巧用无灵主语，让续写更灵动

2023-08-19广东李奕群

疯狂英语·新悦读 2023年7期

广东李奕群

【问题导读】

思维决定语言的表达，语言映射出情境和文化。在中文表达中，我们很自然地用表示人的概念的名词或人称代词充当主语。这样的语言思维也迁移到了我们的英文表达中，除了被动语态，我们经常忽略使用其他无生命的名词作主语。其实，在英文表达中，主语并非总是由人或有生命的事物与行为动词结合，使用无灵主语搭配有灵动词写出的句子更能彰显中西方在文化和思维方式等方面的差异。

【名师导学】

英语中的无灵主语句是英语书面语中常见的一种典型句式和独特的语言现象。它是指用无生命的事物作主语，如：抽象概念、心理感受、事物名称或时间地点等，但谓语却常常使用有灵动词——人或社会团体的动作和行为，这类句子常带有拟人化的修辞色彩。

使用“无灵主语+有灵动词”的句子结构的好处：

1.增加主语多样性，丰富句型。

2.使语言更生动，句子瞬间充满生命力。

3.减少人称代词的使用，增加表达的客观性。

4.在文学作品中使用该表达方式会给人一种庄重、典雅的感觉。

【案例导引】

阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

Armed with two over-packed suitcases, we arrived at the airport just in time for my flight.“Well, here we are, the airport,”my sister said with a sigh.As I watched her unload my luggage, I could see that the sadness took hold of her.This was not easy for her either.After one last hug and a final good-bye,I would be on my way to a new life abroad,leaving my beloved sister behind.

All my life I had loved airports.To me, they were some kind of magic gateway to the world, a place from which to start great holidays and adventures.But today cold and heartlessness ruled it.I felt like my best friend had just been taken away from me.Growing up,my sister and I would do everything together.Born barely fifteen months apart, we not only looked alike, but we were alike.That same mix of curiosity and fear of all things unknown grew deeply inside us.One sunny summer day,I was playing outside on the grass when she came up to me and said,“Want to go to the attic (阁楼)?”We both knew that the answer to that question was always“Yes”.We were frightened of the attic, but its smells and sounds amazed us.Whenever one of us needed something, the other one would come along.Together we would fight the life-size spiders and battle through many boxes until we found what we needed.Over time,the visits to the attic became less scary.Eventually,there came a time when we would go by ourselves,but my sister and I stayed as close as ever.

When the time came for us to go to college, we went together for everything.My parents were pleased because that way we could keep an eye on each other and of course report back on what the other one was up to.Those happy days witnessed our friendship, but now our college days were over and I was off to a foreign country.All I had left were my memories.Courage deserted me.

注意：续写词数应为150左右。

Paragraph 1:

“You'd better go,or you'll miss your flight,”she said with tears filling her eyes._______

___________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

Immediately I recognized my sister's handwriting in the diary.____________________

___________________________________________________

一、故事梳理

这篇文章是以第一人称视角讲述“我”要出国开始新生活，不得不与姐姐分开的故事。“我们”从小一起长大，一起经历了很多，都非常舍不得对方。我们可以用“STAR原则”来分析文章的结构和内容：

S(situation)T(target)___A(action)___R(result)I would be on my way to a new life abroad, leaving my beloved sister behind.It was______________not easy for her and me.My sister and I accompanied each other for many years,which witnessed our friend-______________ship.My sister saw me off at the airport._________________________________________?___________________________________________________________________

二、语言分析

通过观察我们发现原文中使用了大量的无灵主语句。例如：

1.I could see that the sadness took hold of her.（Para.1）

我看见她充满了悲伤。

2.But today cold and heartlessness ruled it.（Para.2）

但是今天它却是寒冷、无情的。

3.That same mix of curiosity and fear of all things unknown grew deeply inside us.（Para.2）

对所有未知事物的好奇和恐惧交织在一起，在我们内心深处生长。

4.We were frightened of the attic,but its smells and sounds amazed us.（Para.2）

我们很害怕这个阁楼，但是它的味道和声音又让我们好奇。

5.Those happy days witnessed our friendship.（Para.3）

那些快乐的时光见证了我们的友谊。

6.Courage deserted me.（Para.3）

我失去了勇气。

三、常用招式

经常使用“无灵主语+有灵动词”的句子结构的情况：

1.主语是表示情感状态等的抽象名词或名词短语

常搭配的谓语动词有seize、choke、flood、creep、grip、give way to等。例如：

Panic seized her.

她感到惊恐。

Despair choked her words.

她绝望得说不出话来。

A great sense of relief flooded over him.

他感到如释重负。

Fear slowly creeped up on her.

她慢慢感到恐惧起来。

2.主语是表示地点或时间含义的名词或名词短语

常搭配的谓语动词有witness、find、see、boast等。例如：

The past 30 years have witnessed great changes in China.

过去的30年见证了中国巨大的变化。

The following year saw the death of his mother.

第二年，他的妈妈去世了。

The town boasts a beautiful lake.

这个镇引以为荣的是有个美丽的湖。

3.主语是表示自然现象等的名词或名词短语

常搭配的谓语动词有blanket、come、bring、prevent、strike、hit、threaten等。例如：

The thick fog blanketed the field.

浓雾笼罩着整个大地。

An earthquake came like a thief in the night,without warning.

地震到来，犹如夜贼，不做预告。

The rain prevented tourists from enjoying the full moon.

雨使得游客无法欣赏到满月。

4.主语是表示身体部位或音容的名词或名词短语

常搭配的谓语动词有light up、brighten、linger、well up、fail、flash等。例如：

Her face lit up/brightened when I gave her the present.

我给她礼物时，她的脸上焕发出了光彩。

Laughter lingered around the room.

笑声在房间里萦绕。

When he saw the familiar handwriting,tears welled up in his eyes.

他一看到熟悉的字迹，便热泪盈眶。

5.主语是表示思想或行为动作的名词或名词短语

常搭配的谓语动词有strike、arouse、remind、delight、frighten、stun、overwhelm 等。

例如：

A terrible thought suddenly struck me.

我突然有一个可怕的想法。

The sight of the scene filled me with horror.

看到这一幕，我心中充满了恐惧。

【参考范文】

（画波浪线部分使用了无灵主语句。）

Paragraph 1:

“You'd better go,or you'll miss your flight,”she said with tears filling her eyes.“I'll miss you,”I replied,and with those last words,I was off.As I settled into my chair,loneliness ruled the room and a feeling of sadness overwhelmed me.I opened my bag to find some tissues and then I saw an unfamiliar thing in it.It was a diary! The key had been carefully placed in the lock,so I opened it.

Paragraph 2:

Immediately I recognized my sister's handwriting in the diary.“Hi Sis, what a day it is...”When I saw the familiar handwriting, tears welled up in my eyes.My sister had been keeping a diary for the past months and she was now passing it on to me.I was to write in it for the next couple of months and then send it back to her.The discovery of the diary filled me with surprise and the thought that she was going to be around me forever gave me the strength to go for a bright future in a foreign country.

【模拟导练】

阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

“How many players are required for playing the match? What does the goalkeeper do...”Mack asked while watching a soccer match on television.These simple questions made his parents sense his interest in sports.

“Mom, I want a soccer uniform.I'll go out wearing it and have fun in playing soccer with my friends,”he begged his mother.He is a naughty,disobedient(不顺从的)little boy.Whatever he desires,he demands that his parents purchase it in a second.

“OK,”said his mother.“Such uniforms are not generally available.We will get you one shortly,but you need to have patience.”

Mack kept thinking about the uniform and imagining the joy of playing with his friends.The days were passing, but there was no response from his parents.He felt disappointed.He is a very stubborn and disobedient son who never tries to know the circumstances or gives up his idea.He kept thinking about how to achieve his dream of having a soccer uniform as early as possible.Then he came up with a great idea—he could paint one of his uniforms while his mother was busy working.At first, he worried that his mother might discover and scold him.But finally,he made up his mind to paint.

One day,as usual,Mack's mother got a very full schedule and it would be a few hours before she could spare time to stay with him.She asked Mack to play with his toys until then.Wanting to keep his mother away for a few hours as well,Mack obeyed pleasantly.

In his room, Mack picked up one of his uniforms and started painting.He first drew a circle with the help of a bowl and then developed it into a soccer image.During the whole process, he took care to avoid the spread of color onto the other side of the uniform.After quite a long time, he finished painting a colorful soccer showing the national flag on his school uniform.It was a remarkable piece of work.

注意：续写词数应为150左右。

Paragraph 1:

There was no disturbance by Mack for a long time,which drew his mother's attention.

___________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

“It's OK,”said the mother.________________________________________________

___________________________________________________