it ¹⁹

首先要明确试题(2)的语法结构:名词短语 the gentle renditions...是宾语,而 possible是宾语补足语。由于宾语长，宾语补足语短，而将宾语补足语提到宾语的前面去了（参见 $\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">o</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">b</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">j</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">e</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">c</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">t</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">c</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">o</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">m</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">p</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">l</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">e</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">m</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">e</span>}\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">n</span>}{\mathrm{<span\; class="latin-run">t</span>}}^6$object\ complement^{6} ）。其次应当牢记，只有动词不定式、动名词或从句充当宾语时，才需要用it来作它的形式宾语，如试题(1)。而名词短语充当宾语时，是不需要用it来作形式宾语的，如试题(2)。

考生应注意,这一语法点是经常考核的内容:

1. Using many symbols makes ____ to put a large amount of information on a single map. A. possible B. it possible C. it is possible D. that possible(TOEFL)

2. Variables such as individual and corporate behavior ____ nearly impossible for economists to forecast economic trends with precision. A. make B. make it C. it makes D. makes it (TOEFL)

$\$mathbf{it}^{20} (可有可无的 it)

准确的说法应当是:这里的 it 是可有可无的。换言之,这里用 it 是正确的,不用 it 也是正确的。

1. As (it) appears from her essay, she has read widely in Romantic literature. (CGEL) 从她的论文来看, 她似乎读了大量的浪漫主义文学作品。

2. As it turned out, Lee Williams was wrong. (B. Clinton, My Life) 后来证明, 李·威廉姆斯说的情况有误。(《我的生活》)

这种含有可有可无的 it 的 as 从句常见的还有：

as(it) seems likely, as(it) often happens, as(it) was pointed out, as(it) was said earlier, as I remember(it), as I understand(it) (参见 as happens/as it happens)

it is... that(强调句与定语从句的区别)

强调句(分裂句)中的 that(who)从句与充当定语的 that(who)从句在形式上是相同的，因此,有时候我们不经仔细分析就很难把它们区别开来。但是,既然它们是本质上不同的两种句型,我们就有办法把它们区分开来(参见 cleft sentence $^{4}$ )。

A. 从结构上看,强调句中 it is(was)... that 去掉之后,把语序稍加调整,句子结构和意义仍是完整的,而定语从句却不是这样:

1. It was a glass that Mary broke. (玛丽打碎的是一只玻璃杯。)→Mary broke a glass. (玛丽打碎了一只玻璃杯。)

2. It was a key that I found in his pocket. (我在他衣袋里找到的是一把钥匙。)→I found a key in his pocket. (我在他的衣袋里找到了一把钥匙。)

B. 在强调句中, it is (was) A that 中的 A 总是要译成被强调的成分, 而定语从句所修饰的名词 A 却不能翻译成被强调的成分:

1. It is novels that Miss Williams enjoys reading. (强调句) 威廉姆斯小姐喜欢读的是小说。

2. It is a question that needs careful consideration. (定语从句) 这是一个需要仔细考虑的问题。

按照上面所说的两点,我们能鉴别出你所提问的句子到底是强调句还是含定语从句的句子。

一、它不能取消 it must have been...that 而使句子的结构和意义保持完整：

It must have been a gas that could burn but that would not explode, a gas that did not smell strong, and a gas that did not kill people. $\$rightarrow (\times) A gas could burn but would not explode, a gas did not smell strong, and a gas did not kill people.

改写后的句子无论在结构上,还是在意义上都是不完整的。请对比:

It must be my book that he is reading. (强调句)→He is reading my book. 他正在读的一定是我的书。