典型语境型陷阱题例析

 

 

近年来的高考英语语法考题有个趋势,就是不单是考查语言规则,更不是考查语言规则的死记硬背,而是注重考查语言知识的具体运用,即将语言知识置于一定的语境中,要求考生在实际语言环境中选择一个最佳的、最得体的、当然也是最地道的选项。面对这类考题,同学们首先就要认真读懂题干,仔细分析题干所提供的语境,注意挖掘其中的隐藏信息,从而找到解题的突破口。下面请看几个实例分析:

1. Thank you very much indeed. If it had not been for your advice I really _____ what I should have done.

A. don’t know                        B. didn’t know

C. hadn’t known                    D. wouldn’t have known

分析】此题容易误选CD,认为此句既然为虚拟语气语境,当然应选择与虚拟语气有关的答案。此句的句意是真是太感谢你了。要不是因为你给我提的建议,我真不知道自己做出了什么蠢事来。句中 if it had not been for your advice what I should have done 都用了虚拟语气,表示与过去事实相反的假设,但是句中的我不知道也要用虚拟语气吗?换句话说,我不知道是与事实相反的假设吗?显然不是。所以它不能用虚拟语气,应用陈述语气(I don’t know),表明这是事实(表达自己对对方的感谢之意)

2. ―I’ve never found a better job. ― _______.

A. I don’t think so              B. Too bad

C. Congratulations           D. Don’t worry

分析】此题容易误选BD,主要是将上文的意思理解错了,即将其理解为我从来没找到一份好工作。其实,I’ve never found a better job 的实际意思是这是我所找到的最好的一份工作,此句实为 I’ve never found a better job than this job之省略,句意为我从来没有找到比这份工作更好的工作,即这是我所找到的最好的工作。面对此话,听话人的最佳回答当然应是C,即表示祝贺。请看下面一道,最佳答案是C,你明白是什么原因吗?

―What do you think of the service here?

―Oh, _______. We couldn’t have found a better place.

A. too bad     B. sorry       C. wonderful     D. impossible

3. ―I _____ his telephone number.

―I have his number, but I ____ to bring my phone book.

A. forget, forget                 B. forgot, forgot 

C. forget, forgot                 D. forgot, forget

分析】此题容易误选A,认为忘记是现在的事。仔细体会一下对话的语境:第一个人说我忘记他的电话号码了,这个忘记应该是现在的事,即现在忘记了,要不然就没有必要同对方说此话了,故第一空应填 forget;第二个人说我有他的号码,但我忘记带电话本了,这个忘记应该是过去的事,即过去忘记带电话本,所以现在电话本不在身上(注意句中的转折连词 but),故第二空应填 forgot。请再看一例:

―Oh, I ______ where he lives.

―Don’t you carry you address book?

―No, I ______ to bring it.

A. forget, forget   B. forgot, forgot  C. forget, forgot   D. forgot, forget

答案选C,理由同上。

4. I had no idea _____ is better, so I took _____ of them.

A. what, both              B. what, none  

C. which, both           C. which, none

分析】此题的关键语境是句中的 better 一词,better 是比较级,说明比较的对象应是两者,由此可知第二空应填both 为好;由于谈的是两者,说明选择范围很明确,所以第一空应填 which。即答案应选C

5. “Would you like a cup of coffee or a glass of beer?” “____ will do, but milk is _____ popular with me.”

A. Neither, not                        B. Both, more

C. Either, the most                D. All, the most

分析】此题容易误选B,认为前文提到 coffee beer 为两者,故其后应选 both more 与之对应(more 为比较级,指两者比较)。但是,这样想的同学忽略了下文的语境已发生变化――后者谈的既不是 coffee 也不是 beer,而是 milk,即第二空涉及的不是两者,而是三者,故第二空应填 the most,即此题最佳答案为C

6. “It looks as if he were drunk.” “So it does. _____.”

A. He’d better give up drinking    

B. He shouldn’t have drunk so much

C. Health is more important than drink

D. I wonder why he is always doing so

分析】此题最佳答案为D,但ABC均有可能误选,主要是受题中 drunk 一词的影响。做此题的关键是要抓住It looks as if he were drunk 中的关键词were,因为它表明此句的谓语为虚拟语气,也就是说,他喝醉了不是事实,只是他的言行好像是喝醉了,所以此题的最佳答案是D。另外注意,句中的 so it does 表示强调,意为他看上去的确像是喝醉了。类似用法:“The building looks beautiful.” “Yes, so it does.” “这房子看上去很美。”“是的,看上去的确很美。此句中的 so it does 也表强调。

7. ―You haven’t been to Beijing, have you?

―______. How I wish to go there!

A. Yes, I have                  B. Yes, I haven’t

C. No, I have                   D. No, I haven’t

分析】此题不宜选BC,因为这两个答案本身就有问题,即 Yes 后用了否定式,而No 后用了肯定式。至于AD,则有许多同学拿不准该选哪一个,因为单独看问句和AD两个选项,两个选项都没错。此题的关键是要看下文的语境,即 How I wish to go there! (我多么希望能去那儿啊),这说明说此话的人还没去过那儿(即没去过北京),所以答案应选D。同学们想想看,假若此题按下题这样改动一下,情形又如何呢?

―You haven’t been to Beijing, have you?

―______. And how I wish to go there again!

A. Yes, I have   B. Yes, I haven’t   C. No, I have      D. No, I haven’t

此题的最佳答案就不再是D了,而应是A。因为题中说 and how I wish to go there again(注意句中 again 一词),这说明说话人曾去过那儿(即去过北京),所以要选A

8. You are _____ careful than your brother. You two can’t do the work that needs care and skill.

A. not more        B. no more      C. not less       D. no less

分析】选对此题,至少要弄清两点:一是下文的语境,二是 not more than, no more than 等结构的含义。下文说 You two can’t do the work that needs care and skill(你们两个都不适合做这需要细心和技巧的工作),这就表明这两个人都不是很仔细的人。再看选项中所涉及的几个结构的意思:

not more … than = 不如……

no more … than = ……一样不(否定两者)

not less … than = 不如……(即指不如 less 后形容词的反面)

no less … than = ……一样(肯定两者)

比较以下各句的意思:

You are more careful than he is. 你比他仔细。

You are not more careful than he is. 你不如他仔细。

You are no more careful than he is. 你和他一样不仔细。

You are less careful than he is. 你不如他仔细(你比他粗心)

You are not less careful than he is. 你比他仔细(你不如他粗心)

You are no less careful than he is. 你和他一样仔细。

综合以上分析,上面一题的最佳答案应是B

9. ―Mary looks hot and dry. ―So _____ you if you had a high fever.

A. do       B. are        C. will          D. would

分析】此题容易误选AC。选A者,认为前后两句的动词性质应一致;选C者,认为其后带有if 条件状语从句,从语气上看,主句应用将来时态。以上两种分析都有一定道理,但是不完全对。用“so+助动词+主语表示“……也一样时,在多数情况下,其中的助动词会与前一句的动词性质一致。如:

He is ill, and so am I.他病了,我也病了。

He can do it and so can I.他会做,我也会。

He likes it and so do I.他喜欢它,我也喜欢。

但是,有时也不一定如此。如:

If you go, so shall I.如果你去,我也去。

When animals and plants disappear, so will man. 当动植物消失的时候,人类也会随之消失。

至于为什么不能选C,那是因为其后的 if 条件状语从句的谓语用的是虚拟语气(许多同学会忽略此信息),所以主句要用 would 而不用 will,即答案应选D

10. He has changed a lot. He ____ not what he ____.

A. is, is     B. was, was     C. is, was     D. was, is

分析】答案选C,上文说变化很大,即现在不是过去的那个样子了,故第一空填is,第二空填 was(其实第二空也可用 used to be)。请看类例:

“Look! That may be the same tree that we happened to see two hours ago.” “My God. We _____ back where we _____.

A. are, are    B. were, were    C. are, were    D. were, are

答案选CWe are back where we were 的意思是我们现在又回到刚才来过的地方