余慧華
高中英語語法的學(xué)習(xí)是培養(yǎng)高中學(xué)生語言能力,提高語言水平的必要手段。筆者在教學(xué)中逐步摸索出“還原法”來幫助同學(xué)們更好地理解一些語言現(xiàn)象,從而提高語法學(xué)習(xí)的效果。所謂“還原法”,顧名思義,即是把覺得難以理解的、復(fù)雜的語言現(xiàn)象通過各種形式進(jìn)行簡化還原,便于對該語言現(xiàn)象的理解和把握,從而對相關(guān)語法知識理解得更加透徹。
運(yùn)用“還原法”分析定語從句
在定語從句的教學(xué)中,同學(xué)們最難把握的就是關(guān)系代詞和關(guān)系副詞的選定。請看下面例句:
①I will never forget the day___________we spent together.
②I will never forget the day ___________I first met him.
以上兩個(gè)例句看起來非常相像,它們的主句相同,都是 “I will never forget the day” ,后面定語從句的先行詞都是“the day”。要想確定空格部分到底填關(guān)系代詞還是關(guān)系副詞,首先要確定先行詞“the day”在定語從句中所承擔(dān)的成分。如何確定先行詞在定語從句中所承擔(dān)的成分呢?我們可以把定語從句抽離出來,同時(shí)把先行詞還原到定語從句中,請看如下句子:
③We spent the day together.
④I first met him on the day.
如此還原以后,就很容易看出句③中,the day在定語從句中作spent的賓語,因此,句①空格處應(yīng)填關(guān)系代詞which或者that或者省略。句④中,the day需要和介詞on一起構(gòu)成介賓短語在句中作時(shí)間狀語,所以,句②中空格處應(yīng)填表示時(shí)間的關(guān)系副詞when或者on which。即:
I will never forget the day which/that/不填 we spent together.
I will never forget the day when/on which I first met him.
利用“還原法”來分析,把原本看似差不多的兩個(gè)句子之間的差別凸顯出來,為我們理解定語從句的關(guān)系代詞和關(guān)系副詞的選定提供了依據(jù)和幫助。
運(yùn)用“還原法”分析名詞性從句
名詞性從句的連接詞的選用也是高中英語語法中的一個(gè)難點(diǎn)。我們也可以運(yùn)用“還原法”把句子結(jié)構(gòu)理順,從而解決這個(gè)問題。
(2018年北京卷)This is___________my father has taught me——to always face difficulties and hope for the best.
我們把句中的表語從句連同空格一起抽離出來并還原成陳述句語序,即:
My father has taught me___________.
從這里我們可以看出來has taught 后面缺直接賓語,所以要填連接代詞。再結(jié)合句意,空格處應(yīng)填表示事物的連接代詞what。
(2016年天津卷)The manager put forward a suggestion___________we should have an assistant. There is too much work to do.
我們還是把從句部分連同空格一起抽離出來,即:
___________we should have an assistant.
這個(gè)句子結(jié)構(gòu)完整,句意解釋說明了suggestion的內(nèi)容,因此可以確定空格處應(yīng)該填引導(dǎo)同位語從句的that。
(2017年北京卷)Jane moved aimlessly down the tree-lined street, not knowing___________she was heading.
我們?nèi)匀话裯ot knowing 后面的賓語從句連同空格一起抽離出來,并還原成陳述句:
She was heading.
作者要表達(dá)的意思是Jane沿著林蔭道漫無目的地走著,不知前往何處。句中head是不及物動詞,空格處要么是表示地點(diǎn)或方向的副詞,要么是介詞加賓語,總之空格處應(yīng)該是狀語,所以此處應(yīng)該填where。
運(yùn)用“還原法”分析強(qiáng)調(diào)句型
在學(xué)習(xí)強(qiáng)調(diào)句型的過程中,有些同學(xué)由于理解不夠透徹,在實(shí)際運(yùn)用中出現(xiàn)各種各樣的問題。其實(shí),我們?nèi)匀豢梢栽凇斑€原法”的幫助下真正理解和把握強(qiáng)調(diào)句型的關(guān)鍵點(diǎn),從而使之運(yùn)用自如。
(1)運(yùn)用“還原法”辨識強(qiáng)調(diào)句型
有些句型容易跟強(qiáng)調(diào)句型混淆,例如下面兩個(gè)句子:
①It was at midnight___________I received his message.
②It was midnight___________I received his message.
如何判斷是不是強(qiáng)調(diào)句型,最簡便易行的辦法就是把it is/was和that/who去掉,將剩下的部分還原成陳述句,看句子是否完整。以上兩句我們依此方法還原一下:
I received his message at midnight.(句子結(jié)構(gòu)和意義都是完整的)
I received his message midnight.(midnight不能獨(dú)立作狀語,需要一個(gè)介詞at)
由此,我們可以判斷出句①是強(qiáng)調(diào)句型,空格處填that;句②不是強(qiáng)調(diào)句型,空格處應(yīng)該填when來引導(dǎo)時(shí)間狀語從句。
再來看一個(gè)句子:
—Where did you get to know her?
—It was on the farm___________we worked.
這個(gè)句子很容易錯(cuò)填that。根據(jù)句子意思,答句其實(shí)是省略了一部分的強(qiáng)調(diào)句,補(bǔ)充完整是“It was on the farm___________we worked that I got to know her.”運(yùn)用“還原法”把it was 和that 去掉, 剩下的部分組成一個(gè)陳述句,即:
I got to know her on the farm___________we worked.
這樣就很容易判斷出來此處應(yīng)該填where來引導(dǎo)定語從句。帶有類似陷阱的句子還有很多,我們再看一例:
—Who are making so much noise in the garden?
—___________the children.
A.It is? ? ? ? B. They are? ? ? C. That is? ? ? ?D. There are
根據(jù)對話的意思,把答句還原成完整的句子,便是It is the children that are making so much noise in the garden. 即選A。
(2)運(yùn)用“還原法”處理“not...until”的強(qiáng)調(diào)句型
很多同學(xué)遇到“It is /was not until + 時(shí)間狀語/時(shí)間狀語從句 +that + 剩余部分”這種強(qiáng)調(diào)句型的時(shí)候不知如何作答,有的同學(xué)甚至因?yàn)閚ot位置改變而把句意理解反了。我們以下面這句話為例看看如何運(yùn)用“還原法”來幫助我們正確理解句意:
(2015年重慶卷改編)Bach died in 1750, but it was not until the early 19th century that his musical gift was fully recognized.
先把強(qiáng)調(diào)句型中it was和that去掉,剩下的部分還原成陳述句,即:
His musical gift was not fully recognized until the early 19th.
直到19世紀(jì)初,他的音樂天賦才得到充分認(rèn)可。
句子還原以后,句意就明了多了。
(3)運(yùn)用“還原法”處理強(qiáng)調(diào)句型的疑問句
強(qiáng)調(diào)句型的疑問句分為一般疑問句和特殊疑問句,其構(gòu)成如下:
一般疑問句:? Is / Was it +被強(qiáng)調(diào)部分+that /who+ 剩余部分。
特殊疑問句:特殊疑問詞 +is / was it + 被強(qiáng)調(diào)部分 +that /who + 剩余部分
如:___________is it that makes some people appear astonishingly youthful while others seem much older than their actual age?
對這個(gè)句子的理解,我們可以分幾步進(jìn)行多次還原。
第一步:還原成強(qiáng)調(diào)陳述句,即:___________
It is___________that makes some people appear astonishingly youthful while others seem much older than their actual age.
第二步:還原成非強(qiáng)調(diào)的陳述句,也就是去掉it is和that,即:
___________makes some people appear astonishingly youthful while others seem much older than their actual age.
經(jīng)過這兩步還原,就很清楚原句是對陳述句中的主語進(jìn)行提問,所以空格處用疑問代詞what。
運(yùn)用“還原法”分析虛擬語氣
英語中的虛擬語氣可以表達(dá)豐富的語用含義,它不是簡單地陳述一個(gè)事實(shí),而是表達(dá)言外之意,以達(dá)到某種特定的交流目的。很多同學(xué)在學(xué)習(xí)虛擬語氣的時(shí)候只是死記硬背虛擬語氣的句型,不去理解虛擬語氣的語用含義,因此在實(shí)際運(yùn)用時(shí)常常出錯(cuò)。我們以下面三個(gè)句子為例看一看怎么運(yùn)用“還原法”來理解虛擬語氣表達(dá)的含義。
If you had come earlier, he would have told you the news.(主從句都是對過去的虛擬)
If he had spent more time practising speaking English, he would be able to get this job.(主句對現(xiàn)在虛擬,從句對過去虛擬)
We lost our way in that small village. Otherwise, we would have visited more places of interest yesterday.(otherwise表達(dá)虛擬條件,主句對過去的虛擬)
我們用“還原法”把這三個(gè)句子還原成其對應(yīng)的事實(shí),即:
You came late, so he didnt tell you the news.
He didnt spend enough time practising speaking English, so he is not able to get this job.
We lost our way in that small village, so we didnt visit many places of interest yesterday.
將還原后的這組句子跟原組句對照,就更容易理解虛擬語氣的不同形式和它們所表達(dá)的語用含義。這樣,在閱讀和寫作中就能夠更準(zhǔn)確地運(yùn)用虛擬語氣來理解和表達(dá)各種特定情感。
運(yùn)用“還原法”分析長難句
在閱讀過程中,不少同學(xué)見到結(jié)構(gòu)稍微復(fù)雜的句子就會感到無從下手,理解起來很困難。我們以下面這幾個(gè)句子為例,看看怎么利用“還原法”來破除理解長難句的阻礙。
1.Bradford sold the building and land to a local development firm, which plans to build a shopping complex on the land where the theater is located.(摘自2017年全國卷Ⅲ閱讀理解B篇)
我們把這個(gè)句子進(jìn)行拆分和還原,得到如下三個(gè)句子:
Bradford sold the building and land to a local development firm.
The local development firm plans to build a shopping complex on the land.
The theater is located on the land.
這三個(gè)句子就把原句中Bradford,local development firm,land,theater幾者之間的關(guān)系理清楚了,對原句的理解就容易得多。原句中which引導(dǎo)非限制性定語從句,修飾先行詞a local development firm;此外,定語從句中又包含一個(gè)where引導(dǎo)的定語從句。由此可知,原句意為:布拉德福德把建筑物和土地賣給了一家當(dāng)?shù)氐拈_發(fā)商,這家開發(fā)商打算在電影院所在的土地上建一個(gè)購物中心。
2.To do this I have searched through dozens of plays to find the ones that I think best show the power and purpose of the short play.
(摘自2020年7月浙江卷閱讀理解A篇)
有不少同學(xué)將句中的ones誤以為等同于dozens of plays。如果將該復(fù)合句分解還原成如下兩個(gè)獨(dú)立的句子,那么句中的ones的指代對象就很清楚,不會因?yàn)檎`解而影響到答題。
(1)To do this I have searched through dozens of plays to find the plays.
(2)I think the plays best show the power and purpose of the short paly.
3. Challenging work that requires lots of analytical thinking, planning and other managerial skills might help your brain stay sharp as you age.(摘自2020年7月浙江卷閱讀理解C篇)
該句較長,而且出現(xiàn)了analytical thinking,planning and managerial skills等同學(xué)們不熟悉的詞匯,因此很多同學(xué)讀得一頭霧水,不知所云。其實(shí),我們用“還原法”把這個(gè)句子還原成最簡單的句子“ Challenging work might help your brain stay sharp. ”這樣句子的意思就變得清晰多了。該句是全文的主題句,把這個(gè)句子理解清楚了,對全文的理解也水到渠成。
實(shí)踐證明,“還原法”在語法學(xué)習(xí)中十分實(shí)用。很多句子經(jīng)過“還原”,意思變得清楚明朗了許多,很多語法現(xiàn)象也變得更容易理解和掌握了,閱讀的時(shí)候也能夠從容面對長難句,極大地提高了語法學(xué)習(xí)的效率和閱讀的效果。