所谓带有插入语的定语从句,指在有些定语从句的关系词后面往往紧跟一个“主谓结构”,如I know, they believe, he claimed, they assume等。这些“主谓结构”多为表达个人观点的结构,它们紧跟在关系代词后面,不影响定语从句的原来结构,因而并非构成定语从句的主谓语。请看例句:
153 Hilton is building its own hotel there, which you may be sure will be decorated with Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, the Banquo Banqueting Room, and so forth, and will be very expensive.(2006年阅读第二篇)
妙语点睛 我们看到,这里定语从句的本身结构是which will be decorated...,但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语you may be sure,于是便有了带插入语的定语从句which you may be sure will be decorated...。
精品译文 希尔顿正在建设自己的饭店,你也许可以确定该饭店将会装备有“哈姆雷特”汉堡吧、“李尔王”休息厅、“班柯”宴会厅等,该饭店将十分奢华。
(注:Hamlet系莎士比亚悲剧剧名及该剧的主人公;Lear是莎士比亚悲剧《李尔王》(King Lear)中的主人公;Banquo是莎士比亚悲剧《麦克佩斯》(Macbeth)中的人物, 被麦克佩斯处死,后以鬼魂显灵,使麦克佩斯暴露自己的罪行。因为本文讲的是关于莎士比亚故乡Stratford-on-Avon的情况,各餐饮酒吧用莎翁剧中的人物来命名,以吸引游客。)
154 What is harder to establish is whether the productivity revolution that businessmen assume they are presiding over is for real.(1998年阅读第二篇)
妙语点睛 定语从句本身的结构是that they are presiding over...,关系词that作介词over的宾语。但现在关系代词that后面紧跟了一个插入语businessmen assume,于是便有了带插入语的定语从句that businessmen assume they are presiding over...。
精品译文 很难证实的是,商界人士自以为他们是在为提高生产效率而进行一场革命,但这场生产力革命是否属实则不得而知。
值得注意的是,插入语不影响定语从句本身的结构,所以,不能在这种特殊定语从句中随便添加连词,比如上一句不能改成:that businessmen assume that they are presiding over is for real,很多考生若不知道这是插入语结构,就很可能会误认为businessmen assume that they are presiding over...是宾语从句结构,这看上去很像,但其实over是缺宾语的,从句不是一个完整结构,无法构成名词从句。类似这种错误的句子在考研改错题中曾出现过。
真题再现: 1997年改错
155 They pointed out (A) the damage which (B) they supposed that (C) had been done by last night's (D) storm.
正确答案 C,删去that。
妙语点睛 这里定语从句的本身结构应该是which had been done by last night's storm,修饰前面名词damage,但现在关系代词which后面紧跟了一个插入语they supposed,所以,此时带插入语的定语从句应该是which they supposed had been done by last night's storm,而不是which they supposed that had been done by last night's storm。
精品译文 他们指出了这些损坏,认为是由昨晚的暴风雪造成的。
我们再看其他例句:
156 The millionaire had a very ugly girl who I could not have dreamed many boys fell in love with.
这个百万富翁有一个十分难看的女儿,可是让我难以想象的是,竟然有很多男孩子在追求她。
157 Tax cuts have been on George W Bush's mind since he became president of the United States. One of its first acts in government was to announce cuts which he claimed would give back US $1.6 trillion to the American people over 10 years.
实施减税是小布什上台以来一直想要推行的一项政策。他上台后的第一件事就是宣布这一政策,他声称该项措施在十年之内将会使1.6万亿美元重新回到美国人民的口袋里。
我们上面讨论的带插入语的定语从句,所插入的结构都是一个表示个人观点的“主谓结构”,但偶尔还可以有其他结构,如下面这个例句:
158 The casino issued to him, as a good customer, a “Fun Card”, which when used in the casino earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities.(2006年阅读“七选五”)
妙语点睛 我们看到,这个插入语结构是一个省略形式的状语从句when (it is) used in the casino,省去了it is,it指Fun Card,而定语从句本身结构是:which earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities。究其原因不难发现,我们本来可以把这个省略的状语从句when used in the casino用在定语从句末尾:which earns points for meals and drinks, and enables the casino to track the user's gambling activities when used in the casino,但由于定语从句的谓语部分过长(earns...and enables...),造成when从句意思与Fun Card有脱节之嫌,所以为了表意上的需要而将when从句提前。
精品译文 赌场认为他是一个好顾客,就发给他一张“乐趣卡”,当持卡者在赌场使用这张卡时,可以为自己赢得餐饮积分,同时也可以使赌场追踪持卡者的赌博活动。