later vs. latter

Most previous studies on the influence of birth order have looked at children from different families. For instance, some studies have looked at U.S. presidents, Nobel Laureates or NASA astronauts to see whether they are mostly first-born children or 31 born children. 

31 
(A) latter  
(B)later
(C) latest  
(D) late 

107年 - 警察人員考試三等/英文

答案：B 

關於出生次序的影響，先前的研究多半是關注來自不同家庭的小孩。譬如，有些研究檢視了歷任美國總統、諾貝爾獎得主或美國太空總署的太空人，探討他們是否大部分是第一個出生的老大，還是出生順序在後的小孩。

later-born

later-born是「(be) born later(較晚出生)」的「複合形容詞（Compound Adjectives）」，所謂的複合形容詞就是兩個或多個單字所組成的形容詞，像是full-time（全職的）就是full加time合成的，複合形容詞有很多不同的結構公式，本題的later-born是由形容詞或副詞加上過去分詞形成，例如：

• adj. + p.p. - old-fashioned 舊式的；過時的
• adv. + p.p. - well-educated 受過良好教育的；有教養的

later /ˈleɪ.t̬ɚ/

later = late 的比較級

1. later 當形容詞：較晚的，更晚的；以後的

• catch a later train. 搭晚點的火車。

2. later 當副詞：稍後；晚點

• See you later. 待會見881。

latter /ˈlæt̬.ɚ/

1. latter當形容詞：後段的、末段的

• the latter half of the year 下半年
• She was born in the latter half of the 18th century. 她出生於19世紀的下半葉。
• The latter half of the play was more interesting. 這部戲的後半段比較有趣。
• the latter part of life 餘生 I don’t want to spend the latter part of my life alone. 

2. latter當名詞：the latter 後者 / the former 前者

• She offered me more money or a car and I chose the latter. 她提出給我更多的錢或者一輛汽車，我選擇了後者。
• I was thinking about cooking or ordering food. In the end I decided to do the latter.
• Here are Tom and David; the former is my classmate and the latter my brother. (這是湯姆和大衛；前者是我的同學，後者是我的兄弟)