1. —I am going to the office.
—______you're there, can you get me some stamps? (NMET'99)
A. As B. While C. Because D. If
2. She thought I was talking about her daughter, ______in fact, I was talking about my daughter. (NMET'95)
A. whom B. where C. which D. while
[析] 1题中的连词While表示“当……的时候”,着重“在……期间”;而2题中的连词while意为“而;然而”,表示前后两种截然不同情况的对比。
连词while大致有以下四种用法:
1. 引导时间状语从句,意为“当……的时候;和……同时”,此时的主从句谓语动作同时发生,从句谓语通常是延续性动词。如:
Mary watched TV while she ate her supper. 玛丽边吃饭边看电视。
While she was listening to the radio, she fell asleep. 她听着收音机睡着了。
while引导从句时,如主从句的主语一致,且从句谓语又含有be,则从句主语和be可省略。while后可直接跟现在分词、名词、形容词或介词短语。如:
We are teachers while (we are) serving as students. 我们边当老师边当学生。
While (he was) yet a youth, he gained many prizes. 他年轻时就曾多次获奖。
He caught a cold while(he was) on vacation. 他度假时患了感冒。
2. 表示对比或转折,意为“而;然而”。此时,while一般位于句中。如:
Some people waste food while others haven't enough. 有些人浪费粮食,然而有些人却吃不饱。
You like sports, while I prefer music. 你喜欢体育,而我更喜欢音乐。
3. 表示让步,通常位于句首,意为“尽管;虽然”。如:
While I aGREe with your reasons, I can't allow it. 尽管我同意你的理由,但我不能允许这样做。
While he loves his students, he is very strict with them. 虽然他爱他的学生,可是他对学生们很严格。
While (he was) respected, he is not liked. 他虽受人尊敬,但并不被人喜欢。
4. 表示条件,意为“只要”,其意思和用法相当于as long as。while可位于句首,也可位于句中。如:
You don't have to worry while we are here. 只要我们在,你就别着急。
There will be life while there is water and air. 只要有空气和水,就有生命。
While there is life, there is hope. 留得生命在, 不怕没希望。
5. 意为“同时;也”。如:
While the book is welcomed by scholars, it will make an immediate appeal to the general readers. 这本书受到学者的欢迎,同时也会引起一般读者的兴趣。
6. 意为“趁着”。如:
Make hay while the sun shines. 晒草要趁阳光好。(谚)
Strike while the iron is hot. 趁热打铁。(谚)
While the roses are yet in bloom, will you come with me to see them?趁着玫瑰花还开着,你和我一道去看看好吗?
