2017年12月英语四级第3套真题句子解析： Although Leslie perhaps paints a bit broadly in contending that most of us are unaware of how much we don't know, he's surely right to point out that the problem is growing: "Google can give us the powerful illusion that all questions have definite answers."

paint broadly / paint with a broad brush (习语)

paints a bit broadly

"paint broadly" 或完整形式 "paint with a broad brush" 是英语习语,源自绘画比喻,指「概括过于笼统、一概而论、过度简化复杂情况」。本句中 "paints a bit broadly" 通过 "a bit" 做了程度上的缓和,表示「稍显笼统」,用于委婉指出 Leslie 的论断可能过于绝对化。这是学术写作中常见的礼貌批评手法:先承认对方观点有些笼统,再转而肯定其核心价值 ("he's surely right")。中文学习者需理解这不是在讲「绘画技法」,而是批评性话语的固定表达,且要注意 "broadly" 在此语境下是贬义(过于宽泛),而非中性描述。

• ✓ He paints with a broad brush when discussing politics. (他讨论政治时过于笼统) ✗ He paints broadly the wall. (误用为具体绘画动作) 该习语只能用于抽象批评,不能用于物理绘画行为
• ✓ Her argument paints too broadly across different cultures. (她的论点对不同文化一概而论) ✗ Her argument paints too widely. (错误替换为 widely) 固定搭配必须用 broadly,不能换成其他副词

contend that (学术用语固定搭配)

contending that

"contend that" 是学术写作中的高频固定搭配,意为「主张、声称、认为」,语气比 "argue that" 稍弱,比 "claim that" 更正式。"contend" 本义是「竞争、斗争」,引申为「在观点竞争中提出论点」,因此带有「有争议但坚持己见」的含义。本句中 "contending that most of us are unaware..." 引出 Leslie 的核心观点。中文学习者需注意:该词后必须接 that 从句或介词短语,不能直接接名词;且多用于转述他人观点或在论述中提出有待商榷的论点,而非陈述客观事实。

• ✓ She contends that climate change is accelerating. (她认为气候变化正在加速) ✗ She contends the climate change. (缺少 that,直接接名词) contend 作「主张」讲时必须接 that 从句,不能像 believe 那样直接接名词

be unaware of (固定搭配)

are unaware of

"be unaware of" 是表达「未意识到、不知道」的标准搭配,其中 "of" 不可省略或替换。该结构的核心语义是「缺乏认知状态」,常用于描述认知盲区或知识缺陷。本句 "unaware of how much we don't know" 构成嵌套结构:"unaware of" 后接 "how much" 引导的宾语从句,表达「不知道自己不知道多少」这一元认知(对认知的认知)层面的问题,呼应了哲学上的「无知之知」概念。中文学习者易误用成 "unaware about/to",或在口语中省略 "of",这在正式写作中均不可接受。

• ✓ Many people are unaware of the risks involved. (许多人未意识到其中的风险) ✗ Many people are unaware about/to the risks. (介词使用错误) 必须用 of,不能用 about, to 或其他介词
• ✓ He seems unaware of how his words affect others. (他似乎没意识到自己的话如何影响他人) ✗ He seems unaware how his words affect others. (省略 of) 即使后接从句,of 也不可省略

point out that (固定表达)

point out that

"point out (that)" 是表达「指出、提醒注意」的常用固定搭配,语气客观中性,常用于引出事实、问题或此前被忽视的要点。"point out" 可接 that 从句,也可直接接名词或 wh-从句。本句中 "he's surely right to point out that the problem is growing" 使用了 "be right to do" 结构,肯定 Leslie 指出问题恶化趋势的正确性。中文学习者需注意:"point out" 是及物短语动词,"out" 不可省略;且其宾语可以是具体对象(如 "point out a mistake")或抽象内容(如本句的 that 从句),灵活性较高。

• ✓ The report points out several critical issues. (报告指出几个关键问题) ✗ The report points several critical issues. (省略 out) out 不可省略,这是短语动词的固定组成部分

give sb the illusion that (固定句式)

give us the powerful illusion that

"give sb the illusion that" 是表达「给某人造成……的错觉」的固定句式,结构为 "give + 间接宾语 + 直接宾语(the illusion) + that 同位语从句"。本句中 "Google can give us the powerful illusion that all questions have definite answers" 通过形容词 "powerful" 强化了错觉的强度,批判搜索引擎带来的认知误导。该句式的核心在于 "illusion"(幻觉、错觉)这一否定性名词,暗示 that 从句内容并非事实。中文学习者需注意:"give sb the illusion" 后的 that 从句是同位语从句,解释 illusion 的具体内容;且该句式常用于批判性语境,指出某事物造成的虚假印象。

• ✓ Social media gives us the illusion that everyone's life is perfect. (社交媒体给我们造成每个人生活都完美的错觉) ✗ Social media gives us the illusion of everyone's life is perfect. (用 of 替代 that 从句) 当需要完整陈述错觉内容时,必须用 that 从句,不能用 of 短语

surely (语气副词的微妙用法)

surely

"surely" 在本句中不是表达「确定性」的简单副词,而是用于学术写作中表达「说话人强烈认同,且认为听话人理应同意」的语气标记。"he's surely right" 传达的是「他无疑是对的(你我都该认同这点)」,比单纯的 "he's right" 语气更强,带有说服性和号召性。这种用法在论证文中常见,用于在让步和转折之间建立说服力。中文学习者易误解为仅表示「肯定、一定」,忽视其在学术话语中建立共识、强化论点的修辞功能。需注意 "surely" 在英式英语和美式英语中语气强度略有差异,但都具有这种「理应如此」的内涵。

• ✓ Surely you can see the problem with this approach. (你肯定能看出这个方法的问题所在吧) ✗ 将 surely 理解为仅表示 100% 的确定性,忽视其「诉诸共识」的修辞功能 surely 常带有「理应如此、你我都该同意」的说服意味,不只是客观陈述

definite answers (概念词汇)

definite answers

"definite answers" 指「明确的、确定的答案」,"definite" 强调答案的清晰性、确定性和不容置疑性。在本句哲学语境中,"all questions have definite answers" 是一个被批判的错误认知:暗示 Google 等搜索引擎让人误以为所有问题都有标准答案,忽视了许多问题(尤其是哲学、伦理、价值判断类问题)本质上是开放的、没有唯一解的。"definite" 在此与 "certain, clear-cut, unambiguous" 同义,但比 "clear" 更强调客观存在的确定性。中文学习者需理解这里的批判对象不是「答案本身」,而是「所有问题都有确定答案」这一认知误区。

• ✓ Not all ethical questions have definite answers. (并非所有伦理问题都有确定答案) ✗ 将 definite 误解为 defined(已定义的)或 definitive(最终的、权威的) definite 强调确定性、明确性;definitive 强调权威性、终极性;defined 指已定义、已界定

让步-转折论证结构 (Although... he's surely right...)

Although Leslie perhaps paints a bit broadly he's surely right to point out

本句采用经典的让步-转折论证策略:"Although" 引导让步部分,承认 Leslie 观点可能存在的不足("paints a bit broadly"),随即通过主句 "he's surely right" 转而肯定其核心价值。这种结构在学术写作中极为常见,用于展示批判性思维:既不盲目全盘接受,也不简单否定,而是承认瑕疵后肯定精华。句中多处使用缓和语气的词汇("perhaps", "a bit")软化批评,"surely" 和 "right" 则强化肯定,体现了学术话语的平衡性和说服策略。对中文学习者而言,这种结构不仅是语法练习,更是学术思维和论证技巧的典范。

• ✓ Although the study has limitations, it provides valuable insights. (尽管该研究有局限,但它提供了有价值的见解) ✗ Although the study has limitations, but it provides valuable insights. (although 和 but 重复使用) although 引导让步状语从句后,主句不能再用 but,这是中式英语常见错误

引语的修辞功能 ("Google can give us...")

Google can give us the powerful illusion that all questions have definite answers.

句末的引语("Google can give us the powerful illusion...")并非简单的信息补充,而是通过具体化论证来强化 "the problem is growing" 这一抽象论断。引语以 "Google" 为代表点名了造成问题恶化的具体原因,使论证更有说服力和现实感。引语本身使用了拟人化修辞("Google can give"),将搜索引擎作为施动者,强调了技术对认知的主动塑造作用。此外,引语的结构("give sb the illusion that...")本身就带有批判性,"illusion" 和 "powerful" 的搭配暗示了这种影响的危害性。中文学习者需理解引语在论证文中不只是「引用」,更是论证策略的一部分,用于例证、强化或转折论点。

be right to do sth (形容词 + to do 结构)

he's surely right to point out

"be right to do sth" 是「形容词 + to do 不定式」结构的典型用法,表示「做某事是正确的」。该结构中,to do 不定式充当的是「就……而言」的评判范围状语,而非目的或结果。本句 "he's surely right to point out that..." 意为「他指出……这一点是完全正确的」,评价的是 "point out" 这个行为的正确性。中文学习者易误解为 "be right to do" = "为了做某事而正确",实则是「做某事是正确之举」。类似结构还有 "be wrong to do", "be foolish to do" 等,均为对不定式所述行为的评价。需注意该结构中的形容词通常是评价性形容词(right, wrong, wise, foolish, kind, cruel 等)。

• ✓ You were right to question his decision. (你质疑他的决定是对的) ✗ You were right for questioning his decision. (介词使用错误) 该结构必须用 to do 不定式,不能用 for doing 或其他形式
• ✓ It would be wrong to ignore this warning. (忽视这个警告是错误的) ✗ 误解为 wrong 的目的是 to ignore(为了忽视而错) to do 不是表目的,而是表评判的对象行为

how much we don't know (疑问词引导的宾语从句)

how much we don't know

"how much we don't know" 是由疑问词 "how much" 引导的宾语从句,作 "are unaware of" 的宾语,表示「我们不知道多少(东西)」。该从句使用陈述语序(we don't know),而非疑问语序(don't we know),这是疑问词引导宾语从句的标准语法规则。"how much" 在此并非询问具体数量,而是表达程度或范围的不确定性,强调「不知道的事物之多」。整个结构 "unaware of how much we don't know" 呼应了苏格拉底的「我知道我一无所知」,属于元认知(对认知的认知)表达。中文学习者常犯的错误是在宾语从句中使用疑问语序,或不理解 "how much" 在此语境下表程度而非具体数量。

• ✓ I don't know how much time we have left. (我不知道我们还剩多少时间) ✗ I don't know how much time do we have left. (宾语从句使用疑问语序) 疑问词引导的宾语从句必须用陈述语序,不能用疑问语序
• ✓ She realizes how little she understands about the issue. (她意识到自己对这个问题了解多么少) ✗ 误将 how much 理解为总是询问具体数量 how much/little 可以表达程度、范围,不限于具体数量

动名词作介词宾语 (in contending that)

in contending that

"in contending that" 中,"contending" 是动名词,作介词 "in" 的宾语,整个介词短语作状语,表示「在主张……的过程中」或「因为主张……」。该结构是英语中「介词 + 动名词」的标准用法,动名词将动词行为名词化,使其可以充当介词的宾语。本句中 "in contending that most of us are unaware..." 修饰 "paints a bit broadly",说明 Leslie 在哪个论断上显得笼统。中文学习者常犯的错误包括:在介词后误用不定式(in to contend)、误用动词原形(in contend)、或不理解为何要用动名词。需强调的是,介词后(除 to 作为介词的特殊情况)必须接名词性成分,动词必须转化为动名词形式。

• ✓ She succeeded in convincing the committee. (她成功说服了委员会) ✗ She succeeded in to convince / convince the committee. (介词后误用不定式或动词原形) 介词后必须接名词性成分,动词需转为动名词(-ing 形式)
• ✓ Before making a decision, consider all options. (在做决定前,考虑所有选项) ✗ Before to make / make a decision. (介词 before 后误用不定式或原形) 这是极高频错误,需反复练习介词 + 动名词结构