语法核心/高级 · 驾驭语法

Chapter 1 名词从句

1.5 同位语从句

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1.5 同位语从句

所谓同位语,就是用来补充说明名词的成分。当我们用一个完整的句子来补充说明名词时,即构成同位语从句。所以同位语从句都是位于一个名词后面,用来进一步说明前面的名词的内容,这个名词就是同位语从句的先行词。

1.5.1 同位语从句句型(一):名词+that+陈述句

最常见的同位语从句句型是“名词+that+陈述句”。请看例句:

1 I have been left with the knowledge that it's better to expect nothing than to give everything and then be disappointed.

妙语点睛 这里的that从句用作同位语,来补充说明先行词knowledge。

精品译文 我从中懂得了,不抱任何期待比付出努力却最终失望要好。

这句话讲的就是我们都熟悉的一个道理,即期望越大,失望往往就越大。读者以后若想表达这个意思,不妨用上这个句子。

2 A century ago, Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguised shadows of our unconscious desires and fears.

妙语点睛 这里的that从句用作同位语,来补充说明先行词theory。

精品译文 一个世纪之前,弗洛伊德阐述了他具有革命性的理论,即梦是一种对我们潜意识里的欲望和恐惧所产生的内心深处的反映。

以上讨论的同位语从句都是紧跟在先行词后面的。但其实同位语从句与其所修饰的先行词还可能被其他成分隔开,便形成“名词+其他成分+that+陈述句”这样的结构。这里的其他成分主要有两种:一类是先行词的定语,一类是句子的谓语,这两者都可能分隔先行词和同位语从句。这种被分隔开来的情形在阅读文章中是常见的,遇到时一定要认真分析,才能正确理解句子的意思。下面将分别举例讨论。

1.5.2 同位语从句句型(二):名词+定语+that+陈述句

如果一个名词后面既有定语又有同位语从句,那么往往定语在前,同位语从句在后,这样便形成了先行词与同位语从句被定语分隔的结构,即“名词+定语+同位语从句”。请看例句:

1 The statement by the driver of the vehicle that he did not see the lorry was rejected by the Court.

图解难句

妙语点睛 这里的介词短语by the driver of the vehicle和同位语从句that he did not see the lorry共同修饰中心名词statement。具体来说,the statement by the driver of the vehicle表示“这位汽车司机的陈述”,即用介词短语来限定statement;the statement...that he did not see the lorry表示“他说没有看见卡车这一陈述”,即同位语从句用来详细说明statement的内容是什么。所以我们看到,这里的先行词statement与同位语从句that he did not see the lorry被作定语的介词短语by the driver of the vehicle隔开。

精品译文 该汽车司机说自己没有看见卡车,但法庭并不相信这个说法。

2 The latest purported taped message from Osama Bin Laden has raised concern among European intelligence and law enforcement officials that their countries are now on his hit list.

图解难句

妙语点睛 这里的介词短语among European intelligence and law enforcement officials和同位语从句that their countries are now on his hit list共同修饰中心名词concern。具体来说,concern among European intelligence and law enforcement officials表示“引起欧洲情报部门及执法部门官员们的担忧”,即介词短语用来说明什么人会concern;concern...that their countries are now on his hit list表示“担忧他们的国家现在在他的袭击目标名单上”,即同位语从句用来详细说明concern的内容是什么。所以我们看到,这里的先行词concern与同位语从句that their countries are now on his hit list被作定语的介词短语among European intelligence and law enforcement officials隔开。

其实,读者不妨记住concern这个常用句型,即sth. has raised concern among sb. that+从句;如果不是从句,则接介词短语over sth.,表示“什么事情引起了什么人对另一件事的担忧”。

精品译文 最近,一盘据说是本·拉登本人声音的录音带引起了欧洲情报部门及执法部门官员们的担忧,他们担心自己的国家现在在他的袭击目标名单上。

1.5.3 同位语从句句型(三):名词+谓语+that+陈述句

如果一个名词作主语,并且它后面还带有一个同位语从句,此时我们通常把这个同位语从句置于谓语的后面,而不是放在名词的后面,因而造成先行名词与同位语从句的分隔,结构是“作主语的先行词+谓语部分+同位语从句”。比如本章讨论的第一个例句:

1 Concerns were raised that witnesses might be encouraged to exaggerate their stories in court to ensure guilty verdicts.

妙语点睛 这里的先行词concerns与that引导的同位语从句被谓语were raised隔开。

精品译文 人们日益担心,证人可能会受到鼓励,在法庭上夸大其词以确保陪审团对被告做出有罪的判决。

请看其他例句:

2 Evidence came up that specific speech sounds are recognized by babies as young as 6 months old.

图解难句

妙语点睛 这里的名词evidence作主语,且其后带有一个that引导的同位语从句,来补充说明evidence的详细内容,但这个同位语从句并没有紧跟在名词后面,而是被谓语came up隔开。注意:此处that引导的同位语从句不是作came up的宾语,因为came up是不及物动词,而是作evidence的同位语。

精品译文 有证据表明,六个月大的婴儿就能辨别出特定的说话声。

在《英语语法新思维中级教程——通悟语法》里我们说过,同位语从句主要是由that引导,而很少用whether、连接代词或连接副词引导,这是因为我们多是用陈述句来补充说明名词的内容,而很少用一般疑问句或特殊疑问句来补充说明名词的内容。

思维总结

重点是掌握that引导的同位语从句,尤其是先行词与that从句被分隔的情况。

思维训练1.5 Key

选择最佳答案填空。

1. There are signs ______ restaurants are becoming more popular with families.

A. that B. which  C.in which  D.whose

2. Scientists have reached the conclusion ______ the temperature on Earth is getting higher and higher.

A. what B. that  C.which  D.when

3. An idea came to her ______ she might do the experiment in another way.

A. that B. what  C.when  D.which

4. Obviously there was little certainty ______ the chairman would agree to this proposal.

A. which B. why  C.what  D.that

5. We were all overjoyed at the news ______ the experiment turned out a success.

A. which B. that  C.when  D.what

6. The author wishes to call our attention ______ modern man has polluted his environment to such an extent that he might destroy himself if he went on like that.

A. to that B. in that  C.to the fact which  D.to the fact that

7. Dreary months dragged by before the tragic news reached her ______ her beloved brother had been killed for anti-Nazi activities.

A. which B. what  C.when  D.that