名词性从句的约缩转换

第七节　名词性从句的约缩转换

现代英语语法形式和句子结构的一个发展总趋势是由繁到简。由较小的语言单位替代较大的语言单位，用短语替代从句。在现代英语中，名词性从句紧缩成短语形式比较常见。名词性从句常可转换成以下几种短语形式。

一、名词性短语

名词性从句转换成名词短语是将句子名词短语化，含有这种名词短语的句子具有结构紧缩、表意概括等特点。例如：

That you will fail is certain．(Your failure is certain．)

你要失败是肯定了的。

What he said is right．(His words are right．)

他说的话是对的。

No one can tell when and where he was born．(No one can tell the time and place of his birth．)

没有人能说出他出生的时间和地点。

I request that you will come at once．(I request your imme diate attendance．)

我要求你立即来。

He is proud that he is clever．(He is proud of his cleverness．)

他以聪明而自豪。

二、动作名词复合结构

动作名词(action noun)是由动词派生的，或者说与动词同词根(有时同形)的表示动作的名词。动作名词可带逻辑主语和逻辑宾语并与其逻辑主语或逻辑宾语构成动作名词的复合结构。动作名词复合结构几句中要担任一定的成分。例如：

It was cordial that Premier Zhou received his visitors．(Premier Zhou's reception of his visitors was cordial．)

周总理接待客人是热诚的。

It is well-known to the people of the world that Columbus discovered America．(The discovery of America by Columbus is“well-known to the people of the world．

哥伦布发现美洲是世界人民所共知的。

“Itisperfectand minutethatparentslovechildren．(Parents'love to children is perfect and minute．)

父母爱子女是无微不至的。

That the earth attracts other bodies is called the force of gravity．(The attraction of the earth for other bodies is called the force of gravity．)

地球对其他物体的吸引力称为地心引力。

三、动名词短语(或动名词复合结构)

1．主语从句

It worried her a great deal that she lacked experience．(Her lacking in experience worried her a great deal．)

缺乏经验使她很着急。

That people sleep in the open air is very popular in Wuhan during the summer season．(People's sleeping in the open air is very popular in Wuhan during the summer season．)

夏天武汉人睡在露天是很普遍的。

2．表语从句

Our duty is that we should serve the people heart and soul．(Our duty is serving the people heart and soul．)

我们的责任是全心全意为人民服务。

What we felt uneasy about was that Mary had too much confidence in herself．(What we felt uneasy about was Mary's having too much confidence in herself．

我们感到不安的是玛丽过于自信。

3．宾语从句

I find it odd that Tom should have married her．(I find it odd Tom's having married her．)

我觉得汤姆同她结婚是件怪事。

下列动词只接动名词作宾语，其后的宾语从句通常要转换成动名词。如：mind，deny，anticipate，imagine，suggest，consider等。例如：

I denied that he had been there．(He denied having been there．)

他否认曾去过那里。

He anticipated that he would get much pleasure from the reading of that book．(He anticipated getting much pleasure from the reading of that book．)

他预料读那本书会获得很多乐趣。

I can't imagine that anything will happen to him．(I can't imagine anything happening to him．)

我不能想像他发生了什么事。

下列“动词+介词”或“be+形容词+介词”后的从句可转换成动名词。当它们接从句时，介词要省略，当从句转换成短语时，介词应保留：insist on，boast of，be sure of，be worry about，be proud of，be afraid of，be hopeful of，be certain of，be surprised at，feel ashamed of等，例如：

He insisted that I should stay there for supper．(He insisted on my staying there for supper．)

他坚持要留我在那儿吃晚饭。

He boasts that he is the best man alive．(He boasts of being the best man alive．)

他狂妄地说他是老子天下第一。

I am certain that I will give you satisfaction．(I am certain of giving you satisfaction．)

我肯定会使你满意。

I'm surprised that there is not an index．(I'm surprised at there not being index．)

我感到奇怪的是没有索引。

四、不定式短语(或不定式复合结构)

1．主语从句

When and where we should hold the conference is still to be discussed．(When and where to hold the conference is still to be discussed．)

何时何地召开会议还需要讨论．

It is a great pleasure that I am here．(To be here is a great pleasure．)

我在这里很愉快。

在“It+不及物动词(或be+形容词)+that从句”结构中，that从句常可转换成不定式短语。在含不定式的简单句中，半助动词与不定式一起构成复合谓语。常见的不及物动词或be+形容词是seem，appear，happen，be(un)likely，be certain等。例如：

It seems that some members of the committee have been bribed．(Some members of the committee seem to have been bribed．)

委员会的一些成员看来是受了贿赂。

It happens that I have had some nasty experiences in dealing with him．(I happen to have had some nasty experiences in dealing with him．)

我恰好有过一些和他打交道的不愉快经历。

It is likely that he will let you down．(He is likely to let you down．)

他可能会使你失望。

在“It+被动结构(be+－ed)+that从句”结构中，that从句常可转换成不定式。在含不定式的简单句中，被动结构与不定式一起构成复合谓语。能用于这种被动结构的动词有：say，know，report，think，believe，expect，feel，fear，understand等。例如：

It is reported that he was driving carelessly．(He is reported to have been driving carelessly．)

据说他当时开车很不小心。

It is thought that he made a mistake．(He is thought to have made a mistake．)

大家认为他犯了错误。

It is known that many people are homeless after the earthquake．(Many people are known to be homeless after the earthquake．)

据悉，地震后很多人无家可归。

2．表语从句

My opinion is that we take the initiative into our own hands．(My opinion is to take the initiative into our own hands．)

我的意见是把主动权抓在我们自己手中。

The most urgent thing is that we should get the preparations done．(The most argent thing is for us to get the preparations done．)

最要紧的事情是我们要把准备工作做好。

3．宾语从句

I don't think it advisable that he studies medicine．(I don't think it advisable for him to study medicine．)

我想他学医是不合适的。

The commander ordered that we should cut off the enemy's retreat．(The commander ordered us to cut off the enemy's retreat．)

司令命令我们切断敌人的退路。

I showed them how they should do it．(I showed them how to do it．)

我告诉他们该怎样做。

The knowledge of how it should be done was not common．(The knowledge of how to do it was not common．)

怎样做这件事的知识不是普通的。

下列动词是只带不定式作宾语的动词：hope，expect，agree，propose，arrange，choose，decide，guarantee，pledge，pretend，resolve，swear，vow等。其后的宾语从句应紧缩为不定式。例如：

I have reso lved that I will take up golf to help me slim．(I have resolved to take up golf to help me slim．)

我已下决心打高尔夫球以使身材变得苗条。

Hamlet swore that he would take revenge on his father's usurper．(Hamlet swore to take revenge on his father's usurper．)

哈姆雷特发誓要报篡夺父位者之仇。

I hope that that I will have read this book by next Friday．(I hope to have read this book by next Friday．)

我希望下星期五读完这本书。

形容词anxious，sure，confident，afraid等后面的宾语从句也可转换成不定式结构。例如：

His parents are anxious that he should go to college．(His parents are anxious for him to go to college．)

他的父母都渴望他上大学。

动词say，know，report，think，believe，expect，feel，fear，understand等后面的宾语从句常可转换成不定式结构，从句的主语可变为被动简单句的主语，不定式结构同其前的被动结构一起构成复合谓语。如：

People say that he has written a new book about workers．(He is said to have written a new book about worker．)

据说他又写了一本关于工人的书。

People expect that the president will make an announcement．(The president is expected to make an announcement．)

估计总统即将发表通告。

We understand that this is the result of recent negotiations．(This is understood to be the result of recent negotiations．)

不言而喻，这是最近谈判的结果。

［注］在forget，remember，regret等后面的宾语从句如果表示一个已发生的动作，可变为动名词短语。若表示一个尚未发生的动作，可变为不定式短语。试比较：

I don't remember that you have ever been given a chance to try this method．(I don't remember your being ever been given a chance to try this method．)

我不记得你曾有过试验这种方法的机会。

I remember where I will turn off the main road．(I remember where to turn off the main road．)

我记住转入主街道的地点。

4．同位语从句

She plan that she should go herself doesn't please her parents．(She plan to go herself doesn't please her parents．)

她一个人去的计划并未讨得她父母的欢心。

五、介词短语(或介词的复合宾语)

The news that our team had won gladdened our hearts．(The news of our team's victory gladdened our hearts．)

我们队胜利的消息使我们欢欣鼓舞。

The thought that he might fail in the examination worried him．(The thought of failing in the examination worried him．)

考试会不及格的想法使他忧心忡忡。

That was a case that a weak state resisted a strong state．(That was a case of a weak state resisting a strong state．)

这是弱国抗击强国的一个例子。

The process that one substance mixes with another is called diffusion．(The process that one substance mixing with another is called diffusion．)

一种物质同另一种物质混合的过程叫做扩散。

六、分词或分词短语

It seems that he is frightened．(He looks frightened．)

他看起来受了惊吓。

I didn't notice that he was waiting at the station．(I didn't notice him waiting at the station)

我没注意到他在车站等候。

They found that the guests had gone．(They found the guests gone．)

他们发现客人已走。