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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
在英语中,语气(mood)和时态,语态一样,都是谓语动词的一种形式。表明说话的目的和意图,虚拟语气即表示说话人主观愿望或纯假设情况,动词需用特殊形式。例如If I were a boy.其中谓语动词用were,而不是am, shall, was, have等,是因为说话人为女士,而“我是男人”仅是其假设的语气,故用了一个在现实情况中绝不可能用到的were来表达这一虚拟的情况。通过在I的后面加were这一词,能得知这是虚拟假设出来的情况。
常见的虚拟有两种:
1. 表示非真实假设情况:
If I had left sooner, I could have caught the train.
如果早点出发,我就能赶上火车了。(但我事实上已经错过了,对过去的假设虚拟)
He talks so loud as if I were deaf.
他说话声太响,就像我聋了一样。 (但事实我没聋,对现在的假设虚拟)
这种情况虚拟时,只需将谓语动词变本身的时态再变过去。第一句话中的虚拟,本身为过去时,因此再变过去,即过去完成时。left变为had left, could catch变为could have caught。第二句话中,as if I am deaf,需要对现在假设,因此变为as if I were a deaf.(不用I was deaf,避免与真实情况过去式混淆)类似表示非真实情况的词还有wish希望, suppose假设, would rather宁愿, but for要不是等。
2. 表示建议、命令、要求等主观意愿:
这种虚拟时,不管句子时态如何,表示建议、命令、要求部分的谓语都统一用should do,should可以省略。类似表示建议、命令、要求的常见句型还有sb. suggest /advise /ask /demand /propose /...+ that 从句,或It is important/necessary/essential/ crucial/suggested/advised... +that从句,从句部分表虚拟,其中谓语用(should) do。
二、四级考试中的虚拟语气
例一:2011.12月四级听力短对话第12题
12.A) He was looking forward to seeing the giraffes.
B) He enjoyed watching the animal performance.
C) He got home too late to see the TV special.
D) He fell asleep in the middle of the TV program.
W: I really enjoyed the TV special about giraffes last night. Did you get home in time to see it?
M: Oh, yes, but I wish I could have stayed awake long enough to see the whole thing.
Q: What does the man mean?
在这一对话中,女士问是否及时回家看了这个节目?回答时,男士用了I wish一词,也就是表示他后面说的话为假设虚拟部分,与真实情况相反,因此他说的stayed awake long enough to see the whole thing是假设,真实情况为他中途睡着,并未看完整期节目。因此在选择选项时,因选择D。
例二:2011年12月四级阅读
For example, but for the savings2 and loan debacle, there might be funds available to reduce the national debt and pay for education.
参考译文:举例来说,要不是储蓄和储贷危机,也许还有资金来偿还国家债务和向教育拨款。(而事实上没有资金)
这句话中,but for,表示“要不是”,表示虚拟,所以句子后面的内容为假设情况,与事实相反,因此funds 并不是available的,其真实想表达的含义是没有资金。
例三:2001年1月四级阅读
When things don’t turn out as we would like them to, it is very tempting3 to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending.
参考译文:当事情结果与我们所期望的不同时,我们会忍不住假设:如果能用不同的方式来处理这件事,那故事结局可能更美好。(但事实上没有。)
When things don’t turn out as we would like them to, it is very tempting to assume that had we done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending. 方框部分作为assume后的宾语从句,根据had done,would have had 时态得知,此处实则为虚拟情况,与过去情况虚拟。此处的虚拟还用到了倒装的语法,省略if,将had提前,变成正常语序即为if we had done things differently, the story would have had a happier ending。 因为虚拟,所以事实上,我们并没有用不同的方式来处理,结局还是一样不美好。
如此,便能读懂作者,听懂说话人真正想要表达的含义。如果你现在还在纠结到底要用何种技巧解题,何不提升语法基础,做到听懂看懂考题,那一切的技巧都将成为浮云。
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1
drawn
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v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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2
savings
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n.存款,储蓄 | |
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3
tempting
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a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
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