Chapter 2 定语从句
2.16 带有插入语的定语从句
2.16 带有插入语的定语从句
在接下来的三节中，我们要讨论三种结构较为复杂的定语从句：带有插入语的定语从句、并列定语从句和双层定语从句。
所谓带有插入语的定语从句，是指在某些定语从句的关系词后面紧跟着一个插入语。插入语可以分为两类：一类是插入一个主谓结构，另一类是插入其他各种成分，如插入各种从句。
2.16.1 定语从句的关系词后面插入一个主谓结构
定语从句的关系词后面插入的往往是一些表达个人主观观点的主谓结构，如they think, he said, they believe, he claimed, they assume等等。这些主谓结构紧跟在关系代词后面，但不影响定语从句原来的结构，因而并非构成定语从句的主谓语。带有插入语的定语从句的结构主要有两种：作主语的关系词+插入语+定语从句的谓语部分；作宾语的关系词+插入语+定语从句的主谓部分。
一、作主语的关系词+插入语+定语从句的谓语部分
1 Many students face problems when they have to study a subject that they think is difficult.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是that...is difficult，但现在关系代词that后面紧跟了一个插入语they think，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句that they think is difficult。换句话说，定语从句的主语that和谓语部分is difficult被they think这个插入语分隔。
2 Sometimes the very things that we think are holding us down are the things that are helping us fly. That is what discipline is all about.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是that...are holding us down，但现在关系代词that后面紧跟了一个插入语we think，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句that we think are holding us down。换句话说，定语从句的主语that和谓语部分are holding us down被we think这个插入语分隔。
这个句子来自于这样一个寓意深刻的故事：
What we think is pulling us down is really taking us up. That is what discipline is about. A boy was flying a kite with his father and asked his father what kept the kite up. Dad replied, “The string.”The boy said, “Dad, it is the string that is holding the kite down.”The father asked his son to watch as he broke the string. Guess what happened to the kite? It came down. Isn't that true in life? Sometimes the very things that we think are holding us down are the things that are helping us fly. That is what discipline is all about.
3 Nicael Holt, an Australian university student, had a smart idea about how to put some money in his pocket. Last week, he sold his lifestyle, which he said was relaxing and rewarding, for A$7, 500 （RMB37, 500）.
妙语点睛 曾经在一份英语报纸上看到一篇文章，说一个澳大利亚的大学生为了挣钱，决定出售自己的生活方式，让别人来过自己的生活，这个例句就是这篇文章中的两句话。我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是which...was relaxing and rewarding，但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语he said，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句which he said was relaxing and rewarding。换句话说，定语从句的主语which和谓语was relaxing and rewarding被he said这个插入语分隔。
4 Tax cuts have been on George W. Bush's mind since he became president of the United States. One of his first acts in government was to announce cuts which he claimed would give back US$1.6 trillion to the American people over 10 years.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是which...would give back...，但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语he claimed，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句which he claimed would give back...。换句话说，定语从句的主语which和谓语would give back被he claimed这个插入语分隔。
5 Hilton is building its own hotel there, which you may be sure will be decorated with Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, the Banquo Banqueting Room, and so forth, and will be very expensive.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是which...will be decorated...，但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语you may be sure，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句which you may be sure will be decorated...。换句话说，定语从句的主语which和谓语will be decorated被you may be sure这个插入语分隔。
（注：Hamlet, Lear和Banquo皆系莎士比亚所著悲剧中的主人公。因为本文讲的是关于莎士比亚的故乡Stratford-on-Avon的情况，所以出现用莎翁剧中的人物来命名各餐厅、酒吧，以吸引游客的内容。）
二、作宾语的关系词+插入语+定语从句的主谓部分
6 The millionaire had a very ugly girl who I could not have dreamed many boys fell in love with.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是who...many boys fell in love with，关系词who作介词with的宾语。但现在关系代词who后面紧跟了一个插入语I could not have dreamed，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句who I could not have dreamed many boys fell in love with。换句话说，定语从句的宾语who和定语从句的主谓语many boys fell in love with被I could not have dreamed这个插入语分隔。
7 What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这里的定语从句本身的结构是that...they are presiding over...，关系词that作介词over的宾语。但现在关系代词that后面紧跟了一个插入语businessmen assume，于是便得到了一个带插入语的定语从句that businessmen assume they are presiding over...。换句话说，定语从句的宾语that和定语从句的主谓语they are presiding over被businessmen assume这个插入语分隔。
值得注意的是，正如上文所讲过的，插入语是不影响定语从句本身的结构的，所以不能在这种特殊的定语从句中随便添加连词，比如这个定语从句不能改成that businessmen assume that they are presiding over is for real*。若是不知道这是插入语结构，考生就很可能会误认为businessmen assume that they are presiding over...是宾语从句结构。这看上去的确很像，但其实over是缺少宾语的，从句不是一个完整的结构，无法构成名词从句。类似这种错误的句子在考研改错题中曾出现过。
8 They pointed out【A】 the damage which【B】 they supposed that【C】 had been done by last night's【D】 storm.
正确答案 C，应把that去掉。
妙语点睛 这是考研真题。这里的定语从句本身的结构应该是which...had been done by last night's storm，修饰前面的名词damage。但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语they supposed，所以此时带插入语的定语从句应该是which they supposed had been done by last night's storm，而不是which they supposed that had been done by last night's storm，这里不能添加连词that。
三、what引导的从句中带一个主谓结构的插入语
此外，作插入语的主谓结构也可放在what引导的从句中，请看下面这道考研题：
9 There was a very interesting remark in a book by an Englishman that I read recently giving what he thought was a reason for this American characteristic.
图解难句
分词短语的结构图示：
妙语点睛 对于这个句子，也许有考生在读完第一遍之后感觉有点迷惑，不知道该如何确切理解它的意思。如果是这样，那是因为没有理清楚该句中的定语结构。这个句子的定语结构稍微有一点复杂，既有“并联”定语，又有“串联”定语。
首先，名词短语remark in a book by an Englishman带有“串联”型定语结构，其中，介词短语in a book修饰remark，介词短语by an Englishman修饰book。其次，这句带有两组“并联”型定语。第一组是名词短语a book by an Englishman that I read recently中含有的两个并列定语，即中心词book带有两个“并联”定语：介词短语by an Englishman和定语从句that I read recently，所以这个短语的意思就是“我最近看过的、由英国人写的一本书”。第二组带“并联”定语的是名词短语remark in a book by an Englishman that I read recently giving what he thought was a reason for this American characteristic，这个短语比较复杂，它的中心词是remark，remark带有两个“并联”定语：介词短语in a book by an Englishman that I read recently和分词短语giving what he thought was a reason for this American characteristic，这两个并列定语都很复杂。第一个定语我们刚才分析过，就是其中的中心词book带有的两个并列定语by an Englishman和that I read recently。第二个定语是由分词giving与宾语从句what he thought was a reason for this American characteristic构成。在这个宾语从句中，he thought是插入语，所以宾语从句的核心结构是what...was a reason for this American characteristic，即what作宾语从句的主语，was a reason for this American characteristic是系表结构。而he thought并非宾语从句的主语和谓语。这一点可能有读者会误解。
这里关键是要看到giving的逻辑主语是remark，换句话说，分词短语giving what he thought was a reason for this American characteristic是修饰remark的，但它被remark的第一个定语in a book by an Englishman that I read recently所隔开。
2.16.2 定语从句的关系词后面插入一个其他成分
我们上面讨论的带插入语的定语从句，所插入的结构都是一个表示个人观点的“主谓结构”，但关系词后面还可以插入其他结构，尤其是各类从句。请看例句：
1 Real friends are those who, when you’ve made a fool of yourself, don't feel that you’ve done a permanent job.
图解难句
妙语点睛 我们看到，该句的插入成分是一个when引导的时间从句，而不是一个主谓结构。具体来说，定语从句的关系词who后面带有插入语when you’ve made a fool of yourself，分隔了who与定语从句的谓语部分don't feel that you’ve done a permanent job，其中who充当定语从句的主语。
2 Our limited thinking prevents us from progress. There was a fisherman who, every time he caught a big fish, would throw it back into the river, keeping only the smaller ones. A man watching this unusual behavior asked the fisherman why he was doing this. The fisherman replied: “Because I have a small frying pan.”Most people never make it in life because they are carrying a small frying pan. That is limited thinking.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这段短文第二句的插入成分是一个every time引导的时间从句，而不是一个主谓结构。具体来说，定语从句的关系词who后面带有插入语every time he caught a big fish，分隔了who与定语从句的谓语部分would throw it back into the river，其中who充当定语从句的主语。
3 The casino issued to him, as a good customer, a “Fun Card”, which when used in the casino earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities.
图解难句
妙语点睛 我们看到，这个插入语结构是一个省略形式的状语从句：when （it is） used in the casino，省去了it is，it指Fun Card，而定语从句本身的结构是which earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities。究其原因，我们不难发现，若是把这个省略的状语从句when used in the casino放在定语从句的末尾便成了which earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities when used in the casino，但由于定语从句的谓语部分（earns...and enables...）过长，这样就会使when引导的从句的意思与Fun Card有脱节之嫌，所以为了表意上的需要而将when引导的从句提前。
我们再来看一个插入语不是从句的例子：
4 When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand.
妙语点睛 我们看到，这句话在定语从句的主语who和谓语have chosen之间插入了一个介词短语instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures。
思维总结
我们可以从以下两方面来把握带有插入语的定语从句：
1. 插入语的结构特点
这是关于插入语本身结构的问题。由以上的论述可知，插入语可以分为两类：一类是插入一个主谓结构，另一类是插入其他各种成分，尤其是插入各种从句。
2. 插入语的位置特点
这是指插入语在定语从句中的位置。从以上例句我们看到，插入语一般只能放在定语从句的关系词后面。
思维训练2.16 Key
一、选择最佳答案填空。
1. Many students face problems when they have to study a subject ______.
A. that they think it is difficult B. that they think is difficult
C. which they think that is difficult D.they think it is difficult
2. He has made a discovery, ______ of great importance to the progress of science and technology.
A. I think which is B. which I think is C.which I think it is D.of which I think it is
3. They pointed out the damage ______ had been done by last night's storm.
A. which they supposed B. which they supposed that
C. they supposed that D.that they supposed which
4. The girl ______ we supposed was drowned came back.
A. who B. whom C.as D.which
5. The girl ______ we supposed drowned came back.
A. what B. that C.as D.which
二、分析下列句子结构并译成汉语。
6. Every December we choose ten trends that we think will be the most important influences in the business of technology in the coming year.
7. Finally he had saved $50, which some Henning people living in Chicago, who were back home visiting, had assured him was enough to see him eat and sleep long enough to find himself a job that would put him on his feet.
8. During the nineteenth century, she argues, the concept of the “useful”child who contributed to the family economy gave way gradually to the present-day notion of the “useless”child who, though producing no income for, and indeed extremely costly to, its parents, is yet considered emotionally “priceless”.