当看到一个名词修饰语时,应该习惯性的想想其修饰什么名词,然后检查是否紧跟有这名词。如果名词修饰语紧跟的是不同的名词,就会造成句意上的错误:
◆ Wrong: Jim biked along an old dirt road to get to his house, which cut through the woods.
在上面的例子中,which cut through the woods 句意上是修饰road ,但这种表达却让人误以为修饰house ,所以正确的应当将修饰语和road 相联:
◆ Right: To get to his house, Jim biked along an old dirt road, which cut through the woods.
我们再来看两个错误的例子:
◆ Wrong: Resigned to the bad news, there was no commotion in the office.
◆ Wrong: There was no commotion in the office, resigned to the bad news.
上面的错例中resigned to the bad news 应该修饰某人或某个组织,但是上面的句子中没有出现人,而resigned to the bad news 却像是修饰there 或the office ,所以上例可修改成:
◆ Right: Resigned to the bad news, the office workers made no commotion.
在GMAT考试中还常见用动词+ing 来作为句子开头,对于这种动名词依然需要一个句词来被其修饰。
◆ Wrong: Using the latest technology, the problem was identified.
◆ Wrong: The problem was identified, using the latest technology.
要改正这句就要插入一个实际使用technology的人,例如:
◆ Right: Using the latest technology, the engineer identified the problem.
同时还可以把using 放在名尾:
◆ Right: The engineer identified the problem, using the latest technology.
动名词作修饰语时不必和主语紧挨着,但主语必须有意义。同时我们要注意避免使用过长的修饰语来修饰相同的名词,用两个或以上的长修饰语就有可能显得冗余或句意上出现差错。
◆ Wrong: George Carlin, both shocking and entertaining audiences across the nation, who also struggled publicly with drug abuse, influenced and inspired a generation of comedians.
上例中who also struggled publicly with drug abuse应该紧跟着George Carlin而不是nation,而如果简单的把修饰语放在George Carlin的旁边又显得很冗余,所以更好的改法可以是:
◆ Better: Both shocking and entertaining audiences across the nation, George Carlin, who also struggled publicly with drug abuse, influenced and inspired a generation of comedians.
上面的写法虽然语法上正确但结构上有些冗余,我们再看个最好的写法:
◆ Best: Both shocking and entertaining audiences across the nation, George Carlin influenced and inspired a generation of comedians, even as he struggled publicly with drug abuse.
上面的修饰语:Both shocking and entertaining...很好的连接着主语George Carlin 并解释了how he influenced and inspired
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