所谓的倒装结构,指的是谓语的一部分或全部放在了主语的前面,最简单的倒装结构就是疑问句,比如,Could—fatal loophole in the dilemma—the theories themselves be symptoms of a universal stupefaction?倒装的目的是要强调所提前的成分.中国学生由于不太习惯于看到谓语放在主语前的位置,可能会对理解造成障碍.处理方法其实也很简单,就是把倒装还原为正常的语序去理解就好了.
3.3.1 部分倒装
倒装分为部分倒装和完全倒装.部分倒装指的是部分谓语,尤其是助动词,情态动词或系动词等,放在了主语的前面.一般含有否定意义的词,例如,little、never、not、not only、no、hardly、rarely、seldom、nor,或表示强调的情况,会被放在句首, 并把那些助动词,情态动词或系动词等同时补充或提前,产生部分倒装.
例 1.
Not only could Smith identify rock strata by the fossils they contained,he could also see a pattern emerging: certain fossils always appear in more ancient sediments, while others begin to be seen as the strata become more recent.
【解析】
该句中因为开始出现了否定意义上的词组 not only,且出现了助动词 could 在主语 Smith 之前的位置.故为倒装结构.
【处理】
直接还原为正常的语序,然后理解就好.该句还原为:Smith could not only identify rock strata by the fossils they contained, he could also see a pattern emerging: certain fossils always appear in more ancient sediments,while others begin to be seen as the strata become more recent.
例 2.
Not until the eighteenth century, however, did such banks as the Bank of Amsterdam and the Bank of England begin to provide capital for business investment.
【解析】
该句中因为开始出现了否定意义上的词组 Not until the eighteenth century,且出现了助动词 did 在主语 such banks 之前的位置.故为倒装结构.
【处理】
直接还原为正常的语序,然后理解就好.该句还原为:Not until the eighteenth century, however, such banks as the Bank of Amsterdam and the Bank of England began to provide capital for business investment.
例 3.
So ordinary and routine has this become to us that it takes a determined leap of the imagination to grasp the impact of those first moving images.
【解析】
该句中因为开始出现了强调意义上的词组 So ordinary and routine(so„that„结构),且出现了助动词 has 在主语 this 之前的位置.故为倒装结构.
【处理】
直接还原为正常的语序,然后理解就好.该句还原为:This has become so ordinary and routine to us that it takes a determined leap of the imagination to grasp the impact of those first moving images.
3.3.2 完全倒装
完全倒装指的是整个谓语部分放在主语之前,尤其是要强调表示时间、地点的词或短语,例如,now、then、here、there、in the center 等.
例 1.
The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and in the process are drawing down the entire region’s water supplies.
【解析】
该句中因为开始出现了时间意义上的词组 in the process,且所有的谓语 in the process are drawing down 在主语 the entire region’s water supplies 之前的位置.故为倒装结构.
【处理】
直接还原为正常的语序,然后理解就好.该句还原为:The incentive of the farmers who wish to conserve water is reduced by their knowledge that many of their neighbors are profiting by using great amounts of water, and the entire region’s water supplies are drawing down in the process.
