八、定语从句中关系词的省略
在限制性定语从句中,在下列情况下,关系词通常省略:
A. 关系代词作动词的宾语:
The doctor (that/whom) I consulted gave me some useful advice.我向医生请教,他给我一些有用的忠告。
He walked five miles to return a penny (that/which) he'd over charged a customer.他走了五里路,把多收了顾客的一便士退回。
B.关系代词作介词的宾语,并且不直接处在介词之后时:
It's the kind of story (which/that) we think of as myth. 这类故事我们认为是神话。
Science is playing more and more important role in the society (which ) we live in. 科学在我们生活的社会中起着越来越重要的作用。（cf. ... in the society in which we live.）
C. 关系代词作以there be 形式出现的定语从句的主语时:
These are the only books (that) there are on this subject in our li-brary. 我们图书馆关于这个问题的书,全都在这里了。
This is the fastest train (that) there is to London. 这是到伦敦的最快的火车。
D.在修饰there be 句主语的定语从句中,关系代词作主语时:
There's somebody at the door (that) wants to see you. 门口有人要见你。
There was a Mr. Johnson (who) called to see you this morning . 有一个叫Johnson先生的今天早上打电话来说要见你。
E.关系代词作be 的表语,且先行词是特指时,关系代词通常用that(不用who或which)或省略:
He doesn't seem to be the man (that) he was ten years ago. 他看起来已经不是十年前的样子了。
The modern aeroplane is not the machine (that) it was when first invented. 现代飞机已不是最先发明时的那种样子了。
She was not the cheerful woman (that) she was before she married.她已经不是结婚前的那个漂亮女人了。
但如果先行词是泛指时,关系代词通常用which,且不省略:
Even if John were a millionaire which he was not,he would not use a farthing of his wealth to benefit the people. 即使约翰是个百万富翁,他也不会用他的一分钱去做有益于人民的事。而他并不是百万富翁。
He looked like a lawyer which he was.他像个律师,而他也的确是个律师。
九、复合定语从句
1.复合定语从句是这样的一种定语从句,它由which， that， who, whose， whom 引导,包含I think， I am sure， he believe， 之类表示看法的结构和另一名词性分句。例:I can't find the book which you believed I would like. 你以为我会喜欢的那本书我找不到。(复合定语从句由which引导,包含you lieved和I would like。
在其它定语从句中,关系词作主语时是不能省略的,例如以下句子中的which不能省略:
Finally， in 1903， he built a car which was fast enough to race a-gainst other cars. 1903年,他终于造出了一辆汽车,这辆汽车速度之快,足可以与其它汽车一争高下。
但在复合定语从句中,当关系词作名词性分句的主语时,却常常省略:
Finally， in 1903， he built a car （which） he believed was fast e-nough to race against other cars.
He had been checking a farmhouse half a mile away from the Van Metre home， a farmhouse he thought was empty.他一直在检查离范梅特尔家半英里的一个农庄,这农庄他以为是空的。
I've climbed mountains by routes the guide said were impossible.我爬过一些山,所走的路向导说是不可能走的。
在很正式的英语中,关系词作主语时仍不可省去:
Armed with such a prercept ， a number of doctors may slip into deceptive practices that they assume will “do no harm” and may well help their patients.有了这样一个指导原则,一些医生可能渐渐习惯于采用他们认为对病人很可能有益而“无害”的骗人的做法。
It was a discovery that scientist said could alter their theories about life's earliest beginnings. 那是一项科学家们说会改变其有关生命最早起源的理论的发现。 关系词也可以在名词性that 分句中作动词的宾语或介词的宾语,在这种情况下，关系词也常常省略;当然,关系词紧跟介词之后时不能省略。例:
My parents often told me stories( which ) I believed they had learned form my grandparents. 父母常常给我讲的故事,我相信这些故事是他们从祖父母那里听来的。(which作had learned的宾语。)
She decided to send him books which she thought he would be interested in.她决定送他一些书,在她看来他会对这些书感兴趣的。(which作in的宾语。)
She is married to the man to whom she says she owes a GREat deal.她嫁给了那男子,她说她欠他很多。(whom后紧接介词to之后,不能省略。)
2.复合定语从句也有所谓限制性和非限制性之分, 以上各例句中的复合定语从句都是限制的,以下是包含有非限制性定语从句的例子,注意关系词在非限制性定语从句中不能省略:
They spent much time studying a lot of grammar rules， which their teacher said were of vital importance in learning English. 他们花很多时间学习语法规则,他们的老师说这些规则对于英语学习至关重要。
They began to drink the wine， which they found tasted sweet.他们开始喝酒,他们发现这酒喝起来真甜。
3.从以上例子我们看到:复合定语从句本身是一个包含了名词性that分句的复合结构,这个名词性that分句在复结构中可作:a.宾语;b.形容词的补语;c.同位语。 注意在关系词不作从句主语的情况下,连词that可能出现; 而关系词作从句主语的情况下,that不能出现:
a. We will study the papers which Keefer says(that)they will send us . 基佛说他们会把文他们会把文件送我们,我们将研究这些文件。(that they will send us 作 says 的宾语。)
b.I've got a novel that I am sure will interest you.我得到一本小说,我肯定:你会对它感兴趣的。(will interest you 作 sure 的补语,关系词 that 作will interest you 的主语。不能说:I've got a novel that I am sure that will interest you.)
They pointed out(A) the damage which(B) they supposed that(C) had been(D) done by last night's storm. （1997 考研,第13题）
C错,应去掉that。 他们指出了他们认为是昨夜的风暴造成的破坏。
They announces that their product never contains any inGREdients which there is no reason that it should contain. 他们宣称:他们的产品绝不含不应有的成分。(that it should contain 作 reason 的同位语。)
4.下面句子中的定语从句不是复合定语从句,有人称之为“双重限制”( double restriction)。在“双重限制”中,后一个定语从句修饰“先行词+第一个定语从句。”例:
Can you mention anyone that we know who is so talented as he 你能提一位我们认识的,像他一样有才能的人吗?(第一个定语从句 that we know 的先行词是anyone，第二个定语从句who is so talented as he 的先行词是 anyone that we know)
5.我们知道,what 可以引导一个名词性从句,这个名词性从句在意义上相当于一个带定语从句的名词词组,但是它没有先行词,这一点与定语从句不同。例: A girl tends to do what her parents ask her to do.(=A girl tends to do the things which her parents ask her to do.)女孩倾向于干父母要她干的事。
这里要指出的是:what之后也常出现 we think， he considers之类的表示看法的结构,它们可以看作插入语。这一用法和复合定语从句十分相似:
The people came out of the city singing and dancing and offering thanks to the gods for what they imagined was their deliverance.人们蜂拥出城,载歌载舞,他们感谢众神,认为是众神解救了他们。
We had been famous for our honesty for something like eleven centuries， even when we had been for the wealthiest family in what we like to think was the world.我们以诚实著称,大约 11个世纪以来,在这个我们乐意称为世界的地方,我们一直以诚实著称,甚至当我们的家族最富裕的时候也是如此。
十、同位语从句与定语从句
注意区别同位语从句与定语从句。在同位语从句中,引导词不作句子成份; 同位语从句的先行词通常是fact， idea， evidence， news， hope， suggestion 或 probability， certainty 等:
Evidence came up________ specific speech sounds are recognized by babies as young as 6 months old.
A） what B） which C） that D） whose
出现了证据:出生仅6个月的婴儿就能辨别一定的语音。（B4，1991.6-63，C对。that specific speech sounds 是evidence的同位语从句。）
The mere fact________most people believe nuclear war would be madness does not mean that it will not occur.
A)what B)which C)that D)why
大多数人认为核战争简直就是疯狂，仅仅这一事实并不意味着不会发生核战争。（B4，1997.6-53，C对。）
