Understanding References 理解指代
進階it/they 往前面找。
- it / this / that 向前找最近的名詞，多數就是答案。
- they / them 指複數；he / she 看性別，立即篩除錯的選項。
- 語意檢查很重要：treat it gently 只可能指物品，不會指人。
文體小知識：What "it/they" means.
§課文原文 Passage
1The book on the table is mine, but you may borrow it if you like. It has a blue cover with a picture of an old Chinese bridge on it. I bought it last week at a second-hand book fair in Central. It is about Chinese history, and it tells the story of ordinary people rather than emperors. I finished it yesterday, and it was very interesting. My father gave me a bamboo bookmark, and I keep it inside the book. So far, it is the best birthday present I have ever bought for myself.
2The author is a famous professor who teaches at HKU. He spent ten years writing this book, interviewing more than a hundred families. The professor explains difficult ideas in simple language, which is why his lectures are always full of students. His other books are also good, and some of them are used as textbooks in local schools. This is the kind of writing that changes how you see history. That is why I want to lend it to you before anyone else asks. Whenever I open it, I feel as if I am listening to a wise old friend.
3Borrow it if you want, but please return it by Friday, because my brother wants it next. You can also download the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself. I once heard him speak at a book fair, and he told the audience that history belongs to everyone. We could discuss the book together after you finish, and I would love to hear your views. Just remember to treat it gently; it is already twenty years old. Books are like doors; opening one always leads to another.
§逐句中文翻譯 Sentence-by-sentence translation
The book on the table is mine, but you may borrow it if you like.
桌上的那本書是我的，不過你喜歡的話可以借去看。
It has a blue cover with a picture of an old Chinese bridge on it.
它有個藍色封面，上面畫着一座古老的中國橋。
I bought it last week at a second-hand book fair in Central.
我上星期在中環一個二手書展買的。
It is about Chinese history, and it tells the story of ordinary people rather than emperors.
這本書講中國歷史，講的是平民百姓的故事，而不是皇帝。
I finished it yesterday, and it was very interesting.
我昨天看完，它真是很有趣。
My father gave me a bamboo bookmark, and I keep it inside the book.
爸爸送我一枚竹書籤，我就把它夾在這本書裡面。
So far, it is the best birthday present I have ever bought for myself.
到目前為止，它是我買過給自己最好的生日禮物。
The author is a famous professor who teaches at HKU.
作者是一位在港大教書的著名教授。
He spent ten years writing this book, interviewing more than a hundred families.
他用了十年寫這本書，訪問了超過一百個家庭。
The professor explains difficult ideas in simple language, which is why his lectures are always full of students.
教授用簡單的語言解釋深奧的概念，所以他的講座常常滿座。
His other books are also good, and some of them are used as textbooks in local schools.
他的其他書一樣好，當中有些還被本地學校用來做教科書。
This is the kind of writing that changes how you see history.
這種就是會改變你看歷史方式的寫作。
That is why I want to lend it to you before anyone else asks.
所以我想在其他人開口之前先借給你。
Whenever I open it, I feel as if I am listening to a wise old friend.
每次打開它，我都覺得好像正在聽一位睿智的老朋友談話。
Borrow it if you want, but please return it by Friday, because my brother wants it next.
想借就借，但請在星期五之前還，因為接着輪到我弟弟想看。
You can also download the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself.
你也可以下載有聲書，是教授親自朗讀的。
I once heard him speak at a book fair, and he told the audience that history belongs to everyone.
我在一個書展聽過他演講，他對觀眾說：歷史屬於每一個人。
We could discuss the book together after you finish, and I would love to hear your views.
你看完之後我們可以一起討論，我很想聽你的看法。
Just remember to treat it gently; it is already twenty years old.
記住要溫柔地對待它；它已經二十歲。
Books are like doors; opening one always leads to another.
書就好像一扇扇門——打開一本，就會通向下一本。
1重點摘要 Summary
it/they 往前面找。
2生字卡 Vocabulary
指代。
代名詞。
先行詞。
它。
他們。
這個。
那個。
哪個。
3逐步講解 Steps
- 往前找指代題的基本原則是向前找，考點是確認先行詞位置。方法是遇到 it、they、this 等指代詞，立即向前掃描尋找它代表的名詞。以課文為例：第三段 please return it by Friday，向前掃描，最近的話題是借書，所以 it 指那本書，而不是 Friday；方向搞反便全題皆錯。易錯之處是學生在指代詞之後找答案，或在全文亂找；中文閱讀習慣令學生忽略英文指代必須回望的特性，向前掃描須練成反射動作。
- 最近名詞指代多數指向最近的名詞，考點是距離原則的應用。方法是以最近候選為首選，再代入驗證。以課文為例：my brother wants it next，弟弟接着想看的自然還是那本書；treat it gently; it is already twenty years old，二十年是書的年資，不是教授的歲數，兩處 it 都指向書本。易錯之處是學生捨近求遠，或被中途插入的名詞干擾；距離原則是統計上的首選策略，但須以語意驗證作最終裁決，兩者缺一不可。
- 複數指代單複數是指代篩選的第一道濾網，考點是 it 與 they 的分工。方法是用單複數先行篩除候選。以課文為例：His other books are also good, and some of them are used as textbooks，them 是複數，只能指他那些書，人名地名與單數名詞一律排除。易錯之處是學生忽略指代詞的單複數形態，把 it 與 them 混用；單複數是最客觀的篩選器，不須語感即可操作，指代題應最先應用這一檢查，先文法後語意是標準次序。
- 代入檢查找到候選答案後必須代入原句檢查，考點是驗證程序。方法是把候選名詞放回指代詞的位置通讀全句。以課文為例：borrow it 若代入 borrow the book，句子通順；代入 borrow Friday 便完全不通，可見 it 不可能指 Friday。易錯之處是學生找到一個看似合理的名詞便作答，從不驗證；代入一步只須數秒，卻能攔截絕大多數錯誤，是指代題的品質保證程序，務必養成習慣，驗證過的答案才穩陣。
- which 與 who關係代詞 which 與 who 緊跟其修飾的名詞，考點是與普通指代詞的區別。方法是 which 指物、who 指人，並且都指向緊鄰的前一名詞。以課文為例：the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself，which 指有聲書而非那本書，含意是有聲版由教授親自錄音。易錯之處是學生把 which 當作 it 一類自由指代，隨便配對附近名詞；關係從句的先行詞有嚴格位置要求，插入語亦不改變其指向，位置規則須記牢。
- 語意篩選常識與語意是指代的第二道濾網，考點是語境合理性。方法是用常識檢驗候選。以課文為例：treat it gently 的溫柔對待只可能用於物品，不會用於人；The author is a famous professor... He spent ten years，He 是男性單數，指向作者教授而非書本。易錯之處是學生只用文法篩選，忽略語意衝突；單複數先行、語意收尾，兩道濾網先後過濾，指代答案便八九不離十，語意檢查是最後的裁判。
- 考試應用指代題是公開試高頻題型，考點是程序的熟練度。方法是每見 it、this、that、they 都停一停：向前找名詞，代入原句驗證；選擇題則以單複數、性別、語意三個篩選器逐一排除選項。以課文為例，全篇十多處指代，逐一定位後文章理解再無障礙。易錯之處是學生讀時跳過指代詞，累積誤解影響全篇；指代不清是深層閱讀障礙的常見根源，值得投資練習時間，把程序練成自動化的習慣。
5例題示範 Example
解構第三段的指代：「return it by Friday, because my brother wants it next」「treat it gently; it is already twenty years old」「the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself」。
- 第一步：「return it by Friday」——向前找最近話題：借本書，所以 it = the book（不是 Friday）。
- 第二步：「my brother wants it next」——向前最近的話題都是本書，代入後即是弟弟接着排隊看。
- 第三步：「treat it gently; it is already twenty years old」——「溫柔對待」是對物品，二十年是書的年資（教授不會只得二十歲）→ it = the book。
- 第四步：「the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself」——which 緊跟前面名詞 audiobook，即是教授親自錄音。
- 第五步：每個指代代入原句試讀，意思通順才作實。
- 答案：第三段的指代逐個解：「return it by Friday」的 it 指本書——向前最近話題是借書，「return」的對象必是物品；「my brother wants it next」的 it 都是本書，弟弟接着排隊看；「treat it gently; it is already twenty years old」兩個 it 都指本書——「溫柔對待」是對物品，而「二十年」是書的年資，教授不會只得二十歲；「the audiobook, which is read by the professor himself」的 which 指最近名詞 audiobook，即是有聲書由教授本人錄音。全部代入試讀通順，指代題就是向前找＋代入驗證。
6常見錯誤 Mistakes
79 題快測 Quick check
Q1指代是什麼？
Q2怎樣找先行詞？
Q3it 指什麼？
Q4they 指什麼？
Q5this/that？
Q6技巧？
Q7「It」指什麼？
Q8它是什麼顏色？
Q9它講什麼？
8重點回顧 Recap
- it / this / that 向前找最近的名詞，多數就是答案。
- they / them 指複數；he / she 看性別，立即篩除錯的選項。
- 語意檢查很重要：treat it gently 只可能指物品，不會指人。
- which / who 緊跟前面名詞：the audiobook, which... 指 audiobook。
- 找到候選對象後代入原句試讀，通順才作實。