我们先来看之前的一个例子:
The bouquet of flowers WAS a giving of love.
很明显,这里的The bouquet of 和a giving of love 在结构上平行但实际上并不平行,虽然giving 在这里是作为句词使用。而作为这种动名词来说,可以被当作名词来使用,但是词性不纯。我们可以把动名词分为两类来讨论:
1.简单的动名词:Tracking
satellites accurately is important for the space agency.
上面的例子中Tracking satellites accurately 可以被something 替换,这种动名词际上是将动词放在中间,而整体作为一个名词。
2. 复合动名词:The
accurate tracking of satellites is important for the space agency.
这种形式下,动名词被完全包含在名词词组中,通常前面有冦词或形容词,或者of 的结构中,如:the running of marathons ,marathon running 。
对于这两种动句词来说,无法相互平行,而且只有复合动名词才能与名词相平行。
Wrong: The rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from disputed regions, significant reductions in overall troop levels, raising the rebel flag on holidays, AND a general pardon.
Withdrawal, reductions, 和 pardon 都是名词,所以这里不能使用raising ,而且这样使用容易让我误解为是一种修饰。
Right: The rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from disputed regions, significant reductions in overall troop levels, THE raising OF the rebel flag on holidays, AND a general pardon.
当然如果存在这种名词我们还是要选择单纯的名词而不是动名词:
◆ Wrong: The rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from disputed regions AND releasing certain political prisoners.
◆ Wrong: The rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from disputed regions AND THE releasing OF certain political prisoners.
◆ Right: The rebels demanded the withdrawal of government forces from disputed regions AND THE RELEASE OF certain political prisoners.