Sentence Patterns - Reading Week 6

chéng…(qūshì)呈…(趋势) APPEAR…TENDENCY  (6)

The description of the tendency is placed between 呈and 趋势. For instance:

China’s population growth rate shows a tendency to rise.

…dĭ 底  END OF… (6)

底 is placed after 年or月 as in 年底 the end of the year, 月底 the end of the month, 2000年(年) 底 the end of 2000, 十月底 the end of October.

…qízhōng 其 中AMONG WHICH; IN WHICH (6)

The 其中clause is preceded by another clause which describes a general situation. The 其中clause often contains number words or phrases which imply quantity. For instance:

There are very many students in our university, of whom 500 are male and 600 are female.

 …zhàn 占ACOUNT FOR (6)

In this usage, 占is followed by a clause which contains numbers. For instance:

The Han population accounts for 90% of the total population in China.

…bĭ…比, the comparative construction (6)

This year it has increased by 37.3% compared with the same period last year.

bùbĭ  不 比 NOT THE SAME AS …, UNLIKE, NOT AS GOOD AS…

不 比 NOT THE SAME AS …, UNLIKE, NOT AS GOOD AS…

不 比 is the negative form of 比 and is used as a comparative construction. However, sometimes 不 比 is similar to 不如. 不 如 is placed between phrase A and phrase B. This construction implies that the situation in phrase A is not as good as it is in B. Either A or B can be abbreviated. For instance:

China’s economic power is not as great as that of the US.

Verb complements (6)

zài 在 used as a verb complement.

Verb complements indicate the results and directions of actions. The complements are placed after verbs of action. For example:

Spread through countryside

Set up in Beijing.

(gēn)jù…(根)据 ACCORDING TO (6)

据 is short for 根据. A 根据 clause is followed by a main clause. For instance:

According to the experts’ analysis, the China/Taiwan conflict will be solved within 10 years.

 zìcóng…自(从 )… (以)来SINCE (6)

自(从 ) is used to indicate a point in time in the past; (以)来 extends the time to the present. The elements which are placed between 自(从 ) and (以)来 can be a word, phrase or sentence. Either 自(从 ) or (以)来 can be omitted. For instance:

Since the 70s…

The phrase can also be written in the following ways:

yŭ 与:  A与B作 斗争 (6)

与AND. It is used as a conjunction or co-verb. For instance:

China carried out diplomatic negotiations with the US.

 jiāng 将 WILL (6)

将 is used as an auxiliary verb. It implies that the action that follows will take place in the future. For instance:

China will set upan  economic union with other Asian countries.

…zhīyī   …之一  ONE OF… (6)

之 is used similarly to 的. 之一 means one of, and is placed at the end of a clause. For instance:

He is one of the greatest leaders of our country.

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