2.2　名词性从句

在讲主语和宾语之前，我们首先来讲解一下名词性从句，这是因为一个句子也可以像一个名词一样，可以作主语或宾语，甚至表语和同位语。名词性从句一共有以下三种。

·that从句

·whether从句

·疑问词所引导的从句

（1）that从句

一个主语起始的句子前面冠以that，即成that从句。

He believes me.（句子）

That he believes me.（名词性从句）

David enjoys dancing.（句子）

That David enjoys dancing.（名词性从句）

课堂练习1：画出that引导的名词性从句

An important principle is that all corpora，whatever their size，areinevitably limited in their coverage，and always need to be supplemented bydata derived from the intuitions of native speakers of the language，througheither introspection or experimentation.

参考答案：

An important principle is that all corpora，whatever their size，are inevitably limited in their coverage，and always need to be supplemented by data derived from the intuitions of native speakers of the language，through either introspection or experimentation.

课堂练习2：画出that引导的名词性从句

But that their minds are not different from our own is demonstrated by the fact that the hard-won discoveries of scientists like Kepler or Einstein become the commonplace knowledge of schoolchildren and the once outrageous shapes and colours of an artist like Paul Klee so soon appear on the fabrics we wear.

参考答案：

But that their minds are not different from our own is demonstrated by the fact that the hard-won discoveries of scientists like Kepler or Einstein become the commonplace knowledge of schoolchildren and the once outrageous shapes and colours of an artist like Paul Klee so soon appear on the fabrics we wear.

（2）whether从句

这里从句是由yes/no回答的问句变化而成，这种可用yes/no回答的问句称为一般疑问句。主语与be动词、助动词或情态动词等首先还原语序，然后再冠以whether。

Is he happy？（句子）

Whether he is happy（名词性从句）

Can he do me a favor？（句子）

Whether he can do me a favor（名词性从句）

注意：对于do、does和did等助动词，主语与助动词还原时，需要先把它们删掉，后面的动词依人称和时态作相应变化。

Did he come？（句子）

Whether he came（名词性从句）

Does she like this book？（句子）

Whether she likes this book（名词性从句）

（3）疑问词所引导的从句

本从句系由疑问词（when、what、how、where、why、which）等引导的特殊疑问句。主语与be动词、助动词或情态动词等首先还原语序，但前面保留疑问词。

What is he doing？（句子）

What he is doing（名词性从句）

Where can I find it？（句子）

Where I can find it（名词性从句）

注意：对于do、does和did等助动词，主语与助动词还原时，需要先把它们删掉，后面的动词依人称和时态作相应变化。

What did he write？（句子）

What he wrote（名词性从句）

How does he finish that？（句子）

How he finishes that（名词性从句）

注意：who、what、which（哪一个）为疑问代词，若在问句中作主语，变为名词性从句时，结构不变。

Who came here？（句子）

Who came here（名词性从句）

What happened last night？（句子）

What happened last night（名词性从句）

Which was bought？（句子）

Which was bought（名词性从句）

名词性从句有时候也可以省略成名词性短语，也相当于名词的作用。

Where we should meet him is not decided yet.

Where to meet him is not decided yet.

How we can handle the problem depends on your decision.

How to handle the problem depends on your decision.

名词性从句一般可以作主语、宾语、表语和同位语。

Whether he can do it is a problem.（作主语）

I did not believe what he said.（作宾语）

I am worried about whether she can do it.（作介词的宾语）

My job is that I should be responsible for this area.（作表语）

I have no idea when she will be back.（作同位语）

课堂练习1：请画出which和特殊疑问词引导的名词性从句

Every health system in an economically developed society is faced with the need to decide（either formally or informally）what proportion of the community's total resources should be spent on health-care；how resources are to be apportioned；what diseases and disabilities and which forms of treatment are to be given priority；which members of the community are to be given special consideration in respect of their health needs；and which forms of treatment are the most cost-effective.

参考答案：

Every health system in an economically developed society is faced with the need to decide（either formally or informally）what proportion of the community's total resources should be spent on health-care；how resources are to be apportioned；what diseases and disabilities and which forms of treatment are to be given priority；which members of the community are to be given special consideration in respect of their health needs；and which which forms of treatment are the most cost-effective.

课堂练习2：请画出特殊疑问词引导的名词性从句

While that made things hard for ancient Maya living in the south，it has also made things hard for modem archaeologists who have difficulty understanding why ancient droughts caused bigger problems in the wet south than in the dry north.

参考答案：

While that made things hard for ancient Maya living in the south，it has also made things hard for modem archaeologists who have difficulty understanding why ancient droughts caused bigger problems in the wet south than in the dry north.

课堂练习3：请画出名词性从句

Scientists felt that they could get an idea of how long the extinctions took by determining how long it took to deposit this one centimeter of clay and they thought they could determine the time it took to deposit the clay by determining the amount of the element iridium（Ir）it contained.

参考答案：

Scientists felt that they could get an idea of how long the extinctions took by determining how long it took to deposit this one centimeter of clay and they thought they could determine the time it took to deposit the clay by determining the amount of the element iridium（Ir）it contained.