absolute construction 1
問：We are less credulous than we used to be. In the nineteenth century, a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his readers with a series of coincidences – must of them wildly improbable. (New Concept English, Book 3, L.36)
在most of them 之後是否省略了連綴動詞are?
答：如果像你說的那樣, 在most of them 之後加上連綴動詞are, 那麼這個句子就變成錯句了。為什麼呢? 因為從形式上看它既不可能是對等子句(無對等連接詞), 也不可能是從屬子句(無從屬連接詞) 。而原文中的most of them wildly improbable 卻是正確的, 因為它是一個正確的格式—獨立結構(Absolute Construction) 。獨立結構的文法功用通常是充當句子的副詞。其特徵是: 有自己的邏輯主詞(如上句中的most of them) 並且和句子的主詞(如上句中的a novelist) 不一致。
從詞性看, 大致有如下幾類:
A. 名詞或代名詞+ 現在分詞
- Time (Weather) permitting, we shall start tomorrow. 如果時間(天氣) 允許的話, 我們將明天動身。
- Aluminium being very soft, we can press it easily into any shapes desired. 鋁很軟, 所以我們可以很容易地將它壓成所需要的任何形狀。
- The decision having been made, the next problem was how to make a good plan. 作出決定後, 下一個問題就是如何做出一個好的計畫。
B.名詞或代名詞+ 過去分詞
- The job finished, we went home straight away. 工作完成後, 我們就回家了。
- This sum added, we will have enough money for the trip. 如果加上這筆錢, 我們旅行的費用就足夠了。
C.名詞或代名詞+ 形容詞
- He entered the room, his nose re d with cold. 他走進屋來, 鼻子凍得紅紅的。
- He sat in the front row, his mouth half open… 他坐在前排, 半張著嘴⋯
你提問的句子便屬於這種類型(代名詞+ 形容詞) 。
D. 名詞或代名詞+ 副詞
- Dinner over, we decided to play bridge. 吃過飯後, 我們決定打橋牌。
- The meal over, prayers were read by Miss Miller. 飯後, 米勒小姐讀祈禱文。
E. 名詞或代名詞+ 介係詞片語
- In half an hour Delia came, her right hand in a bandage. (許國璋《英語》(二), p. 155) 半小時後, 迪莉婭回來了, 右手纏著繃帶。
- He went off, gun in hand. 他走了, 手中握著槍。
F. 名詞或代名詞+ 動詞不定詞
- I send you today three fourths of the sum agreed upon between us, the rest to follow within a month. 現寄上我們已商定的數額的四分之三, 餘數將在一個月之內寄去。
- A number of officials followed the emperor, some to hold his robe, others to adjust his girdle, and so on. 許多官員尾隨皇帝之後, 有的拎著皇帝的衣袍, 有的則給他整腰帶等。
- Here are the first two volumes, the third one to come out next month. 這兒是頭兩卷, 第三卷下月出書。
- The two parties should first reach an agreement on the basic principle, the details to be worked out later. 雙方首先應該就基本的原則性問題達成協議, 細節以後再訂。
absolute construction 2
問：The plane _________, its bombs exploding as it hit the ground.
A. smashed
B. crushed
C. plunged
D. crashed
(全國大學英語六級試題, 1996. 1 – 50)
答案為(D) crashed。但我不明白The plane crashed 與its bombs exploding 是個什麼關係。
答：這是一個帶獨立結構的句子。its bombs exploding 就是一個獨立結構, 對句子進行補充說明(它還帶有一個時間副詞子句: as it hit the ground) 。它是由名詞片語+ 現在分詞構成的。獨立結構是一個常考的項目, 必須熟練掌握:
(參見absolute construction1, being2, nominative absolute past participle construction, nominative absolute present participle construction, with4, 5, 8)