介词四

介词短语(Prepositional Phrases) 

学习英文的年青人常常说, 文法这门功课是艰深而枯燥的, 我认为他们恐怕是针对英文的介词短语及其应用来说的.  有英文文法学者把 “介词” 编辑成一本书, 可见其应用真的是很广泛而多变化, 这对初学者是难以捉摸. 但我们若把它们与中国的成语应用来比较比较, 就会兴趣丛生 . 

     例如, 中国成语                                                                  英文的介词习惯用语

               “一针见血” 表示对某事做到恰到好处,        “to the point”

                “马到成功”  表示快速的完成.                          “with immediate success”

                “颠三倒四” 表示完全没有秩序.                    “in total disorder”  

介词短语是指由介词后接宾语构成的短语, 如:  in the room, at the station, on the desk, under the tree等. 

      例如,  We heard a strange sound in the room. (我们听到屋里有一种奇怪的声音.)

                An official at the station said the train would arrive late.

                    (火车站的一位官员说这列火车将晚点到达.) 

短语介词则是由短语构成的介词, ，如: according to, because of, in spite of, on behalf of, with reference to等. 

      例如,  He walked slowly because of his bad leg. (他因腿不方便而走得很慢.)

                According to the timetable, the train gets in at 8:27.

                    (根据行车时刻表，火车在8:27进站.)

                The legal guardian must act on behalf of the child.

                    (法定监护人应该维护这个孩子的利益.)

                In spite of these insults, she managed not to get angry.

                    (她尽管受到这些侮辱，还是忍着没发火.) 

短语介词, 如:“because of ” 仍是介词，像in, out, at, on等简单介词一样, 在句中只是虚词汇, 要加上宾语后才在句中发生效用, 作为描述名词, 或代名词的修饰语;  或作为描述动词, 或形容词, 或副词的修饰语.   若能把这点融会贯通, 介词就是你的知己, 供你使用, 一展你的所长, 写出美妙的英文作品.

     例如,  He is absent today because of his illness. 

                  (若只说  “He is absent today because of ” 这句子的意义就不完整.)

说明: “because of ” 是短语介词, 而这短语介词加上宾语“his illness” 才成为描述名词或代名词的修饰语.  因此  “because of his illness” 称为介词短语, 可借作为形容词及副词使用. 

介词短语的组成不只是包括介词及其宾语, 也包含在它们之间的其它修饰语. 

请问在下例句中 ‘介词短语’ 是什么?

       例如,   Mrs. Brenner spoke about a famous modern dancer.    

   提示:  “about”是介词, “dancer”是宾语, 它可以与一些它们之间的其它修饰语在一

            起, 如: “a famous modern”.  因此, 介词短语是介词, 宾语和它有关的修饰语的

            总称. 

介词短语可放置于句子的任何地方.

     例如,    From a great distance, one could see the snow-covered peak.

                  The top of the mountain was barely visible.

                  The mountain looked even more beautiful at close range. 

一个句子中可以有两个或以上的介词短语.  实际上, 一个介词短语可以跟随另一个介词短语之后. 

     例如,    At the top of the mountain, the east wind blew forcefully. 

介词短语的应用 

   1.  介词短语作描述名词或代名词的修饰语, 类似形容词.

        例如,  My aunt has hair of silver.

                   (我的舅母有银色的头发. 介词短语 ‘of silver’ 用如修饰 ‘hair’ .)

                   The herd of sheep obeys the determined dog.

                     (介词短语 ‘of sheep’描述 ‘herd’, 类似形容词)

                   The dog is the one with the fur.

                     (介词短语 ‘with the fur’ 描述宾语 ‘one’) 

2. 介词短语作描述动词, 形容词或副词的修饰语, 类似副词

         例如,    The injured man moved carefully. (要小心地搬动受伤者.)

                      The injured man moved with care.

                       (搬动受伤者需要细心. [‘with care’ 如副词 ‘carefully’ 作修饰动词用.]) 

        试辨明下列的有底下划线的修饰语是形容句中的那一个词汇?

           例如,  Let's meet there.  (修饰语 ‘there’ 形容动词 ‘meet’, 为副词.)

                      Let's meet outside the gate.

                      (介词短语‘outside the gate’ 当作动词 ‘meet’的修饰语. 类似副词)

                 The John has traveled to United Stated.

                 (介词短语‘to United Stated’ 形容动词 ‘has traveled’, 类似副词)

                Argentina is famous for its beef.  (阿根庭以她出产的牛肉著名.)

                 (介词短语 ‘for its beef ’ 修饰形容词 ‘famous’ , 类似副词)

                Spaniards dine late at night. (西班牙人正餐吃得很晚.)

                 (介词短语 ‘at night’ 修饰副词  ‘late’ , 类似副词)  

作业六十七 

试指出下列句中的介词短语, 并说明其所形容的词汇:

1. They visited the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York.

2. The materials on display in the museum had to do with writing tools.

3. In that year, the Ice Hockey Championship was held in Korea.

4. Later we went to Peijing for the Ski Championship.

5. During the World Cup competition, we traveled to Spain.

6. Taiwan is interesting in the spring.

7. Music festivals are common in Europe throughout the summer.