前者正確
1.兩者均可用來引出感嘆句,how用于修飾形容詞、副詞或動詞,而what 用于修飾名詞.如：
How dirty that child is!那孩子多臟啊!
How well he plays the violin.他的小提琴拉得真好!
How I missed you!我多么想念你啊!
What bad weather we’re having!多討厭的天氣!
What a lovely little house!多漂亮的房子!
2.在詢問看法時,以下兩句型同義,注意搭配的動詞不同：
你覺得他的新書怎么樣?
正：How do you like his new book?
正：What do you think of his new book?
3.在詢問天氣時,以下兩類句型同義,但句型結(jié)構(gòu)不同：
今天天氣怎么樣?
正：How is the weather today?
正：What is the weather like today?
4.詢問某人或事物的暫時現(xiàn)象通常用how；詢問某人或事物的持久特征通常用what……like.如：
How’s work these days?近來工作情況如何?
A：What’s your mother like?你母親是怎樣一個人?
B：She is a very nice person.她這個人非常好.
5.詢問某人的健康情況時用how,詢問某人職業(yè)時用what.如：
A：How is your mother?你母親好嗎?
B：She is very well.她很好.
A：What’s your father?你父親是干什么的?
B：He’s a doctor.當(dāng)醫(yī)生的.
6.表示“如何（說）”,用how 和what 均可,但搭配不同.如：
它用英語怎么說?
正：How do you say it in English?
正：What do you call it in English?
7.在詢問“長短”“寬窄”“高低”“多少”等意義時,以下兩類句型同義,用what 比用what 更正式.如：
你多大年紀(jì)?
正：How old are you?
正：What’s your age?
這河有多寬?
正：How wide is the river?
正：What’s the width of the river?
這個村子有多少人口?
正：How many people are there in this village?
正：What is the population of of the village?
8.有個別情況,兩者都可用,結(jié)構(gòu)一樣,含義一樣.如：
How [What] about Friday?星期五怎么樣?
How [What] about having a rest?休息一會兒怎么樣?