名师详解语法易错题（03）

名师详解语法易错题（03）

想当然类错误 

所谓想当然，即凭主观推测认为事情大概如此或应该如此。既然是凭主观作出的推测，自然就难免有出错的时候。有趣的是，犯想当然错误的不仅仅是我们的同学们，有时也可能是教师甚至专家们。

我们首先来看一例专家犯的想当然错误：国内不少词典曾把 eat one’s words 译为“食言”，但是我们查《现代汉语词典》,“食言”指不履行诺言或失信，而英语中eat one's words是什么意思呢? 我们查《朗文当代英语词典》，eat one's words的意思 to admit to having said something wrong (承认说过错误的话)；再查《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》(第四版)，eat one's words 的意思是 to admit that what one said was wrong（承认自己说错话）。很显然，将 eat one’s words 译为汉语的“食言”是不对的，是想当然译出来的。

笔者曾在一本杂志读过这样一个笑话，说的是一位英国著名的翻译家在翻译我国的古典名著《水浒传》时，遇上了这样一句“放你妈的狗屁”，他竟想当地将其译为Your mother passes wind like a dog (你妈妈放屁像狗一样)，真是天大的笑话。

下面我们再来看看同学经常犯的想当然错误吧：

◇Every minute should be made full use of _________ the lessons.

A. to study                B. study                    C. studying               D. studied

一看题干，许多同学会想当然地认为此题肯定选C，因为空格前有介词 of，其后的动词 study 用作介词 of 的宾语，当然要用动名词。你真的这样认为吗？那你就错了。

◇_________ is hard is to do good all one’s life and never do anything bad.

A. He                       B. It                         C. That                     D. What

【分析】此题的最佳答案是B吗？句首应填一个形式主语 it 吗？如果你这样想，又错了。为什么？

本节为同学们搜集了不少想当然错误的典型例题，快快往下读吧。

1．下面这道题：

If a book is in English, _________ means slow progress for you.

A. as                        B. which                   C. what                    D. that

【分析】此题容易误选 A或B，想当然地根据空格前的逗号认为这是非限制性定语从句。这样分析的同学，主要是忽略了前一句句首的 if。其实此题应选D，逗号前是一个条件状语从句，逗号后是该状语从句的主句，that 在此代表前文所述的意思，用作主句的主语。同样地，下面几题也应选 that，而不选 which：

(1) If he’s only interested in your looks, _________ just shows how shallow he is.

A. as                        B. which                   C. what                    D. that

(2) If you want to go, _________is quite all right with me.

A. that                      B. which                   C. and it                   D. so

(3) When I say two hours, _________ includes time for eating.

A. as                        B. which                   C. what                    D. that

(4) If you want a double room , _________ will cost another ￡15.

A. as                        B. which                   C.  what                  D. that

(5) If you have the money, _________ will be OK.

A. as                        B. which                   C. and it                   D. that

下例也选 that 而不选 which，其中 that 表示“那”：

Unless I’m very much mistaken, _________ is my watch you’re wearing!

A. as                        B. which                   C. what                    D. that

2. _________ is hard is to do good all one’s life and never do anything bad.

A. He                       B. It                         C. That                    D. What

【分析】此题容易误选B，认为这是考查形式主语。其实，此题的正确答案是D，句首的 What is hard 是主语从句，注意 what is hard 后的谓语动词 is。假若没有此 is，则应选B，即说成 It is hard to do good all one's life and never do anything bad. 请做以下类似试题(答案均为C)：

(1)  a. _________ is difficult to persuade her to stay.

b. _________ is difficult is to persuade her to stay.

A. It, It                     B. What, What          C. It, What               D. What, It

(2)  a. _________ is interesting to watch children play games.

b. _________ is interesting is to watch children play games.

A. It, It                     B. What, What          C. It, What               D. What, It

(3)  a. _________ is dangerous to play with fire.

b. _________ is dangerous is to play with fire.

A. It, It                     B. What, What          C. It, What               D. What, It