不少同学学习名词性从句时总是在某些地方出错,久而久之便产生畏难情绪,本文瞄准这些难点内容,全力揭开其神秘面纱。

　　难点一:连词多,语义抽象,确定难度大

　　多数名词性从句的连词都有其特定含义,称为有义连词,如:what 表……的内容,when表……的时间,where表……的地方,why表……的原因,how表……的方式,who 表谁、哪一个,if、whether表是否。没有实在意义的连词叫无义连词,无义连词只有that一个。这些连词语义相似,容易混淆,解题时应先分析名词性从句意义是否完整,确定使用有义连词还是无义连词,然后再根据从句所缺含义确定特定连词。

　　例1: It is pretty well understood ________ controls the flow of carbon dioxide in and out of the atmosphere today.

　　A. thatB. whenC. what D. how

　　析:C。该空表……的内容,且作主语,应填what引导主语从句。

　　例2: ________ fashion differs from country to country may reflect the cultural differences from one aspect.

　　A. WhatB. ThatC. ThisD. Which

　　析:B。分析语境含义及句子成分可知,该空为主语从句且意义完整,应填That引导主语从句。

　　例3:-Do you remember ________ he came?

　　-Yes, I do, he came by car.

　　A. howB. when C. thatD. if

　　析:A。该空表……的方式,且作宾语,应填how引导宾语从句。

　　例4:-I drove to Zhuhai for the air show last week.

　　-Is that ________ you had a few days off?

　　A. whyB. whenC. whatD. where

　　析:A。该空表……的原因,且作表语,应填why引导表语从句。

　　难点二:what试题结构复杂,语义抽象,解题难度大

　　几乎每年高考都会考查what引导的名词性从句,不少考题考生得分率很低,原来这些考题除考查what表具体明确的……的内容之外,还考查what表……的时间、……的地点、……的人、……的速度,这些含义更难理解,试题结构更为复杂,解题难度也更大。其实这些含义也隶属……的内容,只不过更为抽象罢了,解题时应增强……的时间/地点/人/速度隶属……的内容的意识。

　　例1:The other day, my brother drove his car down the street at ________ I thought was a dangerous speed.

　　A. as B. which C. what D. that

　　析:C。该句可理解为:几天前的某一天,我的兄弟以我认为是一个危险速度的速度驾驶小汽车在街上行驶。但很多学生对该表达出现的两个"速度"感到难以接受,其实如果把a dangerous speed假设为150km an hour就更容易理解了。分析语境逻辑可知,该空表……的速度,隶属……的内容,应填what。

　　例2:Li Ping is no longer ________ he was ten years ago.

　　A. that B. ifC. whom D. what

　　析:D。析语境可知,该空表……的人,隶属……的内容,应填 what。

　　难点三:同位语从句、定语从句结构相似,难以区分

　　同位语从句和定语从句结构相似,都放在某一名词或代词后面,但两者有明显区别:同位语从句对名词加以补充说明,是名词内容的体现,且名词和同位语从句的连词均不在从句中充当成分;定语从句对名词加以限制,是名词内容的修饰性定语,且名词和定语从句的关系词均在从句中充当成分。尽管如此,同位语从句和定语从句相似的句子结构还是使两者有较大的辨认难度,解题时应先分析从句和先行词之间为同位关系还是修饰关系,如果为同位关系属同位语从句,如果为修饰关系属定语从句。

　　例1:Information has been put forward ________ more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities.

　　A. whileB. thatC. whenD. which

　　析:B。more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities是Information的内容,且Information不在从句中充当成分,所以该句为同位语从句。应将该句区别于:

　　It is said that more middle school graduates will be admitted into universities, this is the information ________ has been put forward.

　　A. whileB. thatC. whenD. what

　　析:B。 that has been put forward为information的修饰性定语,且information在从句中作主语,所以该句为定语从句。

　　例2:Along with the letter was his promise ________ he would visit me this coming Christmas.

　　A. which B. that C. what D. whether

　　析:B。he would visit me this coming Christmas为his promise的具体内容,它们之间为同位关系,因此应填that引导同位语从句。应将该句区别于:

　　This is the promise ________ he made along with the letter.

　　A. which B. this C. what D. whether

　　析:A。he made along with the letter为the promise的修饰性定语,且the promise在从句中作宾语,所以该句为定语从句,应填which。

　　(文/郝昌明；英语辅导报高三普及版2003-2004学年第4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。)