高考英语一轮复习(人教版必修2):Unit 4 Wildlife protection
Ⅱ.重点句型详解
They lived on the earth tens of millions of years ago, long before humans came into being...
千百万年前它们(恐龙)就在地球上生活,比人类的出现要早得多……
long before 早在……之前很久
before可做连词,连接时间状语从句,做介词,连接时间点或做副词。long before 连接的时间状语从句用一般现在时呼应主句的一般将来时;一般过去时呼应主句的一般过去时或过去将来时。
拓展:(1)before long “不久以后”,相当于 soon after/shortly after, 既可以指将来,也可以指过去,所以与过去时或将来时连用,在句中做状语,不可以引导从句。
(2)long ago (现在的)很久以前。
(3)“It will be long before+从句(一般现在时)”与 “It was long before+从句(一般过去时)”的意思是“过很久才……”,强调经过的时间长。
(4)“It will not be long before+从句(一般现在时)”与“It was not long before+从句(一般过去时)”,意思是“没过很久就……”,强调经过的时间短。
注意:以上短语、句型中的 long均可以改用普通的时间名词或短语,表达不同的时间长度。
①Long before, there was a big museum here.
很久以前,这里有一座大博物馆。
②I had heard of him long before I came here.
早在我来这儿很久以前我就听说过他的情况。
③Before long he went to Canada to go on with his further education.不久以后他就去加拿大继续深造了。
④It was not long before she came. 没多久她就来了。
⑤It will be long before we see each other again.
我们很久以后才会再见面。
[即境活用]The book was published ______ it was written.
A.soon before B.long before C.before long D.soon after
解析:句意为“书写完后不久就出版了”,故选 soon after。
答案:D