moment ¹

the moment 除用作名词(at the moment 此刻, for the moment 暂时)之外, 还可用作连词, 引出时间状语从句(如上面试题中的 the moment):

1. The moment I saw him I knew that there was no hope. (Wilde) 我一看到他我就知道没有希望了。

2. He felt a thrill the moment he got into the theatre. (Maugham) 他进入剧院时他感到一阵激动。

3. The moment you leave this tent, you will get a big surprise. (New Concept English, Book 2, L.60) 你一出帐篷，便会大吃一惊。

4. I will call you the moment I am in possession of the keystone and have attended to my current problem. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 等我拿到拱心石，处理好眼前的问题，我再打电话找你。（《达·芬奇密码》）

此外，the instant, the minute 和 the second 也可以这样使用：

1. The instant I saw him I knew he was my brother. (LDCE) 我一看到他就知道他是我兄弟。

2. We'll leave the minute you're ready. (Cronin) 你一准备好我们就走。

3. Your grandfather and I had to make a grave decision the instant we received the phone call. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 我和你祖父一接到电话，就不得不做出重要决定。(《达·芬奇密码》)

请做下面英语试题：

1. “Did you remember to give Anne the money you own her?” “Yes, ____ I saw her, I remembered.” A. momentarily B. while C. suddenly D. the instant(TOEFL)

2. You see the lightning ____ it happens, but you hear the thunder later.

A. the instant B. for an instant C. on the instant D. in an instant(全国四级,97.1-38) moment $^{2}$

the moment/at the moment that( when )

选项 A 是正确的, 因为 the moment (that) 可以用作连词, 表示“一……就”, 见 moment $^{1}$ 。但是, 上题作为语法结构试题, 完全不能排除选项 D 的正确性。有一派英语语法学家指出, the moment (that) 不应看作是从属连词, 而应看作是名词短语作时间状语 [the moment (that) 之后的成分是 the moment 的定语从句]。

I recognized him the moment I saw him.

他们认为这个句子中的 the moment 短语在结构上可以作各种各样的变动：

$$\left. \begin{array}{l} \text {At} \\ \text {From} \end{array} \right\} (\text {just}) \text {the} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text {first} \\ \text {next} \\ \text {last} \\ \text {precise} \\ \text {very} \end{array} \right\} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text {moment} \\ \text {instant} \\ \text {minute} \\ \text {time} \end{array} \right\} \left\{ \begin{array}{l} \text {that} \\ \text {when} \end{array} \right\} I \text {saw him, I recognized him.}$$

我们从他们的证明例句中可以看出, at the moment when (that) 的用法是完全正确的。

[附注]虽然我们在理论上同意这派英语语法学家把 the moment 看作名词短语的观点，但是，我们在教学上还是主张把 the moment (minute, second, instant) 看作是引导时间状语从句的连词，以便于学生掌握。