A. That; what B. What; that C. That; that D. What; what
很明显,这道题考查的知识要点是名词性从句。名词性从句是高中阶段的重要语法项目之一,也是历年高考英语试题考查的重要语法项目之一,是高中阶段的重点,也是难点,尤其对于连接代词that 和what 的用法, 不少学生感到十分困惑,做题几乎是靠“蒙”来寻求答案。以这道题为例,第一空是what 引导的主语从句,并在主语从句中作主语;第二空是that 引导的表语从句,that在表语从句中不能省略,不作成分,也没词义。虽然that 和what 都可以引导名词性从句,但他们在句子中的语法功能截然不同。下面我们结合2005年和2006年全国及各省市高考英语试题中that 与 what 的相关题目对二者在引导名词性从句时的用法加以比较和区别。
一.2006年全国及各省市高考英语试题中that 与 what 的相关题目
1. ---- What did your parents think about your decision?
---- They always let me do I think I should.
A. when B. that C. how D. what ( 全国II T16 )
解析:这一题的正确答案是D。what 在本题中引导名词性从句并作动词do 的宾语。
2.Engines are to machines hearts are to animals.
A. as B. that C. what D. which ( 山东 T23 )
解析:这一题的正确答案是C。本题汉语意思为“发动机对于机器正如心脏对于动物一样”。该句式是一个固定句型,其基本结构是“A is to B what C is to D ”。在这个句型结构中,what 引导的表语从句作第一个are 的表语,同时what 在表语从句中又作表语。
3. With his work completed, the businessman stepped back to his seat, feeling pleased he was a man of action.
A. which B. that C. what D. whether ( 湖南 T34 )
解析:这一题的正确答案是B。本题考查宾语从句的用法,因从句he was a man of action 为主系表结构,不缺少句子成分,且表达肯定意义,所以此空应填入连词that, that 只起连接作用,不作句子成分。
4.----- It’s thirty years since we last met.
----- But I still remember the story, believe it or not, we got lost on a rainy night.
A. which B. that C. what D. when ( 四川 T30 )
解析:这一题的正确答案是B。本题考查that 引导的同位语从句的用法,两个逗号之间的部分believe it or not 为插入语,因空的后面是一个语法意义上完整的句子,可以断定这是一个以that 引导的同位语从句。A 项which 引导定语从句在从句中要作成分;C项What 引导名词性从句时意思是 “----的东西/事情/人/时间/地点等”,等同于定语从句中的“先行词 + that ”,本句中已有先行词 the story, 如选 what造成语意的重复;D项when 引导定语从句从句缺少表时间的先行词。
二.that 引导的名词性从句
首先,在引导名词性从句时,that 一般具有不可省略性。
连接代词that除引导第一个宾语从句时可以省略外,引导其他各类名词性从句皆不能省略。例如:
① It is required in the regulations that you should not tell other people the password of your e-mail account. ( 2005 天津 )
② ---- Don’t you think it necessary that he not be sent to Miami but to New York?
----- I agree, but the problem is that he has refused to. ( 2005 江苏 )
③ There is much chance that Bill will recover from his injury in time for the race.
( 2006 天津 T14 )
④ Our English teacher told us (that) we all did very well in the examination and that ten of us got full mark.
以上四个句子中,that 分别引导主语从句,表语从句,同位语从句和宾语从句,除在第四个例句中第一个that 可以省略外,其他的that 均不可省略。
其次,在引导名词性从句时,that不作句子中的任何成分。例如:
① Nobody believed his reason for being absent from the class that he had to meet his uncle at the airport. ( 2006 重庆 T33 )
该句中,that引导同位语从句,但在句中不作任何成分。
② It is our belief that improvements in health care will lead to a stronger, more prosperous economy. ( 2006 浙江 T4 )
该句中,it 是形式主语,that引导的主语从句才是整个句子的真正主语,that在句中不作任何成分。
最后,在引导名词性从句时,that没有任何词汇意义。
① A warm thought suddenly came to me that I might use the pocket money to buy some flowers for my mother’s birthday. ( 2006 安徽 T29 )
② Danby left word with my secretary that he would call again in the afternoon.
( 2005浙江)
在以上两个考例中,that仅起引导同位语从句的作用,没有任何词汇意义。
综上所述,that 在引导名词性从句时具有三大特点:不可省略,不作成分,没有词义。
三. what引导的名词性从句
首先,what 引导名词性从句时,what 在句中不省略。
这一用法与that引导名词性从句时的用法不尽相同。
① He spoke proudly of his part in the game, without mentioning what his teammates had done. ( 2006 上海 T39 )
what 在该句中引导宾语从句,what 不可省略。
② Great changes have taken place in that school. It is no longer what it was 20 years ago, when it was so poorly equipped. ( 2005 安徽 )
what在该句中引导表语从句,但在句中不可省略。
其次,what 引导名词性从句时,具有词汇意义。
这是what 与that 引导名词性从句的重要区别之一,What 一般指“----的东西/事情/人/时间/地点等”。例如:
① Do you have any idea what is actually going on in the classroom? (2005 辽宁 )
what在该句中引导同位语从句并作这个同位语从句的主语,词义为“----的东西、事情”,整个句子的汉语意思是“你知道教室里到底发生了什么事”。
② It is what you do rather than what you say that matters. ( 2005 天津 )
这是一个强调句型,被强调的部分是由what引导的两个主语从句,what在句中的词义为“----的东西、事情”,整个句子的汉语意思是“关键要看你做什么而不是说什么”。
最后,what 引导名词性从句时不仅只起引导作用,同时还要作句中的某个句法成分。
这一点是what 在引导名词性从句时与that 用法区别的关键所在。
① I just wonder that makes him so excited.
A. why it does B. what he does C. how it is D. what it is ( 2006 山东 T32 )
这一题的正确答案是D,是一个强调句型作宾语的典型考例,被强调的成分what 在句中不仅只起引导宾语从句的作用,同时在宾语从句中作makes 的主语。
② A modern city has been set up in what was a wasteland ten years ago. ( 2004 天津 )
在这个句子中,what 引导的从句作了介词in 的宾语,同时what 又在宾语从句中充当主语,意思是“……的地方”。值得注意的是,在引导名词性从句时,that 引导的句子一般不作介词的宾语,相反,由what 引导的句子作介词宾语的情况显得更为常见。例如:
③ The other day, my brother drove his car down the street at what I thought was a dangerous speed. ( 2004 上海春招 )
本题中,介词at后面用了what引导的宾语从句,what在宾语从句中作主语,而that不可以这样使用。
综上所述,what 在引导名词性从句时具有三大特点:不可省略,作成分,有词义。
总之,掌握连接代词that和what在引导名词性从句时的用法并不难,关键是要多读多背多训练,常言说“熟能生巧”,希望各位英语习得者悟其道而践其行。