The watchers moved forward together, as if some signal had been given. Swords rose and fell, all in a deathly silence. It was cold butchery. The pale blades sliced through ringmail as if it were silk. Will closed his eyes. Far beneath him, he heard their voices and laughter sharp as icicles.
旁观的异鬼仿佛接收到什么讯号，这时一涌向前。一片死寂之中，剑雨纷飞，这是场冷酷的屠杀。惨白的剑刃砍丝般切进环甲。威尔闭上眼睛。他听见地面上远远传来它们的谈笑声，尖利一如冰针。

as if, 这个词组的用法经常被作为考点。字面上来说as if并不难理解，但往往牵扯到虚拟语气，考生就先慌了神。

虚拟语气：其实并不难理解，简而言之就是在说废话，说话人主观上假设一个情况而已。以as if 为例：

It looks as if it is going to rain. (It looks as if it will rain).

看起来要下雨了(主观上说话人认为，这个事情有可能发生)。

It looks as if it would rain.

看起来会下雨（潜台词根本不会）。（主观上说话人认为根本不可能发生）

as if 的用法：

(1) as if 后边要跟从句（或者从句的省略句，不能直接跟名词），用于比较虚实两种情况。

He treats them as if they were his parents.

而不能说He treats them as if his parents.

(2) as if 和as though习惯上是通用的，但不能说成as although。

(3) 口语中常常用as if 进行否定的强调。

两个闺蜜在对话，“你的小鲜肉约了另一个女生。”另一个女神悠悠地说，”就好像我在乎似的。“

‘She asked him out with her.’ ‘As ifI cared.’(= I don’t care at all.)

(4) 当as if 前后的主、从句主语一致时，经常省略从句的主语，而把从句的谓语部分改写成相应形式的非谓语动词。

He opened his mouth as if he was to speak.可以省略成He opened his mouth as if to speak.

He turned around as if he was searching for someone. 可以省略成He turned around as if searching for someone.

(5) 在非正式文本特别是美语中，也有用like替代as if的情况，不过like自身有接名词表示两者的比较，和替代as if 的情况是不同的。

A movie is not like a book. 而不能说A movie is not as/as if a book.

而She started kissing me as if we were in honeymoon.也可以说成She started kissing me like we were in honeymoon.

butchery,指残杀。不仅仅是要杀死对方，而且是折磨虐杀。

icicles,冰锥，指自然下垂凝结的，北方的房檐上经常可以看到。

声明：本文系阿天授权沪江英语独家发布，严禁转载。中文翻译选自重庆出版社屈畅的版本，讲解为阿天原创作品。

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