问英语｜英语常见问题解答

of which¹

问

The Social Security Retirement Program is made up of two trust funds, ____ could go penniless by next year. A. the larger one B. the larger of which C. the largest one D. the largest of which(全国研考,97-1)

虽然我从参考书上得知,答案为 B(the larger of which)。但是,我对于...of which 的用法仍是昏昏然。

答

which 引导定语从句并在定语从句中充当主语或宾语的用法, 是大家所熟悉的。但是, 假如 which 在定语从句中不充当主语或宾语, 而是充当定语来表示领属关系, 那怎么办呢? 这时候就需要使用 of which 这个短语。在上面的句子里, which 的先行词是 two trust funds (两项信托资金), of which 作 the larger 的定语。请考察类似的实例:

the investigation the results of which will soon be published... (CGEL) 结果不久即将公布的那项调查……
There are two left, one of which is almost finished and the other of which is not quite. (LDCE) 剩下两件事, 一件几乎干完了, 另一件还得干。
I was there for several hours, only ten or fifteen minutes of which were devoted to Paula Jones. (B. Clinton, My Life) 我到场已经好几个小时了，可是只有10到15分钟是关于葆拉·琼斯的。(《我的生活》)

练习

A survey was carried out on the death rate of new-born babies in that region, ____ were surprising.
1. A
  the results of which
2. B
  as results
3. C
  the results of it
4. D
  which results(全国四级,99.1-42)
Water enters into a great variety of chemical reactions, ____ have been mentioned in previous pages.
1. A
  a few of it
2. B
  a few of that
3. C
  a few of them
4. D
  a few of which(全国六级,91.6-43)
It is reported that two schools, ____ are being built in my hometown, will open nex year.
1. A
  they both
2. B
  which both
3. C
  both of them
4. D
  both of which(全国高考四川卷,07-27)
The man pulled out a gold watch, ____ were made of small diamonds.
1. A
  the hands of whom
2. B
  whom the hands of
3. C
  which the hands of
4. D
  the hands of which(全国高考陕西卷,08-13)

of which²

... of which/of which ...

问

The house the roof of which was damaged has now been repaired. of which 能否放在 the roof

之前？

答

在定语从句中充当定语的 of which 虽然可以放在它所修饰的名词之前,但比较少见:

the investigation of which the results will soon be published... (CGEL) 结果不久将公布的那项调查……
The house of which the roof was damaged has now been repaired. (CGEL) 房顶损坏的那所房子现在已经修好了。

of which³

of which/to which

问

We are not conscious of the extent of which work provides the psychological satisfaction that A B C

can make the difference between a full and an empty life. (全国研考,95-13)

谢振元教授主编《研究生入学考试英语复习指南》(1997)(中国人民大学出版社)，对上道题的解答如下：

“(B)中的 of which 应改为‘which’，把 of 删去，因为 which 后面的 provide 在本句中是及物动词，可直接接宾语，不需要将介词提到 which 之前。”

请问上面的解答是否正确？

答

该书编者完全误解了上道英语试题的语法结构和句意。在原句中 work...satisfaction 是一个定语从句,其中 work 为从句主语,satisfaction 是动词 provides 的直接宾语。此定语从句是限制中心词 the extent 的。因此,其关系代词 which 必须与适当的介词搭配,在定语从句中充当状语。大家知道,当表示“在……程度上”这含义时,一般是使用介词 to。例如:

to a certain extent (在一定程度上)
to a considerable extent(在相当大的程度上)
To what extent are you willing to help me? (ELD) 你愿意在多大程度上帮助我?

由此可见，上道试题中的(B) of which 应改为 to which。全句的意思是：

我们不知道工作所提供的能把充实的生活与空虚的生活区分开来的心理满足的程度到底有多大。

of which⁴

of which/whose 见 whose