英语语法难题探微之“同位语”（四）

外语教师联盟每周一

“专项语法难题探微”栏目

（可点击阅读原文查看往期知识点）

 

本期第三个知识点

 同位语

第四讲

 “中心词 定语从句”式同位语的剖析

在英语中,尤其是在科技英语中,常常会碰到一种“中心词 定语从句”形式的同位语。这种结构的同位语 比一般同位语显得复杂,有必要对其作剖析 。

A

“中心词 定语从句”式同位语所同位的对象

a.  所同位的对象可能是前面的某一名词或名词短语。

例如:

Distillation，a method which is used for the separation of the components of liquid mixtures，depends on the distribution of constituents between the liquid mixture and the vapour in equilibrium with the mixture.

蒸馏是用来分离液态混合物组分的一种方法,它取决于液态混合物和与它平衡的蒸汽之间的组分的分布。(a method which……与主语distillation同位)

Land which used to be productive now loses its fertility and requires the use of more and more chemical fertilizers，a practice which tend to pollute lakes and rivers.

过去曾经是丰产的土地如今丧失了肥力 , 需要施用越来越多的化肥 , 而这样做往往会造成江河湖泊的污染。('a practice',与其前'the use of'同位)

The results from two long-term studies show that coronary by-pass surgery, a controversial operation that has become the nation's fastest-growing surgical procedure，is a greater life saver than previously believed.

两次长期研究的结果表明冠状动脉分流手术能拯救的生命比原先认为的要多,这一曾有争议的手术现在已成为国内发展最快的外科手术。('a controversial operation,与宾语从句中的主语' coronary bypass surgery,同位 )

b.同位语中心词所 同位的对象可以是前面句中 的不定式短语。

例如:

The next stage is to get the elephant to the training establishment a ticklish business which is achieved with the aid of two tame elephants roped to the captive on either side.

下一步是把这头大象赶到训练场所。这是一件棘手的事情,要把这头象拴到两头驯服的象中间才能做到。('a ticklish business…'与作表语的不定式短语'to get……',同位)

 

Using Volta's electric pile Davy discovered how to use electric current to break down various materials into their separate elements，a process known as electrolysis.

戴维用伏打电池发现,通电可将各种物质分解成单质元素 这一过程称作电解(“a process

与其前作宾语的不定式短语'how to use'同位)

以上两例中,同位语中心词所同位的对象都是不定式短语,但后者在句中所作的成分并不一样。这里所说的不定式短语,也应包括情态动词后的不带to的动词短语。

例如:

If you eat only a diet of meat, bread, sugar and fat，you may become ill with scurvy，a disease which is caused by a deficiency in vitamin C.

如果你只吃肉类、面包、糖和脂肪这些食物,你会得一种由于缺乏维生素C引起的疾病,即坏血病。('a disease'与情态动词may后的不定式短语'become ill with scurvy,同位)

 

The computer can multiply two 10-digit numbers in 1/1000 second，a problem that would take a person five minutes to do with pencil and paper.

计算机能在千分之一秒内算出两个十位数，数字的乘积这个题目如果让一个人用铅笔和纸来演算,则要花5分钟。('a problem'与谓语部分的'multiply two',同位)

所同位的对象可能是其前的整个分句,该分句既可能是复合句中的主句,也可能是从句。 

例如:

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that sulfur may cause a slight increase in acidity of rain-an effect that will be felt more in rural areas than in urban areas already Polluted.

国家海洋大气局报导 , 硫磺可以导致雨水酸性轻微增加,这一影响在农村比在已受污染的城区更易觉察到。('an effect……'与其前宾语从句'that sulfur May'同位)

 

All forces fall into one or the other of these two classes, a fact that will be found useful later when deciding just what forces are acting on given body,

所有的力都可以归入这两大类;在以后我们要确定作用在某一给定物体上的力是什么力的时候,这一事实是很有用的。('a fact',与主句'All forces fall into,同位)

B

'中心词 定语从句”式同位语的 中心词

在英语中,尤其是在科技英语中,常常会碰到一种“中心词 定语从句”形式的同位语。这种结构的同位语 比一般同位语显得复杂,有必要对其作剖析 。

例如:

The tape is a ribbon of plastic coated with powdered iron or chrome oxide,a substance which can be magnetized and demagnetized readily.

磁带是一条涂有易充磁和消磁的物质一氧化铁粉或氧化铬粉-的塑料带子。

(substance是其前powdered iron or chrome oxide 的属类名词)

It was then that Reed remembered a theory advanced earlier by a Cuban doctor a theory that nobody believed that yellow fever is caused by a mosquito.

此时里德忆起一位古巴 医生早先提出过的一种没有人相信的理论 - 黄热病是蚊子传播引起的。(theory是其前宾语 theory的重复)

Tests have shown that the incidence of lung disease among farmers in the area is also high, a fact which can only be explained by the polluted air.

实验已表明,这一地区农民肺病的发生率也很高 , 这一事实衹能用污染的空气来解释 。

(fact是概括其宾语从句'that the incidence of…'的范畴词)

（2）有时,我们亦可见到其中心词是不带冠词的词,尤其是不定代词。

例如：

Today this knowledge allows us to send probes to the farthest reaches of the solar system and to put men on the surface of the moon-things that Newton could only have dreamed of.

今天这一知识使我们能把探测器送到太阳系的最远部分把人类送上月球表面,这种事对牛顿来说只能是梦想而已

Some scientists of Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a method for early detection of cataracts in animals，one that may be possible to use in humans.

佐治亚理工学院的一些科学家已经研究成功一种早期诊断动物 白内障的方法 , 这种方法有可能用于人。

If one's heart doesn't work well, it can be replaced, something which wouldn't have been thought possible a few years ago.人的心脏若功能不好可以换掉,这在几年前是不可想象的事。

C

'中心词 定语从句'式同位语的换转

根据这种结构的语法意义,我们可以将其转换为以下三种句子

（1）转换为非限制性定语从句。能够这样转换的同位语所同位的对象通常是句中的不定式短语或整个句子。

例如:

He believed that many human diseases could be passed from one person to another in the same way, a belief that was later to be proved correct.(=……way,which was a belief……)

他相信人类的很多疾病也可能是这样互相传染的,这个观点后来被证明是正确。

When irregular shapes are required to make a model and to follow its outline by hand control, a method which does not always give accurate results · ( -When irregular shapes control，which is a method……)

在需要制造形状不规则的构件时,一直采用的方法是先制造模型,然后靠手控按其外形仿造,这种方法难以保证成品的精密度。

（2）转换为并列分句。能够这样转换的 同位语所 同位 的对象一般是名词或名词短语。

例如:

By studying bats and dolphins, human may one day able to enter a whole other world - a world where sound is as useful as sight.(=By studying……other world，and it is a world where)

通过对蝙蝠和海豚的研究,人类也许有朝一日 能进入另一个天地一个声音和视觉同样有用的世界

（3）转换为独立分,能够这样转换的同位语所同位的对象通常也是名词或名词短语。

试比较 :

She has child to look after.(= she has a child who is to be looked after by herself )

她有个小孩到她自己来)照看。

She has child to be looked after.( =She has a child that is to be looked after by herself or somebody else )

她有个小孩要(她自己或别人来 )照看。

I have no more letters to type.

 我再没有信要 (自己)打字了。

I have no more letters to be typed.

我再没有信要(我自己或别人)打字了。