各種閱讀和社會實踐場合paper這個詞經常看見，但是，含義頗多，讓人發懵，今天就細細分析：
1、paper的基本意思是“紙”,通常用作物質名詞,不可數。如表示可數性,則須借助于機關詞。
a piece/sheet of paper
一片 / 一張紙
a package wrapped in brown paper
一個牛皮紙包裹
recycled paper
再生紙
She wrote something on a small piece of paper.
她在一小片紙上寫了點什麼。
Take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle.
拿出一張紙，在中間畫一條線。
2.報紙、報社、論文、報告、試卷、試題；答卷、檔案、文獻、證明、證件等講是可數名詞：
I have to write a paper, but I have no paper to write on.
我必須寫一篇論文，但我沒有紙可寫。
a local/national paper
地方性 / 全國性報紙
a daily/evening/Sunday paper
日 / 晚 / 星期日報
I read about it in the paper .
我從報上得知這件事。
I might get a paper in the village.
我或許能在村子裡找到一份報紙。
I read about the accident in the local paper.
我在當地的報紙上看到了這次事故。
Could you watch my bags for me while I buy a paper?
我去買份報紙，你能替我照看一下我的包嗎？
He always reads the paper from cover to cover.
他總是把報紙從頭到尾全看一遍。
The paper had to publish a correction to the story.
這家報紙不得不對這則新聞報道發一個更正。
The papers soon got hold of the story.
報紙很快就獲悉了這件事的來龍去脈。
His desk was covered with books and papers.
他的辦公桌上全是書籍和檔案。
She left some important papers in her office.
她把一些重要的檔案留在了辦公室。
His bed was covered with papers.他的床上全是檔案。
divorce/identification papers
離婚 / 身份證件
His papers were all in order.他的證件全都合法有效。
A young Moroccan stopped by police refused to show his papers.
一位被警察攔下的摩洛哥青年拒絕出示他的證件。
Her papers included unpublished articles and correspondence.
她的資料包括未發表的文章和信件。
The Geography paper was hard.
地理試題難極了。
She spent the evening marking exam papers.
她用一個晚上批閱試卷。
She was invited to give a paper on the results of her research.
她應邀發表一篇論文，報告她的研究結果。
Your grade will be based on four papers and a final exam.
你的成績将根據四篇論文和期末考試決定。
He just published a paper in the journal Nature analyzing the fires.
他剛剛在《自然》雜志上發表了一篇分析火災的論文。
present a paper宣讀論文
draft a paper 起草檔案
puplish a paper 發表論文
3.當表示不同類的紙時，是可數名詞，如：
The papers the factories produce are of excellent grade.
這些工廠生産的紙張品質優良。
4. on paper寫下來；筆錄；僅照字面看；理論上；以書面形式；在紙上
The idea looks good on paper .
僅就字面看，這個主意不錯。
On paper, several of the applicants fit the bill.
從書面材料看，有幾位申請人符合條件。
It is important to get something down on paper...
把一些東西寫在紙上很重要。
It was the first time I had put it all down on paper. I found it helped.
這是我第一次把所有的東西都寫在紙上，我覺得這有幫助。
Never put anything down on paper which might be used in evidence against you at a later date
一定不要寫下任何書面的東西，以免日後被用作對你不利的證據。
The idea has been going around in my head for quite a while and now I am getting it down on paper.
這個想法在我腦海裡萦繞許久了，我現在就将它寫在紙上。
Ferris has a rare ability to record her observations on paper
費裡斯具備把自己的觀察結果記錄下來的超強能力。
These figures may look good on paper but are cold comfort to the islanders themselves.
這些數字理論上看來可能不錯，不過對島民們起不到安慰的作用。
Her colourful oils and works on paper have a naive, dreamlike quality.
她那些色彩斑斓的油畫與紙上作品給人一種天真、夢幻般的感覺。
On paper, I am the healthiest man alive, yet I feel permanently unwell.
理論上，我是活着的最健康的人，但是我總感覺不舒服。
The family is estimated to have been worth, on paper at least, more than £ 1.1billion.
據估計，這個家族理論上至少擁有11億英鎊以上的财富。