Unit 8　Learning a Foreign Language

具体内容

1. How were we able to make sense of what we heard and distinguished the mistakes and errors from “good” language?　　　　　　　

make sense: have an understandable meaning; be sensible

eg.

What you say makes no sense.

It would make sense to leave early.

make sense of sth. : understand sth difficult or apparently meaningless

eg.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 

Can you make sense of this poem?

Distinguish … from…/ distinguish between … and …

eg.

People who cannot distinguish between colors are said to be color-blind.

2. Some believe that we are equipped with a special ability to learn language and that our brain adjusts itself to the language we hear around us.

Adjust sth/oneself to sth: become or make suited to new conditions

eg.

The body quickly adjusted to changes in temperature.

3. …both of which contribute to their increased ability to learn.

Contribute sth to sth: give one’s share to help; increase sth.; help to cause; write articles for a publication.

eg.

Everyone should contribute what he or she can afford.

Her work has contributed to our understanding of this difficult subject.

She has contributed to literary magazines.

4. Many parents worry about the safety of their children and may also be concerned about the cost.

Be concerned about/ for sth/that…: be worried about

Be concerned with sth : be about sth.

Be concerned in sth: have some connection with or responsibility for sth.

eg.

He was concerned in the crime.

Her latest documentary is concerned with youth unemployment.

I’m concerned that they may have got lost. 　 

5. 状语从句

（1）地点状语从句

地点状语从句通常由where, wherever 引导。

例如：

Where I live there are plenty of trees.

Wherever I am , I will be thinking of you.　

（2）方式状语从句

方式状语从句通常由as, （just）as…so…, as if, as though引导。

（a）as,（just）as…so…引导的方式状语从句通常位于主句后，但在（just）as…so…结构中位于句首，这时as从句带有比喻的含义，意思是“正如…”，“就像”，多用于正式文体。

例如：

Always do to the others as you would be done by.

As water is to fish, so air is to man.

Just as we sweep our rooms, so we should sweep backward ideas from our minds.

（b）as if, as though

两者的意义和用法相同，引出的状语从句谓语多用虚拟语气，表示与事实相反，有时也用陈述语气，表示所说情况是事实或实现的可能性较大。汉译常作“仿佛……似的”，“好像……似的”。

例如：

They completely ignore these facts as if（as though）they never existed.

He looks as if（as though）he had been hit by lighting.

It looks as if the weather may pick up very soon.

说明：as if / as though也可以引导一个分词短语、不定式短语或无动词短语。例如：

He stared at me as if seeing me for first time.

　He cleared his throat as if to say something.

The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger.

（3）原因状语从句

比较because, since, as和for：

（a）because语势最强，用来说明人所不知的原因，回答why提出的问题。当原因是显而易见的或已为人们所知，就用as或since。

例如：

I didn’t go, because I was afraid.

Since /As the weather is so bad, we have to delay our journey.

（b）由because引导的从句如果放在句末，且前面有逗号，则可以用for来代替。如果不是说明直接原因，而是多种情况加以推断，就只能用for。例如：

He is absent today, because / for he is ill.

He must be ill, for he is absent today.

（4）目的状语从句

表示目的状语的从句可以由that, so that, in order that, lest, for fear that, in case等词引导。

例如：

You must speak louder so that / in order that you can be heard by all.

He wrote the name down for fear that（lest）he should forget it.

Better take more clothes in case the weather is cold.

（5）结果状语从句

结果状语从句常由so…that 或 such…that引导。so…that与such…that之间可以转换。例如：

The boy is so young that he can’t go to school.

He is such a young boy that he can’t go to school.

（6）条件状语从句

连接词主要有 if, unless, as/so long as, on condition that等。if 引导的条件句有真实条件句和非真实条件句两种。非真实条件句已在虚拟语气中阐述。unless = if not.　

例如：

Let’s go out for a walk unless you are too tired.

　　If you are not too tied, let’s go out for a walk.

（7）让步状语从句

（a）though, although引导的让步状语从句，后面的从句不能有but，但是 though 和yet可连用。

例如：

Although it’s raining, they are still working in the field.　

He is very old, but he still works very hard.

Though the sore be healed, yet a scar may remain.

（b）as, though 引导的让步从句必须表语或状语提前（形容词、副词、分词、实义动词提前）。

例如：

Child as / though he was , he knew what was the right thing to do.

（c）ever if, even though　即使。例如：

We’ll make a trip even though the weather is bad.

（d）whether…or…　不管……都。例如：

Whether you believe it or not, it is true.

（e）“no matter +疑问词”或“疑问词+后缀ever”。

例如：

No matter what happened, he would not mind. = Whatever happened, he would not mind.

替换：no matter what = whatever

 no matter who = whoever

no matter when = whenever

no matter where = wherever

　　　　 no matter which = whichever

no matter how = however

注意：no matter 不能引导主语从句和宾语从句。

（错）No matter what you say is of no use now.

（对）Whatever you say is of no use now. （Whatever you say是主语从句）

（错）Prisoners have to eat no matter what they’re given,

（对）Prisoners have to eat whatever they’re given.

【典型例题】

[例1] You will be late _____ you leave immediately.　

A. unless　 　 B. until　  C. if　　 D. or

答案：A

解析：句意：除非你立即走，否则你就会迟到的。可转化为 If you don’t leave immediately, you will be late。B、D句意不对，or表转折，句子如为 You leave immediately or you will be late.　

[例2] 　　 it with me and I’ll see what I can do.

A. When left　　  B. Leaving　　  C. If you leave　　　D. Leave

答案：D

解析：该题考查祈使句与状语之间的差别。And是连词，应该连两个语法作用相同的句子，而不能连接一个主句一个从句。

[例3] John shut everybody out of the kitchen ______ he could prepare his grand surprise for the party.

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

答案：C

解析：本题考状语从句关联词的用法。So that引导目的状语从句。

[例4] _____ leaves the room last ought to turn off the lights.

A. The person　　　B. No matter who　　C. Who　　　 D. Whoever

答案：D。

解析：whoever引导主语从句，兼做先行词和关系词，等于anybody who。No matter who只能引导状语从句，不能引导主语从句。

[例5] The research is so designed that once _____ nothing can be done to change it.

A. begins　　　 B. having begun　　C. beginning　　　D. begun

答案：D

解析：本题中的that从句是结果状语从句。Once begun是once it is begun的省略。

【模拟试题】

1. I’d get it for you ______ I could remember who last borrowed the book.

A. on condition that　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. now that　　

C. except that　　　　　　　　　　　　　D. considering that

2 . The robber told him that he had better keep silent ______ he wanted to get into trouble.

A. if　　　B. unless　　C. otherwise　　 D. whether

3. Strange ______ his behavior may be, there is a very good reason for it.

A. although　　　B. even if　　 C. that　　 D. as

4. We are worried about our son because no one is aware ______ he has gone.

A. the place　　  B. of where　　C. about the place　　　 D. where

5. The professor spoke in a loud voice ______ every one of us could hear him.

A. such that　　 B. so　　C. so that　　 D. such

6. When he just got off the plane, he gave us a good description of ______ in Spain.

A. what he had seen　 　　　　B. that he had seen　　

C. which he had seen　　　　　 D. he had seen what

7. It is fitted with a small transformer, by means of ______ the voltage of the currency can be adjusted.

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

8. I don’t know why she’s looking at me ______ she knew me.

I’ve never seen her before in my life.

A. as　　　B. although　　 C. even if　　 D. as if

9. No sooner had he finished his speech ______ stormy applause broke out.

A. when　　　 B. then　　　C. than　　　D. as

10. It is hard to avoid mistakes. ______ you correct them conscientiously, it will be all right.

A. In the case　　 B. As long as　　C. Although　　D. Despite

11. Geometry, ______ I know nothing, seems a very dull subject.

A. that　　　 B. about that　　 C. which 　　　D. about which

12. The highest temperature _____ in any furnace on earth is about 10,000 centigrade.

A. we can get　 　　　　　 B. that we can get it　

C. which we can get it　　　 D. what we can get

13. We sent the horses to a considerable distance, ______ they should disturb the children.

A. less　　　B. lest　　　C. last　　　D. least

14. Sound is conducted through steel in the same manner ______.　

A. as in air　　 B. as through air　　　C. as air does　　 D. like air

15. _____ he was putting on his uniform, the officer found that one of the sleeves was torn.

A. Since　　　B. Unless　　 C. As　　 D. Before

【试题答案】

1. A　　　2. B　　　 3. D　　　4. B　　　 5. C　　  6. A　　 7. B　　 　

8. D　　　9. C　　　 10. B　　 11. D　　  12. A　　13. B　　14. B　　 

15. C