Chapter 4 状语从句
4.7 让步状语从句
4.7 让步状语从句
本节内容安排如下：
4.7.1 常见连词的用法
4.7.2 表示让步转折关系的介词
4.7.3 置于句首的while一般表示“尽管”
4.7.4 as引导的倒装句表示让步
4.7.1 常见连词的用法
常见的引导让步状语从句的词有though，although，even though和even if。此时，主句前不可用but，但可用yet或still。
1 Although he tried hard, (yet /still) he failed. 尽管他努力了，但他还是失败了。
2 Although I didn’t know anybody at the party, I had a very good time. 尽管聚会上的人我一个都不认识，但我仍然玩得很愉快。
3 The family is the essential presence—the thing that never leaves you, even if you find you have to leave it. 对于每个人来说，家是不可或缺的，它永远为你守候，即使有一天你发现你不得不离开它。
再比如下面这道考研真题：
4 Although Professor Green’s lectures usually ran over【A】 the fifty-minute period, but 【B】none【C】 of his students even objected【D】 as they found his lectures both informative and interesting.
正确答案 B，应该把but去掉。
妙语点睛 这是一道考研真题。本题考查的就是although和but不能连用这一知识点。
4.7.2 表示让步转折关系的介词
上面讨论了常见的让步状语从句的连词，与此相关的是，在英语中，还可以用介词来表示让步转折关系。这些介词主要有despite，in spite of和for all。需要提醒读者注意的是，although和though是连词，因此后面只接从句（有时是省略形式的从句），而这里的介词只接名词（短语），不能接从句。请比较：
1 1） Though he was inexperienced, he did a very good job.
2） In spite of his inexperience, he did a very good job.
3） In spite of his being inexperienced, he did a very good job.
妙语点睛 在例句1）中，连词though后面接的是从句he was inexperienced。在例句2）中，his inexperience是一个名词短语，所以要用介词，如in spite of。在例句3）中，his being inexperienced是动名词短语的形式，也属于名词短语，所以这里也需要用介词，如in spite of。
其他类似的例子还有：
2 1） Although it was dangerous,…
2） Despite the danger,…
3 1） Though the weather was bad,…
2） In spite of the bad weather,…
需要提醒读者注意的是，介词后面除了接名词短语外，还可以接what引导的名词从句。请看例句：
4 ______ what he achieved in medicine, he remained modest.
A. Despite
B. Although
C. If
D. Whereas
正确答案 A。
妙语点睛 本题考查的是状语从句连词的用法。因为这里what=things that，引导的是一个名词性从句，其本质上相当于一个名词短语，故此处仍需用介词。若用连词though，则只能说成“Though he achieved a lot in medicine, he remained modest.”。
5 ______ tired, he wouldn’t stop working.
A. Despite
B. For all
C. Though
D. Whereas
正确答案 C。
妙语点睛 本题考查的是状语从句连词的用法。这是一个省略的状语从句，原句相当于“Though he was tired, he wouldn’t stop working.”。所以要用连词，而不是介词，故C正确。
综上所述，我们可以总结出这样的规律：介词后面可以接名词、名词短语、动名词或what引导的从句；连词后面可以接完整的陈述句、形容词（相当于省略句）、分词（相当于省略句）等。
4.7.3 置于句首的while一般表示“尽管”
while位于句首，一般意为“尽管”，引导让步状语从句。在很多阅读文章中常见到while的这一用法。请看例句：
1 While many countries of the world celebrate their own Mother’s Day at different times throughout the year, there are some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium which also celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May.
妙语点睛 while出现在句首，表示让步转折。
2 While the government pushed for a total breakup of the software maker, Microsoft fought fiercely against any positions that would affect its ability to compete in the marketplace.
妙语点睛 while出现在句首，表示让步转折。
3 While even the modestly educated sought an elevated tone when they put pen to paper before the 1960s, even the most well regarded writing since then has sought to capture spoken English on the page.
妙语点睛 while出现在句首，表示让步转折。
4 While often praised by foreigners for its emphasis on the basics, Japanese education tends to stress test taking and mechanical learning over creativity and self-expression.
妙语点睛 while出现在句首，表示让步转折。注意这里的从句是一个省略形式的状语从句，相当于while it is often praised by…，it指代Japanese education。
5 While history once revered its affinity to literature and philosophy, the emerging social sciences seemed to afford greater opportunities for asking new questions and providing rewarding approaches to an understanding of the past.
妙语点睛 while出现在句首，表示让步转折。
4.7.4 as 引导的倒装句表示让步
as引导的倒装句可表示让步，这一结构有：
一、形容词提至句首
1 Young as he is, he is knowledgeable. 他虽然年轻，但知识渊博。
2 There are also desert insects which survive as inactive larvae. In addition, difficult as it is to believe, there are desert fish which can survive through years of drought in the form of inactive eggs.
妙语点睛 这句话是“形容词+as+主谓”的结构，表示让步。
3 Oldest in our workshop as he is, he works hardest.
妙语点睛 请注意在此结构中最高级前不加the。
二、副词提至句首
4 Much as I respect him, I can not agree with him. 虽然我非常尊重他，但是我仍旧不同意他的意见。
5 Again as he failed in doing this experiment, he didn’t lose his heart. 尽管他的试验再次失败了，但是他并不灰心。
三、分词提至句首
6 Praised as he was, he remained modest. 尽管他受到了表扬，却仍旧很谦虚。
四、名词提至句首
7 Child as he is, he is knowledgeable.
妙语点睛 请注意这句话的名词前不带冠词。
8 Lazy a boy as he is, he is kind to help others.
妙语点睛 请注意这里名词短语的语序：lazy a boy。
最后需要提醒读者注意的是，该结构中的as可以替换为that或though，但我们很少这样使用。这里的as不可以用although替换。
9 Odd though it sounds, cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics, and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true.
妙语点睛 这是一道考研真题。这里作者用though代替as，来表示让步。
10 Much although 【A】I have traveled, I have never seen anyone to equal 【B】her in thoroughness, whatever 【C】the job【D】.
正确答案 A，应改为：Much as。
妙语点睛 这是一道考研真题。本题考查的是as引导的让步状语从句。这里用although代替as是错误的。
思维总结
让步状语从句的内容比较多，读者要掌握引导让步从句的各种连词以及各类句型结构。比如as 的倒装句表示让步；while放在句首，表示让步等等。同时，遇到时要能够正确翻译。
思维训练4.7 Key
一、请选择最佳答案填空。
1. ______, he does get annoyed with her sometimes.
A. Although much he likes her
B. Much although he likes her
C. As he likes her much
D. Much as he likes her
2. ______ lay eggs, but some give birth to live young.
A. Although most insects
B. Most insects
C. Despite most insects
D. Most insects that
3. Airsickness is produced by a disturbance of the inner car, ______ psychogenic factors, such as fear, also play a part.
A. in spite of
B. neither
C. nor
D. although
4. ______ his physical handicap, he ______ a successful businessman.
A. Despite/has become
B. Although/has become
C. In spite/became
D. Despite of/becomes
5. ______ all our kindness to help her, Sarah refused to listen to us.
A. At
B. For
C. In
D. On
6. ______, the policeman still has good command.
A. Sophisticated as search techniques were
B. Sophisticated were search techniques
C. Search techniques were sophisticated
D. Sophisticated as search techniques they were
7. ______, I still enjoy driving even after my accident.
A. It may seem strange though
B. Strange though it may seem
C. Though strange it may seem
D. Strange it may seem though
8. ______ I admire him as a poet, I do not like him as a man.
A. Much so
B. So much
C. Much as
D. As much
9. The engineers are going through with their project, ______ the expenses have risen.
A. even though
B. just because
C. now that
D. as though
10. ______ what she achieved in literature, she remained modest.
A. Despite
B. Although
C. If
D. Whereas
11. ______ annoyed by her words, he tried not to lose his temper.
A. Despite
B. For all
C. Though
D. Whereas
二、辨别改错。
12. Although Mr. Smith studied art 【A】in Paris, but his 【B】writings attracted much 【C】more interest than 【D】his paintings.
13. Despite 【A】fats and oils are nutritionally 【B】important as 【C】energy sources, medical research indicates 【D】that saturated fats may contribute to hardening of the arteries.