Pronoun Referent

Một trong những câu hỏi gần như chắc chắn ra trong kỳ thi tuyển sinh đại học môn tiếng Anh là câu hỏi về Pronoun Referent trong bài đọc. Trong bài này, chúng ta sẽ tìm hiểu về định nghĩa của loại câu hỏi này, cách làm, và một số bài tập nhé!

Nếu bạn vào đây mà cảm thấy mình biết vấn đề này rồi thì bạn cũng có thể tham khảo các nội dung khác trong chuyên đề Luyện Thi Đại Học Môn Tiếng Anh nha!

Pronoun Referent

Definition – Định Nghĩa

Pronoun (đại từ) là những từ dùng để thay thế, đại diện cho một danh từ đã được đề cập trước. Việc dùng Pronoun khiến cho bài viết, câu nói của bạn trở nên liên kết hơn, dễ hiểu hơn.

Trong bài đọc, dạng câu hỏi “Pronoun Referent” là những câu hỏi yêu cầu thí sinh phải tìm xem Pronoun đang được hỏi dùng để thay thế cho danh từ nào phía trước. Ví dụ:

Working late at night is not good for your health. It deteriorates your learning capability.

Trong câu trên thì “IT” đang thay thế cho cụm danh từ (gerund – Working late at night). Và “working late at night” được gọi là pronoun referent.

Bài viết này tập trung vào dạng câu hỏi trên!

Theory – Lý Thuyết

Để làm dạng bài tập này ta cần gì? Một điều chắc chắn các bạn cần tìm hiểu là lý thuyết về Pronoun – Đại Từ. Có rất nhiều loại đại từ khác nhau, các bạn nên tìm hiểu kỹ trước khi tiếp tục nha.

Cần tìm gì nữa không? Nếu nói cần thì cần hết tất cả các điểm ngữ pháp trong tiếng Anh. Nhưng nói nhất thiết thì không!

Process – Cách Thức Làm Bài

Sau khi các bạn đã hiểu Pronoun là gì rồi thì việc tìm hiểu về cách làm bài không hề khó một chút nào hét!

1. Identify the location of the pronoun – tìm vị trí của pronoun
2. Analyze the pronoun – phân tích đại từ (chủ yếu xem nó là số ít (it) hay số nhiều (they)).
3. Refer to a few sentences before it – đọc kỹ một vài câu phía trước nó.
4. Try if it makes sense – thử thế đáp án bạn có vào câu xem nó có nghĩa không.
5. Choose the answer – chọn câu trả lời.

Chúng ta hãy xem qua thử một số ví dụ nha.

Example 1

In constitutional monarchies, succession is often regulated by a parliament, while in absolute ones, the succession is a simple matter of birth.

What does the pronoun “ones” refer to?

• Chữ “ONES” nằm phía sau vế “while in absolute …” Vậy đáp án sẽ nằm phía trước nó: “In constitutional… parliament,”
• Pronoun ONES là số nhiều (nếu thấy lạ thì bạn nhìn lại bài lý thuyết về đại từ phía trên nhé).
• ONES là số nhiều, mà danh từ số nhiều phía trước chỉ có “manarchies”
• Thế vào: while in absolute monarchies, the succession is a simple matter of birth. Hợp lý
• Đáp án: Monarchies.

Try These

Giờ chúng ta thử một số câu sau nha. Đáp án ở phía cuối bài:

1. Monarchs almost always inherit their titles and keep them for life.
2. Most monarchs hold their offices for life, while some others do not.
3. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Malaysia could probably be seen as a “high king”, as he is selected from among nine Malay rulers.
4. Both kings and emperors are monarchs – there is no single rule to distinguish between them.
5. The office was hereditary, but originally a Germanic king had to have the consent of the people before he could assume the throne.
6. Originally, kings were soldiers who managed to take power from others, and solidify it by handing it out to their lieutenants, or barons.

OK! Giờ các bạn đã sẵn sàng làm bài tập trong một đoạn văn nha. Nó cũng giống vầy thôi, có điều bước tìm ra vị trí của nó sẽ hơi vất vả hơn. Đừng sợ nha!

Exercise of Pronoun Referent

Các bạn cứ làm từ từ nha, đừng lo. Đây là loại bài tập dễ nhất.

Exercise 1

In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has power over every aspect of the state, and a constitutional may be granted or withdrawn, Modern versions of it tend to survive only in societies in which technology allows the concentration and organization of power, but doesn’t allow education or rapid communication among the majority of its populace to flourish. Its economic structure is one of concentrated wealth, with the majority of the population living as agricultural serfs.

1. “it”  refers to: …
2. “”one”  refers to:…

Exercise 2

Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s third wife, was the youngest surviving child of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. As was common for princesses of the day, her parents almost immediately began looking for a political match for her. When she was three years old, she was betrothed to Arthur, the son of Henry.VII of England. Arthur – who would later change his name to Henry VIII – was not even quite two at the time. When she was almost 16 in 1501, Catherine made the journey to England. They were married on 14 November 1501 in Old St. Paul’s Cathedral, London.

1. “her” refers to …
2. “she” refers to …
3. “they” refers to …

Exercise 3

The young Prince Henry, the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, was born on 28 June 1491 at Greenwich. He had a very spoilt childhood. He was so spoiled that he even had his own “whipping boy” who was punished every time Henry did something wrong! After his elder brother died, Henry became next in line to be King. His father died in 1509 and the 18 years old Prince became King. Henry was vigorous and handsome. He was an incredible athlete and loved jousting and hunting. And he was very clever also being good at Latin, math, astronomy, cosmology, and music.

1. “He” refers to …
2.  The second “he” refers to …
3. “who” refers to …

Exercise 4

Oliver Cromwell rose from the middle ranks of English society to be Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland, the only non-royal ever to hold that position. He played a leading role in bringing king Charles I to trial and his execution; also, he undertook the most complete and the most brutal military conquest ever undertaken by the English over their neighbors; he championed a degree of religious freedom otherwise unknown in England before that last one hundred years, but the experiment he led collapsed within two years of his death. He was – and remains – one of the most contentious figures in world history.

1. “his” refers to
2. “”he” refers to

Exercise 5

Paragraph 1

Perhaps the most impressive monarch of the ancient world was Genghis Khan. He not only created an empire, but he did it starting as a humble farmer. At its zenith, his empire stretched from China in the east to Ukraine in the west. He controlled or allied with over 100 peoples, many of whom were willing participants in his mighty army.

Paragraph 2

An Arab historian wrote of Genghis Khan – those who have not yet been subjugated spend sleepless nights wondering when he will appear.

Paragraph 3

Genghis Khan was born around 1162. His name at birth was Temujin. Little is known of his early life, but according to legend, it was difficult. His father supposedly left him with the family of the woman whom he was going to marry. His father died soon after that in a fight with a rival chief. Temujin moved to avenge him, and even at such an early age started his ascent to greatness.

Paragraph 4

Once he settle the score for his father’s murder, Temujin moved to grow his power. The first step was to unite all the Mongol tribes. Although there had been some attempts earlier, nobody had ever succeeded in doing so. Temujin, using a combination of fear and friendship, organized them into one united group. When this happened, Temujin received the title “Great Ruler” or “Genghis Khan.”

Paragraph 5

After uniting the local tribes, Genghis Khan moved to expand his power – his first target was naturally the closest center of power, China. At the time, China was not a unified empire, and it was an easy target for the ambitious Mongol. One by one small city-state fell before the Mongols.

Paragraph 6

Genghis Khan, however, realized that it was better in the long term if the people whom he subjugated were allowed to join his army if they swore allegiance to his standard. In this way, his horde continued to grow, and after every major war, it increased in size and didn’t shrink.

Questions

1. “it” in the first paragraph refers to …
2. “he” in the second paragraph refers to …
3. “it” in the third paragraph refers to …
4. “him” in the third paragraph refers to …
5. “them” in the fourth paragraph refers to …
6. “this” in the fourth paragraph refers to …
7. “it” in the fifth paragraph refers to …
8. In the last paragraph, the word “it” refers to …

Summary: Pronoun Referent

Vậy để tìm được Danh từ mà một pronoun đang thay thế (pronoun referent), cứ việc xem trở lại vài câu nhé.

Tuy nhiên, cũng có những trường hợp mà Pronoun cũng có thể thay thế cho một danh từ nào đó phía trước nó. Trường hợp này không nhiều, và cũng không được xem là chính thống trong văn nghị luận, nên các bạn biết chứ cũng không cần quá lo.

Answer Key: Try These

1. Monarchs almost always inherit their titles and keep them for life.
2. Most monarchs hold their offices for life, while some others do not.
3. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong in Malaysia could probably be seen as a “high king”, as he is selected from among nine Malay rulers.
4. Both kings and emperors are monarchs – there is no single rule to distinguish between them.
5. The office was hereditary, but originally a Germanic king had to have the consent of the people before he could assume the throne.
6. Originally, kings were soldiers who managed to take power from others, and solidify it by handing it out to their lieutenants, or barons

Answer Key: Exercise

1. an absolute monarchy – economic structure
2. Catherine of Aragon –  Catherine of Aragon – Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII
3. Prince Henry – Prince Henry – whipping boy
4. Oliver Cromwell’s – Oliver Cromwell
5. creating an empire – Genghis Khan – his early life – his father – Mongol tribes – “nguyên câu phía trước – cái việc tập hợp bộ lạc lại” – China – his army

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