劉娟
在講評近幾年的高考試題時,筆者發(fā)現(xiàn)單詞while的出現(xiàn)頻率非常高,且各種用法都有體現(xiàn),但大多學(xué)生常將while譯為“當(dāng)……的時候”,與while在文中的實際意義相差甚遠(yuǎn),當(dāng)然也就影響了理解,甚至?xí)绊懽鲱}。基于此,筆者對近幾年高考題中的while的用法做了整理,供考生吸收消化。
一、連詞while在高考中的考頻
2018~2020近三年高考英語全國卷共九套,每套題中均出現(xiàn)while,共出現(xiàn)25次,其中全國Ⅰ卷出現(xiàn)的次數(shù)最多3年12次。詳見下表:
二、連詞while的3種用法
1. 表示讓步,意為“雖然,盡管(=although)”。如:
(2020全國Ⅰ卷A篇) While Queensland Rail makes every effort to ensure trains run as scheduled, there can be no guarantee of connections between trains or between train services and bus services. 雖然昆士蘭鐵路盡一切努力確?;疖嚢磿r運(yùn)行,但不能保證火車之間或火車服務(wù)與公共汽車服務(wù)之間的連接。
2. 表示對比或相反,意為“而,但”。如:
(2020全國Ⅰ卷C篇)According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step , while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step. 根據(jù)她的研究,跑步者每一步著地的重量是自己體重的四倍,而不離開地面的競走者每一步著地的重量大約是自己體重的1.4倍。
3. 表示時間,意為“當(dāng)……時”。
(2019全國Ⅱ卷七選五)You muse keep these points in mind while setting your goals. 在設(shè)定目標(biāo)時,你要記住這些要點(diǎn)。(while setting ... = while you set ...)
值得注意的是,在近三年的9套試卷中,while作連詞,出現(xiàn)的5次表示時間的用法,全部是“while +現(xiàn)在分詞”結(jié)構(gòu)。
此外,while除了作連詞外,還可以作名詞,表示“(一段)時間”。如:
(2020天津卷)Has it been a while since your last visit to a public library? 距你上次去公共圖書館已有一段時間了吧?
三、理解while的重要性
九套試卷中有9處作為段落首句,對理解段落大意起著關(guān)鍵作用。更重要的是,有10處作為“題眼”出現(xiàn),正確理解含while的句子,對做題起著決定性作用。如:
(2020全國Ⅰ卷C篇) While I tend to buy a lot of books, these three were given to me as gifs, which might add to the meaning I attach to them. But I imagine that, while money is indeed wonderful and necessary, rereading an authors work is the highest currency a reader can pay them. The best books are the ones that open further as time passes. But remember, its you that has to grow and read and reread in order to better understand your friends.
26. What does the underlined word“currency”in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. Debt????????????????????? B. Reward.
C. Allowance.????????????? D. Face value.
解析:理解while句句意“但我想,雖然金錢確實是美好和必要的,重讀作者的作品是讀者能支付給他們的最高_(dá)_________?!痹倏此膫€選項:A. 欠款,債務(wù);B. 報答,報酬;C. 津貼,補(bǔ)貼;D. 面值。顯然,選擇B項。
(2020全國Ⅲ卷C篇)With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation(孤獨(dú)), more families are choosing to live together.
The doorway to peace and quiet, for Nick Bright at least, leads straight to his mother-in-law, she lives on the ground floor, while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.
Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol ... They share a front door and a washing machine, but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room on the ground floor.
28. Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol?
A. Nick.???? B. Rita.????? C. Kathryn????? D. The daughters.
解析:理解while句句意“至少對尼克·布萊特來說,通往和平與寧靜的大門直接通向他的岳母,她住在一樓,而他和妻子以及兩個女兒住在樓上。”顯然,使用一樓的是布萊特的岳母。他的岳母叫什么名字呢?由第三段最后一句可知叫Rita,故選B項。
(2018全國Ⅱ卷語法填空) Chinas approach to protecting its environment while?????? 70??? (feed) its citizens“offers useful lessons for agriculture and food policymakers worldwide,”says the banks Juergen Voegele.
解析:這是“while +現(xiàn)在分詞”結(jié)構(gòu),填feeding。
(2018全國Ⅰ卷七選五) Over the years, there have been a number of different techniques to help designers approach this important point.?????? 37??? , they can get a little complex. But good news is that therere really only three kinds of decisions you need to make about color in your home: the small ones, the medium ones, and the large ones.
A. While all of them are useful
B. Whatever youre looking for
C. If youre experimenting with a color
解析:因本題后是一個完整句子,逗號前應(yīng)是短語或從句,僅有A, B和C三項可選擇。與前句語義銜接的只有選項A:雖然它們(這些技術(shù))都有用,但是他們可能會有點(diǎn)復(fù)雜。
綜上所述,while不但在高考中是一個高頻詞,而且含有while的句子很可能就是命題點(diǎn),其重要性不言而喻。此外,while是一個靈活性很高的高分銜接詞。
因此,我們需要牢固掌握while的所有用法,在語篇中根據(jù)不同語境體會其不同用法,并學(xué)會在寫作中恰到好處地使用while。
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