例1.--Is that the small town you often refer to? (2005福建卷)
--Right,just the one____you know I used to work for years.
A.that B.which C.where D.what
分析:答案是C。由语境和句子结构可知,you know为插入语,将其去掉更易看出the one是指the small town,因此该空应该填where引导定语从句。
例2
The managers discussed the plan that they would like to see______the next year.(NMET2000)
A.carried out B.carrying out C.carry out D.to carry out
分析:答案是A。本题考查结构see something done用于定语从句中,something为关系代词that。
例3
---Each of the students,working hard at his orher lessons,______to go to university.
(1998上海卷)
---So do I.
A.hope B.hopes C.hoping D.hoped
分析:答案是B。认真分析语境和句子结构,working hard at his orher lessons为插入语,如果将其去掉,不难发现该空应填谓语动词形式hopes。
例4
The home improvements have taken what little there is______my spare time. (NMET2001)
A.from B.in C.of D.at
分析:答案是C。认真分析语境和句子结构可知,本题考查句型there is little of my spare time,但语序稍加变动为what引导的感叹句做宾语,而提前了little。"what little"表示"那么少"。
■命题者为了考查考生由此及彼、由表及里、去粗取精、去伪存真的能力,往往在单项选择题题干中设置多元结构,解题时一定要从多元成分中清理出题眼所考查的句子结构。
例5
Mom is coming.What present_________for your birthday? (2005福建卷)
A.you expect you have got B.you expect has she got
C.do you expect she has got D.do you expect has she got
分析:答案是C。由语境和句子结构得知,后一句为带插入语do you expect的特殊疑问句,插入语后面内容应视为宾语从句且采用陈述语序。
例6
It is what you do rather than what you say______matters.
A.that B.what C.which D.this
(2005天津卷)
分析:答案是A。由语境和句子结构可知,该句为强调句型,被强调部分是由rather than连接的并列主语从句担当。
例7
The old couple have been married for 40 years and never once_____with each other.
(NMET2003)
A.they had quarreled B.they have quarreled
C.have they quarreled D.had they quarreled
分析:答案是C。认真分析题干结构可知,本题考查and引导的并列句,第二句分句由never引导,解题时可将第一个分句及and视为不存在,这样整个句子就成为never开头引导的倒装句型。
例8
It is the ability to do the job ______matters,not where you come from or what you are.
(NMET2000)
A.one B.that C.what D.it
分析:答案是B。认真分析句子结构和语境可知,本题主干为It is A (It is) not B"是而不是"。这是两个并列的强调句。第二个强调句用的是省略结构,第一个强调句的被强调部分是空格所缺的词语,原句为The ability to do the job matters(做这件事的能力很重要)。
■不少单项选择题考点为难度极小的简单句,但命题者为了考查考生应变能力,往往将简单句改为感叹句、强调句或省略句,解题时应通过句型分析弄清题干的来龙去脉,还原简单句其本来面目。
例9
_____role she played in the film!No wonder she has won an Oscar.
(2002春上海卷)
A.How interesting B.How an interesting
C.What interesting D.What an interesting
分析:答案是D。本题的考点为简单句She played an interesting role in the film.命题者将该句改为感叹句。
例10
--What do you think made Mary so upset?
--____her new bicycle. (1997上海卷)
A.As she lost B.Lost C.Losing D.Because of losing
分析:答案是C。本题的考点为简单句:--her new bicycle made her soupset.命题者将该句略为省略句,将made Mary so upset在答语中省略但在问句中体现。经过分析不难发现,该空格应填主语,应由动名词担当。
例11
It was only with the help of the local guide______.
A.was the mountain climber rescued
B.that the mountain climber was rescued
C.when the mountain climber was rescued
D.then the mountain climber was rescued
(2004春上海卷)
分析:答案是B。本题考点为简单句The mountain climber was rescued only with the help of the local guide.命题者将该句改为强调句型,被强调的部分为介词短语only with the help of the local guide。
■不少单项选择题题干结构和备选答案迷惑性强,他们以似曾相识的题干易使考生受思维定势影响而迅速做出错误判断。解题时应排除思维定势干扰,仔细分析每个被自己排除的答案的理由,同时认真分析似曾相识的题干是否有什么变化并尽可能弄清来龙去脉,从而成功破题。
例12
The country life he was used to______greatly since 1992.
(2005山东卷)
A.change B.has changed C.changing D.have changed
分析:答案是B。分析语境和句子结构可知,he was used to为定语从句,修饰先行词the country life。此空格应填谓语动词。Since 1992为现在完成时的标志,因此该空格应填has changed。考生易受he was used to的影响而误选C。
例13
Mr.Reed made up his mind to devote all he had to______some schools for poor children.
A.setup B.setting up C.have set up D.having set up
分析:答案是B。考生可能会抓住"he had to"而选择A,因为他们对had to do something的结构太熟悉了。其实,句中had to与set up并不构成搭配,因为he had为定语从句修饰先行词all,setup与devote all … to构成搭配,即devote all to setting up(to为介词),所以答案是B。
例14
--Who is Jerry cooper? (NMET1997)
--____?I saw you shaking hands with him at the meeting.