由于漢英思維方式迥然不同,考生在充分正確理解較為復(fù)雜的英語句子方面明顯存在較大困難,這是考生考試不能獲取高分的一個重要原因。在此,筆者試圖借助于對一些典型錯題的剖析,幫助考生理清句法結(jié)構(gòu),養(yǎng)成正確理解復(fù)雜句型的能力。
一、基本思路
例1: _____you can never possess seems better than______you own.
A. What; that B. What; what
C. That; whatD. That; that
本題考查識別從句的結(jié)構(gòu)。旨在檢測考生對較為復(fù)雜語句的結(jié)構(gòu)感知。從知識項(xiàng)目來看,此題屬于從句的測試項(xiàng)目。但它并不是簡單地測試主語從句的基本用法,而是將從句的基本結(jié)構(gòu)置于復(fù)合句的多層次結(jié)構(gòu)之中,從而考查以下幾個微技能:對語句層次的確認(rèn);對從句句法的確認(rèn);對語句內(nèi)部功能的確認(rèn)。這樣,本題就上升到知識與技能的綜合運(yùn)用。本題設(shè)置了兩處空缺,使考生不容易辨認(rèn)這兩個名詞性從句。在______you can never possess seems better...語句中,can never possess與seems連為一體,從而構(gòu)成區(qū)分該語言組塊的較大難度??忌荒軠?zhǔn)確分辨語句結(jié)構(gòu)以及分析句子成分,乍一看,這個句子怪怪的,容易讓人感到糾結(jié),胡亂瞎猜。本題的理解關(guān)鍵在于先找準(zhǔn)possess、seems和own三個謂語動詞,確認(rèn)seems是主句的謂語動詞,前面是名詞性從句做主語,than是連詞,連接另外一個名詞性從句。另外要分析所缺的詞在句子中充當(dāng)什么成分,possess和own都是及物動詞,所以兩個分句都是缺少賓語。而what在名詞性從句中可以做主語、賓語、表語,that只起連接作用,不充當(dāng)成分。由此可知,本題答案為B。
提高對復(fù)雜結(jié)構(gòu)的識別能力,關(guān)鍵問題不在于死摳語法,而在于進(jìn)行語句結(jié)構(gòu)知覺能力的訓(xùn)練。訓(xùn)練的核心在于:借助語境的感悟,逐步發(fā)展對語句結(jié)構(gòu)的層次感;借助意思的解悟,了解句子成分之間的內(nèi)在關(guān)聯(lián);在實(shí)際閱讀活動中逐步熟悉語句構(gòu)成的具體手段,如省略、插入、倒裝、替代、指稱,等等。
二、鞏固運(yùn)用
例 2:After the flooding, people were suffering in that area,______urgently needed clean water, medicine and shelter to survive. (2012江蘇卷22)
A. which B. who
C. whereD. what
本題旨在考查考生對主句與從句間邏輯關(guān)系的理解以及關(guān)系詞運(yùn)用的掌握情況。根據(jù)上面的講述,考生應(yīng)該具備這樣的解題思路:首先,整體感知句子,包含一個主句和一個從句;其次,確定從句為定語從句;最后,確定所缺的詞在定語從句中的作用。題干中設(shè)空之前的主句告訴我們:people were suffering in that area。接下來考慮的是,找準(zhǔn)后面定語從句所修飾的先行詞;正確的方法是:分析定語從句的句子成分,發(fā)現(xiàn)從句缺少主語,這樣答案就限定在A或B,再結(jié)合to survive的邏輯主語應(yīng)該是人,最終確定用關(guān)系代詞who。本題答案為B。錯誤選項(xiàng)中干擾性最大的是C。where,語感較差的考生,容易確定area為先行詞,where緊承area,讀起來上口,但明顯存在語法錯誤。如果將題干稍加修改,在urgently之前加上they,則定語從句中缺的是狀語,則選擇C。where修飾先行詞area。
由此不難發(fā)現(xiàn),對于復(fù)雜句子的理解,考生是有“法”可依;只要弄懂規(guī)則,靈活理解,善于變通,就能徹底理解形形色色的長難句。
例3:______is known to us all is that the old scientist, for______life was hard in the past, still works very hard in his eighties.
A. As; whom B. What; whom
C. It; whose D. As; whose
本題難度明顯大于上面兩例??疾辄c(diǎn)側(cè)重于對復(fù)雜句型的理解和分析能力,涵蓋了名詞性從句和定語從句,干擾性更大??忌吹竭@個題目,往往會感到無從下手,不愿意或者不能從本質(zhì)上分析句子結(jié)構(gòu),跟著感覺走,倉促猜測。正確的對策是:遵循語言學(xué)習(xí)的方法和策略,養(yǎng)成臨危不亂、理智分析的習(xí)慣。在整體感悟句子之后,找準(zhǔn)主句的謂語動詞是第二個is,其前是主語從句,其后是表語從句,在表語從句中又包含了一個定語從句for______life was hard in the past。第一空所缺詞在主語從句中做主語,而as常用來引導(dǎo)定語從句,It則常作為形式主語出現(xiàn)在主語從句中;第二空,考生容易不假思索地選擇whose,應(yīng)當(dāng)將表語從句所包含的信息分解、還原成the old scientist still works very hard in his eighties和life was hard for him in the past。由此,可以確定本題正確答案為B。
三、拓展提升
縱觀近幾年高考閱讀,不難發(fā)現(xiàn),閱讀量越來越大,選材出現(xiàn)了大量復(fù)合復(fù)雜句。非謂語動詞、獨(dú)立主格結(jié)構(gòu)、多種從句的疊加,有時(shí)還會有強(qiáng)調(diào)句型、倒裝句等特殊句型,這些無疑增加了句子結(jié)構(gòu)的復(fù)雜程度和語境理解的難度。所以“磨刀不誤砍柴工”,平時(shí)考生要加強(qiáng)對復(fù)雜結(jié)構(gòu)句型的訓(xùn)練,遇到長難句,不妨嘗試分析句子的層次,理清句子結(jié)構(gòu),確定句子內(nèi)部以及句間的功能作用,力求熟能生巧。這樣,考試時(shí)就能在有限的時(shí)間內(nèi),既能做到理解順暢到位,又能保障閱讀速度。例如遇到下文:How was I, who had worked hard and read books of adventure, and was only fifteen years old, who had not dreamed of giving the Queen of the Oyster Pirates a second thought, and who did not know that French Frank was madly and Latinly in love with her—how was I to guess that I had done him shame? 要理解透徹,必須理清句子層次。How was I是主句,I是主語,who had worked hard and read books of adventure是第一個定語從句,was only fifteen years old前面隱含了一個who是第二個定語從句,who had not dreamed of giving the Queen of the Oyster Pirates a second thought是第三個定語從句,who did not know that French Frank was madly and Latinly in love with her是第四個定語從句,how was I to guess that I had done him shame?作為第二個主句結(jié)束整個長句。
另外,聽力材料中也會有這樣的長句子:We decided that the movie was too violent, but our children, who like to watch scary movies, thought that we were wrong. Even though he prefers to eat with a fork, he chooses to use chopsticks in Chinese restaurants; however, they arent easy to use. 對此,考生切不可有畏懼心理,要樹立信心,平時(shí)多聽多跟讀,尤其需要借助于一些連接詞來斷句,判斷語義,提高理解速度。
對于書面表達(dá),如果能巧妙地運(yùn)用一些復(fù)雜句型,整篇文章就是錦上添花。比如2012年江蘇高考英語作文:To conclude, there is no denying that, with a calm and open mind, conflicts are bound to be avoided and we can live harmoniously even if there are disagreements. 這樣的結(jié)尾,長短結(jié)合,錯落有致,生動有力,概括全文,給人感覺該文章層次較高。
(作者:汪建華,海安縣曲塘中學(xué))