4.3 原因状语从句

4.3 原因状语从句

本节主要讨论引导原因从句常见的连词的用法，此外还会涉及表示原因的介词或介词短语。因此，本节内容安排如下：

4.3.1 常见连词的用法

4.3.2 用介词表示因果关系

4.3.1 常见连词的用法

我们常用because，for，as和since这四个连词来引导原因状语从句。他们的意义和用法不完全相同。

在这四个连词中，because的语气最强，只有它才能用来回答why的问句，所引出的原因往往是听话人所不知道的或最感兴趣的；也只有because才能被强调词如only，just和perhaps等来修饰。请看例句：

1 My friends dislike me because I’m handsome and successful.

妙语点睛　一般来说，“我”不被朋友喜欢的原因是听者感兴趣的，所以用because引出这个原因。

精品译文　我的朋友都不喜欢我，是因为我长相英俊又事业有成。

2 Perhaps because most of today’s cross-cultural marriages occur because of“true love”, these couples work hard to overcome their differences.

妙语点睛　一般就不会说perhaps for*，perhaps as*或perhaps since*。

精品译文　可能因为现在大多数跨国婚姻都是基于真爱，所以夫妇俩都很努力地克服双方的差异。

连词since表示人们已知的事实，是不需强调的原因，所以常译成“既然”，通常放在句首。请看例句：

3 Since we don’t have class tomorrow, why not go out for a picnic?

既然我们明天没有课，那么为什么不出去野餐呢？

4 Since you are an English major, I guess you can help me with this sentence.

既然你是英语专业的，我猜想你能帮我解决这个句子。

连词as与since的用法差不多，所引出的理由在说话人看来已经很明显，或已为听话人所熟悉而不需用because加以强调。请看例句：

5 As Monday is a national holiday, all government offices will be closed.

由于周一是法定假日，所有的政府机关都将休息。

连词for表示推断的理由，是对前面分句的内容加以解释或说明。请看例句：

6 It rained last night, for the ground is wet this morning. 昨晚下雨了，因为今天早上地是湿的。

试比较：Because it rained last night, the ground is wet this morning.

相比较而言：

as和for引导的主、从句，二者处于平等位置；

because引导的从句显得比主句重要，强调原因；

since引导的从句显得次要，而主句重要，以说明将要做什么事。

4.3.2 用介词表示因果关系

常用的介词有：because of，due to和owing to。因为是介词，所以其后面不能接从句。请比较：

1 We had an accident because he was careless.

2 We had an accident due to his carelessness.

3 Owing to his carelessness we had an accident.

妙语点睛　在例句1中，因为是从句，所以用连词because引导。在例句2中，因为是名词短语his carelessness，所以用介词连接。此处不能说due to he was careless*。在例句3中，同样是名词短语his carelessness，所以要用介词。一般来说，owing to常置于句首，而due to通常不这么用。

精品译文　由于他的粗心大意，我们出了车祸。

思维训练4.3 Key

请选择最佳答案填空。

1. ______ you are leaving tomorrow, we can eat dinner together tonight.

A. For

B. Since

C. Before

D. While

2. ______ the cold weather, we decided not to go out.

A. Because

B. Due that

C. Owing to

D. Since

3. Neon is said to be inert ______ does not react with other substances.

A. because of it

B. it is because

C. because it

D. is because it

4. They looked so happy today, ______ they had a good bargain.

A. for

B. in order that

C. when

D. except

5. ______ he has had a reputation for being a careful driver, his accident came as quite a surprise.

A. Since

B. Since that

C. Because

D. For

6. It was ______ he was so young that he couldn’t do it.

A. as

B. since

C. for

D. because