作者：李国勤
定语从句是英语句法的重要内容之一,所以该语法项目是整个高中阶段,同时也是高考的重要考点之一。本文给大家介绍一下定语从句单项填空题的解题方法。
一、 依据先行词所表达的内容和引导词在定语从句中所担当的句子成分来确定选项。
例1. I always remember the days ________ I was taken good care of in the hospital.
A. until B. that C. when D. where
分析:句子意思是:我永远都记着我在医院里受到很好照料的那些日子。先行词the days是表示时间的。限制性定语从句可以用来修饰一个表示时间的先行词,如果关联词在定语从句中作时间状语,通常用关系副词when引导定语从句。
例2. After living in Paris for 50 years he returned to the small town________ he grew up as a child.
A. which B. where C. that D. when
分析:句子意思是:在巴黎住了50 年之后他又回到了他小时候长大的小镇。因为先行词the small town表示地点,关联词在定语从句中作地点状语,所以应当选B。
二、 注意句子中逗号的语法作用。
例1. ________ is known to everybody, the moon travels round the earth once every month.
A. It B. As C. That D. What
分析:句子意思是:众所周知,月球每个月绕地球转一圈。句子中逗号说明这里是一个非限制性定语从句。能够引导非限制性定语从句、代表整个主句内容且能够放在句首的关联词只有as,所以应当选B。
例2. She washed clothes this morning, ________ hadn't been washed for a week.
A. these B. those C. that D. which
分析:句子中逗号说明这里是一个非限制性定语从句。四个选项中能够引导非限制性定语从句的只有D。
三、 认定该题所考查的内容,观察所给的选项,依据语法规则选出最佳答案。
例: The doctor ________ is leaving for Africa next month.
A. the nurse is talking to him
B. whom the nurse is talking
C. the nurse is talking to
D. who the nurse is talking
分析:句子意思是:正和护士谈话的那位医生下个月要去非洲。观察所给的四个选项,可以看出它们都是完整的句子。根据本题所考查的内容,最佳答案应当是修饰先行词The doctor的限制性定语从句。依据定语从句的语法规则,首先排除A, 因为him是多余的; whom the nurse is talking和 who the nurse is talking两个选项中都缺少"to",所以也被排除掉。只有C (whom / who被省略了) the nurse is talking to是唯一正确的答案。
四、 依据先行词来选择"介词+关系代词"的结构。
例1. Is this the factory ________ your father once worked?
A. at where B. which
C. in which D. that
分析:句子意思是:这就是你父亲工作过的工厂吗?先行词the factory在限制性定语从句中作地点状语, 所以应当选C, in which相当于where。
例2. Whenever I meet with difficulty in my English study, Mr. Lee is the person ________ I turn for help.
A. that B. who
C. from whom D. to whom
分析:在限制性定语从句中,谓语动词"turn to"是固定的短语动词。这个句子也可以写成: Whenever I meet with difficulty in my English Study, Mr Lee is the person(who / whom) I turn to for help. 所以应当选D。
五、注意先行词的特殊性和关系代词的选择。
例1. All ________ I need is an English-Chinese dictionary.
A. as B. that C. what D. which
分析:句子意思是:我所需要的就是一本《英汉词典》。先行词为all或先行词被all等词修饰时,限制性定语从句通常用关系代词that引导,所以本题应当选B。又如:
There is not much that can be done now. 现在没有太多的事情可做。
I've read all the books that were borrowed from the library. 我把从图书馆借的书都看完了。
That white flower is the only one that I really like. 那朵白花是我唯一真正喜欢的花。
例2. This is the first composition ________ I've written in English.
A. that B. which C. what D. as
分析:句子意思是:这是我用英文写的第一篇作文。先行词被序数词或形容词最高级修饰时,限制性定语从句通常用关系代词that引导,所以本题应当选A。又如:
This is the best novel (that) I've ever read. 这是我读过的最好小说。