请看下面一道考题：
______, he talks a lot about his favorite singers after class.
A. A quiet student as he may be B. Quiet student as he may be
C. Be a quiet student as he may D. Quiet as he may be a student
这道题很有一定难度。具体说来，它主要涉及两个考点：一是让步状语从句倒装后的词序问题。让步状语从句之所以要采用倒装结构，主要是为了强调位于句首的名词、形容词、副词、动词等，其词序形式为：被强调的成分+as / though + 主语+动词。二是在倒装的让步状语从句中，位于句首的单数可数名词是否带冠词的问题。按照英语习惯，英语中的单数可数名词在泛指时，一般要有不定冠词的修饰，但是位于倒装让步状语从句句首的单数可数名词是个例外，即使泛指其前也不加不定冠词。由此可知，上面这道考题的答案应为B。
为了帮助同学们全面掌握让步状语从句的倒装用法，本文将这类语法现象归纳为以下五种句型：
一、名词+as / though+主语+动词
King as he was, he was unhappy. 他虽是国王，但他并不幸福。
Child as he is, he knows to help other. 他虽是个孩子，但却知道帮助别人。
Teacher though he is, he can’t know everything. 他虽然是老师，但也不可能什么都懂。
【说明】其中的动词通常为连系动词，也就是说位于句首的名词是其后连系动词的表语。另外，要特别注意位于句首的名词前习惯上不用冠词，即使其前有形容词修饰也不用冠词。比较：
Boy as [though] he is, he likes to play with girls.=Though [Although] he is a boy, he likes to play with girls.他虽是男孩，却喜欢与女孩子玩。
Strong man as [though] he is, General Botha has been severely put to the test during the past few weeks.= Though [Although] he is a strong man, General Botha has been severely put to the test during the past few weeks.
波赛将军虽然坚强，但在过去的数周里也受到了严峻的考验。
二、形容词+as / though+主语+动词
Successful as he is, he is not proud.
他虽然成功，但不骄傲。
Improbable as it seems, it’s true.
虽然看起来不太可能，但却是真的。
Stupid as it sounds, I was so in love with her that I believed her.
尽管听起来很愚蠢，我是如此爱她竟然相信了她的话。
Patient as he was, he didn’t like waiting that long.
他虽说有耐心，也不愿等这么长。
Beautiful though the necklace was, we thought it was over-priced.
那条项链虽然很漂亮，我们认为价钱太高。
【说明】其中的动词也通常为连系动词，也就是说位于句首的形容词是其后连系动词的表语。
三、副词+as / though+主语+动词
Much as I like Paris, I couldn’t live there. 尽管我喜欢巴黎，但我不能住在那里。
Hard though they tried, they couldn’t make her change her mind.
尽管他们做了很大努力，却没法让她改变主意。
Fast as you read, you can’t finish the book in two days.
尽管你读得很快，你总不能在两天之内就读完这本书。
He was unable to make much progress, hard as he tried.
尽管他做了努力，却未能取得很大进步。
【说明】有的词典将much as 作为习语看待，认为它是一个用以引导让步状语从句的复合连词。再如：
Much as I admire him as a writer, I do not like him as a man.
他作为一名作家我很佩服他，但我却不喜欢他这个人。
Much as I like you, I couldn’t live with you.
我尽管很喜欢你, 却不能和你在一起生活。
