被动语态在JEFC教材中直到第三册Unit 16—Unit 18(Lesson 61—Lesson 72)中才作为语法项目进行专 门训练, 并经过整整三个单元共12课才能完成这一知识点的教学,可见被动语态的难度。
以上三个单元12课出现的有关被动语态的语言知识可归结如下:
1.从时态上说,出现了一般现在时和一般过去时中的被动语态,如:
It's used for cutting.
It's was made in China.
2.从句式上说,出现了陈述句、一般疑问句、特殊疑问句中的被动语态,如:
English is spoken by many people.
Were they built in 1860?
What's it made of?
When was it founded?
Where's tea grown?
3.例句中出现的动词(或词组)有:
to be dug/founded /grown /harvested /kept /knocked /looked after/made [of]/picked/p lanted /produced /pusheddown/spoken/tied to/used [for]/watered
4.依据教材内容句子结构可以达到这样的复杂程度:It will beused as a tool by people in the wo rld in some days. 格式是:主语+情态动词+加be动词+过去分词+as/for 表示功用+动作执行者+方位 状语+时间状语。这一格式中某些成分可以省略或移位。
JEFC教材主要根据功能派的教学原则编写,提倡通过不同的教学方式,运用多种教学媒体,创设具体语境 ,全方位地培养学生的语言能力。与传统教材相比,淡化了语言知识的教学。这无疑是先进的,但也并非是完 美的。就被动语态知识而言,以上所述的三个单元12课中有关被动语态的知识就不是很完整。所以我们以为, 使用JEFC教材教学被动语态,至少应在以下两方面进行必要的补充:
一、在指导学生操练时,教师应有意识地结合学生已学知识,将被动语态与时态结合起来,通过替换练习 ,使学生掌握被动语态在各种时态中的变换形式。现以动词make为例,联系学生已学过的八种时态,应该让学 生熟悉并操练如下句型:
(1)…is/am/are made… (一般现在时)
(2)…is/am/are being made… (现在进行时)
(3)…has/have been made… (现在完成时)
(4)…was/were made… (一般过去时)
(5)…was/were being made… (过去进行时)
(6)…had/been made… (过去完成时)
(7)…will/shall be made… (一般将来时)
(8)…would be made… (过去将来时)
进行以上各种时态变换操练时又应注意如下几点:
1.例句由易到难,由简单到复杂。仍以动词make为例:
It was made.
It was made by Wang Lin.
It was made for Tom.
It was made in China.
It was made in 1990.
It was made by Wang Lin in China.
It was made by Wang Lin in China in 1990.
It was made for Tom by Wang Lin in China in 1990.
在此基础上,进行两种变换练习:一是变一般过去时为其它各种不同的时态(句子在表达上也须作相应的 修改),使句子在不同时态之间转换。二是将句子在肯定——否定,陈述——疑问之间转换,比如:
The letter has been finished.
The letter has not been finished.
Has the letter been finished?
2.在教(7)(8)两种时态(一般将来时、过去将来时)的过程中,教会学生使用带情态动词的被动结构 和带不定式的被动结构,即结合will/shall/would be+(p. p)结构,教会学生掌握…can/may /must/ should/has to/have to/to be going to+be+(p.p. )…结构,以及各种结构的变换方式。如:
It will be given to him.
The building shall be founded next year.
Apples cannot be kept for a long time.
The baby must be looked after carefully.
This problem should be resolved as soon as possible.
The dog has to be killed.
Many trees are going to be planted here.
……
3.学生在使用进行时的被动结构,经常忘记其中的being一词。 比如The house is being built. /He
was being beaten by hisfather.学生往往说成The house is built. /He was beaten by hisfather . 对此必须让学生反复练习现在进行时和过去进行时中的被动语态的用法,不能疏忽忘了being一词。
4.在进行各种各样的替换练习时,应该注重大量的动词(包括固定的动词词组)替换练习。除了Unit 16— Unit 18中出现的dug/found/grow/harvest/keep/knock/look after/make/pick /plant/produce /push down/speak/tie/use/water外, 还须选用其它大量的常用动词及动词词组,恕不一一列举。
二、针对学生学习被动语态时最易出现的错误,进行英汉对比,反复练习。在多年的初中英语教学实践中 ,我们觉得初中生学习英语被动语态最易出现的错误是,在很多该用被动语态的地方没有用。比如学生经常说 出这样的句子:The classroom has cleaned. The gas hasused up.这是因为汉语被字句的使用频率很低 ,学生习惯于“教室打扫干净了。”、“汽油用完了。”等的无形式标记被动句的表达法,对译成英语,也就 忘了该用被动语态。深一层的原因是汉语史上被字句一般用来表示不愉快或遗憾的事情。比如人们一般问:“ 教师表扬(你)了没有?”而不大说:“你被老师表扬了没有?”一般说:“(我)又被老师批评了。”而不 大说:“老师又批评我了。”(这句话的意思似乎是老师批评得不合适。)再如:“蛋糕被猫吃掉了。”(隐 含义是蛋糕本来是我们要吃的。)当然,随着本世纪以来汉语欧化句式的大量涌现,被字句的使用频率大大增 加,许多场合的被字句也并不表示不愉快,“我被老师表扬了。”一类句子也到处使用。但与英语相比,汉语 中的被字句出现频率仍低了很多。另一方面,汉语中存在的大量无形式标记被动句,如果译成英语则必须用被 动语态,但学生往往忘了使用被动语态,这是初中学生学习英语被动句时最易出现的错误。比如“信写完了。 ”,学生常译成The letter has written. “门锁上了”。 常译成The door has locked up.对此,必须设计 具体的语境, 通过大量的英汉对比翻译,反复操练,才能加深理解。比如:
教室打扫干净了。
The classroom has been cleaned.
树种好了。
The trees have been planted.
杯子打破了。
The cup was broken.
汽车撞坏了。
The car was broken.
书他拿走了。
The book has been taken away by him.
协议通过了。
The agreement has been adopted.
米吃光了。
The rice has been eaten up.
……
还有,汉语中有的被动句的形式标记不是“被”字,而是“让”、“给”、“叫”、“受”、“遭”、“ 为…所…”等,也必须提醒学生注意。比如:
那只狗叫他们给杀了。
The dog was killed by them.
小偷让警察抓去了。
The thief was captured by a policeman.
鞋子给扔了。
The shoes have been thrown away.
他遭了父亲一顿打。
He was beaten by his father.
我们为那部电影所感动。
We were moved by that film.
反过来说,英语中许多习惯于用被动语态的场合,汉语是不用被动句来表述的,这也必须拿出来教给学生 。比如:
(1)据说,据报道:It was said /reported that John wonthe game.
(2)不明或不必说出动作执行者:
We have not been told about it.
Such books are written for children.
(3)出于礼貌的表达方式:
You are invited to the birthday party.
It is thought not OK to act that way.
以上有关被动句的两个方面的内容,在JEFC教材中,均没有很好得到体现,我们以为应该加以补充。当然 ,在具体的教学过程中,不必化费很多时间和精力去作知识性的讲解。有关英语被动语态在不同时态中的变换 形式、汉语无形式标记被动句的英语对译、英汉两种语言在被动上的表达差异等等,都只应点到为止。主要的 精力应投入到设计具体语境、造大量句子、进行频繁的句式转换训练和替换训练,让学生在实际语言运用中感 知语言知识,培养语言能力。这种做法与JEFC教材的编写意图应该也是相符的。
注:本文一些引例出自张道真《实用英语语法》。