where的特殊用法

先请看下面几道高考试题：

1. (天津卷) Those successful deaf dancers think that dancing is an activity_________sight matters more than hearing.

A. when

B. whose

C. which

D. where

2. (江西卷) After graduation she reached a point in her career_________she needed to decide what to do.

A. that

B. what

C. which

D. where

3. (陕西卷) Today, we’ll discuss a number of cases_________beginners of English fail to use the language properly.

A. which

B. as

C. why

D. where

解析：答案分别为：1. D2. D3. D上述三道考题均考查了where引导的定语从句，只是该从句的先行词并不是我们常见的表示地点的名词如place, room, house, street, area等，而是activity, point, case等。命题者正是通过这一类特殊的先行词来迷惑考生，使考生误选that或which。近年来高考对where的考查趋于复杂化，从先行词为明显的“地点”转变为“模糊的地点”，对此应引起同学们的注意。

再看下列考题：

1. (2006山东卷) We’re just trying to reach a point_________both sides will sit down together and talk.

A. where

B. that

C. when

D. which

解析：答案为A。本题的先行词为point，它表示抽象的地点且在定语从句中作地点状语，因此应填where。如果考生只知道point表示“点、分数”，不熟悉它也可以表示抽象的地点，极易造成误选。

2. (2005上海卷) If a shop has chairs_________women can park their men, women will spend more time in the shop.

A. that

B. which

C. when

D. where

解析：本题的句意是：“商店如果有椅子，女士们可以让男士们坐在椅子上”，即women can park their men in / on the chairs，所选引导词在定语从句中应该作地点状语，故选D。

3. (2004湖南卷) I work in a business_________almost everyone is waiting for a great chance.

A. how

B. which

C. where

D. that

解析：先行词是表地点的a business（商业机构，公司），从句中的谓语动词is waiting for后有宾语a great chance，所以需要填入where或in which，故选C。

4. (2004全国卷Ⅱ) There were dirty marks on her trousers_________she had wiped her hands.

A. where

B. which

C. when

D. that

解析：答案为A。本题的先行词是trousers，从句中缺少状语，不缺主语和宾语，所以用关系副词引导定语从句。句意为“在她擦手的裤子上有污迹”。

此外，when引导定语从句也有类似的用法。例如：

(2003北京春季卷) We are living in an age_________many things are done on computers.

A. which

B. that

C. whose

D. when

解析：本题的先行词是an age，表示“时代、年代”，从句是被动语态，句子结构是完整的，故选D。

由此可见，考生在做这类单项选择题时应该注意到：表面上备选项都有that 或which，但实际上都要填where或介词+ which，并且这类先行词相对比较固定，常见的有point, case, business, situation, stage, chair等。

【巩固练习】

1. I can think of many cases_________students obviously knew a lot of English words and expressions but couldn’t write a good essay.

A. why

B. which

C. as

D. where

2. He has got himself into a dangerous situation_________he is likely to lose control over the plane.

A. where

B. which

C. while

D. why

3. I think you’ve got to the point_________a change is needed, otherwise you’ll fail.

A. when

B. that

C. where

D. which

4. Many people who had seen the film were afraid to go to the forest when they remembered the scenes_________people were eaten by the tiger.

A. in which

B. by which

C. which

D. that

Keys: 1. D2. A3. C4. A ★