分词分为现在分词(the present participle)和过去分词(the past participle)两种，两者的功能基本相同，兼有动词、形容词和副词的某些特征，在句中可作表语、定语、状语和补语，现在分词和过去分词在意义上和时间上有所区别：现在分词表示主动意义，过去分词表示被动意义，现在分词表示一般或正在发生的动作，而过去分词有完成的意义或表示一种状态。在大学英语四、六级考试中主要考查分词作状语(主要是作时间状语和原因状语)和宾语补足语，也考一些分词作定语，分词作表语考得很少。下面就历年考过的四级真题(例句为包括答案的真题题干)为例，进行说明，以便同学们深入理解。

　　一、分词作状语(分词或分词短语作状语，其逻辑主语应与句子的主语一致)

　　1.原因状语

　　1.The speaker，known for her splendid speeches,was warmly received by the audience.(l991.1)

　　2.Being thoroughly dissatisfied with the picture,Mary tore it to pieces.(1992.6)

　　3.Having no money but not wanting anyone to know, he simply said he would go without dinner.(1993.6)

　　4.Believing the earth to be flat,many feared that Columbus would fall off the edge of the earth.(1996.6)

　　5.Judged the best in a recent science competition,the three students were awarded scholarships totaling $21，000.(2001.1)

　　2.时间状语(分词作时间状语时，可以用while, when,after,once,until等连词引起，表示各种意义)例如：

　　1.This program will examine the writer's books in detail,following introduction to her life.(1993.12)

　　2.When compared with the size of the whole earth,the highest mountain does not seem high at all.(1990.l)

　　3.After being interviewed for the job,you will be required to take a language test.(l993.6)

　　4.While orbiting the sun,the satellite has sent more than four billion bits of information back to earth.(1993.12)

　　5.Michael used to look hurt and surprised when scolded.(1995.1)

　　3.分词作让步状语、条件状语、伴随状语、方式状语等的情况有时也考。例如：

　　l.Having been ignored for many years,the writer suddenly became famous.(1992.1)

　　2.Looked at in this way,the situation doesn't seem so disappointing.(2000.1)

　　3.Anna was reading a piece of science fiction,completely lost to the outside world.(2003.1)

　　二、分词作宾语补足语

　　分词可接在感觉动词see,hear,watch,notice,feel, observe,find等，以及listen to,look at等短语动词或get,keep,have,leave等使役动词后作宾语补足语，强调动作的进行过程。例如：

　　1.The children went there to watch the iron tower being erected.(l990.l)

　　2.In Australia the Asians make their influence felt in business large and small.(1993.l2)

　　3.Don't get your schedule changed,stay with us in this class.(1996.1)

　　4.His remarks left me wondering about his real purpose.(1999.6)

　　5.The president promised to keep all the board members informed of how the negotiations were going on.(2001.6)

　　三、分词作定语

　　单个分词一般作名词的前置定语，分词短语一般位于所修饰的中心词后面。现在分词修饰的是发出该动作的名词，过去分词修饰承受该动作的名词。大学英语考试主要考查分词短语作后置定语。例如：

　　1.Soon，Americans hope,the rains will return and ease the hardship facing U.S.farmers.(1991.l)

　　2.Cambridge has announced plans to establish a business school offering the master's degree in business administration.(1992.6)

　　3.Homework done on time will lead to better grades.(1995.l)

　　4.The speech which he made concerning the project has bothered me greatly.(1999.1)

　　四、分词作表语

　　例句主要有：

　　1.These surveys indicate that many crimes go unrecorded by the police,mainly because not all victims report them.(2000.6)

　　2.The house was very quiet,isolated as it was on the side of a mountain.(1999.6)

　　(文/崔学军王学英;英语辅导报大学一年级版03~04学年第17期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)