错用语法规则类错误
所谓“错套语法规则”,即指不从语言实际出发,不考虑特定的语言环境,而是机械地套用语法规则,生搬硬套语法的条条框框,同学们如果这样去学语言,那就难免出错了。下面请看几个实例:
◇“Is there _________ here?” “No, Bob and Tim have asked forleave.”
A. anybody B. everybody C. somebody D. nobody
因为这是疑问句,所以你就按语法规则将此题答案确定为A,你认为你对了吗?不,错了。
◇“If you want a necklace, I’ll buy one for you at once.” “Oh, no. A necklace is not _________ thatI need most.
A. anything B. something C. nothing D. everything
因为这是否定句,所以你就按语法规则将此题答案确定为A,你认为你对了吗?不,错了。
◇He was sentenced to death _________ what he had stolen from the bank.
A. thatB. sinceC. becauseD. because of
因为空格后是一个从句,所以你就按语法规则将此题答案确定为C,你认为你对了吗?不,错了。
规则是死的,语言是活的。同学们学习语言时,应该具体问题具体分析,既要学习语言的规则,又要灵活运用规则。你想知道以上问题的解释吗?请往下读。
1. “Have you seen _________ pen? I left it here this morning.” “Is it _________ black one? I thinkI saw it somewhere.”
A. a, theB. the, the C. a, aD. the, a
【分析】此题容易误选A,生搬硬套冠词用法规则:第一次提到某人或某事物用不定冠词,第二次再提到该人或该事物时用定冠词。但事实上,此题的第二空 Is it _________ black one? 中的one 并非指前面提到的 pen,即这里的 one 与前面的 pen 并非同一事物。另外,从后面的 I think I sawit somewhere(我想我在哪个地方见过)可知前一句的 black one 不能是特指的,而应是泛指的,故应用不定冠词。此题正确答案为 C。现在我们来把此题变化一下:
“Have you seen _________ pen? I left it here this morning.” “Is it _________ black one? I foundit in the corner.”
A. a, the B. the, the C. a, aD. the, a
这样一改,此题的最佳答案就是 A,而不是C了。
请再看一例:
My friend Mary is _________ beautiful girl and _________ girl everyone likes to work with.
A. a, aB. a, theC. the, a D. the, the
【分析】此题很容易误选B,认为第一次提到 girl 用不定冠词,第二次提到就应该用定冠词。但是,句中第二次提到 girl 时并不是特指的,此句实为一省略句,补充完整可视为是:My friendMary is a beautiful girl and she is a girl everyone likes to work with. 比较以下各例(第二个girl 前用了定冠词,因为那是特指):
For this he asked a girl, but the girl refused to answered him. 为此他问了一个女孩,但这个女孩拒绝回答他。
The other day he met a beautiful girl in the park and the girl smiled at him. 几天前他在公园遇到一个女孩,这个女孩冲他笑了笑。
2. I agree with most of what you said, but I don’t agree with _________.
A. everything B. anythingC. something D. nothing
【分析】此题容易误选 B,生搬硬套不定代词用法规则:something 用于肯定句,anything 用于否定句或疑问句。其实此题应选 A,注意前文的 I agree with most of what you said(我同意你说的大部分内容),其后的not 与 everything 构成部分否定,意为“不是所有的都同意”,前后两部分用转折连词 but 连接,语气通顺、连贯。请看一个类似的例子:
_________ likes money, but money is not _________.
A. Everyone, everything B. Anyone, anything
C. Someone, nothingD. Nobody, everything
答案选A,句意为“人人都喜欢钱,但钱不是万能”。
3. “Is there _________ here?” “No, Bob and Tim have asked for leave.”
A. anybody B. everybodyC. somebodyD. nobody
【分析】此题容易误选 A,误认为这是一般疑问句,故用 anybody。其实此题应选B,主要与上下文的语境有关。全文语境为:“大家都到齐了吗?”“没有,Bob 和Tim 两人请假了。”假若我们将此题作如下变换,则情形就会有所不同:
“Is there _________ here?” “Yes, I’m upstairs. Please come and help me.”
A. anybody B. everybody C. somebody D. nobody
【分析】此题的最佳答案应是A,而不是B。
请再看一例:
“Do you have _________ at home now, Mary?” “No, we still have to get some fruit and tea.”
A. something B. anything C. everythingD. nothing
答案选C,句意为“玛丽,现在家里东西都准备齐了吗?”“还没有,我们还要买些水果和茶。”
4. Charles Babbage was considered _________ the first telephone.
A. inventing B. having invented C. to invent D. to have invented
【分析】此题容易误选A或B,因为许多学生只记住“consider 后接动词要用动名词”这一死规则。殊不知,consider可表示“考虑”和“认为”两个用法,且这两个用法的句型结构是不同的,即表示“考虑”时,其后不能接不定式,而接动名词作宾语;表示“认为”时,则其后不接动名词,但可接不定式的复合结构,即用于“consider+宾语+不定式”的结构,上面一题即为此结构的被动语态形式。所以答案应选C或D,但从时间上看,invent 应在 be considered 之前,故不定式 to invent 应用完成式,即用 to have invented,故选D。