模?/div>

The Pope is visiting Russia.

The moon is very bright tonight.

The Shah of Iran was deposed in 1979.

This is why we use the definite article with a superlative adjective:
這就是為什么用定冠詞修飾最高級(jí)：

He is the tallest boy in the class.

It is the oldest building in the town.

because there is only one in that place or in those surroundings:

because we have already mentioned it:
上文中已提及過：

A woman who fell 10 metres from High Peak was lifted to safety by a helicopter. The woman fell while climbing.一個(gè)女人從高峰上向下摔了10米，直升飛機(jī)將其救起。這個(gè)女人是正在登山的時(shí)候掉下來的。

The rescue is the latest in a series of incidents on High Peak. In January last year two men walking on the peak were killed in a fall.這次救援是在高峰上發(fā)生的一系列事故中最近的一次。在去年的一月，兩個(gè)男人在登山時(shí)墜落身亡。

We also use the definite article:?to say something about all the things referred to by a noun:
定冠詞與某一名詞連用，代表了一類人或事:

The wolf is not really a dangerous animal (= Wolves are not really dangerous animals)

The kangaroo is found only in Australia (= Kangaroos are found only in Australia)

The heart pumps blood around the body. (= Hearts pump blood around bodies)

We use the definite article in this way to talk about musical instruments:
我們用定冠詞修飾樂器：

Joe plays the piano really well.(= George can play any piano)

She is learning the guitar.(= She is learning to play any guitar)

? With adjectives like rich, poor, elderly, unemployed to talk about groups of people:
定冠詞與某形容詞連用，也可代表一類人：

Life can be very hard for the poor.

I think the rich should pay more taxes.

She works for a group to help the disabled.

The definite article with names:

We do not normally use the definite article with names:
名字前一般不會(huì)用定冠詞the：

William Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.

Paris is the capital of France.

Iran is in Asia.

But we do use the definite article with:
但是在專有名詞前要用定冠詞the：

countries whose names include words like kingdom, states or republic:
如國(guó)家名中包括王國(guó)、合眾國(guó)或者共和國(guó)等

the United Kingdom; the kingdom of Nepal; the United States; the People’s Republic of China.

countries which have plural nouns as their names:
國(guó)家名中含有復(fù)數(shù)名詞的：

the Netherlands; the Philippines

geographical features, such as mountain ranges, groups of islands, rivers, seas, oceans and canals:
地貌特征如山系、島嶼、河流、海洋或者運(yùn)河：

the Himalayas; the Canaries; the Atlantic; the Atlantic Ocean; the Amazon; the Panama Canal.

newspapers:
報(bào)紙：

The Times; The Washington Post

well known buildings or works of art:
有名的建筑或者藝術(shù)品：

the Empire State Building; the Taj Mahal; the Mona Lisa; the Sunflowers

organisations:
組織結(jié)構(gòu)：

the United Nations; the Seamen’s Union

hotels, pubs and restaurants*:
賓館、酒吧和飯店：

the Ritz; the Ritz Hotel; the King’s Head; the Déjà Vu

*Note: We do not use the definite article if the name of the hotel or restaurant is the name of the owner, e.g.,Brown’s; Brown’s Hotel; Morel’s; Morel’s Restaurant, etc.
注意：如果賓館或者飯店是以其經(jīng)營(yíng)者命名的，我們不用定冠詞進(jìn)行修飾。

families:
家族：

the Obamas; the Jacksons?