三、定語從句
定語從句在四級英語測試中占有一定的比重，大約在詞匯語法題的7.4%，平均每次都有一題，實際測試中有時多達三道題，如1996年6月，98年6月和2000年6月都有三倒考查定語從句的題。在我們講四級英語測試對定語從句的考查之前，先讓我們看以下幾題：
Test yourself
1) Living in the central Australian desert has its problems, ____
obtaining water is not the least.(1998.1)
A.for which B.to which C.of which D.in which
2) A survey was carried out on the death rate of new-born babies in that region, ____were surprising. (1999.1)
A.as results B.which results C.the results of it D.the results of which
3) We need a chairman ____.(1998.6)
A.for whom everyone has confidence B.in whom everyone has confidence
C.who everyone has confidence of D.whom everyone has confidence on
4) The British are not so familiar with different cultures and other ways of doing things, ___ is often the case in other countries.(1998.6)
A.as B.what C.so D.that
5) The course normally attracts 20 students per year, ____ up to half will be from overseas.(1998.6)
A.in which B.for which C.with which D.of whom
6) Beer is the most popular drink among male drinkers, ____overall
consumption is significantly higher than that of women.(2000.6)
A.whose B.which C.that D.what
7) We were struck by the extent ____ which teacher's decisions served the interests of the school rather than those of the children.(1996.6)
A.to B.for C.in D.with
8) Melted iron is poured into the mixer much ____ tea is poured into a cup from a teapot. (1996.6)
A.in the same way like B.in the same way which
C.in the same way D.in the same way as
9) I've never been to Beijing, but it is the place ____.(1999.6)
A.where I'd like to visit B.in which I'd like to visit
C.I most want to visit D.that I want to visit it most
10) ___ might be expected, the response to the question was very
mixed.(1996.6)
A.As B.That C.It D.What
Explanation and Expansion
A． 參考答案: 1) C 2) D 3) B 4) A 5) D 6) A 7) A
8) D 9) C 10) A
B． 評析
從以上各題可以看出，定語從句的考查還是集中在關系詞的選擇，與1，2，3級不同，四級考試中的定語從句雖然也有關系詞最一般的用法，但更多的是對特殊關系詞的考查。總的說來有以下幾點需要注意
① 關系詞的使用一看先行詞，二看關系詞在從句中的作用，在此基礎上熟記幾個常用的固定句式，如：
the same … as
such … as
當看到先行詞前有the same 或such修飾時，可直接從選項中找as，選擇就變得比較簡單，如8。在這種情況下，考生用不著考慮先行詞是人還是物。如
Our company won't employ such graduates as you recommend.
I'm determined to buy such a flat as you are now living in.
② 上面有兩道題涉及到關系詞在句中做定語。同學們應該熟悉關系詞做定語時的各種變體。
做定語的關系詞可有以下變體，試比較：
the office whose windows are broken
the office the windows of which are broken
the office of which the windows are broken
上面的2）題就屬于the windows of which這種形式。
先行詞是人時，同樣也可有這三種形式，如：
the professor whose car was stolen
the professor the car of whom was stolen
the professor of whom the car was stolen
當然考試中也有最一般形式的考查，如上面的6），只要能夠看出關系詞做定語修飾overall consumption就不難判斷答案為whose。
③ 注意"介詞 + which/whom"的結構做關系詞
從四級考試對定語從句的測試來看，主要考查的是介詞的選擇。"介詞 + which/whom"主要有以下幾種情況
A． 介詞是句中短語搭配的一部分，如3）。表示"信任某人"要用have confidence in somebody，所以做定語，應該用a chairman in whom … has confidence。
B． "部分 + of + 整體名詞"的結構，該結構，做關系詞也就是 "部分名詞 + of which/whom"的結構。
該結構的使用應注意兩點，一是注意定語從句與并列句的分別，如：
He invited two scientists to his birthday party, many of _____ were
his old classmates.
A.whom B.them C.which D.that
這里很自然地會有many of whom 與many of them的選擇。
二是注意該結構可以有變體，即"of whom/which + 部分名詞"，上面的5）題就是一例，可以寫成up to half of whom。
C． 另一種介詞是表示最高級范圍的介詞，四級考題中已經有兩個這種考題，如上面的1）題，其實該句表示的是obtaining water is not the least of its problems， 所以用of which，2000年6月又有一道與此基本完全相同的題：
Living in the western part of the country has its problems, ____ obtaining fresh water is not the least.
A.with which B.for which C.of which D.which (2000.6)
D． 更多的是看關系詞與先行詞之間的關系，如：
He has composed many pieces of music popular with young people, of which this is an example.
這里用of which因為，正常的結構是an example of the music。
E． 有時介詞與先行詞構成短語，如7）題，to which源于to … extent的短語搭配。1997年1月也有一道題考查該短語搭配。
It is useful to be able to predict the extent ________which a price
change will affect supply and demand.
A.from B.with C.to D.for (1997.1)
④ 注意as引導的非限制性定語從句的用法
as引導非限制性定語從句時，可置于句首，也可置于句尾，表示"正如……"。如上面的4）和10）兩題。
一般as引導定語從句時，其先行詞為整個主句。which引導非限制性定語從句，其先行詞也可以是主句或主句中的一部分。但，as從句表示的行為經常是在主句行為之前，而which引導的定語從句表示的卻在主句之后，表示連續發生的事情或結果等。如：
He promised to help me, which he did.
He was often late for work, which cost him his job.
⑤ 注意先行詞為時間、地點或原因時，關系詞的選用。如果用when, where 或why，關系詞在從句中應該是做狀語，否則的話則應該用which/that等。如上面9）中，先行詞在從句中visit的賓語，關系詞不能用where，而只能是that/which。再如：
I will never forget the days that I spent with my friends in the country.
⑥ 關系詞做代替的成分在從句中不能再次出現。
⑦ 注意定語從句與同位語從句的區別。如：
There are signs ____ restaurants are becoming more popular with families.
A.that B.which C.in which D.whose (2000.6)
由于signs與后面的restaurants沒有修飾和被修飾關系，所以whose不對，如果是定語從句，關系詞代替signs，而從句中不需要該詞。所以這里不是定語從句而是同位語從句，從句表示sign的內容。
⑧ 適當注意that和which的不同，什么情況下只能用that，什么情況下只能用which。
⑨ 注意從句與其它成分的區別，如下題：
As _________announced in today's papers, the Shanghai Export Commoditier Fair is also open on Sundays.
A.being B.is C.to be D.been (1997.1)
這里涉及到從句與非謂語動詞的區別，如果是非謂語動詞的話，則是保留了連詞的非謂語動詞做狀語，根據announce與句子主語之間的關系，應該什么都不填，這里還是定語從句。答案為B。
Self-practice
上面他們一起分析了四級英語測試中對定語從句的考查特點和重點，也清楚了應該注意的一些事項和可用的一些方法技巧，下面請同學們《語法分冊》217-218頁模擬題。
