先看2008全國卷I第26小題:
I like getting up very early in summer. The morning air is so good.
A. to be breathed B. to breathe
C. breathing D. being breathed
此題綜合考查非謂語動詞作狀語的用法。to breathe在句中作狀語,同句子主語存在邏輯動賓關(guān)系,用主動式表示被動意思,因此答案選B。
一般情況下,在英語中,主動語態(tài)表達(dá)主動意義,而被動語態(tài)表達(dá)被動意義。但是,在某些情況下,被動意義卻用主動語態(tài)的動詞形式來表達(dá)。
一、動詞不定式的主動形式表示被動意義
1.在“主語 + 謂語(系動詞)+ 表語(形容詞)+ to do ”結(jié)構(gòu)中,句子的主語與動詞不定式有邏輯上的動賓關(guān)系,且形容詞表示主語的特征或性質(zhì),不定式用主動形式表達(dá)被動意義。該結(jié)構(gòu)中常用的形容詞有:easy, hard, difficult, important, impossible, interesting, pleasant, nice, comfortable, dangerous, safe, cheap, fit, heavy等。
The schoolbag seemed heavy to carry.
The water in the river is unfit to drink.
Do you think him easy to get along with?Much to my surprise, the driving test is easy to pass.
What life will be like in the future is difficult to predict.
2.在“主語 + 謂語 + 賓語 + to do”結(jié)構(gòu)中,動詞不定式與賓語之間有邏輯上的動賓關(guān)系,句子的主語與動詞不定式又有邏輯上的主謂關(guān)系。因此,用動詞不定式的主動形式可以表示被動意義。
She has an old grandfather to look after.
The man has a large family to support.
Have you any homework to do this evening?
3. 在“主語 + 謂語 + 間接賓語 + 直接賓語 + to do”結(jié)構(gòu)中,動詞不定式與直接賓語之間有邏輯上的動賓關(guān)系。因此,也可以用動詞不定式的主動形式表示被動意義。
He set us a good example to follow.
Would you please give me something to eat?
Please give the child a picture-book to read.
4.在“主語 + 謂語 + 賓語 + 賓補 + to do”結(jié)構(gòu)中,賓語是動詞不定式的邏輯賓語,而句子的主語可能是動詞不定式的邏輯主語,也可能不是。此時,也用動詞不定式的主動形式表示被動意義。
I found the fellow hard to get along with. He made his lessons easy to understand.
5.動詞不定式前面可以加上疑問代詞構(gòu)成“疑問代詞 + to do”結(jié)構(gòu)。在這個結(jié)構(gòu)中,盡管動詞不定式與疑問代詞之間存在著邏輯上的動賓關(guān)系,卻用動詞不定式的主動形式表示被動意義。
The question is what to do next.
I don’t know what measures to take to solve this difficult problem.
6.在“There be”句型中,當(dāng)說話人考慮的是必須有人去完成某事時,用動詞不定式的主動形式。如果強調(diào)事情本身必須要做時,則用動詞不定式的被動形式。
There is a lot of work to do. 有許多工作要(人)去做。(需要人去做工作)
There is a lot of work to be done. 有許多工作要做。(工作需要被做)
7. 在“This / That is + 名詞 + to do”結(jié)構(gòu)中,如果動詞不定式與名詞之間有邏輯上的動賓關(guān)系,則用動詞不定式的主動形式表示被動意義。
That is a nice place to visit.
This is a hard question to answer.
8.在“there be...”句型中,當(dāng)動詞不定式修飾名詞作定語時,不定式用主動或被動式,其含義沒有什么區(qū)別。
There is a lot of homework to do (to be done). 有很多家庭作業(yè)要做。
There are some clothes to wash (to be washed). 有些衣服要洗。
二、動名詞主動形式表示被動意義
1.在need, require, want(需要)等動詞后,后接動名詞一般式的主動形式作賓語表示被動意義,相當(dāng)于不定式的被動式。
Your coat is very dirty. It really wants washing.
Tell the workman the house badly requires repairing.
The library needs cleaning, but it’ll have to wait until Sunday.
2.be worth 后接動名詞的主動式表示被動意義。
This famous novel is well worth reading.
His suggestion is not worth considering.
三、動詞主動形式表示被動意義
1.英語中有很多動詞如write, read, wear, wash, clean, sell, run, open, lock等,當(dāng)它們被用作不及物動詞來描述主語特征時,其主動形式常用來表達(dá)被動含義。在這種情形下,主語是物,謂語動詞常與副詞或否定詞連用。
This pen writes quite smoothly.
The shop opens at eight o’clock.
Kate’s book reads like an interesting novel.
The supermarket doors shut automatically.
This cheese doesn’t cut easily. It’s too soft.
David told me that the book of this kind sold very well.
2.表示感官意義的連系動詞如look, feel, smell, taste, sound, prove, appear等,在句子中常表達(dá)被動含義。
Your idea sounds reasonable.
How nice the music sounds!
What he said proved to be correct.
3.不及物動詞或短語動詞如fail, last, rise, fall, sit, come true, take place, happen, occur, break out, give out, run out, belong to, agree with等,用主動形式表示被動意義。
What happened to him last night?
To tell you the truth, the computer doesn’t belong to me.
Your story agrees with what had already been heard.
Great changes have taken place in our hometown since 1978.
4. 當(dāng)“主+動+賓”結(jié)構(gòu)的謂語動詞是表示狀態(tài)或特征的及物動詞,如contain, lack, cost, include, fit, have, resemble, suit等,常用主動形式表示被動意思。
As is known to us all, sea water contains salt.
I’m afraid the new dress suits you very well.
Money was lacking to complete the building.
Making experiments like this cost much time and labour.
四、介詞短語主動形式表示被動意義
1. beyond+名詞:beyond control失去控制,beyond comprehension無法理解,beyond compare無可比擬,beyond description難以形容,beyond (all) doubt毫無疑問,beyond expression無法形容,beyond suspicion無可懷疑。
The children were beyond control. 這些孩子不聽管教。
The passage above is beyond my comprehension 上面這一段我無法理解。
2. in+名詞:in use被使用,in progress 在進(jìn)行中,in action在運轉(zhuǎn),in sight看得見,in (good) repair維修良好的,in store貯藏著。
When was paper in use in China? 中國什么時候開始使用紙幣?
Please do not enter the classroom while a lesson is in progress. 上課時請勿進(jìn)教室。
3.under+名詞:under construction在建設(shè)中, under consideration在考慮中,under arrest被逮捕,under attack受到襲擊,under discussion在討論中,under examination在檢查或調(diào)查中,under medical treatment在治療中,under repair在修繕中,under review在檢查中,under study在研究中。
The new music hall is under construction. 新的音樂大廳正在修建中。
Your proposal is under consideration. 你的提議正在考慮中。
4. on+名詞:on fire 著火,on trial在試用,on sale出售,on display (show exhibition) 在展出。
The building is on fire. 那幢房子正在燃燒。
Eve
ry article on view will be on sale. 每件展品都將出售。
5. in +名詞+ of +名詞:in course of在過程……中,in charge of 負(fù)責(zé), in possession of 擁有。
The new railway is in course of construction. 新鐵路正在興建當(dāng)中。
The library is in possession of several sets of encyclopaedias. 圖書館有好幾套百科全書。
6. 其他介詞短語
除以上提到的幾種情況外,還有一些介詞短語也可表示被動意義,如for sale供出售,for rent供出租,at one’s service聽?wèi){某人使用,above reproach無可指責(zé),無可非議,above suspicion不受懷疑,above criticism無可指責(zé),within sight看得見。
We’re always at your service. 我們隨時為您效勞。
Your work is above reproach. 你的工作無可指責(zé)。