作為語言使用的基本規(guī)則,語法一直是SAT的重要考察項(xiàng)目。雖然從2016年起,新SAT的語法考察方式發(fā)生了重大變化,但就所涉及的語法知識而言,與老SAT并沒有太大區(qū)別。如在涉及非謂語動詞這個(gè)語法點(diǎn)時(shí),邏輯主語依然是新SAT語法中的重要考點(diǎn)。
顧名思義,非謂語動詞的用法中不存在主謂結(jié)構(gòu),不能像謂語動詞一樣擁有直接的主語,但從邏輯上講,任何一個(gè)動作都必然要有執(zhí)行者或承受者,因此句中一定會有某成分能夠充當(dāng)非謂語動詞的邏輯上的主語。如例句:Walking in the street, he thinks a lot. 本句中的walking作為充當(dāng)伴隨狀語的現(xiàn)在分詞,不能像謂語動詞thinks一樣直接擁有主語he,但在邏輯上,能夠執(zhí)行walk這個(gè)動作的只有he,因此walking的邏輯主語就是he。換言之,這個(gè)例句完全可以寫成He walks in the street and he thinks a lot. 但兩個(gè)he并存未免顯得重復(fù)累贅(語言的簡潔同樣是新SAT語法的考點(diǎn)之一),所以出現(xiàn)了這樣的用法。
從上面的例子,我們不難得出一條簡單而重要的規(guī)則:非謂語動詞的邏輯主語就是主句的主語。對于這個(gè)知識點(diǎn)的考察在新SAT語法中屢見不鮮:
Visiting Paris two hundred years ago, the city would have looked very different.
A. NO CHANGE
B. Paris would have looked very different.
C. the difference in the city would be seen.
D. you would have seen a very different city.
本題中現(xiàn)在分詞visiting引導(dǎo)的短語是主句的狀語,主句的主語是the city。這樣一來,如果我們按照上述規(guī)則把題干還原成并列句(暫不考慮謂語動詞的語法變化),就會得到the city visit Paris的荒謬搭配。請自行腦補(bǔ)《復(fù)仇者聯(lián)盟2》里整座城市平地飛升的場面……語法的小船說翻就翻!顯然,按照語義,visit這個(gè)動作的執(zhí)行者只能是人,因此劃線的主句的主語也必須改為人,因此選擇D選項(xiàng)。
與上題中的現(xiàn)在分詞同理,過去分詞短語做狀語時(shí)同樣需要遵循“邏輯主語就是主句主語”的規(guī)則:
Named for its distinctive breeding call, the habitat of the boreal chorus frog ranges from northern Canada to the American Southwest.
A. NO CHANGE
B. the boreal chorus frog occupies a wide habitat that ranges from northern Canada to the American Southwest.
C. one can find the boreal chorus frog in a wide habitat that ranges from northern Canada to the American Southwest.
D. the area of northern Canada to the American Southwest forms the wide habitat of the boreal chorus frog.
我們按照規(guī)則把本題的題干還原成并列句,就會得到the habitat of the boreal chorus frog is named for its distinctive breeding call... 雖然habitat(棲息地)可以被named(命名),但breeding call(求偶召喚)這個(gè)奇怪的東西混進(jìn)來了……語法的小船說翻又翻!找遍全句,能夠在繁殖期滿世界喊“約不約”的非frog莫屬,因此選擇B選項(xiàng)。
總而言之,同學(xué)們一旦發(fā)現(xiàn)新SAT語法所考的句子中存在分詞短語做狀語的用法,只需根據(jù)主句為分詞添加主語,把題干還原成并列句,判讀是否合理,如不合理則根據(jù)語義添加或在句中尋找正確的邏輯主語,問題自然迎刃而解。