先行詞若作突破口，定語從句一路走

郝昌明

定語從句是中學英語中的重要語法項目，先行詞是定語從句中的重要組成部分，以先行詞為突破口，可以巧妙學習定語從句。

一、認識先行詞的重要性，初步了解定語從句結構

被定語從句所修飾的名詞或代詞叫先行詞，沒有了先行詞，定語從句就失去了意義，也就失去了存在的必要，可見先行詞是定語從句中不可或缺的重要內容。

例1：Is this factory ________ you visited yesterday？

A. that B. which C. the one D. what

析：C。分析語境含義和句子結構可知，this factory為主語，is為謂語，you visited yesterday為定語從句，但它缺少先行詞，所以應填the one作先行詞，以保持句子結構的完整性。

例2：The people who take an active part in sports prove healthier than ________ who don't.

A. / B. that C. those D. what

析：C。分析語境含義和句子結構可知，who don't為定語從句，但它缺少先行詞，所以應填those作先行詞，以保持句子結構的完整性。

二、弄清先行詞的位置，進一步了解定語從句結構

因為定語從句修飾先行詞，所以通常情況下先行詞直接放在定語從句前面;但有時先行詞不直接緊靠著定語從句，中間由一個定語、狀語或謂語隔開。

例1：There is an expression in his eyes that I can't understand. 在他的眼睛里有一種我不明白的神情。

析：先行詞an expression和定語從句被介詞短語in his eyes隔開。

例2：The days are gone forever when the Chinese used foreign oil. 中國人民使用洋油的年代一去不復返了。

析：先行詞The days被謂語are gone forever隔開。

三、弄清先行詞由什么詞擔任，了解定語從句產生的背景

先行詞既可指人也可指物，還可指一件事，通常由名詞、代詞或整個句子擔任。了解了這一點，就了解了定語從句產生的背景。

例1：The girl who is standing there is my girlfriend. 站在那兒的女孩是我的女朋友。

析：先行詞The girl為名詞，指人。

例2：This book is the one I lost yesterday. 這是我昨天丟了的那本書。

析：先行詞the one為代詞，指物。

例3：A middle aged woman killed her husband， which surprised me. 一個中年婦女殺害了自己的丈夫，這一點令我很驚訝。

析：先行詞為整個主句，指一件事。

四、認清先行詞的作用，準確確定關系詞

連接定語從句和先行詞的詞叫關系詞，在定語從句中關系詞代表著先行詞。先行詞在從句中的作用決定著關系詞的選用;若先行詞指人且在定語從句中作主語，可用關系代詞who / that引導定語從句;若先行詞指人且在定語從句中作賓語，可用who / whom / that引導定語從句，也可將who / whom / that省去;若先行詞指物且在定語從句中作主語或賓語，可用that / which引導定語從句，作賓語時that / which可以省去;若先行詞在從句中作定語，可用whose引導定語從句;若先行詞在從句中作時間、地點和原因狀語，可用when， where， why引導定語從句。

例1：Is this the girl who / that teaches us Chinese？ 這就是教我們語文的女孩嗎？

析：先行詞the girl在從句中作動詞teaches的主語，應用who / that引導定語從句。

例2：This is the boy （who / whom / that） you met in the street yesterday. 這就是你昨天在街道上碰到的男孩兒。

析：先行詞the boy在從句中作動詞met的賓語，可用who / whom / that引導定語從句。

例3：He lives in a room whose windows are broken. 他住在一個窗子壞了的房間里。

析：先行詞a room在從句中作從句主語windows的定語，應用whose引導定語從句。

例4：I still remember the days when I stayed in Beijing. 我仍然記得我在北京度過的日子。

析：先行詞the days在從句中作時間狀語，應用when引導定語從句。

例5：This is the room where he once lived. 這就是他曾經住過的房子。

析：先行詞the room在從句中作地點狀語，應用where引導定語從句。

例6：This is the reason why she was absent. 這就是她缺席的原因。

析：先行詞the reason 在從句中作原因狀語，應用why引導定語從句。

鞏固練習：

1. The young man lifted the 250-kilogram stone at his first attempt， ________ surprised me greatly.

A. that B. as C. what D. which

2. John， would you like to find me a chair ________ I can put these newspapers for a short time？

A. which B. that C. what D. where

3. Let's go shopping together at five o'clock this afternoon， ________ our school will be over.

A. then B. when C. which D. that

4. I hope to find an occasion ________ we can sit in our room to watch TV together.

A. when B. then C. that D. which

5. I'm sorry that I can't think out a situation ________ these phrases appear at the same time.

A. there B. where C. what D. which

6. Do you regret the time ________ you spent in playing computer games in that Internet Café？

A. when B. that C. what D. as

7. In the opinion of me， the problem hasn't developed to the point ________ nobody of us can solve.

A. that B. which C. what D. where

8. Is this knife ________ you cut your black pencil with a moment ago？

A. which B. that C. the one D. as

9. I just wonder whether this is the reason ________ she refused to come to help you yesterday morning.

A. that B. which C. why D. what

10. To tell you the truth， I wouldn't like to accept the reason for your being late ________ you gave just now.

A. why B. which C. what D. as

11. Can you see the girl dressed in a red skirt ________ is standing under a big tree over there？

A. which B. as C. who D. what

12. This is the young man ________ you know I often help with his English.

A. whom B. whose C. which D. who's

13. Mary， would you like to show me the book ________ is a foreign woman？

A. whose writer B. writer of whom C. who's writer D. of whom writer

14. I wonder if this is the factory ________ you paid a visit to last week.

A. where B. what C. that D. as

15. It is said that the company ________ produces Red Star cars in that city will be closed very soon.

A. which B. as C. where D. what

16. I have already bought a large flat in a busy street ________ I will live in the rest of my life.

A. that B. what C. where D. as

17. Can you remember the days ________ we stayed together on that mountain village？

A. when B. that C. which D. as

18. The soldier ________ legs were badly wounded was operated on without delay.

A. who B. whose C. that D. when

19. I think that this is the office ________ we will hold this important meeting.

A. that B. which C. where D. what

20. I think I can finish my homework at eight o'clock， ________ I'll have time to play with you.

A. then B. that C. which D. when