定语从句是大学英语四级考试中测试的重点项目之一，笔者近来对大学英语考试样题、曝光试题及其它相关试题进行了研究。本文主要以四级考试样题和真题为例，将英语定语从句归纳为五大类型，这五大类型既是《大学英语教学大纲》中规定的学习重点，也是四级考试的重点，学生应熟练掌握。 1．由单个关系代词和关系副词引导的定语从句 定语从句可由单个的关系代词that， which，who，whom，whose和单个的关系副词 when，where，why来引导。在四级考试中，往往测试考生正确选用这类定语从句的关系词的能力，有时也测试考生对整个定语从句结构的认识或运用能力。例如： 1）all _____is a continuous supply of the basic necessities of life．（cet-4，90．1） a）what is needed b）for our needs c）the thing needed d）that is needed 【简析】修饰all或其它指物的不定代词（如：anything，something，nothing等）的定语从句宜用that引导。 2）jack is the most intelligent man _____ i’ve ever met． a）that b）what c）whom d）who 【简析】当先行词被形容词最高级或序数词所修饰时，定语从句用that引导。 3）alva found a place in the cellar _____ he usedas his first laboratory． a）which b）where c）such d）the same 【简析】which引导定语从句，修饰place，为从句的宾语，故不选用where。 4）edward is the boy_____i think scored the winning points for the basketball team． a）whom b）which c）that d）who 【简析】who引导一个嵌入式定语从句： who scored ．．．for the basketball team．该从句既修饰先行词（the boy），同时又嵌入在另一主谓结构（i think）之中作宾语。由于关系词指人，又在从句中起主语作用，故应选用who。 5）there will come a day_____all the people in the world will live a happy life under the sun of socialism． a）whenb）wherec）whyd）the moment 【简析】when引导定语从句，修饰时间名词。 6）beer is the most popular drink among male drinkers， _____overall consumption is significantly higher than that of women．（cet-4，2000．6）
a）whose b）which c）that d）what 【简析】whose引导非限制性定语从句，在从句中作定语修饰overall consumption。整个定语从句修饰male drinkers。 2．由"介词＋关系代词"引导的定语从句 "prep．＋which ／whom ／whose引导的定语从句是英语中的普通现象，十分常见。四级考试往往测试学生正确选用这类定语从句中与关系词搭配的介词的能力，同时也测试学生正确选用这类定语从句中关系词的能力。介词的选用与上下文有密切关系，或与其前面的名词词组的搭配有关，或与其后面的动 词或形容词的搭配有关。关系词的选用与它代表的先行词和它在从句中的语法功能有关。在解答这类选择题时，应注意到上述关系。例如： 1）there was a teapot fashioned like a china duck，out of_____open mouth the tea was supposed to come．（cet-4，sample） a）which b）its c）that d）whose 【简析】此题逗号后为"复杂介词out of ＋whose"引导的非限制性定语从句。之所以选用whose是由于它与形容词open一起作定语，修饰mouth。 2）the goals_____he had fought all his life no longer seemed important to him．（cet-4，90．1）