that引导宾语从句位于句首时可省略that吗

问题描述

The judges on the Federal Circuit are “reacting to the anti-patent trend at the Supreme Court”, says Harold C. Wegner, a patent attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School. 

按语法规定：句中 that 引导的宾语从句位于句首，不可省略 that，但这个句子的 that 却省略了，这是为什么呢？

老师答疑

沅老师：

置于句首的不是宾语从句，也不省略 that。其实它是一种自由直接引语。所谓语自由直接引语，就是指基本具备直接引语的特征，但不用引号。比如：

Oh, Mama, Ida thought, did I know you? Did you know me? What am I afraid of? She asked herself and she thought, I am a widow and losing my look. I am afraid of the future.（引自章振邦《新编英语语法》下册）