穿越于“時”、“空”之中的介詞

俞江濤

請看下題：

He was educated at the local high school, ____ he went on to Beijing University.

A. after which B. after that C. in which D. in that

本題把介詞和定語從句的用法綜合到一起。從句式看，可以先排除B和D。因為B項中的after是一個介詞，不能連接兩個句子，可以改為He was educated at the local high school, and after that he went on to Beijing University。B項如果引導的是定語從句，介詞后面不能加that，表示事物可以加上which，而D項in that作連詞用意思是“因為”，很明顯“他繼續上北京大學”不是“他在當地中學讀書”的原因。正確答案為A項，很多同學會誤選C。

錯誤的原因在于混淆了介詞表示時間還是表示地點。從語境看，本句表達的意思是“他在當地的中學讀書，之后他繼續上了北京大學?！币虼舜颂幍慕樵~表示了時間的先后關系。如果使用in which則表示“他在當地的中學讀書，期間他繼續上了北京大學”或理解為“他在當地的中學讀書，在當地中學他繼續上了北京大學”，很顯然不符合語義邏輯。再如：

There were a lot of people standing at the door and the small girl couldnt get ____.

A. between B. through C. across D. beyond

本題考查了介詞表示空間的用法。四個選項都可以表示地點。between強調在兩者之間；through表示從內部通過、穿過；across強調橫穿；beyond在……的那一邊。題干表達的意思是“門口站著很多人，小女孩進不去（從門口進入）”。所以使用get through。

介詞既可以表示時間、也可以表示空間，這是介詞最基礎、最常見的用法，掌握該用法的關鍵要從以下幾個方面來辨析介詞的“時”、“空”用法，才能和介詞手牽手，自由、瀟灑地穿越于“時”、“空”之中。

一、表示時間

1. 時間的大小各不同

【例句】

①As a middle school student in a small city, I have to get up at 6 every morning.

②The 2008 Chinese Spring Festival falls on February 7.

③The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be held in August.

[辨析] at表示時間的一點，時刻，如：at 12∶00,也可以表示“在黎明、中午、夜間”。如：at dawn/at daybreak 在黎明時候；at noon 在中午；at night 在夜里；at midnight在半夜。on表示具體的日子或特定的時間，如某日、星期幾、某個特定節日。如：on August 8, on a cold morning, on Monday, on National Day。 in則表示較長的時間，如世紀、朝代、年、季節、月份，也可以泛指上下午、晚上等。如： in the 1990s, in the Ming Dynasty, in May, in the morning。

2. 時間的點和段要分清

【例句】

①The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be held in four months.

②I will go abroad to study for my master degree after July.

③I have learned English for 6 years.

④I have learned English since 6 years ago.

[辨析]in和after都可以表示“在……之后”用在一般將來時中，in 后面加表示一段時間的狀語（“四個月”是一段時間）;after后面的時間表示時間點（“七月份”是時間點）；for后面加段時間（“六年”是一段時間），since后面接的時間表示時間點（“六年前”是時間點）。

3. 從泛指和特指方面來攻關。

【例句】

①We usually have PE classes in the afternoon.

②The opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be held on the morning of 8, August.

③I have a practice of surfing the Internet at night, but I had to finish my homework on the night of last Monday.

[辨析] 表示泛指的“在上下午、晚上”用in，但特指在某天的上下午、晚上則使用on；表示泛指的“在黎明、中午、夜間”使用at，但是特指某天的黎明、中午、夜間則用on。

4. 時間的先后不含糊

【例句】

①His father died in Wuhan at last March.

②His father had gone abroad to do business by last March.

③His father has been doing business abroad since last March.

[辨析] at表示就在某個時間點，by表示在某個時間之前，since表示從某個時間之后。在區別這幾個介詞時要注意根據句子的時態來判斷時間的先后。

二、表示空間

1. 區別空間的方位

【例句】

①The horse jumped over the fence and ran across the field. Beyond the field flowed a river.

②Taiwan lies in the east of China; Japan lies to the east of China; Korea lies on the east of China.

③The university is opposite a factory, between a hospital and a post office.

[辨析]over表示從上方越過，across表示橫越，beyond表示在……的那一邊。in強調在……內的某個方向，to強調兩個地點不相連，on強調兩地接壤。opposite表示在……對面。between表示在（兩者）之間。

2. 區別所在空間的動態和靜態。

【例句】

①When I came into the room, he was in the sofa.

②Mr. Smith was walking along the coast when he found a beautiful cottage on the coast.

[辨析] into是動態介詞，強調由一處進入另一處，in是靜態介詞，表示處于某個位置。along常用作動態介詞，和動詞連用表示“沿著……”，on是靜態介詞，表示與線或面接觸的地方。

3. 區別空間的大小

【例句】

①He lives at 88 Xianggang Road.

②He lives in Wuhan.

[辨析] at表示小地點，in表示大地點。

介詞的用法林林總總，除了表示時空的基本用法以外，還可以表示目的、方向、原因、程度等。需要同學們注意的是大部分介詞經常和動詞、名詞、形容詞構成固定短語，因此我們在平時的學習中要逐步積累、不斷體會。

【鞏固練習】

1. ——Where is the post office?

——You can find it ____ 2336 Fire Road.

A. on B. in C. near D. at

2. We can see a lot of people doing exercises in the parks even ____ a cold morning.

A. at B. in C. by D. on

3. Your mother will be back ____ a few minutes, but your father will be back ____ ten oclock.

A. after; after B. in; in C. in; after D. after; in

4. Hubei lies ____ the north of Hunan, which is ____ the middle of China.

A. to; on B. on; in C. in; in D. on; on

5. The train leaves ____ 6:00 p.m. So I have to be at the station ____

5:40 p.m. at the latest.

A. at; until B. for; after

C. at; by D. before; around

6. The enemy got beaten and fled ____ all directions.

A. to B. toward C. for D. in

7. Can you see the heavy smoke ____ the skyscraper? What is

happening over there?

A. through B. beyond C. on D. across

8. The doctor will be free ____.

A. 10 minutes later B. after 10 minutes

C. in 10 minutes D. 10 minutes after

9. The sunlight came in ____ the windows in the roof and lit up the whole room.

A. through B. across C. on D. over

10. He suddenly saw Jane ____ the room. He pushed his way ____ the crowd of people to get to her.

A. across; across B. over; through

C. over; into D. across; through

Key(3)