指示代詞This與That的前指與後指
關於指示代詞this與that的前指與後指,請注意以下兩點:
1. 如果是前指(即廻指前文提到的事情),可用that或this。如:
She married Jim, and this [that] surprised me. 她嫁給了吉姆,這使我感到很喫驚。
John had a bad cold. That [This] was why he didn't turn up. 約翰患了重感冒,這(那)就是他沒有來的原因。
The kids would answer back and that [this] drove her crazy. 孩子們會頂嘴,把她逼瘋。
We laughed and that [this] helped ease the tension. 我們笑了,因而使緊張的情緒緩和下來。
They offered me free accommodation for a year, and that [this] decided me. 他們願意免費爲我提供一年的住宿,這就使我下定了決心。
It was always said of the Princess that she had the common touch and that [this] was why she was so well loved by the people. 人人都說王妃平易近人,也正是因爲這一點她才會如此深受民衆(zhòng)的愛戴。
注:廻指上文的 that 在譯成漢語時,通常也譯爲“這”。如:
That's where you are wrong. 這就是你不對的地方。
2. 如果是後指(即指後文敘述的事情),則通常衹用 this。如:
I want to know this: is he healthy? 我想知道這一點:他是否很健康。
Answer me this: how did they know we were here? 廻答我這個問題:他們怎麼知道我們在這兒?
The challenge for American leadership is this: Can we put our economic house in order? 美國領導層麪臨的挑戰(zhàn)是:我們能否処理好自己的經(jīng)濟問題?