before 的用法

一、掌握before热点用法
1. prep. 在......以前，强调时间
He came to see me the day before yesterday. 他前天来看我了。
2. prep. 在......前面，当着......的面，向......，强调地点
She has to appear before the court. 她必须出庭受审。
3. prep. 在......之前，先于，强调次序
Those with babies can get on the bus before others. 带小孩的人可以先上汽车。
4. prep. 与其......（宁愿）
I'd shoot myself before I apologized to him! 我宁死也不向他道歉!
5. adv. 以前，强调时间
We've seen that film before. 我们以前看过那场电影。
6. adv. 在前面，向前，强调位置
Don't run before and after. 别跑前跑后。
7. conj. 在......前，强调时间
before的含义比较灵活，实际翻译时应结合具体情况机动处理。
1. 趁......
You should do it before it is too late. 趁现在还不算太晚，你应该赶快做它。
2. 尚未来得及
Before she could move, she heard a loud noise, which grew to a terrible roar. 她还没有来得及动弹，就听见有很响的声音，接着就成了可怕的隆隆轰鸣声。
Before they reached the house, a new great wave came, sweeping down trees, and sweeping them down too. 他们还没到屋子，又一个巨浪打来，冲倒了树，也冲倒了他们。
3. 要......先......
You should be a pupil before you become a teacher. 要当老师，先作学生。
二、掌握热点句型用法
It was not long before...（过去）没过多久就......
It was not long before he returned to Beijing. 不久他就回到北京。
需 要特别注意，该句型可以进行创新，可将否定句改为肯定句（It was long before...过了很久才......）或将一般过去时改为一般将来时（It will not be long before...要不了多久就......；It will be long before...要过很久才......）。before在这些句型中均引导时间状语从句， long这个抽象的时间也可改为years, weeks, days等具体表时间的词。
It was long before he married Wei Fang. 过了很久他才娶魏芳。
It will be long before he goes abroad. 要过很久他才出国。
Will it be years before he goes to school? 要过好几年他才能上学吗？