关于指示代词this与that的前指与后指，请注意以下两点：
1. 如果是前指（即回指前文提到的事情），可用that或this。如：
She married Jim, and this [that] surprised me. 她嫁给了吉姆，这使我感到很吃惊。
John had a bad cold. That [This] was why he didn't turn up. 约翰患了重感冒，这(那)就是他没有来的原因。
The kids would answer back and that [this] drove her crazy. 孩子们会顶嘴，把她逼疯。
We laughed and that [this] helped ease the tension. 我们笑了，因而使紧张的情绪缓和下来。
They offered me free accommodation for a year, and that [this] decided me. 他们愿意免费为我提供一年的住宿，这就使我下定了决心。
It was always said of the Princess that she had the common touch and that [this] was why she was so well loved by the people. 人人都说王妃平易近人，也正是因为这一点她才会如此深受民众的爱戴。
注：回指上文的 that 在译成汉语时，通常也译为“这”。如：
That's where you are wrong. 这就是你不对的地方。
2. 如果是后指（即指后文叙述的事情），则通常只用 this。如：
I want to know this: is he healthy? 我想知道这一点：他是否很健康。
Answer me this: how did they know we were here? 回答我这个问题：他们怎么知道我们在这儿？
The challenge for American leadership is this: Can we put our economic house in order? 美国领导层面临的挑战是：我们能否处理好自己的经济问题？