?"before"用法ABC

　　高三课本第十五单元，INTER GATING SKILLS 和 WORKBOOK READING部分有如下的句子：

　　⒈The shop was successful，but it was about sixty years before people started to buy jeans for fashion as well as for work.

　　⒉However，it probably will not be long before the other mountainous areas of China such as Sichuan，Xinjiang and Yunnan are developed，and as more facilities become available，prices will almost certainly fall.

　　其中涉及到before的用法，下面就其用法进行总结。

　　一、可以用作介词

　　⒈)指时间上早于，在之前，如：

　　She has lived here since before the war.

　　她从战前就一直在这儿住。

　　⒉)指位置在前面，如：

　　We knelt down before Grandmas grave.

　　我们在奶奶的墓前跪下。

　　⒊)指顺序或排列在之前，如：

　　Your name comes before mine on the list.

　　名单上你的名字在我之前。

　　⒋)在某人面前，如：

　　She said it before the witness.

　　他是当着证人的面说的。

　　二、作为连词

　　其基本含义是在之前，又可以根据不同语境灵活翻译成才、还没来得及就、趁、就等。具体用法如下：

　　⒈)与情态动词can/could连用

　　这时候从句虽为肯定形式，根据汉语表达习惯译成还没来得及就，如：

　　Before I could get in a word，he had measured me.

　　我还没来得及插话他就为我量好了尺寸。

　　Before she could move，she heard a loud noise，which grew to a terribl eroar.

　　她还没来得及迈步，就听见一声巨响，接着就是可怕的隆隆轰鸣。

　　⒉)用于肯定句中强调主句所表达的时间，距离长，或花费的精力大，译成才

　　We had sailed four days and four nights before we saw lands.

　　我们航行了四天四夜才看到陆地。

　　We waited a long time before the train arrived.

　　我们等了很长时间火车才到。

　　⒊)用于否定句中，强调主句所表达的时间，距离短，或花费的精力小，译成不到就如：

　　We hadnt run a mile before he felt tired.

　　我们跑了还不到一英里他就累了。

　　⒋)主句含有hardly，scarcely等半否定副词时可以译为刚就

　　这时候主句应用过去完成时态，从句用过去时，还可以用when替代before如：

　　We had scarcely reached the school before/when the bell rang.

　　我们刚到学校铃声就响了。

　　⒌)有时还有宁愿的意思

　　Id shoot myself before I apologized to him.我宁死也不向他道歉。

　　⒍)用于It+be/take+时间段+before句型

　　在这一句型中又可以根据主从句的时态分成两种情况。

　　若主句是一般时将来时态，从句是一般现在时.若主句是肯定句意思是要过多长时间才若主句是否定形式翻译成用不了多久就。

　　It will be two weeks before everything returns to normal.

　　两周之后一切才能恢复正常。

　　It will be many years before the situation improves.

　　这种状况或许要过许多年才能得以改善。

　　It wont be long before we meet again.用不了多久我们就会再见面的。

　　这时若主句是一般过去时从句也是一般过去时。若主句是肯定句翻译成多长时间之后才，若主句是否定形式翻译成没过多久就。如：

　　It was some time before I realized the truth.

　　过了很长一段时间我才了解到真相。

　　It wasnt long before she became a brave solider.

　　没过多久她就成了一名勇敢的战士。

　　After that it still took seven years before they got married.

　　他们又过了七年才结婚。

　　注意：当主句的谓语动词为延续性动词时，before与until有时可以互换。It was an hour before/until the police arrived.

　　巩固练习

　　⒈It was evening ________ we reached the little town of Winchester.

　　Athat B.until C.since D.before

　　2.Several weeks had gone by ________ realized the painting was missing.

　　A.as B.before C.since D.when

　　3.The America Civil War lasted four years ______ the North won in the end.

　　A.after B.before C.when D.then

　　4.It was some time _______ we realized the truth.

　　A.when B.until C.since D.before

　　5.-Why didnt you tell him about the meeting?

　　-He rushed out of the classroom _______ I could say a word.

　　A.before B.until C.when D.after

　　6.-How long do you think it will be __ china sends a manned spaceship to the moon?

　　-Perhaps two or three years.

　　Awhen B.until C.that D.before

　　参考答案：DBBDAD