高三課本第十五單元,INTER GATING SKILLS 和 WORKBOOK READING部分有如下的句子:⒈Theshopwas successful,but it was about sixty years before peoplestarted tobuy jeans for fashion as well as for work.⒉However,itprobably willnot be long before the other mountainous areas ofChina such asSichuan,Xinjiang and Yunnan are developed,and as morefacilitiesbecome available,prices will almostcertainlyfall.其中涉及到before的用法,下面就其用法進行總結。
一、可以用作介詞
⒈)指時間上早於,在……之前,如:She has lived here since beforethewar.她從戰前就一直在這兒住。⒉)指位置在前面,如:We knelt down beforeGrandmasgrave.我們在奶奶的墓前跪下。⒊)指順序或排列在之前,如:Your name comes before mineon thelist.名單上你的名字在我之前。⒋)在某人面前,如:She said it beforethewitness.他是當著證人的面說的。
二、作為連詞
其基本含義是「在……之前」,又可以根據不同語境靈活翻譯成「才」、「還沒來得及就……」、「趁……」、「就」等。具體用法如下:⒈)與情態動詞can/could連用這時候從句雖為肯定形式,根據漢語表達習慣譯成「還沒來得及就」,如:BeforeIcould get in a word,he had measured me.我還沒來得及插話他就為我量好了尺寸。Beforeshecould move,she heard a loud noise,which grew to aterribleroar.她還沒來得及邁步,就聽見一聲巨響,接著就是可怕的隆隆轟鳴。⒉)用於肯定句中強調主句所表達的時間,距離長,或花費的精力大,譯成「才」Wehadsailed four days and four nights before wesawlands.我們航行了四天四夜才看到陸地。We waited a long time before thetrainarrived.我們等了很長時間火車才到。⒊)用於否定句中,強調主句所表達的時間,距離短,或花費的精力小,譯成「不到……就」如:Wehadntrun a mile before hefelttired.我們跑了還不到一英裡他就累了。⒋)主句含有hardly,scarcely等半否定副詞時可以譯為「剛……就」這時候主句應用過去完成時態,從句用過去時,還可以用when替代before如:Wehadscarcely reached the school before/when thebellrang.我們剛到學校鈴聲就響了。⒌)有時還有「寧願」的意思Id shoot myself before Iapologizedtohim.我寧死也不向他道歉。⒍)用於It+be/take+時間段+before句型在這一句型中又可以根據主從句的時態分成兩種情況。若主句是一般時將來時態,從句是一般現在時.若主句是肯定句意思是「要過多長時間才」;若主句是否定形式翻譯成「用不了多久就」。Itwillbe two weeks before everything returns tonormal.兩周之後一切才能恢復正常。Itwill be many years before thesituationimproves.這種狀況或許要過許多年才能得以改善。It wont be long before wemeetagain.用不了多久我們就會再見面的。這時若主句是一般過去時從句也是一般過去時。若主句是肯定句翻譯成「多長時間之後才」,若主句是否定形式翻譯成「沒過多久就」。如:Itwassome time before I realized the truth.過了很長一段時間我才了解到真相。It wasntlongbefore she became a brave solider.沒過多久她就成了一名勇敢的戰士。After thatitstill took seven years before theygotmarried.他們又過了七年才結婚。注意:當主句的謂語動詞為延續性動詞時,before與until有時可以互換。It wasanhour before/until the police arrived.鞏固練習⒈(2004天津)It wasevening________ we reached the little town of Winchester.AthatB.untilC.since D.before2.(2004全國)Several weeks had gone by________realized the painting was missing.A.as B.beforeC.sinceD.when3.(2005廣東)The America Civil War lasted four years______ theNorth won in the end.A.after B.before C.whenD.then4.(2005山東)It wassome time _______ we realized thetruth.A.when B.until C.sinceD.before5.(2006四川)-Why didnt you tellhim about the meeting?-Herushed out of the classroom _______ Icould say a word.A.beforeB.until C.when D.after6.(2006福建)-How longdo you think it will be__ china sends a manned spaceship to themoon?-Perhaps two or threeyears.Awhen B.until C.thatD.before參考答案:DBBDAD (編輯:趙露)