他当时不感到怎么样,但是这事后来竟变得很麻烦。(结果是很/证明麻烦的)
They said goodbye,little knowing that they were never to meet again.他们相互道别,根本没有想到竟再也不能相见了。(命运注定不再相见)
C be about+不定式结构表示即将发生的动作:
They are about to start.
他们就要出发了。(他们正准备开门。)
加上副词just能使将来更加具有即时感:
They are just about to leave.
他们马上就要离开了。
这个句式同样也可以用于过去时:
He was just about to dive when he saw the shark.
他当时正待扎进水里,却看到了鲨鱼。
be on the point of+动名词与 be about+不定式意思相同,但比后者动作还要快一点。
be 作普通动词
形式:关于作助动词(参见第113节A。)
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[Amber demo]
115 be 表示存在,be+形容词
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A be通常用来表示人或物的存在,或提供有关情况:
Tom is a carpenter.
汤姆是木匠。
The dog is in the garden.
那只狗在花园里。
Malta is an island.
马耳他是一个岛国。
The roads were rough and narrow.
道路既崎岖又狭窄。
Gold is a metal.
金是一种金属。
Peter was tall and fair.
彼得身材高大,皮肤白皙。
B be可以用来表示身体和精神状况:
I am hot/cold.
我感到热/冷。
He was excitnd/calm.
他激动/冷静。
They will be happy/unhappy.
他们会感到愉快/不快。
be和某些形容词例如quiet/noisy,good/bad,wise/foolish等连用时可以用进行式,如Tom is being foolish(汤姆此刻正在说傻话或做傻事),意指主语此刻正在表现出这种特征。试把这个句子与Tom is foolish(汤姆很愚蠢)相比较。后一句意指汤姆在言谈和行动上总是愚蠢的。同理:
The children are being quiet.
孩子们现在不吵不闹。相当于:
They are playing quietly now.
他们在安静地玩着。
但如果说The children are quiet,则可能意指孩子们平时总是安静地玩。
另外一些形容词也可以用于进行式:
annoying牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?generous/mean
cautious/rash牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?helpful/unhelpful
clever/stupid牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋 irritating
difficult牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?mysterious
economical/extravagant牋牋 optimistic/pessimistic
formal牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋?polite
funny牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋牋 selfish/unselfish
其中有些形容词如 stupid,difficult,funny,polite等用于进行式时,可以意味着主语有意这样做。
You are being stupid(你有意装傻)可以意指 You are not try-ing to understand(你不想努力弄懂)。
He is being difficult(他故意犯别扭)通常意味着 He is raising unnecessary objections(他正在提出一些不必要的异议)。
He is being funny(他在故意做出滑稽可笑的样子)通常意味着He is only joking.Don’t believe him(他只是开玩笑,不要相信他)。
She is just being polite(她只是做出有礼貌的样子)可能意指She is only pretending to admire your car/clothes/house等(她装做表示羡慕你的车子/衣服/房子等)。
C 表示年龄:
-How old are you?
-I am ten./I am ten years old.
-你多大岁数?
-我十岁了。(但不能说:I am ten years.)
-How old is the tower?
-It is 400 years old.
-那座塔有多少年历史了?
-它有400年的历史了。(在说明事物的年代多久时,必须用years old。)
D 表示尺寸和重量:
-How tall are you?/What is your height?
-I am 1.65 metres.
-你有多高?
-我一米六五。
-How high are we now?
-We’re about 20, 000 feet.
-我们现在的飞行高度是多少?
-大约两万英尺。
-What is your weight?/What do you weigh?How much do you weigh?
-I am 65 kilos./I weigh 65 kilos.
-你体重多少?
-我65公斤。
E 表示价格:
-How much is this melon?/What does this melon cost?
-It’s £1.
-这甜瓜怎么卖?
-一英镑。
The best sats are(=cost)£5.
最好的座位的票价是五英镑。
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[Amber demo]
116 there is/are/was/were等
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A 表示不定的人或物的名词作动词be的主语时,通常用there+be+名词结构。可以说A policeman is at the door(门口站着一位警察),但通常说There is a policeman at the door(有一位警察站在门口)。
注意:虽然there像是主语,但真正的主语却是跟在动词之后的名词。如果该名词是复数,动词在数上就必须和它一致:
There are two policemen at the door.
有两个警察站在门口。
上述两种句子结构(即名词+be结构和there+be+名词结
构)都是可行的,当be意为exist(存在)/happen(发生)/takeplace(发生)时there结构是必要的:
There is a mistake/There are mistakes in this translation.
这篇译文里有错误。
这个句子不能改写成A mistake is/Mistakes are等。
在下列句子中,例句之后加(R)的表示there结构可被名词/代词+动词结构代替:
There have been several break-ins this year.
今年发生了好几起强行入室盗窃事件。
There will be plenty of room for everyone.
将有足够的房间分给大家。
There were hundreds of people on the beach.(R)
海滩上有成千上万的人。
B there同样也可以与someone/anyone/no one/something等连用:
There’someone on the phone for you.(R)
有你的电话。
C there+be+something/nothing/anything+形容词结构也是可以的:
-Is there anything wrong(with your car)?(R)
-No,there is nothing wrong with it.(R)
-(你的车)出了什么毛病吗?
-不,没出什么毛病。
There’s something odd/strange about this letter.
这封信有点奇怪。