专八语言知识题型的错误类型有三种:词法错误、句法错误和逻辑错误。本节我们将结合真题实例讲解解答这三类错误的应试技巧。
从对历年语言知识真题的分析中我们了解到,词法错误包括介词、冠词、动词、名词、形容词、副词、代词、限定词的使用错误,以及固定搭配错误等,主要测试考生对常用词汇的词性、含义、搭配和用法等的掌握。
介词错误指的是介词的用法和辨析错误。考查点一般在介词的用法和辨析上。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的介词错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The final source of difficulty is that CG results from non-standard ways of thinking language and linguistic investigation.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 thinking后加about。此处句意为“困难的最后一个来源是CG源于对语言和语言调查的非标准思维方式”,think后面不能直接接名词作宾语,think about意为“思考”,符合句意。
The central problem of translating has always been whether to translate literally or freely. The argument has been going since at least the first century BC. Up to the beginning of the 19th century, many writers favoured some kind of “free” translation: the spirit, not the letter; the sense not the word; the message not the form; the matter not the manner.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 going后加on。go意为“去”,而go on意为“发生;继续”,此句意为“这种争论至少从公元前一世纪就开始了”,故在going后加on。
This view culminated the statement of the extreme “literalists” Walter Benjamin and Vladimir Nabokov.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 culminated后加in。culminate为不及物动词,意为“到达顶点,达到顶峰”,后面要先接介词,后再接名词,故在culminated后加介词in。
I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing in unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world where I could get my own back for my failure in everyday life.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉in。face意为“面对”时,为及物动词,后面不需要加介词。此处句意为“我知道我拥有驾驭语言的才能和直面不愉快现实的能力”。
But sometimes we need to ask, as I should have asked for plush, and this is particularly true in the case of a foreign language.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将for改为about。这句话使用的是虚拟语气,意思是“我本应该问清楚plush的意思再使用它”,ask for意为“索要”,不符合文意;ask about意为“询问”,符合文意。
Mass media is media that is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in the case of television and radio, or print media, as newspapers and magazines .(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将as改为like。此句的难点是“省略”造成的,补全后为It may take the form of broadcast media, as in case of television and radio, or(it may take the form of)print media, as newspapers and magazines.句意是“大众媒体的一种形式是广播媒体,就像电视和广播;另一种形式是印刷媒体,就像报纸和杂志”。本分句中的as只能视作介词,而要表达“像,如同”的含义,介词需使用like。
冠词错误主要考查冠词的用法。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的冠词错误。
(1)特指和泛指
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Examples might include special dates, places, songs, or events that come to have a unique and important symbolic meaning for the two individuals .(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉the。定冠词the用于特指或强调,此句中two individuals是第一次提到,没有特指或强调的意味,所以应去掉the。
What is the role of the language teaching in the acquisition of an additional language?(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉第一个the。抽象名词和物质名词表示一般概念时,前面不加冠词。而此处language teaching(语言教学)是一个抽象名词,表示一般概念,故前面不需要加冠词the。
One reason why we take language for granted is that it usually happens so effortlessly, and, most of time, so accurately .(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 time前加the。在“most of +名词词组”结构中,后面的名词词组即是特指的,故需要在time前加the。
Then at the turn of the 19th century, when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were insuperable and that the language was entirely the product of culture, the view that translation was impossible gained some currency, and with it that, if attempted at all, it must be as literal as possible.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉第一个the。此句意为“……语言完全是文化的产物……”,而此处的“语言”并非特指某种语言,而是泛指,故将the language中的the去掉。
Similarly, we have no reason to doubt that the Eskimo language could be as precise and subtle on the subject of motor manufacture or cricket if these topics formed the part of the Eskimos' life .(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉第一个the或将第一个the改为a。此句意为“这些话题成为了爱斯基摩人生活的一部分”。前文没有提过,不是特指。此处(a)part of(……的一部分)表示泛指。
(2)从句先行词前加the
Learning about Cognitive Grammar(CG), an approach to the analysis and description of language structure, is not easy. One reason is vast literature that now exists in CG and in cognitive linguistics more generally; owing to its limited accessibility, and its being situated in the Western linguistic tradition, this poses special problems for Chinese scholars.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 vast前加the。此处句意为“一个原因是现在认知语法和认知语言学中广泛存在的大量文献”,该句中的表语是vast literature,后跟that引导的定语从句,对其起修饰限定的作用,因此vast literature前要加the表特指。
对于冠词有以下几点需要注意:
动词错误主要考查动词词义辨析和动词的用法(及物动词、不及物动词、使役动词等)。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的动词错误。
(1)动词词义辨析
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
In a sense, cultures are the “residue” of social communication. Without communication and communication media, it would be impossible to have and pass along cultural characteristics from one place and time to another.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将have改为preserve。该句意是“没有沟通和传播媒介,将无法保护文化特征,无法将其从某一地点和时间传播到另一地点和时间”,have意为“拥有,持有”,不符合句意。preserve意为“保护”,符合句意。
(2)动词的用法
Some local media outlets that cover state or provincial news may raise to prominence thanks to their investigative journalism , and to the clout that their particular regions have in the national politics.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将raise改为rise。raise是及物动词,但能跟介词短语to prominence搭配的显然只能是不及物动词,故将raise改为rise。rise to prominence为固定用法,意为“崭露头角,声名鹊起”。
In friendship and romantic relationships, for example, partners develop their own history, shared experiences, language patterns, habits, and customs that give that relationship a special character—a character that differs it in various ways from other relationships.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将differs改为differentiates。differ是不及物动词,其后不能直接接宾语it,所以将differs改为及物动词differentiates。注意,此处的it指代破折号前的relationship。
The English language would be just as rich in terms for different kinds of snow if the environments in which English was habitually used made such distinctions as important .(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉as。make后接形容词作宾补的用法为make + sth./sb. + adj. 。这里应该是make such distinctions important。
be动词主要考查其在从句中的省略。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的be动词错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Then at the turn of the 19th century, when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were insuperable and that language was entirely the product of culture, the view that translation was impossible gained some currency, and with it that, if was attempted at all, it must be as literal as possible.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉was。该句为条件状语从句,if后为省略句,省略的部分应为主语(it,即translation)和be动词,故应将was去掉。此句意为“……如果要尝试翻译,就必须尽量直译”。
Another factor is that CG, though is not implemented computationally or presented as a formal model, nonetheless involves considerable technical detail.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉though后的is。本句意为“另一因素是,虽然认知语法不是通过计算实现的,也不是作为一个正式的模型呈现的,但是它涉及相当多的技术细节”。连词though后是让步状语从句的省略形式,省略的部分应为主语(CG)和be动词,故应将is去掉。
“省略”现象常存在于五种状语从句中:
▶由if、unless等引导的条件状语从句;
▶由although、though、even if、even though等引导的让步状语从句;
▶由when、while、as、before、after、until、till等引导的时间状语从句;
▶由as、as if、as though等引导的方式状语从句;
▶由as、than等引导的比较状语从句。
名词错误主要考查的是名词的词义辨析和词性辨析。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的名词错误。
(1)名词词义辨析
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
From a check of the literature of the field it is clear that all the approaches adopted to study the phenomena of SLA so far have one thing in common: ...(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将check改为review。本句的意思是“通过对该领域文献的回顾,可以清楚地看出,迄今为止,所有研究二语习得现象的方法都有一个共同点”,check作名词时意为“支票;检查;审查”,与句意不符,应改为名词review,意为“回顾”,符合句意。
That is, the spotlight is on what mental capabilities are involved, what psychological factors play a role in the learning or acquisition, and whether the target language is learnt in the classroom or acquired through social touch with native speakers .(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将touch改为interaction/contact。本句意为“也就是说,重点是涉及哪些心理能力,哪些心理因素在学习或习得中起作用,以及目标语言是在课堂上学习的还是通过与母语人士的社交互动习得的”,touch作名词时意为“触摸,碰”,指具体的身体接触,与句意不符。表示“相互交流,互动”通常用interaction或contact,social interaction/contact意为“社交互动”,符合句意。
Between the ages of about seventeen and twenty-four I tried to abandon this idea, but I did so with the conscience that I was outraging my true nature and that sooner or later I should have to settle down and write books.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将conscience改为consciousness。conscience意为“良心,良知”,与句意不符。consciousness意为“意识,知觉”,with the consciousness表示“意识到”,符合句意。本句意为“在17岁到24岁的这个年龄段里,我试图打消这个念头,可总觉得这样做是在违背自己的本性……”。
(2)名词词性辨析
“Plush” was clearly intended as a complimentary , a positive evaluation; that much I could tell from the tone of voice and the context.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将complimentary改为compliment。该处冠词a后面应接名词,complimentary是形容词,意为“赞美的;免费赠送的”,所以应改为名词compliment(赞美)。
形容词错误主要考查形容词词义辨析以及形容词的用法(包括比较级用法)。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的形容词错误。
(1)形容词词义辨析
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
I had the lonely child's habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginative persons, and I think from the very start my literary ambitions were mixed up with the feeling of being isolated and undervalued.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将imaginative改为imaginary。imaginative意为“富于想象力的”,imaginary意为“虚构的,假想的”。根据句意“我养成了孤独孩子惯有的编造故事和与假想出来的人物聊天的习惯……”,此处应使用imaginary。
I had the lonely child's habit of making up stories and holding conversations with imaginary persons, and I think from the very start my literal ambitions were mixed up with the feeling of being isolated and undervalued.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将literal改为literary。literal意为“文字的”,literary意为“文学的”。此处使用literary来修饰ambitions更为恰当。此处句意为“我想从一开始,我的文学抱负就掺杂着被孤立和被低估的感觉”。
(2)形容词用法
While the defining characteristics of each culture are unique, all cultures share certain same functions .(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将same改为common。same意为“相同的”,其前必须加定冠词the,用以特指某种具体的事物。而该句中没有特指的意味,因而可以将same改为common。common意为“共同的”,常与share搭配,比如:They shared a common interest in botany.(他们都对植物学感兴趣。)
For this and other reasons I was somewhat lonely, and I soon developed disagreeing mannerisms which made me unpopular throughout my schooldays.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将disagreeing改为disagreeable。disagreeing是disagree的现在分词,意为“有分歧,不赞成”,不能作为前置定语修饰mannerisms(习性,习惯)。而disagreeable意为“难相处的;令人不快的”,可以修饰mannerisms。此处句意为“由于这样或那样的原因,我有点孤独,很快就养成了令人讨厌的习惯,这使我在整个学生时代都不受欢迎”。
(3)形容词比较级
Usually, mass media aims to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By contrast, local media covers a much small population and area, focusing on regional news of interest, while specialty media is provided for particular demographic groups.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将small改为smaller。此处比较了地方媒体与大众媒体的差别,后者的覆盖面很广,针对全国人口,而前者覆盖的人口和区域相对较小,可见应使用形容词small的比较级。
副词错误主要考查副词词义辨析以及副词的用法(包括比较级用法)。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的副词错误。
(1)副词词义辨析
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The only constant in life is change, and the more one accepts one's strengths and works towards dealing with their shortcomings, specially in the area of communication skills, the better will be their interactions and the more their social popularity.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将specially改为especially/particularly。该处上文提到“一个人越能接受自己的优点,越能努力克服自己的缺点”,紧接着提到“在沟通技巧方面”,由此可知,该处副词的作用是强调后文所指的情况,specially 意思是“特意地,专门地”,不合句意,故应使用especially或particularly,表示“尤其是”。
(2)副词用法
There is widespread consensus among scholars that second language acquisition(SLA)emerged as a distinct field of research from the late 1950s to early 1960s.
There is a high level of agreement that the following questions have attracted the most attention of researchers in this area: ...(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 is之后加also。第一段指出学者之间对第二外语习得取得了共识,第二段进一步提到研究者对一些问题的看法高度一致,这里缺少一个连接上下文语义的副词,故应加also。
(3)副词比较级
The Eskimos, it is said, can speak about snow with further more precision and subtlety than we can in English, but this is not because the Eskimo language(one of those sometimes mis-called “primitive”)is inherently more precise and subtle than English.(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将further改为much/far。后接不可数名词比较级的时候,more只能用much或far修饰。
为了便于考生记忆,本书对形容词和副词比较级的一些重要结构进行了归纳,供考生复习巩固。
代词错误主要体现在指代错误和代词词义辨析错误。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的代词错误。
(1)指代
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Although it only introduces the basic notions, its main purpose is to illustrate the framework's descriptive and explanatory potential through extensive discussions of their application to diverse facets of language structure .(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 将their改为its。此处代词指代上文的the framework,为单数形式,因此应使用its来指代,故改为its。
So far as we can tell, all human languages are equally complete and perfect as instruments of communication: that is, every language appears to be as well equipped as any other to say the things their speakers want to say .(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将their改为its。前面是every language作主语,因此此处应用单数形式its。
(2)代词词义辨析
...if we try to learn a second language ourselves as an adult; or if we are visually impaired or hearing-impaired or if we meet anyone else who is.(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 将anyone改为someone。此处句意为“如果我们遇到某个人……”,很明显,此处并非泛指任何人。anyone表示任何人,一般用于否定句和疑问句中;someone表示某人,一般用于肯定句中。
下面是考生需要注意的几组代词辨析。
限定词是在名词词组中对名词起特指、类指以及表示确定数量和非确定数量等限定作用的一类词,比如my、those、such、some、each、enough、all、both、several、(a)little、another、a large amount of、a great number of等。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的限定词错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The central problem of translating has always been whether to translate literally or freely. The argument has been going on since at least the first century BC. Up to the beginning of the 19th century, many writers favoured certain kind of “free” translation: the spirit, not the letter; the sense not the word; the message not the form; the matter not the manner.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 在certain前加a或将kind改为kinds或将certain改为some。此处句意为“直到19世纪初,许多作家都喜欢某种‘自由’的翻译:……”。certain多表示说话人对所述之人或所述之事或知之不详或知而不言,它与单数名词连用时,其前必须加不定冠词,只有后面跟可数名词时,才能直接用certain,故可改为a certain kind或certain kinds。some侧重说话人对所述之人或所述之事不明确或一无所知,它只和单数名词连用,其前没有不定冠词,故也可将certain改为some。
限定词的选择取决于其后名词的类别是单数名词、复数名词还是不可数名词。下面是限定词与三类名词的搭配关系。
固定搭配错误有两种情况:一是词组的固定搭配,主要是介词、冠词、副词、名词、动词的搭配;二是句型的固定搭配。本节主要讲解词组的固定搭配,句型的固定搭配将在“句法错误-固定句型”中重点讲解。
下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的词组固定搭配错误。
(1)介词的搭配
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Then in the turn of the 19th century , when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were insuperable and that language was entirely the product of culture, the view that translation was impossible gained some currency, and with it that, if attempted at all, it must be as literal as possible.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 将in改为at。at the turn of是固定搭配,意为“在……之交”,此处意思是“在19世纪初”。
Understanding it at depth, or with any degree of accuracy, requires precision of thought and analysis as well as the mastering of many terms and notions.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 将at改为in。in depth是固定搭配,意为“深入地”。
All social units develop a culture. Even in two-person relationships, a culture develops in time .(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将in改为over。该句意为“即使在两人的关系中,文化也会随着时间的推移而发展”,in time意为“及时”,over time意为“随着时间的推移”。
Up to the beginning of the 19th century, many writers favoured some kind of “free” translation: the spirit, not the letter; the sense not the word; the message rather the form; the matter not the manner.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 rather后加than或将rather改为not。rather than是固定搭配,意为“而不是”。本句另一种改法是将rather 改为not,意思也对,且与前后文结构统一。
(2)冠词的搭配
Mass media is media that is intended for a large audience. It may take the form of broadcast media, as in case of television and radio, or print media, like newspapers and magazines.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 case前加the。本句意为“大众媒体的一种形式是广播媒体,就像电视和广播……”,in case of意为“以防;假使”,此处明显与case的另外一个意思“事例,具体情况”混淆,in the case of则意为“就……来说;在……情况下”,表示具体例证,原文在使用该短语时缺少定冠词the。
It(mass media)may also be educational in the nature, as in the instance of public broadcasting stations that provide educational programs to a national audience.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉第一个the。此句意为“大众媒体本身就具有教育性,例如公共广播电台向全国听众提供教育节目”。in the nature意为“在大自然中”,显然不符合原文语境,故将the去掉,构成短语in nature,表示“本质上,事实上”。
(3)副词的搭配
From a very early age, perhaps the age of five or six, I knew that when I grew I should be a writer .(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 grew后加up。grow up意为“长大”,而grow意为“生长”。根据句意可知,此处应为when I grew up...(当我长大后……)。
In particular, it departs away from tradition by viewing meaning as the starting point for analyzing grammar, and conceptualization as the basis for describing meaning.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉away。depart from是固定搭配,意为“离开;偏离”。此处句意为“特别是,它偏离传统,将意义视为分析语法的起点,将概念化视为描述意义的基础”。
(4)名词的搭配
But sometimes we need to ask, as I should have asked about plush, and this is particularly true in the aspect of a foreign language .(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将aspect改为case/study。该句意为“……,在学习外语的时候尤其如此”,这里是举例说明,而in the aspect of意为“在……方面”,所以应该用表示“在……的情况下”的in the case of,或表示“学习……的时候”的in the study of。
Through the sessions they not only facilitate better communication skills in the workplace, but also look into the problems in the manner of being able to convey messages effectively .(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将manner改为way。此处句意为“……而且还能研究在有效传递信息方面存在的问题”。固定搭配in the...of修饰其前的名词problems,所以此处应使用in the way of,表示“在……方面”,而不是in the manner of“以……方式”。
(5)动词的搭配
If you are continually surrounded by speakers of the language you are learning, you can ask them directly, but often this opportunity does not exist for the learner of English. So dictionaries have been developed to mend the gap .(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将mend改为fill/bridge/narrow。上句提到很多时候学英语的人并没有机会与以英语为母语的人交谈,因此,本句提及的字典应该是弥补这一不足。mend意为“弥合(分歧);解决(争端)”,与gap不构成搭配,可与gap构成固定搭配的动词有fill、bridge和narrow。fill the gap意为“填补缺口”,bridge/narrow the gap意为“缩小差距”。
This example does not come to light a defect in English, a show of unexpected “primitiveness”.(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将come改为bring。bring to light是固定搭配,意为“揭露,将……曝光”。come to light意为“暴露,为人所知”,其主语一般是曝光的对象。
There are also experts, who conduct workshops and seminars based on communication skills of men and women. In fact, a large number of companies are bringing in trainers to regularly make sessions on the subject, in order to help their work force maintain better interpersonal work relations.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将make改为conduct/hold。此处讲到很多公司都请来培训师定期举办相关课程,session意为“讲座,课程”,不能与make搭配,而应搭配动词conduct(上一句中曾出现过who conduct workshops and seminars)或hold。
There is widespread consensus among scholars that second language acquisition(SLA)emerged as a distinct field of research from the late 1950s to early 1960s.
There is also a high level of agreement that the following questions have possessed the most attention of researchers in this area : ...(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将possessed改为attracted/captured/drawn。attract/capture/draw attention是固定搭配,意为“引起注意”。possess意为“拥有,具备”,不能与attention搭配使用,其后可接具体物件,也可接品质、才能、知识、语言等。
As we shall see, all these examples of what might be called “language in exceptional circumstances” reveal a great deal about the processes evolved in speaking, listening, writing, and reading.(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 将evolved改为involved。be involved in是固定搭配,意为“涉及”,而evolved的意思是“发展,进化”,不符合句意。该句意为“正如我们将看到的,所有这些可能被称为‘特殊情况下的语言’的例子,在很大程度上揭示了听、说、读、写的过程”。
句法错误包括非谓语动词使用错误、从句错误、it用法错误、固定句型错误、并列平衡错误、时态错误、语态错误以及虚拟语气错误,其中重点考查非谓语动词、从句、it用法和固定句型。
非谓语动词错误主要体现在现在分词、过去分词、动名词和动词原形的用法混淆,此类错误往往可以通过分析句子的结构来判断。
下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的非谓语动词错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Understanding mass media is usually the key to understand a population and culture, which is why the field of media studies is so huge.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将understand 改为 understanding。本句指出,理解大众媒体通常是理解一个群体和文化的关键。key后的to为介词,其后接名词或动名词。
The perspective adopted to view the acquiring of an additional language is that of an individual attempts to do so .(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将attempts 改为 attempting。本句的主干是The perspective...is that of an individual...,即“视角都是个人视角”,整句话的意思是“(看待第二语言习得所采用的)视角都是(试图研究这个问题的人的)个人视角”。句中存在两个动词(is和attempts),从句意判断,该句的谓语动词只有一个,即is,故attempts不能作谓语动词。attempts to do so充当an individual的后置定语,且individual与attempt之间是主动关系,所以attempt要用现在分词形式。
Moreover, with the easy and quick communications of modern times encouraging the spread of a “neutral”, “normal” pronunciation, the accompanied sociological changes have reduced the prestige of Received Pronunciation. (2021年专八改错真题)
分析 将accompanied改为accompanying。过去分词和所修饰的词之间构成逻辑上的被动关系,而现在分词和所修饰的词之间构成逻辑上的主动关系。此处changes“变化”和accompany“伴随,跟随”之间是主动关系,故应将充当定语的过去分词accompanied改为现在分词accompanying。the accompanying sociological changes表示“随之而来的社会学变化”。
When I was in my early teens, I was taken to a spectacular show on ice by the mother of a friend. Looked round at the luxury of the rink, my friend's mother remarked on the “plush” seats we had been given.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将Looked 改为 Looking。该句主语是my friend's mother,与look之间是主动关系,look round作非谓语动词要用现在分词形式,即looking round。
Even in England it is difficult to speak of a standard in pronunciation. For one thing, pronunciation is infinitely variable, so that even giving the will to adopt a single pronunciation, it would be difficult to achieve.(2021年专八改错真题)
分析 将giving改为given。分析句子结构可知,在so that引导的结果状语从句中,句子主干为it would be difficult to achieve,从而判断even后的动词为非谓语,非谓语动词与句子主语构成逻辑上的主谓关系,状语从句主干it would be difficult to achieve隐藏了动作的发出者them,补全即it would be difficult for them to achieve,动作的发出者是“人”,故可判断此处的非谓语动词应使用give的过去分词形式given,因为两者构成逻辑上的被动关系,即“人被给予……”。因此,本题应将现在分词giving改为过去分词given。
对于非谓语动词有以下几点需要注意:
从句错误主要体现在引导词和从句中谓语动词的使用错误上,专八改错考查的重点是定语从句。此外,同位语从句也有考查。
下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的从句错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Often we can indeed infer from the context what a word roughly means, and that is in fact the way which we usually acquire both new words and new meanings for familiar words, especially in our own first language.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 which前加in或去掉which或将which改为that。在“the way +从句”的表达中,the way是先行词,其后是定语从句,后面常接三种形式:the way that、the way in which以及the way后不加任何词,故这里应该在which前加in或把which去掉或将which改为that。
In friendship and romantic relationships, for example, partners develop their own history, shared experiences, language patterns, habits, and customs give that relationship a special character—a character that differentiates it in various ways from other relationships.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 give前加that或which。分析句子结构可知,本句主语是partners,谓语是develop,其后的几个名词或名词词组为并列宾语,因此可判断give that relationship a special character作定语从句,修饰宾语部分,从句中缺少主语,所以应在give前加引导词that或which。
Cultures are created through communication; that is, communication is the means of human interaction, through it cultural characteristics are created and shared.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将it改为which。分析句子结构和句意可知,through...应为非限制性定语从句,对前面的内容起补充说明作用,而it不能引导非限制性定语从句,所以将it改为which。
I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world which I could get my own back for my failure in everyday life .(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将which改为where或which前加in。此处为定语从句,先行词为a sort of private world,应该使用关系副词where,而非关系代词which。也可以在关系代词which前加in。此句意为“……我觉得这创造了一个私人世界,在那里我可以挽回我在日常生活中的不得意”。
In order to develop these habits, one needs to first acknowledge the fact that they need to improve communication skills from time to time. They need to take stock of the way how they interact and the direction in which their work and personal relations are going.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉how或将how改为that。定语从句中,当先行词为way时,引导词可用that、in which或省去引导词,但不能用how来引导。故可将how删去或将how改为that。
What is the explanation for the fact adults have more difficulty in acquiring additional languages than children have?(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 fact后加that。这句话是同位语从句,其中adults have more difficulty in...是fact的同位语,而同位语从句的引导词that不可省略。
Then at the turn of the 19th century, when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were insuperable and that language was entirely the product of culture, the view translation was impossible gained some currency, and with it that, if attempted at all, it must be as literal as possible.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 view后加that。此处translation was impossible为the view的同位语从句,而同位语从句的引导词that不能省略,所以the view和从句之间必须加that。此处句意为“在19世纪初,文化人类学的研究表明,语言障碍是无法克服的,语言完全是文化的产物,‘翻译是不可能的’这一观点获得了一定的流行性……”。
定语从句有几点注意事项:
it用法错误主要体现在it作形式主语和指代的错误。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的it用法错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
There may or may not be appropriate to talk about primitive peoples or cultures, but that is another matter.(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将There改为It。此处It作形式主语,真正的主语是to talk about primitive peoples or cultures。如果用there,该句就缺少主语。
我们简单地总结一下it的用法:
“固定句型错误”是“固定搭配错误”的一种。此类错误常考的有强调句和其他固定句型。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的固定句型错误。
(1)强调句
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The ability to communicate is the primary factor that distinguishes human beings from animals. And it is the ability to communicate well which distinguishes one individual from another .(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将which 改为 that。此处为强调句型“It is +被强调部分+ that...”。如果将该句中的And it is和which去掉,是一个完整的简单句:The ability to communicate well distinguishes one individual from another.
It is only in exceptional circumstances we might become aware of the complexity involved: if we are searching for a word but cannot remember it...(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 circumstances后加that。该句为It is...that...强调句型,缺少that。此句意为“只有在特殊情况下,我们才可能意识到所涉及的复杂性……”。
(2)其他固定句型
It is not so much that individuals set out to create a culture when they interact in relationships, groups, organizations, or societies, but rather than that cultures are a natural by-product of social interaction.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 去掉than。It is not so much that...but rather that...是固定句型,意为“与其说……,倒不如说……”,否定前者,肯定后者,所以去掉than。
My friend's mother was very polite to correct me , but I could tell from her expression that I had not got the word quite right.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将very改为too。but后面的句意是“但是从她的表情来判断,我知道我没有准确理解这个词的意思”,说明朋友的妈妈没有直接指出我的错误。根据句意逻辑关系,but前半句的意思应该是“朋友的妈妈太礼貌而没有纠正我的错误”,所以此处应为too...to...的固定句型,意为“太……而没能……”。
So far as we can tell, all human languages are equally complete and perfect as instruments of communication: that is, every language appears to be well equipped as any other to say the things its speakers want to say.(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 be后加as。as...as...为固定句型,意为“像……一样……”。
在此列举一些专八改错可能会考到的常见固定句型。
并列平衡指的是由并列连词连接的两个及以上的成分应保持时态和形式上的一致。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的并列平衡错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Psycholinguists study understanding, production , and remembering language, and hence are concerned with listening, reading, speaking, writing, and memory for language.(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 将production改为producing。由于前后并列的understanding和remembering均为动名词,而production为produce的名词形式,应该改为其动名词形式producing。此句意为“语言心理学家们研究理解、创造以及记忆语言……”。
Indeed, when you listen to someone speaking, or looking at this page, you normally cannot help but understand it.(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 将looking改为look。or是并列连词,此处动词形式应该与前句中的listen保持一致,因此要用动词原形look。此处句意为“事实上,当你听别人说话或者看这一页时,你通常会不由自主地理解它”。
时态错误主要体现在过去时和现在时的辨析。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的时态错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
Understanding it in depth, or with any degree of accuracy, required precision of thought and analysis as well as the mastering of many terms and notions.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 将required改为requires。该句意为“对其深入理解,或者一定程度的准确理解,需要准确的思考和分析……”,句子主语是Understanding it in depth,且叙述客观事实,应用一般现在时。
Political communications including propaganda are also frequently distributed through the media, as were public service announcements and emergency alerts.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将were改为are。该句为复合句,主句指出政治宣传经常通过媒体传播;从句补充,公共服务公告和紧急警报也是如此。主从句均是介绍一般情况的说明性文字,应用一般现在时。
There are trainers, who specialized in delivering custom-made programs on the subject.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将specialized改为specialize。who...为定语从句,对前面主句中的名词trainers进行客观描述,而且主句的时态为一般现在时,故定语从句也应使用一般现在时,specialize in意为“在……方面有专长”。
But given that language processes were normally so automatic , we also need to carry out careful experiments to get at what is happening.(2013年专八改错真题)
分析 将were改为are。该句意为“但考虑到语言过程通常是无意识的……”,该句叙述的是客观事实,应该用一般现在时。
Up to the beginning of the 19th century, many writers favoured some kind of “free” translation: the spirit, not the letter; the sense not the word; the message not the form; the matter not the manner. This is the often revolutionary slogan of writers who wanted the truth to be read and understood.(2012年专八改错真题)
分析 将is改为was。由上文可知,此处句子描述的是19世纪初作家们的情况,是发生在过去的事情,而且从句部分who wanted the truth to be read and understood的时态为一般过去时,故主句的时态也应该为一般过去时。
语态错误考查的是主动语态和被动语态的辨析。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的语态错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
That is, the spotlight is on what mental capabilities are involving , what psychological factors play a role in the learning or acquisition, and whether the target language is learnt in the classroom or acquired through social interaction with native speakers.(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将involving改为involved。本句意为“也就是说,重点是涉及哪些心理能力……”,mental capabilities“心理能力”是“被涉及”,所以应该用被动语态,动词用过去分词形式。
虚拟语气近几年没有考查过,但也是考生应该掌握的一个语法点。下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的虚拟语气错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The position is simply and obviously that the Eskimos and the English live in different environments. The English language will be just as rich in terms for different kinds of snow if the environments in which English was habitually used made such distinctions important.(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将will改为would。此处句意为“如果习惯使用英语的环境使这些区别变得很重要,那么英语对不同种类的雪的描述也会同样丰富”。if引导的条件状语从句为一般过去时,与现在事实相反,为虚拟语气,因此主句谓语部分应为would + be。
以下是带有if条件状语从句的虚拟语气的基本结构和用法:
另外,表示建议、命令、要求等含义的动词所接的宾语从句一般用虚拟语气。无论主句谓语动词为何种时态,从句的谓语动词都用“should + 动词原形”,should可以省略。
此类动词包括:
一想要(desire)一宁愿(prefer)一坚持(insist)
二命令(order, command)
三建议(advise, suggest, propose/recommend)
四要求(demand, require, request, ask)
需要注意的是,个别单词,如insist和suggest的含义不同,从句的语气也随之不同,需根据具体语境判断。
逻辑错误是专八语言知识题型考查的重点,主要有逻辑衔接和篇章语义两种错误,这两种错误中更偏重于对前者的考查。
句子间的逻辑关系通常通过连词表现出来。纵观历年专八语言知识真题中含有逻辑衔接错误的句子,连词的前后两个部分一般具有并列关系、转折关系、因果关系、对比关系、让步关系、条件关系、递进关系和选择关系等。本书重点讲解前五种逻辑关系。连词的使用往往要通过上下文来判断。连词错误主要考查考生对上下文的理解。考生在做题时要特别注意and、but、whereas、while、although、or等连词。
下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的逻辑衔接错误。
(1)并列关系
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The only constant in life is change, the more one accepts one's strengths and works towards dealing with their shortcomings, especially in the area of communication skills, the better will be their interactions and the more their social popularity.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 the more前加and。本句是一个长句,第一个逗号前为简单句(主系表结构),其后是the more...the better...的比较级句型,但是两个分句间缺少连词连接,鉴于前后两个分句间为顺承关系,故应加连词and。
The relationship between communication and culture is a very complex intimate one .(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 intimate前加and。该句中的两个形容词complex和intimate修饰同一个代词one,所以应该用and连接。
Whether one labels it “learning” or “acquiring” an additional language, it is an individual accomplishment or what is under focus is the cognitive, psychological, and institutional status of an individual.(2014年专八改错真题)
分析 将or改为and。此处句意为“无论一个称之为‘学习’还是‘习得’一门外语,它都是一种个人成就,关注的重点是……”,“个人成就”和“关注的重点是……”为并列关系,而非选择关系,故将or改为and。
(2)转折关系
People often think of mass media as the news, it also includes entertainment like television shows, books, and films.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 it前加but。it前后的两个部分都是主谓结构完整的分句,而其间缺少连词连接。前一分句意为“人们通常认为大众媒体是新闻”,后一分句意为“它也包括娱乐活动,如电视节目、书籍和电影”,可见前后是转折关系。
I did not know what she meant, and being proud of my vocabulary, I tried to infer its meaning from the context.(2015年专八改错真题)
分析 将and改为but。该处前半句意为“我不知道她是什么意思”,后半句意为“我对自己的词汇量感到自豪,试图从上下文中推断它的意思”,前后为转折关系。
The argument was theoretical: the purpose of the translation, the nature of the readership, the type of text, was not discussed. Too often, writer, translator and reader were implicitly identified with each other. Now, the context has changed, and the basic problem remains. (2012年专八改错真题)
分析 将and改为but。此处前半句意为“现在,环境已经改变”,后半句意为“基本问题依然存在”。根据上下文逻辑,前后两个分句为转折关系,需要用but来连接,而非and。
I knew that I had a facility with words and a power of facing unpleasant facts, and I felt that this created a sort of private world in which I could get my own back for my failure in everyday life. Therefore , the volume of serious—i.e. seriously intended—writing which I produced all through my childhood and boyhood would not amount to half a dozen pages.(2011年专八改错真题)
分析 将Therefore改为Nevertheless/However。根据上下文语义,上句提到“我觉得这创造了一个私人世界,在那里我可以挽回我在日常生活中的不得意”,而本句提到“我整个童年和少年时代所写的东西还不到六页纸”。上下文是一种转折关系,因此不应使用Therefore(因此),而应该使用表示转折关系的Nevertheless/However。
(3)因果关系
The fact is that apart from the basic necessities, one needs to be equipped with habits for good communication skills, thus this is what will make one a happy and successful social being.(2017年专八改错真题)
分析 将thus改为as/because/since/for。分析连词所在句的前后分句可知,连词前的分句指出,人们应该具有良好的沟通技巧;连词后的分句则说,这将使人成为一个快乐且成功的社会人。前后是因果关系,后者是前者的原因,故将thus(所以)改为as/because/since/for(因为)。
In a sense, cultures are the “residue” of social communication. Without communication and communication media, it would be impossible to preserve and pass along cultural characteristics from one place and time to another. One can say, furthermore , that culture is created, shaped, transmitted, and learned through communication.(2016年专八改错真题)
分析 将furthermore改为therefore。上文探讨了文化与社会交流的关系,下文对此进行总结,可见,上下文是因果关系,而非递进关系。
(4)对比关系
Usually, mass media aims to reach a very large market, such as the entire population of a country. By contrast, local media covers a much smaller population and area, focusing on regional news of interest, specialty media is provided for particular demographic groups.
(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 specialty前加while。此处将两种媒体与全国性媒体相比较,前一分句介绍了地方媒体(local media),其后介绍了另一种专业媒体(specialty media),前后两个分句主谓结构完整,所以要用连词连接。该句对这两种媒体进行区分对比,因此应该使用连词while,表示对比关系。
(5)让步关系
This book is hardly sufficient for a thorough knowledge of CG but may at least contribute to the process of learning about it. As it only introduces the basic notions, its main purpose is to illustrate the framework's descriptive and explanatory potential through extensive discussions of its application to diverse facets of language structure.(2019年专八改错真题)
分析 将As改为Although/Though/While。本句前半句表明“它只是介绍一些基础概念”,后半句指出“本书的主要目的是……”,as为因果连词,但前后并无因果关系,而应是让步关系。
When elitists may be tempted to sneer at mass media, referring to it as the “opiate of the masses”, it is a critical part of human societies.(2018年专八改错真题)
分析 将When改为Although/Though/While。该句为状语从句,主句意为“大众媒体是人类社会的重要组成部分”,从句的意思则是“精英们可能会忍不住嘲笑大众媒体……”,可见主从句之间并不存在时间关系,而是让步关系,故应使用连词Although/Though/While,引导让步状语从句。
篇章语义错误主要体现在两点:一是错误之处表达了与上下文相反的含义;二是错误之处与前后文意义搭配不当。
下面是专八语言知识真题中出现的篇章语义错误。
(注:标底纹处为错误所在行)
The Eskimos, it is said, can speak about snow with much more precision and subtlety than we can in English, but this is not because the Eskimo language(one of those sometimes mis-called “primitive”)is inherently more precise and subtle than English. This example does not bring to light a defect in English, a show of unexpected “primitiveness”. The position is simply and obviously that the Eskimos and the English live in similar environments .(2010年专八改错真题)
分析 将similar改为different。本题的错误之处是表达了与上文相反的含义。上文讲的是爱斯基摩语和英语的不同,这里讲原因,即爱斯基摩人和英国人生活在不同的环境中,环境不同造成了语言之间的差异性,故将similar改为different。