张前华
英语试题的设置除突出在语景中考查同学们的能力外,还体现在试题的设计方式上。对语法与词汇的考查,主要的设题方式有以下几种。
[在逻辑主语上设题]
动名词,不定式带上自己的逻辑主语,从而构成动名词或不定式的复合结构。由于逻辑主语的使命,使动名词或不定式与句子其他成分被分隔,从而增加了理解的难度。
解题策略 处掉逻辑主语,化繁为简。
例1 How about the two of us __________ a walk down the garden?
A. to take B. take
C. taking D. to be taking
解析 C。如果能看出the two of us为逻辑主语,并将其处掉,则不难判断选项C为正确答案,由于what (how) about后通常接名词,代词,动名词结构。
[在省略结构上设题]
省略是现代英语快节奏发展的特点。命题者常把一完整结构中的部分内容,或从句,或介词短语,或不定式等成分省略,而有时省略的成分能传达一定的信息,在整个结构中占有相当的分量。
解题策略 根据语言结构和语景,补全省略部分,还原成完整句。
例2 The boy wanted to ride his bicycle in the street but his mother told him __________.
A. not to B. not to do
C. not do it D. do not do
解析 A。根据tell sb. (not) to do sth.结构,可首先排除C、D项,再结合不定式的有关知识可排除B项。
例3 The research is so designed that once __________ nothing can be done to change it.
A. begins B. having begun
C. beginning D. begun
解析 D。once begun可视为一固定表达,实际相当于once it is begun,意思为“一旦开始”。选C项。又如:Once done we wont regret doing so.(once seen ,once remembered, ...)
[在插入语上设题]
如果在题干中增加插入语(如表示观点,看法的词语等),会打破句子原有的结构和平衡,影响同学们的解题思路。
解题策略 去掉插入语,还原它的本来面目。
例4 What do you think made Mary so upset? __________ her new bicycle.
A. As she lost B. Lost
C. Losing D. Because of losing
解析 C。由于do you think是插入语,处掉插入语,便知与what相对应的名词词组是选项C,即动名词词组作主语,其他选均不具备此功能。
例5 Dorothy was always speaking highly of her role in the play, _________, of course, made the others unhappy.
A. who B. which
C. this D. what
解析 B。由于of course的使用,使非限定性定语从句与主句分割,增加了理解的难度。去掉该插入语,结合有关句法知识,不难判断应用which指代整个主句内容,引导非限制性定语从句。
[在被动结构上设题]
同学们对主动结构较为熟悉,而对被动结构把握不大。命题者为了检测同学们的应变能力,往往有意避开主动结构,而以被动结构来设题。
解题策略 将被动结构还原成主动结构。
例6 Charles Babbage is generally considered __________ the first computer.
A. to have invented B. inventing
C. to invent D. having invented
解析 A。consider一词常有两种搭配:一是consider doing sth.,一是consider sb.to do sth.,若将原题题干还原成主动结构:People generally consider Charle Babbage ...就不难看出本题题干属于后一种搭配的语态变体,再结合时间概念,选A项。
例7 The ________ boy was last seen ________ near the East Lake.
A. missing; playing B. missing; play
C. missed; played D. missed; to play
解析 A。因为missing是“失踪的“意思,而missed没有这个意思,可以排除C,D项;再将被动结构还原成主动结构:Someone last saw the missing boy __________ (playing/play) near the East Lake. 就不难选出playing为答案了。playing在此作宾语补足语,表示当时动作正在进行。
[在固定结构上设题]
为了提高试题的难度,命题者有时会把固定结构拆开,放在不同的语言单位里。这就给同学们的正常思维制造了障碍。
解题策略 根据结构中的中心词联想整个短语。
例8 In the dark street there werent a single person __________ she could turn for help.
A. that B. who
C. from who D. to whom
解析 D。考查定语从句中介词加关系代词的用法,解题的关键是同学们是否掌握了turn to sb. for help这一固定词组。如能根据中心词turn ... for help联想到整个词组,便可得出D为答案。
例9 Dont sit there ______ nothing. Come and help me with this table.
A. do B. to do
C. doing D. and doing
解析 C。sit/stand/lie ... somewhere doing sth.是一固定结构,故选C项。
例10 looks forward every spring to _________ the flower-lined garden.
A. visit B. paying a visit
C. walk in D. walking in
解析 D。look forward to是固定搭配,其中to是介词,后面应接名词或动名词,命题者有意在这一短语中加上every spring,使这一固定结构分开。只要根据中心词look forward联想到整个look forward to,并注意其中to是介词,可选D项。
例11 An agreement seems to be impossible because the majority of the committee members are _______ it.
A. against B. for
C. to D. with
解析 A。所填介词与系动词be构成固定句型,意思是“反对”。be for意思是“支持,赞成”;be to意思是“到达”;be with意思是“和……在一起”,都与句意不符。
例12 The furniture, with its modern style and bright colors, suits modern houses and their gardens, but looks _______ in the garden of a traditional home.
A. out of question B. out of order
C. out of sight D. out of place
解析 D。句意为:这套家具款式新潮,色泽明丽,与新式房屋和花园配套,但看起来与传统的房子和花园不相称。D项意思为“与……不相称”,符合句意。A项意思为“毫无疑问”,B项意思为“次序颠倒”,C项意思为“看不见”,都与句意不符。
例13 ________ the consequences of the chemical leaks, the specialists havent given final conclusion before they obtain accurate statistics.
A. With regard to B. As a result of
C. In spite of D. In addition to
解析 A。句意为:关于化学泄露所产生的后果,专家在拿到准确的数据之前,还没有给出最后结论。with regard to意为“关于”;as a result of意为“由于……的结果”;in spite of意为“尽管”;in addition to意为“除……之外”。