中国人轻松学英语常用语法(10)
第十章 如何将动词改成形容词
我们中文里,一个字有时是动词,有时却又可以用作形容词,最著名的例子是〝微笑老萧〞(萧万长院长的外号)〝微笑〞应该是动词,可是在这里,显然〝微笑〞是形容词。〝哭泣〞通常是动词,可是我们也可以说〝哭泣的孩子〞。也难怪我们常见到以下错误的英文句子:
*a smile face
*a run boy
需知smile和cry都是动词,是不能当作形容词来用的。
可是,更糟糕的是以下句子:〝住在台湾的人很有钱〞,我们很多人会说
* People live in Taiwan are rich.
以上的话为什么错呢?因为People是主词,are是动词,live in Taiwan形容people,可是live是一个动词,不能用作形容词的。怎么办呢?我们可以将一个动词用成一个形容词,我们的做法是利用分词(participle)和不定词(infinitive),而分词有两种:现在分词(present participle)和过去分词(past participle),我们在下一节,先谈现在分词的用法。
10§1 现在分词(present participle)作为形容词
任何一个动词,都有一个现在分词(present participle),现在分词的形式是在动词后面加上ing,如:
laughing
crying
walking
swimming
running
以下的例子中,现在分词都是形容词
a crying baby
a smiling girl
an exciting story
running water
a running boy
a rising star
现在分词不一定放在名词的前面,在以下的句子中,现在分词都在名词的后面
a person walking in the woods
the young man running very fast
people living in Taiwan
the person driving that red car
the singer singing the national anthem(国歌)
the boys playing in the fields
the young boy swimming in the pool
以下句子中的现在分词,都被用作形容词。
We have a crying baby here.
Seeing is believing.(believing是形容词,seeing是名词)
Loving is forgiving.
He always wears a smiling face.
Running water is important for mankind.
Look at the rising sun.
The person swimming in that cold river is quite strong.
The young man driving the red car is rich.
Those boys playing basketball are happy.
This movie is exciting.
This news is very upsetting.
This story is troubling.
The young boy swimming in the pool is my brother.
People living in the United States consume more energy than other people.
The person painting the house there is from Mexico.
She has a loving husband.
He is a rising star.
【练习四十四】
将以下的中文句子译成英文,每句都要用现在分词
1. 这是一本有趣的故事。
2. 这门课很无聊(boring)。
3. 看那只在唱歌的鸟。
4. 那位微笑的人是我的哥哥。
5. 住在乡下的人通常很健康。
6. 我不认识那位骑脚车的男孩子。
7. 那位正在吃冰淇淋的小孩子是我的儿子。
8. 那位在问问题的学生非常聪明。
9. 你见过那位打篮球的男孩子吗?
10.那位垂死(dying)的病人是我的老师。
10§2 过去分词(past participle)作为形容词
在完成式中,我们要用过去分词,过去分词也可以作为形容词,以下是一些例子:
a broken window (破碎的窗)
a fallen angel (堕落的天使)
a fallen star (已经不走红的明星)
a depressed person (一个沮丧的人)
a much appreciated action (为人很欣赏的动作)
究竟过去分词和现在分词何不同呢?过去分词多半有动被和已经完成的意思。最好的例子是:开发中家叫做a developing country,已开发国家就叫做a developed country。
以下的例子可以解释过去分词和现在分词的不同:
1. (a)这本书很有趣。
This book is interesting.
(b)我对这本书很有兴趣。
I am interested in this book.
2. (a)这是一部令人沮丧的电影。
This is a depressing movie.
(b)我看了这部电影以后,感到非常沮丧。
I felt very much depressed after seeing that movie.
3. (a)结果令人失望。
The result is frustrating.
(b)他因这个结果而非常失望。
He was frustrated because of the result.
4. (a)这个消息真令人难过。
This news is really upsetting.
(b)他们都很难过。
They are all upset.
5. (a)约翰的进步令人鼓舞。
John’s progress is encouraging.
(b)我因约翰的进步而感到鼓舞。
I am encouraged by John’s progress.
6. (a)水在烧。
The water is boiling.
(b)这是烧开的水。
This is boiled water.
7.(a)这个消息出人意外。
This news is surprising.
(b)我对这个消息感到意外。
I was surprised by the news.
8. (a)他的谈话令人困惑。
His words are confusing.
(b)他是一个充满困惑的人。
He is a confused person.
记住,以下的句子都是错的:
*His statements are confused to me.
*I am interesting in music.
*He is an interested person.
*This is indeed a surprised news.
*This news is encouraged.
正确的句子应该是:
His statements are confusing.
I am interested in music.
He is an interesting person.
This is indeed a surprising news.
This news is encouraging.