單項(xiàng)填空里的意群理解

卞方梅

英語試題中不少句子結(jié)構(gòu)比較復(fù)雜，從而影響了學(xué)生對(duì)試題的理解和閱讀速度，久而久之還會(huì)影響學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)情緒。這在單項(xiàng)填空、完形填空和閱讀理解中都有所反映，剛實(shí)施的任務(wù)型閱讀中也出現(xiàn)了較長(zhǎng)的句子。正確地分析句子結(jié)構(gòu)，掌握其內(nèi)在的意群停頓，有助于考生正確理解命題者的意圖，從而作出正確的選擇。

所謂意群停頓，即類似于漢語中的句讀。一句話中所表達(dá)的意思往往是由幾個(gè)詞塊組成，我們要能夠在扎實(shí)的英語基礎(chǔ)和語感上將它們斷開或者聯(lián)系起來。我們來看幾個(gè)例子：

(1) You can do everything from consulting on homework and projects, keeping in touch with classmates, family and friends, and getting daily news services to________ you informed of world events.

A. keeping B. keep

C. leave D. leaving

這是完形填空里的一道題，如果學(xué)生能夠看出句子其實(shí)是個(gè)from…to … 搭配，再根據(jù)詞塊keep sb informed of sth 就能輕而易舉地選出A答案。

(2)________ is known to us all is that the old scientist, for________ life was hard in the past, still works hard in his eighties.

A. As; whom B. What; whose

C. What; whom D. It; those

這道單選題第一空考查了學(xué)生what引導(dǎo)的主語從句，后一空就要求學(xué)生對(duì)意群“對(duì)某人來說”for sb 的理解，故選C 而不是B。這道題如果去掉for，答案就應(yīng)該是B了。

(3) Can you imagine the great difficulty we had________ the lost child?

A. found B. find

C. finding D. to find

這道題學(xué)生要能夠斷開一個(gè)省略關(guān)系代詞that / which的修飾difficulty的定語從句，在根據(jù)詞塊sb have difficulty (in) doing sth 可以選出C答案。

常見的增加句式復(fù)雜性的結(jié)構(gòu)：

1．定語從句的增加

此時(shí)定語從句中會(huì)出現(xiàn)有些特殊的謂語動(dòng)詞或詞塊以給考生以錯(cuò)覺，誤以為該動(dòng)詞與其之后的成分是搭配關(guān)系。此時(shí)學(xué)生要能克服思維定勢(shì)、正確理解意群。如：

Which is the way you thought of________ the problem？

A. solving B. to solve

C. solve D. in solving

此題中考生容易誤選A項(xiàng)。我們需斷開you thought of這個(gè)定語從句理解整個(gè)句子，the way to do 或the way of doing 是常見的搭配，故正確答案為B。

2．過去/現(xiàn)在分詞結(jié)構(gòu)的增加

這種情況下我們要找準(zhǔn)完整的分詞結(jié)構(gòu)，將其看成次要的修飾成分來理解整個(gè)句子。如：

(1) He insisted that the man referred to________ to prison.

A. being sent B. be sent

C. sending D. was sent

我們找出分詞短語referred to 是一個(gè)完整的結(jié)構(gòu)修飾the man，再根據(jù)insist后接從句的虛擬語氣現(xiàn)象，省略should則可確定正確答案是B。

(2) The teacher made the student________ there________ to the other student by introducing him before the class.

A. seating; known B. sitting; known

C. sit; know D. seated; be known

分析句子可知，sitting there為次要成分，根據(jù)固定結(jié)構(gòu)make sb known可選出答案B。

3．插入語結(jié)構(gòu)的增加

(1) How long do you think it will be________ the contest takes place？

A. since B. when

C. before D. that

插入語do you think 增加了句子的復(fù)雜性，將其去掉理解，再利用還原法，我們不難看出整個(gè)句子為It will be +time+ before…這一固定句型。所以答案為C。

(2)________ is often said that in the war, the winner writes the history.

A. As B. This

C. That D. It

插入成分in the war 及逗號(hào)誤導(dǎo)了考生選A，其實(shí)這是It is said that …句型，正確答案為D。

（3) The hunter took out an arrow, put it in the bow, raised the bow and after taking a careful aim________ the arrow fly.

A. to let B. letting

C. and let D. let

去掉干擾成分after taking a careful aim，根據(jù)句意為幾個(gè)動(dòng)作并列時(shí)態(tài)平行原則，答案為D。

4．a(chǎn)s …as… / 比較級(jí) + than 結(jié)構(gòu)的增加

(1) You should pay as much attention as you are ゛ble猒_______ you pronunciation.

A. to improve B. to improving

C. to to improve D. to to improving

考生容易誤選A選項(xiàng)。我們根據(jù)詞塊pay attention to (doing ) sth 和as …as sb be able to可以選出答案D。

(2) He spent as much time as he________ English.

A. could learn B. could to learn

C. could learning D. could have learned

該句出現(xiàn)了spend +time +doing sth 以及as …as sb can 詞塊，故選C。

(3) His health is________. (2007 湖北)

A. as poor as, if not poorer than, his sister餾

B. as poor, if not poorer than, his sister

C. poor as his sister餾, if not poorer

D. as poor, if not poorer than, his sister餾

這道題插入了省略的比較級(jí)結(jié)構(gòu)if his health is not poorer than his sister餾 ，考生不妨將其看做一個(gè)獨(dú)立的條件狀語從句，剩下主句His health is as poor as his sister餾.故答案為A。

5．短語詞組的成分遷移

此類試題要求學(xué)生牢固掌握某些動(dòng)詞和介詞的復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)，還有一些使役性動(dòng)詞結(jié)構(gòu)的區(qū)分。我們不妨使用還原法和補(bǔ)全法將句子成分重新組合。如：

(1) Who would you rather________ your car?

A. have to repair B. have repaired

C. have repair D. repair

此題用了would rather do sth 和have sb do sth，通過將疑問語序還原成陳述語序，我們就可以得出答案C了。

(2) Everyone present was interested in the new use they________ the raw material.

A. made of B. made from

C. made into D. made up of

此題將從句中詞塊make use of 的賓語use遷移到主句中，作為先行詞，和上一題一樣，還原做賓語的關(guān)系代詞，得出答案A。

當(dāng)然，造成句子結(jié)構(gòu)復(fù)雜的因素多種多樣，考生要打好扎實(shí)的基礎(chǔ)，平時(shí)要多讀課文，培養(yǎng)