He opened his mouth as if to speak.
as if 是个从属连词,本应引导状语从句,它怎么会引出动词不定式呢?
在上面的句子里, as if 仍然是个从属连词, 它引导的是个省略型的从句: as if to speak = as if he wanted to speak。例如:
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He shook his head as if (he wanted) to say “no”. (LDCE) 他摇了摇头,好像是(想)要说“不”。
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She lifted one arm, as if to shield herself, then screamed in terror. 她抬起一只手臂，好像要护住自己，然后惊恐地尖叫起来。
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Her grandfather lowered his voice and looked around as if to make sure no one was listening. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 祖父环顾了一下四周，好像是要确认没有人在听他们的谈话。(《达·芬奇密码》)
当句子的主语与 as if 从句的主语相一致时, as if 还可以引出现在分词和过去分词。在大多数情况下可以理解为省略了主语和 be:
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He paused as if expecting Lanny to speak. (Sinclair) 他停了一下，似乎在等待兰尼说话。
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‘Silence,’ said Voldemort, with another twitch of Malfoy's wand, and Charity fell silent as if gagged. (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) “闭嘴!”伏地魔说到,再一次用马尔福的魔杖戳了她一下。查里莉好像被人掐住了脖子一般没有了声音。(《哈利·波特与死亡圣徒》)
(参见 as if )