安徽省懷遠第一中學 王玉峰
解讀限制性定語從句中的關系代詞
安徽省懷遠第一中學王玉峰
請同學們先看下面教材里的典型句子,認真體會斜體部分的用法:
1.A huge crack that was eight kilometres long and thirty metres wide cut across houses,roads and canals.(人教課標版教材模塊一Unit4 P26)
2.The story was about a god who wanted to burn down the town.(北師大版教材模塊一Unit3 Lesson1 P36)
以上從課本中選取的句子中,斜體部分的that和who是引導定語從句的關系代詞,在所引導的定語從句中作主語。引導定語從句的連詞稱之為關系詞,它代表先行詞,根據關系詞在句子中所起的作用又分為關系代詞和關系副詞。通常關系代詞在所引導的定語從句中作主語、賓語、表語、定語等成分,常用的關系代詞有that,which,who,whom,whose等;關系副詞在所引導的定語從句中作狀語,常用的關系副詞有where,when,why。下面就從限制性定語從句解讀引導定語從句的關系代詞。
(一)一般情況下,先行詞指物時that/which都可以用。如:
Do you understand the sentence which/that I have just explained to you?
你們懂不懂我剛才給你們講的那個句子?
She takes a look at the dog that can talk,then walks into the bedroom.
她看了看那條會說話的狗,然后走進臥室。
【例】Finally he reached a lonely island__________was completely cut off from the outside world.
A.whenB.whereC.whichD.whom
【答案】C
(二)但是下列情況下用that。
1.先行詞被形容詞最高級、被序數詞the last/the first/the second等、被形容詞the only(唯一的)/the very(正是)、被all/no/few/little/any等修飾時,用that;在從句中作表語時用that。如:
The first lesson that I learned will never be forgotten.我上的第一節(jié)課將永遠不會忘記。
This is the very book that I lost yesterday.這就是我昨天弄丟的那本書。
This is the only example that I know.我知道的例子只有這一個。
Be very careful about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your house.
如果有人以贈送禮物為由要求你前去赴會,或提出登門拜訪時,應當高度警惕。
【例】China is no longer the country_______she used to be.
【答案與解析】that。根據be動詞看出關系代詞that在所引導的定語從句中作表語,用that。句意:中國不再是過去那樣的國家了。
2.先行詞本身是指物的不定代詞everything/nothing/all/much/little/few/something等,其中something也可以用which,不過以that最常見。如:
All that glitters is not gold.閃閃發(fā)光者并非都是金子。
Everything that happens has a cause and an effect.一切事情的發(fā)生均有其因果。
【例】There's nothing_______stops you from going to bed if you want to.
【答案與解析】that。定語從句的先行詞是指物不定代詞nothing,用that。句意:如果你想去睡覺,沒有什么事能阻止你去睡(或你盡管睡去)。
3.先行詞是指人和指物的兩個名詞或代詞時。如:
My father often tells me the things and persons that he met in the past.
父親常常跟我講起他過去所經歷的人和事。
【例】During the adventure,he met a series of things and persons_______surprised him.
【答案與解析】that。先行詞things and persons指物和人,關系代詞who和which只能指代其一,用that既可以指物,也可以指人。句意:在冒險期間,他遇到了一系列讓他吃驚的人和事。
4.在which引起的特殊疑問句中,為了避免重復用that引導定語從句,取代which。如:
Which is the course that we are to take?我們選哪門課程?
(一)who在所引導的定語從句中作主語,在非正式文體中可以代替作賓語的關系代詞whom。whom在所引導的定語從句中作賓語,如果是“介詞+關系代詞”結構則只可以用whom,不可以用who。
She is the girl whom/who/that I have come to know at the club.她是我在俱樂部認識的女孩。(關系代詞whom作定語從句的謂語動詞know的賓語,口語中可以用who或that,也可以省掉)
The girl who has been wanted for several years by the police was a nurse.
警方追緝了幾年的女子原來是個護士。(who在所引導的定語從句中作主語,既不可以省略,也不可以用whom代替)
He was suddenly grateful for someone to whom he could talk about it.對能叫他說說這件事的人,他突然感到非常感激。(在“介詞+關系代詞”結構中,關系代詞不可以用who或that)
【例】In the dark street,there wasn't a single person to_______she could turn for help.
【答案與解析】whom。題中包含短語“turn to sb.for help”,意思是“向某人求助”。本句可以轉換成:In the dark street,there wasn't a single person(whom/who/that)she could turn to for help.屬于“介詞+關系代詞”結構。句意:在漆黑的大街上,連一個她可以求助的人都沒有。
(二)在下列情況下用who而不用whom:(1)先行詞是one/ones/those/anyone等人稱不定代詞時;(2)當先行詞是I/you/he/they等,主要用于諺語中;(3)there be結構中。如:
God helps those who help themselves.自助者天助。
He who laughs best laughs last.誰笑在最后,誰笑得最好(別高興得太早)
They who live in glass houses should not throw stones.自己有缺點,就別說別人的壞話。
【例】 Happiness and success often come to those_______are good at recognizing their own strengths.
A.whom B.who C.what D.which
【答案】 B
(一)that與who均可指人,有時可互換。如:
All that/who heard him were delighted.所有聽了他講話的人都很高興。
Have you met anybody that/who has been to Paris?你遇見過去過巴黎的人嗎?
He is the only one among us that/who knows Russian.他是我們中間唯一懂俄語的人。
(二)在下列情況,通常要用that:1.當先行詞是who時(為避免重復);2.當關系代詞在定語從句中作表語時(可省略);3.當先行詞是一個既指人又指物的并列詞組時。但是在分割性定語從句中,由于先行詞后面有較長的修飾語或其他成分隔開,當先行詞指人時,為了避免歧義用who。如:
Who that has sympathy can laugh on that occasion?
有同情心的人誰會在那個時候發(fā)笑呢?
Tom is not the boy(that)he was.湯姆這孩子已不是以前那個樣子了。
I made a speech on the men and things that I had seen abroad.
我就我在國外所見到的人和事做了報告。
I was the only person in my office who was invited to the palace ball.
我是我們辦公室里唯一一個被邀請參加宮廷舞會的人。(定語從句的先行詞是person,who引導的定語從句被in my office隔開,如果用that則可能會誤以為office是先行詞)
不管先行詞是“人”還是“物”,都可以用關系代詞whose作定語修飾后面的名詞,指代“……人的”或“……物的”,其本身在定語從句中作定語。相當于“介詞+關系代詞”中的of whom或of which。如:
This book is for the students whose native language is not English.
這本書是為那些母語不是英語的學生編寫的。(whose native language=the native language of whom)
Do you know who is living in that house whose windows face south?
你知道那棟窗戶朝南的房子里住的是誰嗎?(whose windows=the window of which)