"before"用法ABC
高三课本第十五单元,INTER GATING SKILLS 和 WORKBOOK READING部分有如下的句子: ⒈The shop was successful,but it was about sixty years before people started to buy jeans for fashion as well as for work. ⒉However,it probably will not be long before the other mountainous areas of China such as Sichuan,Xinjiang and Yunnan are developed,and as more facilities become available,prices will almost certainly fall. 其中涉及到before的用法,下面就其用法进行总结。 一、可以用作介词 ⒈)指时间上早于,在……之前,如: She has lived here since before the war. 她从战前就一直在这儿住。 ⒉)指位置在前面,如: We knelt down before Grandma's grave. 我们在奶奶的墓前跪下。 ⒊)指顺序或排列在之前,如: Your name comes before mine on the list. 名单上你的名字在我之前。 ⒋)在某人面前,如: She said it before the witness. 他是当着证人的面说的。 二、作为连词 其基本含义是“在……之前”,又可以根据不同语境灵活翻译成“才”、“还没来得及就……”、“趁……”、“就”等。具体用法如下: ⒈)与情态动词can/could连用 这时候从句虽为肯定形式,根据汉语表达习惯译成“还没来得及就”,如: Before I could get in a word,he had measured me. 我还没来得及插话他就为我量好了尺寸。 Before she could move,she heard a loud noise,which grew to a terribl eroar. 她还没来得及迈步,就听见一声巨响,接着就是可怕的隆隆轰鸣。 ⒉)用于肯定句中强调主句所表达的时间,距离长,或花费的精力大,译成“才” We had sailed four days and four nights before we saw lands. 我们航行了四天四夜才看到陆地。 We waited a long time before the train arrived. 我们等了很长时间火车才到。 ⒊)用于否定句中,强调主句所表达的时间,距离短,或花费的精力小,译成“不到……就”如: We hadn't run a mile before he felt tired. 我们跑了还不到一英里他就累了。 ⒋)主句含有hardly,scarcely等半否定副词时可以译为“刚……就” 这时候主句应用过去完成时态,从句用过去时,还可以用when替代before如: We had scarcely reached the school before/when the bell rang. 我们刚到学校铃声就响了。 ⒌)有时还有“宁愿”的意思 I'd shoot myself before I apologized to him.我宁死也不向他道歉。 ⒍)用于It+be/take+时间段+before句型 在这一句型中又可以根据主从句的时态分成两种情况。 若主句是一般时将来时态,从句是一般现在时.若主句是肯定句意思是“要过多长时间才”;若主句是否定形式翻译成“用不了多久就”。 It will be two weeks before everything returns to normal. 两周之后一切才能恢复正常。 It will be many years before the situation improves. 这种状况或许要过许多年才能得以改善。 It won't be long before we meet again.用不了多久我们就会再见面的。 这时若主句是一般过去时从句也是一般过去时。若主句是肯定句翻译成“多长时间之后才”,若主句是否定形式翻译成“没过多久就”。如: It was some time before I realized the truth. 过了很长一段时间我才了解到真相。 It wasn't long before she became a brave solider. 没过多久她就成了一名勇敢的战士。 After that it still took seven years before they got married. 他们又过了七年才结婚。 注意:当主句的谓语动词为延续性动词时,before与until有时可以互换。It was an hour before/until the police arrived. ■巩固练习 ⒈(2004天津)It was evening ________ we reached the little town of Winchester. Athat B.until C.since D.before 2.(2004全国)Several weeks had gone by ________ realized the painting was missing. A.as B.before C.since D.when 3.(2005广东)The America Civil War lasted four years ______ the North won in the end. A.after B.before C.when D.then 4.(2005山东)It was some time _______ we realized the truth. A.when B.until C.since D.before 5.(2006四川)-Why didn't you tell him about the meeting? -He rushed out of the classroom _______ I could say a word. A.before B.until C.when D.after 6.(2006福建)-How long do you think it will be __ china sends a manned spaceship to the moon? -Perhaps two or three years. Awhen B.until C.that D.before 参考答案:DBBDAD |