定语从句在阅读理解中的考查

张顺均

定语从句是高中英语的重点语法之一。在复合句中，修饰名词或代词的从句叫定语从句。被修饰的名词或代词叫先行词。定语从句一般紧跟在它所修饰的先行词之后，但有时候它和先行词之间有可能插入其他成分，使它与先行词分隔开来。引导定语从句的词叫关系词，常见的关系词有that，which，who，whose，whom，as，where， when，why等。

在考查方面，多数出现在语法填空或短文改错题中，笔者发现，其实在阅读理解中也是经常考查的。根据答题依据定语从句在阅读理解中的考查分为三种情况：先行词、干扰项、定语从句本身。

一、先行词就是答案

【例1】（2008全国D）Ten healthy volunteers（志愿者）were given theobromine， codeine or placebo， a pill that contains no medicine， during the experiment.Neither the volunteers nor the researchers knew who received which pill. The researchers then measured levels of capsaicin， which is used in research to cause coughing and as a sign of how well the medicine are stopping coughs.

What was used in the experiment to cause coughing？

A. Theobromine. B. Codeine. C. Capsaicin. D. Placebo.

答案：C

解析：由定语从句“which is used in research to cause coughing and as a sign of how well the medicine are stopping coughs”及其先行词capsaicin可知，选C。

【例2】（2015全国I卷B）Delighted as I was by the tomatoes in sight， my happiness deepened when I learned that Browns Grove Farm is one of the suppliers for Jack Dusty， a newly opened restaurant at the Sarasota Ritz Carlton， where—luckily for me—I was planning to have dinner that very night.

What was the author going to do that evening？

A. Go to a farm. B. Check into a hotel.

C. Eat in a restaurant. D. Buy fresh vegetable

答案：C

解析：根据定语从句“where — luckily for me—I was planning to have dinner that very night”及其先行词a newly opened restaurant可知，答案是C。

【例3】（2016惠州4月模拟题D）Mini University PhD gets kids into the labs and art studios of the U of C， where they take part in programs such as The Scientist， where they learn about topics like mapping DNA and creating volcanoes.

If a student wants to know how to map DNA， he should attend______.

A. MRU kids B. The Scientist

C. Minds in Motion D. Einsteins Shampoo

答案：B

解析：根据定语从句“where they learn about topics like mapping DNA and creating volcanoes”及其先行词The Scientist可知，答案是B。

二、定语从句为答案的依据

【例1】（2011全国新课标C）The Tall Persons Club Great Britain（TPCGB），which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tall， has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants.

What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign？

A. To provide better services.

B. To rebuild hotels and restaurants.

C. To draw public attention to the needs of the tall.

D. To attract more people to become its members.

答案：C

解析：根据定语从句“which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tall，” 可知答案是C。

【例2】（2006全国A）Many years ago，when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver， I was driving to my parents home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station（加油站）about 50 miles from Oklahoma City， where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register（收款台），I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.

The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City________.

A. to visit a friend B. to see his parents

C. to pay at the cash register D. to have more gas for his car

答案：A

解析：根据“I stopped at a gas station（加油站）about 50 miles from Oklahoma City， where I was planning to stop and visit a friend.”中的定语从句“where I was planning to stop and visit a friend”可知答案为A。

【例3】（2016全国II卷B）Once I had a boy who worked experimentally with Tinkertoys in his free time. His constructions filled a shelf in the art classroom and a good part of his bedroom at home. I was delighted at the presence of such a student. Here was an exceptionally creative mind at work. His presence meant that I had an unexpected teaching assistant in class whose creativity would infect other students.

What do we know about the boy mentioned this paragraph？

A. He liked to help his teacher. B. He preferred to study alone.

C. He was active in class. D. He was imaginative.

答案：D

解析：根据句子“His presence meant that I had an unexpected teaching assistant in class whose creativity would infect other students”中的定语从句“whose creativity would infect other students （他的创造力可以感染别人）”可知答案是D。

三、定语从句为干扰项

定语从句是为了让读者更好地理解文段，但有时候却是混淆视听，干扰作答。这时只要去掉定语从句，答案就会直接出来。

【例1】（2010全国卷I卷D）It seems people feel more relaxed around pets， says Allen， who thinks it may be because pets dont judge.

According to Allen， why did the people do better with pets around when facing stressful tasks？

A. They have lower blood pressure.

B. They become more patient.

C. They are less nervous.

D. They are in higher spirits.

答案：C

解析：去掉定语从句“who thinks it may be because pets dont judge”后，根据“It seems people feel more relaxed around pets， says Allen”可以知道答案依据是more relaxed，故选less nervous。

【例2】（2011全国新课标C）Similarly， restaurant tables can cause no end of problems. Small tables， which mean the long-legged have to sit a foot or so away from them， are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.

What may happen to restaurants with small tables？

A. They may lose some customers.

B. They may start businesses elsewhere.

C. They have to find easy chairs to match the tables.

D. They have to provide enough space for the long-legged.

答案：A

解析：去掉定语从句“which mean the long-legged have to sit a foot or so away from them”，根据句子“Small tables are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere（小的桌椅使得顾客去别的地方）”可知答案是A，They may lose some customers.（他们会失去一些顾客）

综上所述，在阅读时要特别留意一下定语从句，说不定答案就在那里。这对于我们更好地完成阅读理解，提高准确率有很大的帮助。

责任编辑 蒋小青