问英语
原书主词条 · 7 个连续词条

absolute construction

原书 PDF 第 64—68 页

absolute construction1

问

We are less credulous than we used to be. In the nineteenth century, a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his readers with a series of coincidences—most of them wildly improbable. (New Concept English, Book 3, L.36)

在 most of them 之后是否省略了连系动词 are?

答

如果像你说的那样，在 most of them 之后加上连系动词 are，那么这个句子就变成错句了。为什么呢？因为从形式上看它既不可能是并列分句（无并列连词），也不可能是从属分句（无从属连词）。而原文中的 most of them wildly improbable 却是正确的，因为它是一个正确的格式——独立结构（Absolute Construction）。独立结构的语法功用通常是充当句子的状语。其特征是：有自己的逻辑主语（如上句中的 most of them）并且和句子的主语（如上句中的 a novelist）不一致。

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从词性看,大致有如下几类:

说明

从词性看,大致有如下几类:

A. 名词或代词 + 现在分词

  1. Time (Weather) permitting, we shall start tomorrow. 如果时间(天气)允许的话, 我们将明天动身。

  2. Aluminium being very soft, we can press it easily into any shapes desired. 铝很软, 所以我们可以很容易地将它压成所需要的任何形状。

  3. The decision having been made, the next problem was how to make a good plan. 作出决定后, 下一个问题就是如何做出一个好的计划。

  4. ‘It’s quite heavy,’ the man on crutches said, his arm wavering now. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) “太重了。”那个拄拐杖的人说，他胳膊颤抖着。（《达·芬奇密码》）

B. 名词或代词 + 过去分词

  1. The job finished, we went home straight away. 工作结束后,我们马上回家了。

  2. This sum added, we will have enough money for the trip. 如果加上这笔钱,我们旅行的费用就足够了。

C. 名词或代词 + 形容词

  1. He entered the room, his nose red with cold. 他走进屋来，鼻子冻得红红的。

  2. Another agent hurried into the living room, his eyes urgent. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 另一位特工急匆匆地走进起居室，一脸急切的神色。(《达·芬奇密码》)

  3. Teabing's head snapped up, his face wild with disbelief. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 提彬猛地抬起头，简直无法相信自己的耳朵。（《达·芬奇密码》）

你提问的句子便属于这种类型(代词 + 形容词)。

D. 名词或代词 + 副词

  1. Dinner over, we decided to play bridge. 吃过饭后,我们决定打桥牌。

  2. The meal over, prayers were read by Miss Miller. (Jane Eyre) 饭后，米勒小姐读祈祷文。
    E. 名词或代词 + 介词短语

  3. In half an hour Delia came, her right hand in a bandage. [许国璋《英语》(二), p. 155] 半小时后, 迪莉娅回来了, 她右手缠着绷带。

  4. He went off, gun in hand. 他走了,手中握着枪。

  5. As quickly as they could, the men ran to the steps and up into the open, many of them with their clothes on fire. 工人们尽快地往楼梯那儿跑，爬上去，来到舱外，许多人的衣服都着了火。

F. 名词或代词 + 动词不定式

  1. I send you today three fourths of the sum agreed upon between us, the rest to follow within a month. (Curme) 我今天寄给你我们之间已商定的金额总数的四分之三，余数将在一个月之内寄去。

  2. A number of officials followed the emperor, some to hold his robe, others to adjust his girdle, and so on. (AEG 4^{4} ) 许多官员尾随皇帝之后，有的拎着皇帝的衣袍，有的则给他整腰带等。

  3. Here are the first two volumes, the third one to come out next month. (PEG 2^{2} ) 这儿是头两卷, 第三卷下月出书。

  4. The two parties should first reach an agreement on the basic principle, the details to be worked out later. 双方首先应该就基本的原则性问题达成协议，细节以后再定。

G. 以上结构的逻辑主语由 with 引出, 见 with 7,8,9,12,13^{7,8,9,12,13} 。

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问

The plane ____, its bombs exploding as it hit the ground.

答案为(D)crashed。但我不明白 The plane crashed 与 its bombs exploding 是个什么关系。

答

这是一个带独立结构的句子。its bombs exploding 就是一个独立结构，对句子进行补充说明(它还带有一个时间状语从句——as it hit the ground)。它是由名词短语 + 现在分词构成的。独立结构是一个常考的项目，必须熟练掌握。

练习

请做下面的英语试题：

  1. The speech ____ a lively discussion started. A. being delivered B. was delivered C. be delivered D. having been delivered(全国四级,95.1-45)

  2. Night ____ (fall), we hurried home. (全国研考)

  3. Along the rocky New England coast are small areas of sand and gravel beach, some created from glacial debris, ____ by the action of ocean storms. A. upbuilding others B. others build up C. others built up D. built up others (TOEFL)

  4. The children went home from the grammar school, their lessons ____ for the day. A. finishing B. finished C. had finished D. were finished(全国高考重庆卷,07-25)

  5. The country has already sent up three unmanned spacecraft, the most recent ____ at the end of last March. A. has been launched B. having been launched C. being launched D. to be launched(全国高考山东卷,07-33)

(参见 absolute construction 1^{1} , being 2^{2} , with 7,8,9,12,13^{7,8,9,12,13} )

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问

____ in this way, the situation doesn't seem so disappointing. A. To look at B. Looking at C. Looked at D. To be looked at(全国四级,00.1-68) 《大学英语四六级考试全真试题集详解》(航空工业出版社,p.161)对上题作了如下解答:“这是一个分词独立结构作状语的用法。” 请问 looked at in this way 是分词独立结构吗?

答

上面的解答是错误的。分词独立结构的本质是:分词结构要有自己的逻辑主语,这个逻辑主语是与句子的主语不相同的。在上面的句子里,分词短语 Looked at in this way 本身并无自己的逻辑主语,充当它的逻辑主语的是句子的主语 the situation。要注意:这里的 Looked at 是过去分词,具有被动意义(见 look at 2^{2} )。不难看出,looked at in this way 是过去分词短语作条件状语。

[试题句意]这样看来,情况似乎并不那么令人失望。

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absolute construction4

问

张道真教授编著的《英语语法大全》(外研社，p.692)将下列各句中的 granted that, provided that, given 结构分析为独立结构： “Granted (= Granting) that you are in the right, you should not get angry. Provided that (= On condition that) he will keep silent, I will let this matter alone. Provided that he acknowledges his fault, I will pardon him. I can persuade him, given enough time and money.” 我认为上面各句与独立结构毫不相干。

答

独立结构的本质特征有二:一、结构内有自己的逻辑主语,此逻辑主语不可能是句子本身的主语;二、没有限定形式(即谓语形式)的动词。最常见的是分词独立结构,如: time weather } permitting lunch finished

上面的 granted, provided 均没有自己的逻辑主语, 不可能是独立结构。其实, 这里的 granted (that)、provided (that) 是典型的从属连词, 见 provided 1^{1} , 与独立结构毫不相干。

最后一例中的 given enough time and money 则是一个独立结构: given 有自己的逻辑主语 enough time and money。但要注意: 含有 given 的独立结构有其独特之处: 过去分词放在逻辑

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问

The murderer was brought in, with his hands ____ behind his back. A. being tied B. having tied C. to be tied D. tied(全国高考,91-22) 标准答案为 D。但是，对于它的语法结构我却一直没有搞清楚。

答

上句中的 with his hands tied behind his back 叫做带 with 的独立结构。这种结构的特征就是在一般的独立结构的逻辑主语之前加个介词 with。其意义和用法与一般的独立结构相同，但是它更加口语化。这是我国英语考试中的一个常考项目，不可掉以轻心：

  1. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out. (全国高考,95-阅读D) 因为没有什么可烧的了,火势弱下来,灭了。

  2. He sat there thinking, with his head on his hand. 他坐在那儿，手托着头思考着。

  3. With the medicine box under her arm, Miss Zhao hurried off to look after the man. 赵小姐挎着药箱匆匆忙忙地离开去照料那个人。

下面的 with 结构同 with 独立结构在形式上是很相似的。但是它们在本质上却是不同的。with 独立结构一般用作状语，但不是必具的成分。而下面的结构，或用作必具状语（即去掉该状语之后，句意就不完整了或者句子就无法成立了）或用作限制性定语。从书写上看，它的前面不加逗号（见 with 7,8,9^{7,8,9} ）：

  1. I sat with my ears and neck turning when I heard the pupils whisper about me. (必具状语) (上海编《高中英语教科书》, 1A, p. 9) 我坐着, 转动脖子, 竖起耳朵细听, 听到同学们在低声谈论我。

  2. a white, plain envelope with her name printed on it(定语) 一个印着她的名字的普通白色信封

练习

  1. ____, the square looks more beautiful at night.

    1. A

      With all the lights on

    2. B

      Turning on all the lights

    3. C

      Let all the lights on

    4. D

      Turn on all lights on

  2. ____ all this work to do, I don't know if I'll have time to go out.

    1. A

      Since

    2. B

      With

    3. C

      For

    4. D

      After

  3. ——Come on, please give me some ideas about the project. ——Sorry. With so much work ____ my mind, I almost break down.

    1. A

      filled

    2. B

      filling

    3. C

      to fill

    4. D

      being filled(全国高考福建卷,07-26)

  4. John received an invitation to dinner, and with his work ____, he gladly accepted it.

    1. A

      finished

    2. B

      finishing

    3. C

      having finished

    4. D

      was finished(全国高考安徽卷,07-29)

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全国四、六级、研考、英语专业四级英语试题精选

说明

全国四、六级、研考、英语专业四级英语试题精选

  1. Silver is the best conductor of electricity, copper ____ it closely. A. followed B. following C. to follow D. being followed(全国四级)

  2. A new technique ____, the yields as a whole increased by 20 per cent. A. working out B. having worked out C. having been worked out D. to have been worked out(全国四级,90.1-68)

  3. ____, a man who expresses himself effectively is sure to succeed more rapidly than a man whose command of language is poor. A. Other things being equal B. Were other things equal C. To be equal to other things D. Other things to be equal(全国四级,97.6-56)

  4. All things ____, the planned trip will have to be called off. A. considered B. be considered C. considering D. having considered(全国四级,98.6-49)

  5. So many directors ____, the board meeting had to be put off. A. were absent B. being absent C. been absent D. had been absent(全国四级,00.12-58)

  6. The same factors push wages and prices up together, the one ____ the other. A. increasing B. emphasizing C. reinforcing D. multiplying(全国四级,00.12-65)

  7. All the tasks ____ ahead of time, they decided to go on holiday for a week. A. been fulfilled B. having been fulfilled C. were fulfilled D. had been fulfilled(全国四级,01.6-56)

  8. All flights ____ because of the terrible weather, they had to go there by train. A. were canceled B. having canceled C. had been canceled D. having been canceled(全国四级,02.1-43)

  9. The plane ____, its bombs exploding as it hit the ground. A. smashed B. crushed C. plunged D. crashed(全国六级,96.1-50)

  10. The country's chief exports are coal, cars and cotton goods, cars ____ the most important of these. A. have been B. are C. being D. are being(全国英语专业四级,94-57)

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