Step 3 Grammar learning

1. Read and discover. Turn to page 25 and read through the reading passage to find out all the sentences where noun clauses are used as the subject and underline them.

1). What it was to become was uncertain until between 4.5 and 3.8 billion years ago when the dust settled into a solid globe.

2). The earth became so violent that it was not clear whether the shape would last or not.

3). What is even more important is that as the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface.

4). It was not immediately obvious that water was to be fundamental to the development of life.

5). What many scientists believe is that the continued presence of water the earth to dissolve harmful gasses and acids into the oceans and seas.

6). Why they suddenly disappeared still remains a mystery.

7). So whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved.

2. Summing up: noun clauses as the subject

主语从句: 做主语用的名词性从句, 在复合句中做主语.

　1). 连接词:

从属连词that(引导主语从句只是引导作用, 在句中不做任何成分, 但不能省略), whether(放在句首或者句末) 等.

That she left him cut him to the heart.

Whether it will please them is not easy to say. / It is not east to say whether it will please them.

　2). 连接代词who, what, which, whoever, whatever, whichever等

What seems easy to some people seems difficult to others.

　3). 连接副词when, where, why, how等

　4). 几种特殊句型:

It + be + 表语 + 主语从句

It + 不及物动词 + 主语从句

It + 及物动词 + 主语从句

Step 4 Grammar practice

Turn to page 29. Ask students to do exercises2-3 in Discovering useful structures.

Step 5 Discussion