Chapter 1 名词从句
1.2 主语从句
1.2 主语从句
在这一节里，我们主要讨论陈述句和疑问句用作主语的情况。此外，英语里还可以用because引导的从句来充当句子主语，对此我们也将予以介绍。
1.2.1 that引导的主语从句
对于that引导的主语从句，我们要重点看其在句中的位置特点：它一般是置于句末的，偶尔也可以置于句首。
由that引导的主语从句可以直接放在句首。请看例句：
1 That the seas are being overfished has been known for years.
妙语点睛 这里that从句that the seas are being overfished即是一个主语从句，直接置于主语位置。
2 That the plates are moving is now beyond dispute.
妙语点睛 这里that从句that the plates are moving即是一个主语从句，直接置于主语位置。
有时候，即使that从句比较长而复杂，也可能被直接置于句首来作主语（这样的句子结构并不常见），比如：
3 That such a conjunction of circumstances might occur again soon, especially considering shrinking US defense budgets and diminishing overseas base access, is problematical at best.
图解难句
妙语点睛 看到句首的that such就知道，这里的that只能作为连词而不是指示词，因此可以判断其后接的必然是一个主语从句。另外，两个分词短语shrinking US defense budgets和diminishing overseas base access是并列关系，共同作分词considering的宾语。请注意：不要误认为considering与diminishing并列。
译文心得 这句话的语序不是常见的英文惯用语序。按照正常的英文思维的表达应该是“It is problematical at best that...，”即先表达态度，再展开叙事。而这句英文却符合汉语的思维方式，即先叙事后表态。所以，这句话就可以按照原文的顺序来翻译成汉语。
但是，更常见的情况是用it作形式主语置于句首，而将that引导的主语从句放在句末。下列都是常见的主语从句句型（作文中常用的句型，重点内容）：
一、It+be动词+过去分词+that从句
It's reported that...据报道……
It's believed that...据信……
It is generally thought that...人们普遍认为……
It should be noted that...应当注意……
It has been found that...现已发现……
It must be pointed out that...必须指出……
同样可以这么用的动词还有say, expect, know, estimate, forecast等。比如下面这些句子：
4 As a child—and as an adult as well—Bill Gates was untidy. It has been said that in order to counteract this, Mary drew up weekly clothing plans for him.
5 And it is imagined by many that the operations of the common mind can be by no means compared with these processes, and that they have to be acquired by a sort of special training.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is imagined that...and that...，即这里是两个that从句并列，在句中作主语，即并列的主语从句。
6 It is generally agreed that a person of high intelligence is one who can grasp ideas readily, make distinctions, reason logically, and make use of verbal and mathematical symbols in solving problems.
妙语点睛 这里是在过去分词agreed前面加了副词generally修饰，有相同用法的副词还有universally, normally, usually等。
二、It+be动词+形容词+that从句
It is clear that...显然……
It is possible that...很可能……
It is likely that...很可能……
It is natural that...很自然……
It is certain that...可以肯定的是……
It is strange that...奇怪的是……
It is fortunate that...幸运的是……
It is necessary that...有必要……
请看例句：
7 Fortunately, the White House is starting to pay attention. But it's obvious that a majority of the president's advisers still don't take global warming seriously.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is obvious that...，即这里是that引导的主语从句。
8 Furthermore, it is obvious that the strength of a country's economy is directly bound up with the efficiency of its agriculture and industry, and that this in turn rests upon the efforts of scientists and technologists of all kinds.
妙语点睛 该主语从句的基本结构是it is obvious that...and that...，即这里是that引导的并列主语从句，两个连词that都要保留，尤其是第二个that不能省去。
三、It+be动词+名词短语+that从句
It is a pity that...可惜的是……
It is a fact that...事实是……
It is good news that... ……真是太好了。
It is a good thing that... ……真是件好事。
It is no wonder that...难怪……
It is a shame that...遗憾的是……/……真是太不像话了。
It is an honor that...真荣幸……
t is common knowledge that... ……是常识。
It is my belief that...我相信……
It is a miracle that... ……真是奇迹。
请看例句：
9 It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.
10 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. （《傲慢与偏见》（Pride and Prejudice）中的第一句话）
四、It+不及物动词+that从句
It seems that...似乎……
It follows that...因此……/由此可见……
It happens that...碰巧……
It turns out that...结果证明是……
It comes about that...结果是……
五、其他结构
It dawns upon/on sb. that...某人突然想起……
It occurs to sb. that...某人突然想起……
It makes no difference that... ……无所谓
It doesn't need to be bothered that...不必担忧……
It is of little consequence that... ……无关紧要
请看例句：
11 It dawned upon me that there is a logical connection between all the things that happen in that immensely connected body of salted water that covers 71 percent of the surface of the earth.
妙语点睛 注意it dawns upon sb. that这个句型在译成汉语时要用人作主语，译作“某人想到……”，但在英语里是用it作形式主语。
12 When I decided to quit my full-time employment it never occurred to me that I might become a part of a new international trend.
妙语点睛 注意it occurs to sb. that这个句型译成汉语时用人作主语，译作“某人想到……”，但在英语里是用it作形式主语。
1.2.2 whether及连接代词或连接副词引导的主语从句
连词whether以及连接代词或连接副词引导主语从句一般放在句首，这不同于上面讨论的that引导的主语从句。请看例句：
1 Whether the Government should increase the financing of pure science at the expense of technology or vice versa often depends on the issue of which is seen as the driving force.
妙语点睛 这里是whether引导的主语从句，谓语部分是depends on the issue。Of后面接的which从句是一个宾语从句，补充说明issue，相当于issue的同位语。
2 However, whether such a sense of fairness evolved independently in capuchins and humans, or whether it stems from the common ancestor that the species had 35 million years ago, is, as yet, an unanswered question.
妙语点睛 这个句子看起来较复杂，其实还是由whether引导的主语从句。这里是两个并列主语从句，由并列连词or连接，谓语动词是is。
3 Whether the eyes are “the windows of the soul”is debatable; that they are intensely important in interpersonal communication is a fact.
妙语点睛 这个句子里包含两个主语从句，分别由whether和that引导。
我们再来看几个由连接代词或连接副词引导的主语从句，此时从句一般位于句首。
4 Whoever tries to resolve a conflict soon learns that nothing pleases everybody.
妙语点睛 这里的连词代词whoever相当于who的强调形式，它引导的从句作主语，主句的谓语是learns。其中whoever在从句中作主语。
5 What happened on September 11, 2001 will be forever etched （铭刻） in our memories.
6 Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT company fired about 400 people overnight. The act startled the fired employees and at the same time worried the rest. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift—the book Who Moved My Cheese?
妙语点睛 这里是连词代词what引导的主语从句，what在从句中作主语。
7 How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted.
妙语点睛 这里是连词副词how引导的主语从句，how well在从句中充当状语，修饰动词validated。
1.2.3 because引导的主语从句
在英语中，还有一种较为特殊的主语从句，即是由because引导的主语从句。这种主语从句的结构一般是“because+陈述句”，置于主语位置，后面直接加谓语，而且这个谓语往往都是does not mean。在because前面往往会有just一词，起强调语气的作用。请看例句：
1 Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
妙语点睛 该句的主语是just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to这个从句，谓语是doesn't mean。
2 Something which seems valuable at first may turn out to be worthless. Example: “All that glitters is not gold!”Just because something appears valuable does not mean that it really is valuable.
妙语点睛 该句的主语是just because something appears valuable这个从句，谓语是does not mean。
再看下面这个比较好的例句，也许能引起读者的一些思考：
3 There is a big difference between activity and accomplishment. Just because you are doing something doesn't mean you are getting anywhere. One must evaluate one's activity in order to have accomplishment.
妙语点睛 该句的主语是just because you are doing something这个从句，谓语是doesn't mean。
思维总结
本节的重点是that主语从句的各种句型。其次，了解because引导的主语从句，做到会翻译即可。
思维训练1.2 Key
选择最佳答案填空。
1. It is obvious ______ on more important things.
A. which the money should we spend B. what the money should we spend
C. that the money should we spend D.that we should spend the money
2. ______ hard water does not mix well with soap.
A. That is a well-known fact B. That is a well-known fact in which
C. It is a well-known fact that D.It is a well-known that
3. ______ every magnet is surrounded by a magnetic field.
A. It believes that B. It believed that C.It is believed that D.It's believing that
4. ______ was to return to school.
A. That really interested him B. What really interested him
C. Which really interested him D.That interested him really
5. ______ your men have been on my land without permission.
A. It seems that B. There seems to be C.That seems D.It seems for
6. ______ I have made no arrangements to deal with such cases.
A. It appear that B. That appears C.They appear that D.It appears that
7. ______ that the first cheese was probably made more than 4, 000 years ago by nomadic tribes in Asia.
A. The belief B. Although they believe C.It is believed D.Believing
8. ______ to space travelers is high acceleration or deceleration forces.
A. That can be dangerous B. What can be dangerous C.They can be dangerous D.It can be dangerous
9. ______ unstable and explodes as a supernova（起新星） is not known.
A. For a star to become B. How a star becomes C.A star becomes D.That a star is becoming
10. ______ composed traditionally has been a subject of debate among scholars.
A. Where ballads how B. Ballads were how they C.How ballads that were D.How ballads were
11. ______ that the professor's strictness with him is not to punish a careless student but to teach him how to be precise.
A. Joseph was dawned B. It was dawned on Joseph C.It dawned on Joseph D.Joseph dawned it on
12. ______ was not our concern.
A. No matter how he might pass the examination B. Whether he passed the examination or not
C. Though he might pass the examination D.While he passed the examination