随着越来越多的省份进入到新课改后的高考,虚拟语气也逐渐走入考生的视野。2010年,全国各地18套英语试题中有10套试题考查或涉及了虚拟语气,应引起广大考生的注意。下面笔者将结合2010年高考试题,梳理虚拟语气的考查热点,希望能够对下一届考生有所帮助。
虚拟语气表示说话人的愿望、假设、猜测或建议,有时并不表示客观存在的事实。虚拟语气通过谓语动词的特殊形式来表示,真真假假,虚虚实实,是高中教学中的难点和新课改后的重点语法项目之一。
热点1 在含有条件状语从句的主从复合句中考查虚拟语气
1. 考查含有虚拟条件句的主从复合句中谓语动词的构成
含有虚拟条件句的主从复合句中谓语动词的构成非常规则,请看下表:
例如:
If everyone in the country bought one soft-drink each day and threw it away, there would soon be a huge mountain of rubbish. 如果全国每个人每天买一罐饮料,然后把空罐扔掉,垃圾很快就会堆积如山了。(对现在的虚拟)
If the hurricane had happened during the day time, there would have been many more deaths. 倘若飓风发生在白天,那么死亡的人数还会多得多。(对过去的虚拟)
If it were to snow tomorrow, they would not go out. 如果明天下雪,他们就不出去了。(对将来的虚拟)
【真题】
① If he _______ my advice, he wouldn't have lost his job. (2010年湖南卷)
A. followed B. should follow
C. had followed D. would follow
【解析】 题干的意思是:“要是他听取了我的建议,就不会失去工作了。”根据wouldn't have lost可判断if引导的状语从句表示与过去事实相反的虚拟,从句里应该用had done结构,故正确答案为C。
② John went to the hospital alone. If he ______ me about it, I would have gone with him. (2010年天津卷)
A. should tell B. tells
C. told D. had told
【解析】 题干的意思是:“约翰独自去了医院。如果他告诉我的话,我会跟他一起去的。”前一句是陈述语气,说明动作发生在过去,而且后一句的主句已经是would have gone,说明这是与过去事实相反的虚拟语气,与之对应的从句结构应该用had done。正确答案为D。
③ If we _______ the other road, we might have arrived here in time for the meeting. (2010年陕西卷)
A. take B. had taken
C. took D. have taken
【解析】题干的意思是:“如果我们走了另一条路的话,我们或许能及时到达这里参加会议。”所填选项作虚拟语气中条件状语从句的谓语,根据主句的谓语动词形式might have arrived可知题干是与过去事实相反,故所填部分用had done形式。正确答案为B。
④ —The weather has been very hot and dry.
—Yes. If it had rained even a drop, things would be much better now! And my vegetables ______. (2010年北京卷)
A. wouldn't die B. didn't die
C. hadn't died D. wouldn't have died
【解析】 第二个说话人的if条件句是我们解题的关键。题干的意思是:“要是当时哪怕下一滴雨,现在的情况就好得多了!我的蔬菜也就不会死了。”而事实是过去并没有下雨,所以我的蔬菜干死了也是发生在过去。将句子还原为:“If it had rained even a drop, my vegetables wouldn't have died.”故正确答案为D。
2. 考查省略if的虚拟条件句应使用部分倒装语序
如果在表示虚拟语气的条件句中含有were、had或should,可将if省略,然后将were、had或should移至主语之前。例如:
Should there be a meeting tomorrow, I would come. (= If there should be a meeting tomorrow, ...) 如果明天有会议召开,我会来的。
Had we made a great effort, we might have succeeded. (= If we had made a great effort, ...) 如果我们(过去)做了很大的努力的话,我们可能就成功了。
【真题】
Had I known about this computer program, a huge amount of time and energy ______. (2010年浙江卷)
A. would have been saved
B. had been saved
C. will be saved
D. was saved
【解析】 根据句子的倒装特征判断前一分句是省略了if的虚拟语气,还原后应为:“If I had known about this computer program, a huge amount of time and energy ______.”题干的意思是:“如果我早知道这个电脑程序,就可以节省大量的时间和精力了。”表示与过去事实相反的虚拟语气,正确答案为A。
3. 考查混合条件句的虚拟语气
有时条件句的动作与主句动作发生的时间不一致,这时动词的形式应根据它们表示的时间加以调整。例如:
If it had rained last night, it would be very cool today. (从句对过去虚拟,主句对现在虚拟)如果昨天晚上下了雨的话,今天就会非常凉爽了。
【真题】
It is hard for me to imagine what I would be doing today if I ______ in love, at the age of seven, with the Melinda Cox Library in my hometown. (2002年上海卷)
A. wouldn't have fallen B. had not fallen C. should fall D. were to fall
【解析】 这是一个混合虚拟条件句。If条件状语从句含有明显的过去时间状语at the age of seven,是与过去事实相反的虚拟语气,谓语动词用过去完成时;主句中有现在时的时间状语today,表示对现在的虚拟,用would +动词原形。故正确答案为B。
4. 考查含蓄条件句的虚拟语气
英语中某些假设条件句不是通过if从句表达出来的,而是包含在某些短语、上下文或其他方式中,其谓语也常用虚拟语气,我们称之为含蓄条件句的虚拟语气。
(1) 用连词otherwise、or、but 等暗示前面的条件。例如:
I thought you would remain there for a while after the conference. Otherwise I wouldn't have bought you a single ticket. 我原以为你会后要在那儿逗留一段时间,要不然我就不会给你买单程票了。
Mary could be prettier, but she doesn't care much about her clothes. 玛丽本可以更漂亮些,但是她不太在乎衣着。
【真题】
He hesitated for a moment before kicking the ball, otherwise he ______ a goal. (2001年上海春季卷)
A. had scored B. scored
C. would score D. would have scored
【解析】本题考查含蓄条件句的虚拟语气。题干的意思是:“在踢球前他犹豫了一会儿,否则他就能破门得分了。”这是对过去的一种行为的遗憾,前面分句是暗含的条件,otherwise所在的句子是主句,与过去事实相反应使用would +完成时,因此正确答案为D。
(2) 用but for、without等介词短语表达条件。例如:
Without electricity, human life would be quite different today. 如果没有电,人类现在的生活就会是另一个样子了。
The ship would have sunk with all on board but for the efforts of the captain. 如果不是船长的努力,我们就会连船带人都沉没了。
【真题】
① But for their help, we _______ the program in time. (2009年安徽卷)
A. can not finish B. will not finish
C. had not finished D. could not have finished
【解析】由题干中的But for their help可以推断这是一个与过去事实相反的含蓄虚拟条件句,主句动词应使用would / could / might / should +完成时形式,故D项为正确答案。
② But for the help of my English teacher, I ______ the first prize in the English Writing Competition. (2009年福建卷)
A. would not win B. would not have won
C. would win D. would have won
【解析】 题干的意思是:“要不是英语老师的帮助,我就不会在英语写作比赛中获一等奖了。”这是对过去的一种虚拟,but for相当于一个条件句,后面的句子相当于一个主句,动词应使用“would / could / might / should +完成时”形式,根据否定的句意应选择B项。
(3) 分词短语表示条件。例如:
Given more time, we could have done it better.假如(过去)多给一些时间的话,我们就能把它做得更好一些了。
热点2 在名词性从句中考查虚拟语气
1. 考查主语从句中虚拟语气的谓语动词形式
这类形式的虚拟语气通常表示建议、命令、要求、希望、惊讶等语气。
(1) “It is necessary (important/natural/strange/surprising) that ...”句型中,从句的谓语动词通常使用(should) + 动词原形,例如:
It is necessary that he (should) be sent to hospital at once. 他有必要被立刻送往医院。
It is strange that she (should) marry such a poor man. 她竟然嫁给这样一个穷光蛋,真是太奇怪了。
【真题】
It is necessary that a college student ______ at least a foreign language. (1993年上海卷)
A. masters B. should master
C. mastered D. will master
【解析】分析题干,It is necessary that ...结构中主语从句通常用虚拟语气,谓语动词使用(should) +动词原形,故正确答案为B。
(2) It is suggested (desired/decided/ordered/requested / proposed) that ...,例如:
It has been decided that the meeting (should) be put off till next Saturday. 会议决定推迟到下周六举行。
It is suggested that you (should) spend more time in English. 你应该花更多的时间学习英语。
2. 考查宾语从句中的虚拟语气
(1) 在某些表示“建议、要求、命令”的动词后的宾语从句中,使用(should) + 动词原形。常见的这类动词有:一个坚持(insist);两个命令(order、command);三项要求(demand、require、request);四条建议(advise、suggest、propose、recommend)等。
【真题】
① Teachers recommend parents ______ their children under 12 to ride bicycles to school for safety. (2010年福建卷)
A. not allow B. do not allow
C. mustn't allow D. couldn't allow
【解析】 动词recommend后接宾语从句时,从句中应使用虚拟语气,谓语动词用(should) +动词原形。题干的意思是:“出于安全考虑,老师建议父母最好不要让12岁以下的小朋友骑脚踏车去学校。”正确答案为A。
② Mr. Johnson insisted that the problem worthy of attention ______ (讨论) at the meeting. (discuss) (2010年湖北卷)
【解析】 动词insist引导的宾语从句要用虚拟语气,从句结构是(should) +动词原形,主语problem是“被讨论”,故使用被动形式,故答案为(should) be discussed。
注意:动词suggest表示“暗示、表明”,insist表示“力言、坚持(认为)”时,宾语从句不用虚拟语气。例如:
Mike insisted that he had never stolen anything. 迈克坚持认为自己从来没偷任何东西。(非虚拟语气)
【真题】
Jane's pale face suggested that she ______ ill, and her parents suggested that she ______ a medical examination. (1994年上海卷)
A. be; should have B. was; have
C. should be; had D. was; has
【解析】本题第一个suggest意为“暗示,表明”, 其后的宾语从句不用虚拟语气;第二个suggest意为“建议”,其后的宾语从句中应使用虚拟语气,谓语动词用 (should) +动词原形。正确答案为B。
(2) 动词wish后的宾语从句中,谓语动词有三种形式:对现在的虚拟,用过去时;对过去的虚拟,用过去完成时;对将来的虚拟,用would / should +动词原形。
【真题】
How I wish every family ______ a large house with a beautiful garden! (2002年上海春季卷)
A. has B. had
C. will have D. had had
【解析】此题表达的是现在的一种愿望,wish后的宾语从句应使用一般过去时表示对现在的虚拟,正确答案为B。
3. 考查表语从句和同位语从句中的虚拟语气
某些表示“建议、计划、命令”的名词(如advice、order、demand、plan、proposal、suggestion、request等)后的同位语从句和表语从句中的谓语动词常用(should) + 动词原形。 例如:
We all agreed to his suggestion that we (should) go to Beijing for sightseeing. 他建议我们到北京旅游观光,我们都同意了。
My advice is that he (should) exercise first. 我的建议是他应该先做练习。
热点3 在其他固定句式中考查虚拟语气
1. 虚拟语气用于“It is (high) time (that) ...”句型中,that从句中的谓语动词用过去式(be用were)或should + 动词原形,should不能省略,意为“(现在)该到了……的时候了”。例如:
It's high time that he went / should go to bed. 到了他该上床睡觉的时候了。
2. 虚拟语气用于would rather后的从句中,表达一种愿望或建议时,用过去式表示现在或将来的情况,用过去完成式表示过去的情况。例如:
I would rather you went next Sunday. 我情愿你下周日走。
I would rather you hadn't done that. 我真希望你没做那件事。
【真题】
George is going to talk about the geography of his country, but I'd rather he ______ more on its culture. (2010年江苏卷)
A. focus B. focused
C. would focus D. had focused
【解析】词组would rather后接从句应使用虚拟语气,表示对现在或将来的虚拟,用动词的过去式。正确答案为 B。
3. 虚拟语气用于as if / as though、even if / even though等引导的表语从句或状语从句中,对现在的虚拟,用过去时;对过去的虚拟,用过去完成时。例如:
The two new-comers talked as if they had known each other for ages. 那两个新来的人聊天的样子仿佛他们已经相识多年了。
【真题】
Eliza remembers everything exactly as if it ______ yesterday. (2006年全国卷I)
A. was happening B. happens
C. has happened D. happened
【解析】本题考查as if后接虚拟语气时谓语动词的使用。as if引导的句子既可以使用虚拟语气,也可以使用非虚拟语气,本题语境表明其后跟的是虚拟语气,是对现在的虚拟,谓语动词应使用过去时。正确答案为D。
4. 虚拟语气用于if only引导的感叹句中,其谓语动词的形式与wish后的宾语从句的谓语动词形式一样。
【真题】
Look at the trouble I am in! If only I ______ your advice. (2003年上海春季卷)
A. followed B. would follow
C. had followed D. should follow
【解析】根据题干判断,这是对过去没做某事的后悔和遗憾,与过去事实相反,从句中应使用过去完成时。正确答案为C。
热点4 在语境中考查“情态动词+完成时”表达的虚拟语气
情态动词should / ought to / would / needn't + have done表示虚拟意义,含有“责备、遗憾、后悔”的意味。
【真题】
—Sorry, Professor Smith. I didn't finish the assignment yesterday.
—Oh, you ______ have done it as yesterday was the deadline. (2010年上海卷)
A. must B. mustn't
C. should D. shouldn't
【解析】题干的意思是:“你本应该完成的,因为昨天是最后期限。”此处表示和过去事实相反的情况,应该用should have done,意思是“本应做某事而未做”。正确答案为C。
总而言之,虚拟语气一直是英语语法的重点和难点之一,同学们在学习时要加倍重视,掌握其特征,熟悉它的各种考查形式,才能在考试时胸有成竹,百战不殆。
研读高考试题，玩转虚拟语气
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