It was about 600 years ago ____ the first clock with a face and an hour hand was made. A. that B. until C. before D. when(全国高考,97-25)
标准答案为 A。但是,这是与新教材《高中英语教科书》第三册(下)p.79 上的 Ex.2 相矛盾的:
It was at least one thousand years ago when the city was built.
我按照课本上的句子在上面的试题中选了 D(when)，竟然被判为错误，这不是太不公平了吗？
应当明确,在强调句(分裂句)中,当被强调的成分是时间状语或地点状语时,其关系副词仍使用 that,而不使用 when 或 where。例如:
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It was the last week that John bought an old car. (CGE) 约翰是在上星期买了一辆旧汽车(约翰买了一辆旧汽车,那是上星期的事儿)。
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It was only on Thursdays that he visited her. (CGEL) 他仅仅在星期四去拜访她。
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It was in Rome that we met. (PEG) 我们是在罗马相遇的。
这是各类标准化英语试题常常考核的一个项目：
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It was between 1830 and 1835 ____ the modern newspaper was born. A. when B. that C. which D. because (TOEFL)
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It was not ____ she took off her dark glasses ____ I realized she was a famous film star. A. when; that B. until; that C. until; when D. when; then (全国高考, 92-30)
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It was not until 1920 ____ regular radio broadcasts began. A. while B. which C. that D. since(全国高考,95-33)
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It ____ we had stayed together for a couple of weeks ____ I found we had a lot in common. A. was until; when B. was until; that C. wasn't until; when D. wasn't until; that(全国高考浙江卷,07-10)
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It was along the Mississippi River ____ Mark Twain spent much of his childhood.
A. how B. which C. that D. where(全国高考天津卷,08-8)
我们有理由说《高中英语教科书》中的那个练习题使用 when 是不规范的。