as 是时间连词,表达时间概念。paints(晕倒)这个动作跟 pushes 几乎同时或先后发生,跟前面两个动词没有关系。可以这样翻译:
He then says a few things to the woman, pats on her head and pushes her softly as she faints in the end.
然后他对那名女子说了几句话,拍了拍她的头,在她最后晕倒时轻轻地推了她一下。
【说明】as 引导的时间从句,其谓语动词可以是“瞬间动词”,主句的谓语动词也可以是“瞬间动词”。在此情况下,两个件事发生的时间间隔很短,甚至没有时间间隔,主句和从句均用一般时。也就是说,含有as 的主、从句,两个动作不一定非要延续或同步进行。也可以是我上面讲的这个用法。
as 的此种用法,之前还经常加just(just as)强调时间间隔短暂,意思和用法跟 as soon as 十分接近。
更多例句:
The police caught the thief as he began to run.
(Just) as he got off the plane, people went forward to greet him.
(Just) as he reached her, the horse stopped suddenly.
(Just) as I started to think that I was never going to get well, the illness began to recede.