语法点：间接引语：疑问句 (Reported Questions)
转述别人问的问题时，我们不再用问号和倒装语序，而是把问句变成一个从句。一般疑问句（能用 yes / no 回答的）用 whether 或 if 引导；特殊疑问句保留原来的疑问词（how, where, what…）。从句一律用陈述句语序：主语在前，动词在后。如果主句是过去时（asked、wanted to know），从句时态要往后移一格：is → was，am growing → was growing，do you like → liked。本课牙医边拔牙边问"我"一连串问题，作者用 asked me whether … / asked me how … 把它们全部转述出来。
结构
| 原问句类型 | 直接引语 | 间接引语 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般疑问句 | 'Is your collection growing?' | He asked me whether (if) my collection was growing. |
| 一般疑问句 | 'Do you like your new job?' | He asked me whether I liked my new job. |
| 特殊疑问句 | 'How is your brother?' | He asked me how my brother was. |
| 特殊疑问句 | 'Where do you work?' | He asked me where I worked. |
要点：1) 去掉问号和助动词 do / does / did；2) 主语放到动词前面，恢复陈述语序；3) 时态后移，人称相应变化（you → I，your → my）；4) 用 whether / if 或原疑问词连接。
课文中的例句
- [句 4] He knew I collected match boxes and asked me whether my collection was growing. — 一般疑问句 Is your collection growing? 变为 whether … was growing，时态后移
- [句 5] He then asked me how my brother was and whether I liked my new job in London. — 特殊疑问句保留 how，一般疑问句用 whether；两个转述问句并列
- [句 9] …I was able to tell him that he had pulled out the wrong tooth. — 陈述句的间接引语用 that，时态后移为过去完成时 had pulled
- [句 1] Dentists always ask questions when it is impossible for you to answer. — 引出全文话题：牙医总在你不能回答时提问
补充例句
- The dentist asked me whether the tooth hurt. — 牙医问我那颗牙疼不疼。
- He wanted to know where I had put my match boxes. — 他想知道我把火柴盒放在哪儿了。
- My brother asked me if I liked my new job in London. — 我哥哥问我是否喜欢在伦敦的新工作。
易错点
- ❌ He asked me whether was my collection growing. → ✅ He asked me whether my collection was growing. — 间接引语要用陈述语序，主语放在动词前面。
- ❌ He asked me how was my brother. → ✅ He asked me how my brother was. — 特殊疑问句转述后同样不能倒装。
- ❌ He asked me whether I like my new job. → ✅ He asked me whether I liked my new job. — 主句 asked 是过去时，从句时态要后移为 liked。
- ❌ He asked me did I like my new job. → ✅ He asked me whether I liked my new job. — 转述一般疑问句必须用 whether / if，并去掉助动词 did。