有一读者问：at night 与 in the night 有何不同？
at night 表一时点。它首先多指傍晚或黄昏至午夜的时刻，如：
(1)He arrived at ten at night .
(2)I never read at night so as not to injure my eyes.
(3)He often calls to see me at night .
(4)Is that programme at ten o'clock in the morning or at ten o'clock at night ?
at night 常与 late 或 early 连用，如：
(5)I don't like going out alone late at night .
(6)I go to bed early at night .
at night 表傍晚时甚至可从下班后开始，如：
(7)Come home from work at night .
其次， at night 作为一时点亦可表整个夜间与at day或by day相对，如：
(8)Owls are most active at night .
(9)The moon shines at night .
(10)Nurses often have to work at night .
(11)Keep a light on at night .
at night 表整个夜间时常与 sleep 连用，如：
(12)I do not sleep well at night .
(13)Try these pills if you can't sleep at night .
再次， at night 常与 during the day 等相对比,如：
(14)He works in an office during the day and studies at night . （night 在此指前半夜）
(15)We work during the day and sleep at night . （night 在此整个夜间）
(16)They fought all day, and at night food and ammunition were brought up in carts. （night 在此亦表整个夜间）
in the night 表一时段，常有黑暗、危险的含义。它首先多指说话人说话时的前一夜间的某一或某些时刻，如：
(17)She woke in the night with a dreadful dream. （in the night 在此表前一夜间的某一时刻）
(18)I woke up twice in the night . （in the night 在此表前一夜间的某些时刻）
(19)In the night I've thought of things you said. （in the night 在此表前一夜间的某些时刻）
(20)She was describing a meteor which she had seen in the night . （in the night 在此亦表前一夜间的某一时刻）
其次，in the night 作为一时段亦可表整个夜间，如：
(21)There is no light in the night .
(22)This is an old English and American going-to-bed charm to keep children from being afraid in the night .
(23)Finally, to be quite sure that he would not be troubled by thieves in the night , he sat up in bed in the dark and said loudly,“Well, here I am in York, and without any money at all. ”
最后，应当指出，将 night 看作一时点或一时段，往往由说话人的心理因素而定。故而同一的意义，有的人用 at night 表达，有的人则用 in the night 表达，如：
(24)A fire occurred at night .
(25)A fire broke out in the night .
(26)Why does the bat come out only at night ?
(27)Bats come out in the night .
但下面两句中的 at night 与 in the night 的含义有所不同：
(28)He stole away at night , leaving a letter on my pillow. （at night 在此强调时间）
(29)The prisoner got away in the night . （in the night 在此有黑暗和危险的含义）
