小it大舞台

it一词看似构成简单,功能却极其丰富。它不仅可用作人称代词,指代前文出现过的婴儿和小孩,还可用作指示代词,指代时间、地点、天气、环境、距离等。it还可用作形式主语或形式宾语,引导后面的短语或从句,同时也可以引起强调结构,构成多种句式,是中学英语学习的重难点之一,也是高考中出现频率极高的考查点之一。下面结合高考试题,对it的用法进行详细解读。

一、考查“实义”it

1. 代替上文提到的同一事物或用来代替小孩和婴儿。例如:

Where’s my dictionary? Have you seen it?

The child smiled when it saw its mother.

考例:

①I like this house with a beautiful garden in front, but I don’t have enough money to buy_____.

A. oneB. it

C. this D. that

解析:B。it替代上文中提到的同名同物的this house。

②― There is still a copy of the book in the library. Will you go and borrow?

―No, I’d rather buy_____ in the bookstore.

A. it; oneB. one; one

C. one; itD. it; it

解析:A。第一空指的是前面所说的那一本书,用指示代词it;第二空表示泛指任意一本,用替代词one。

2. 代替前面的整个句子。例如:

The 29th Olympic Games was successfully held in Beijing in 2008. It makes the Chinese proud.

考例:

The doctor advised Versa strongly that she should take a holiday, but_____ didn’t help.

A. itB. she

C. whichD. he

解析:A。it指上文The doctor advised Versa strongly that she should take a holiday这件事情,因为有连词but,不能用关系代词which。

二、考查“虚义”it

1. it用作没有具体意义的主语,常出现在表示天气、时间、距离、地点、温度、自然环境等意义的句子中。例如:

When spring comes, it is getting warmer and warmer.

It was very noisy at the very moment.

考例:

―He got his first book published. It turned out to be a bestseller.

―When was_____?

―_____was in 2000 when he was still in college.

A. that; ThisB. this; It

C. it; This D. that; It

解析:D。第一空问话人想知道“那是什么时候”,第二空表示“时间”,用it。

2. it用在不能直接跟宾语从句的动词后,尤其是表示好恶的动词如enjoy, like, love, appreciate, feel like, dislike, hate 以及see to, help等之后,被称为模糊宾语或假宾语,其后再接宾语从句。例如:

I like it that everyone passed the exam.

I hate it when people talk with their mouths full.

考例:

I’d appreciate_____ if you would like to teach me how to use the computer.

A. that_____ B. it

C. this_____ D. you

解析:B。appreciate后接“虚义”it,再接if引导的宾语从句。

三、考查“先行”it

it可作形式主语或宾语,代替不定式、动名词、主语从句或宾语从句。例如:

It’s no use talking to him about it.

Keep it in mind that you have to be home by ten o’clock.

考例:

① It is obvious to the students_____they should get well prepared for their future.

A. asB. which

C. whetherD. that

解析:D。it作形式主语,“_____they should get well prepared for their future”是真正的主语,该主语从句中不缺少任何成分,而是陈述事实,故用that引导。

② He didn’t make_____ clear when and where the meeting would be held.

A. thisB. that

C. itD. these

解析:C。本题考查it作形式宾语代替宾语从句的用法。此题中的make后面接的是复合宾语,由于宾语从句when and where the meeting would be held太长,故使用先行it作宾语,而把宾语从句放在宾补clear之后。

四、考查强调结构中的it

it可用于帮助构成强调结构的形式“It is/was +被强调部分+ that/who...”。例如:

It was Mary who (that) met your sister in the zoo yesterday.

考例:

①―I’ve read another book this week.

―Well, maybe is not how much you read but what you read that counts.

A. thisB. that

C. there D. it

解析:D。此题强调主语从句not how much you read but what you read,应使用it is...that...强调结构。

② It was_____ he came back from Africa that year_____ he met the girl he would like to marry.

A. when; then B. not; until

C. not until; that D. only; when

解析:C。根据句意“直到他从非洲回来那年他才遇到想与之结婚的女孩”可知,这是对not...until...句式的强调,应使用固定的强调句型It was not until...that...

五、考查it构成的特殊句型

1. It + be +一段时间+ since...

此句型意为“自从……以来有一段时间了”。表示现在的情况时,主句用一般现在时或现在完成时,从句用一般过去时;表示过去的情况时,主句用一般过去时,从句用过去完成时。since从句的谓语动词若用非延续性动词,时间的起点从该动作发生时算起;如果since从句中用延续性动词,则时间的起点应从该动作结束时算起。例如:

It is several years since he began to live here.

他已经在这儿住了好几年了。

It is several years since he lived here.

他不住在这儿已经好几年了。

考例:

It is almost five years_____ we saw each other last time.

A. before_____B. since

C. after D. when

解析:B。根据句意“自从我们上次见面以来,已有将近五年的时间了”可知应选用since。

2. It + be + 一段时间 + before...

此句型意为“过一段时间才……”,其否定式意为“没过多久就……”。例如:

It was not long before the two friends met again.

It won’t be long before we meet again.

考例:

I’m sorry you’ve been waiting so long, but there’ll still be some time_____ Brian gets back.

A. before B. since

C. till D. after

解析:A。根据句意“还要过一段时间后Brian才会回来”以及主从句的时态可知选用before。

3. It/This/That + be + the first/second/third ... time + that...

此句型表示到说话时为止某人的一种经历。主句用is时,从句一般用现在完成时;主句用was时,从句一般用过去完成时;主句为一般将来时时,从句用现在完成时代替将来完成时;该句式的反意疑问句应对it进行反问。例如:

For most students, we guess, it is the first time that they have been away from home.

Don’t forget. It will be the first time I have spoken in public.

考例:

①This is the first time we_____a film in the cinema together as a family.

A. seeB. had seen

C. saw D. have seen

解析:D。This is the first / second / last time...是固定结构,后面的从句中应使用现在完成时。

②It’s the first time that he has been to Australia,_____?

A. isn’t he B. hasn’t he

C. isn’t it D. hasn’t it

解析:C。It is the first time句式的反意疑问句应该对it进行反问。

4. It is up to sb. to do sth.

该句型意为“该由某人负责做某事”。

考例:

Who is it up_____ the first company_____ is run by the state?

A. to take charge of ; which

B. to to take charge of ; that

C. for to take charge of ; that

D. to to taking charge of ; which

解析:B。该句结构比较复杂,将疑问句还原为陈述句可知是“It’s up to sb. to do sth.”句型,company后跟定语从句,先行词前有序数词first修饰,关系代词用that。

5. It is no wonder / No wonder + that...

该句型意为“难怪……”。

考例:

He hasn’t slept at all for three days. _____he is tired out.

A. There is no point

B. There is no need

C. It is no wonder

D. It is no way

解析:C。根据语境“他已经三天没合眼了,难怪他精疲力竭”可知,应选用“It is no wonder”。

6. It is no use / good doing句式

该句型意为“做某事没有用”。

考例:

Eugene’s never willing to alter any of his opinions. It’s no use_____ with him.

A. to argueB. arguing

C. argued D. having argued

解析:B。考查固定结构。It is no use doing...是固定句式。

7. It is said /reported /thought...that...该句型意为“据说/据报道/据认为……”。

考例:

It is often_____ that human beings are naturally equipped to speak.

A. said B. to say

C. saying D. being said

解析:A。根据句意“据说人类天生就具备说话的能力”可知,应使用“It is said that”结构,意思是“据说”。

it用法专项练习:

1. ― I saw no more than one motorbike in that shop. Will you go and buy_____?

― No, I’d rather find_____ in other shops.

A. one; one B. it; it

C. one; it D. it; one

2. I would appreciate_____ if you come to my grandma’s birthday party and say “hello” to her.

A. thatB. it

C. youD. one

3. ― Have you got used to the Chinese food, Robert?

― Yes, but I don’t like_____ when a Chinese host keeps serving me the food I don’t like.

A. this B. that

C. those D. it

4. Mrs Stewards kept telling her son not to go online too frequently, but_____didn’t help.

A. sheB. he

C. it D. which

5. Was it in the lab which was taken charge of by Professor Zhang_____ they did the experiment?

A. when B. which

C. where D. that

6. I was disappointed with the film I saw yesterday. I had expected_____ to be much better.

A. that B. this

C. one D. it

7. Why don’t you bring_____ to his attention that you are too ill to go on working?

A. it B. you

C. him D. this

8._____ is no good_____ without doing anything.

A. This; talking B. It; talk

C. It; talking D. That; to talk

9. ― My mother is 45 years old!

― Really? She doesn’t look_____.

A. itB. young

C. her D. this

10. The last bus has gone. Come on, we’ll have to foot_____.

A. them B. it

C. you D. that

11. She finds_____ boring_____ at home alone.

A. it; staying

B. that; being stayed

C. this; to stay

D. it; stayed

12. ―Few children are as bright as he is, and also, he works very hard.

―_____ that he always gets the first place in any examination.

A. It’s no wonder

B. It’s no question

C. It’s no problem

D. There’s no wonder

13. With so many people communicating in English every day,_____ will become more and more important to have a good knowledge of English.

A. itB. which

C. that D. what

14. When_____ comes to repairing a machine, I have little knowledge of it.

A. that B. it

C. one D. this

15. I don’t think you can make_____to the shore in the bad weather.

A. that B. one

C. them D. it

16. We have made_____ clear that we are strongly against smoking in the office.

A. thisB. that

C. itD. one

17. The Pacific region will be one of the fastest growing areas in the world in the 21st century. _____shouldn’t be any doubt about it.

A. It B. That

C. ThisD. There

18. ―Why are you making so much noise?

―I just can’t help_____.

A. so B. that C. thisD. it

19._____ seems to be a strong competition in China for senior high students to enter college or university.

A. It B. Which

C. WhatD. That

20. Many students in this school make_____ a rule to come to the evening classes even on Saturdays.

A. thisB. that

C. it D. them

21. ―Excuse me. I want to have a letter mailed, but I can’t find a post office.

―I know_____ nearby. Come on, I’ll show you.

A. itB. one

C. thatD. another

22. It was Wang Fang and her husband who sent the old man to hospital,_____?

A. did theyB. didn’t they

C. wasn’t itD. was it

23. ―Why is it_____ Mr Smith seldom mentions his childhood?

―Perhaps he suffered a lot in his childhood.

A. which B. what

C. howD. that

24. ― Who is making so much noise in the garden?

―_____ the children._____

A. It isB. They are

C. That isD. There are

25. It is the third time we_____ to wait for Anne. It’s so rude for her to make us all wait in the rush hour.

A. haveB. have had

C. hadD. will have

26. I can’t remember how many days ago_____ a fight broke out between the husband and the wife.

A. it was when B. was it that

C. it was thatD. was it when

27. ―Who’s knocking at the door?

―_____me.

A. That’sB. This is

C. He’s D. It’s

28._____ no need for us to discuss the problem again. It has already been settled.

A. It has B. There has

C. It isD. There is

29. The Parkers bought a new house, but_____ will need a lot of work before they can move in.

A. theyB. it

C. one D. which

30. ― Who knocked at the door?

― I’ve no idea. I just pretended nobody was at home, so I didn’t ask who_____ was.

A. he B. that

C. she D. it

31. I want very much to buy a color TV set, but I can’t afford_____.

A. oneB. it

C. that D. this

32. The teacher kept telling the naughty boy that he shouldn’t play in class, but didn’t help.

A. heB. which

C. sheD. it

33. What a pity my new computer doesn’t work._____ must be something wrong with it.

A. ItB. There

C. ThisD. That

34. Has_____ been decided when we are to hold the sportsmeeting?

A. that

B. this

C. it

D. what

35._____ certain that his invention will lead to the development of production.

A. That’s

B. This is

C. It’s

D. What’s

Keys:

1 - 5 DBDCD 6 -10 DACAB

11-15 AAABD 16-20 CDDAC

21-25 BCDAB 26-30 CDDBD