2021年6月英语四级第1套真题句子解析： A restaurant named "Number 4" in Newcastle contacted Joe's teacher to ask if the 9-year-old could come and decorate its dining-room with his drawings.

contact sb to do sth (动词 + 不定式表目的)

contacted Joe's teacher to ask

"contact sb to do sth" 是一个常用搭配,表示"联系某人以做某事"。这里 "to ask" 是不定式短语作目的状语,说明联系的目的。该结构在四六级和考研写作中频繁出现,特别是商务沟通和请求类语境。注意 "contact" 作动词时是及物动词,直接接人作宾语,不需要介词 "with"。中文学习者容易受 "communicate with" 等结构影响,误加介词。

• ✓ contact the manager to discuss ✗ contact with the manager to discuss contact 作动词时直接跟宾语,不加 with
• ✓ We contacted them to confirm the details. ✗ We contacted them for confirm the details. 表目的用 to do,不用 for do

ask if (引导间接疑问)

ask if the 9-year-old could come

"ask if" 引导间接疑问句,表示"询问是否……"。这是一个高频搭配,用于转述疑问内容。注意 "if" 后接陈述语序,且时态通常受主句影响发生相应变化(此处主句过去时 "asked",从句用 "could" 而非 "can")。该结构与 "ask whether" 可互换,但在口语和非正式写作中 "if" 更常见。中文学习者容易在 "if" 后使用疑问语序,或忽略时态呼应。

• ✓ She asked if he was available. ✗ She asked if was he available. 间接疑问用陈述语序
• ✓ They asked if we could attend. (主句过去时,从句用 could) ✗ They asked if we can attend. 时态需呼应主句

decorate...with (用……装饰)

decorate its dining-room with his drawings

"decorate A with B" 是固定搭配,意为"用 B 装饰 A"。这个结构在描述室内设计、节日布置等语境中非常常见。"with" 在此表示"使用、借助",引出装饰的材料或工具。注意介词 "with" 不可省略或替换成其他介词。该搭配的逻辑是:先说被装饰的对象(dining-room),再说装饰物(his drawings)。中文思维可能倾向于说"用画装饰餐厅",但英文必须严格遵循 "decorate A with B" 的顺序。

• ✓ decorate the room with flowers ✗ decorate the room by flowers / decorate with flowers the room 介词固定用 with,且语序为 decorate A with B

named (过去分词作后置定语)

A restaurant named "Number 4"

"named" 在此是过去分词作后置定语,修饰 "restaurant",说明餐厅的名字。这是英语中非常常见的简洁表达方式,相当于 "A restaurant which is named 'Number 4'"。过去分词作定语表示被动或完成的状态,此处 "named" 表被动(餐厅被命名)。这种结构在新闻报道和学术写作中大量使用,能有效压缩句子长度。中文学习者需要适应英语"前轻后重"的表达习惯——定语较长时通常后置,而中文倾向于前置("一家名为……的餐厅")。

• ✓ a book written by Mo Yan ✗ a book writing by Mo Yan 表被动用过去分词,不用现在分词
• ✓ the man called John ✗ the man calling John 表被动(被叫作)用过去分词

the 9-year-old (名词化形容词)

the 9-year-old

"the 9-year-old" 是形容词名词化的用法,指"这个9岁的孩子"。在英语中,"the + 形容词"可以表示某一类人或特定个体,此处 "9-year-old" 本是复合形容词,加 "the" 后指代 Joe 本人。注意复合形容词作定语时,名词部分必须用单数形式(9-year-old,不是 9-years-old),且各成分间用连字符连接。这种简洁表达在新闻和口语中很常见,避免重复名词。中文学习者可能不习惯这种省略,倾向于说 "the 9-year-old boy"。

• ✓ a 5-year-old child / the 5-year-old ✗ a 5-years-old child 复合形容词中名词用单数
• ✓ a two-hour meeting ✗ a two-hours meeting 同理,hour 用单数

could (情态动词表礼貌请求与时态呼应)

could come

此处 "could" 有双重作用:一是作为 "can" 的过去式,与主句过去时 "asked" 保持时态呼应;二是表达礼貌的请求语气,比 "can" 更委婉。在间接引语中,当主句是过去时,从句中的情态动词通常也要相应变化(can → could, will → would 等)。但即使主句是现在时,"could" 也可用于礼貌提问,如 "Could you help me?" 比 "Can you help me?" 更客气。该用法在商务沟通、正式邀请等语境中极为常见。

• ✓ He asked if I could join them. (间接引语时态呼应) ✗ He asked if I can join them. 主句过去时,从句 can 变 could
• ✓ Could you pass the salt? (礼貌请求) ✗ 直接用 Can you pass the salt? 虽然语法正确,但不如 could 礼貌

in Newcastle (地点状语的位置)

A restaurant named "Number 4" in Newcastle

地点状语 "in Newcastle" 紧跟在被修饰的名词 "restaurant" 之后,进一步限定餐厅的位置。英语中地点、时间等状语的位置相对灵活,但通常遵循"小地点在前,大地点在后"或"越具体的信息越靠近被修饰对象"的原则。此处 "in Newcastle" 作为较大的地理范围,放在 "named 'Number 4'" 之后,形成从特定名称到地理位置的自然信息流。若调整语序,如 "A restaurant in Newcastle named 'Number 4'",虽然语法正确,但信息焦点会略有不同。本句的语序使 "Number 4" 更突出。

come and decorate (并列不定式的省略)

could come and decorate

"come and decorate" 是两个并列的动词,共用同一个情态动词 "could"。在英语中,当两个或多个不定式并列时,第二个及之后的 "to" 通常省略,用 "and" 连接即可。完整形式应为 "could come and (could) decorate",但第二个 "could" 和 "to" 都省略了,使表达更简洁自然。这种省略在口语和书面语中都极为普遍。中文学习者有时会写成 "could come and to decorate",这是典型的冗余错误。

• ✓ I want to read and write. ✗ I want to read and to write. 并列不定式第二个 to 通常省略
• ✓ She decided to quit and start her own business. ✗ She decided to quit and to start her own business. 虽然加 to 不算错,但省略更自然

所有格 its 与主语不一致的理解

A restaurant its dining-room

句中 "its" 指代 "restaurant",表示"它的(餐厅的)餐厅"。中文学习者可能对英语的所有格代词 "its" 不够敏感,或受中文省略习惯影响,忽略其所指。英语中,即使前文已出现名词,后续提及其所属物时仍需明确使用所有格(its, his, their 等),不能像中文那样省略。此外,"restaurant" 是单数名词,对应 "its" 而非 "their",这在中文思维中可能不够直观,因为中文"餐厅"不区分单复数,容易误用复数代词。

• ✓ The company announced its new policy. ✗ The company announced their new policy. (company 是单数,用 its) 集合名词单数时用 its,复数概念时可用 their
• ✓ The restaurant closed its doors. ✗ The restaurant closed doors. (缺少所有格) 英语需明确所属关系

his drawings (作品的所属与可数性)

his drawings

"his drawings" 指 Joe 的画作,"drawings" 是可数名词复数形式,表示多幅画。中文"画"不严格区分单复数,导致学习者可能忽略英语中必须明确的数的概念。此处用复数说明餐厅希望 Joe 用多幅作品装饰餐厅,而非单幅。若只有一幅,应说 "his drawing"。另外,"drawing" 既可指"绘画作品",也可指"绘画行为",需根据语境判断。此处显然指作品。所有格 "his" 强调这些画是 Joe 本人创作的,体现作品与作者的联系。

• ✓ I saw his paintings at the gallery. ✗ I saw his painting at the gallery. (若指多幅,应用复数) 可数名词注意单复数
• ✓ She showed me her drawings. ✗ She showed me her drawing. (语境若指多幅,需复数) 根据实际数量选择单复数