【知识精要】
虚拟语气是动词的一种特殊形式,用来表达说话人的意愿、请求、设想等未能或不可能实现的事实,或说话人看来实现可能性很小的情况。虚拟语气主要分为以下几类:
1.主语从句中的虚拟语气
主语从句中的虚拟语气主要取决于某些形容词和过去分词,用来表示建议、命令、要求、惊异和失望等。其形式为:(should)+动词原形。
常这样用的形容词有:appropriate, advisable, better, desirable, essential, imperative,important, insistent, natural, necessary, preferable, strange, urgent, vital等。
过去分词有:desired, demanded, ordered, requested, suggested, recommended,required等。
例:①It is essential that you attendall the meetings.
你务必要参加所有的会议。
②It is suggested that the air conditioner (should) be fixed/installedby the window.
空调要安装在窗户旁。
2.表语从句和同位语从句中的虚拟语气
在表示建议、命令、主张、目的和愿望等名词后面的表语从句和同位语从句中谓语动词要求使用虚拟语气。其形式为:(should)+动词原形。
常这样用的名词有:resolution, pray, decision, motion, suggestion, preference,proposal, advice, recommendation, desire, demand, requirement, order,necessity, request, idea等。
例:①My suggestion is that we leavethe burning building at once.
我的建议是我们马上离开燃烧的楼房。
②He put forward a proposal that we (should) all go for a picnic.
他提议我们都去野餐。
3.宾语从句中的虚拟语气
(1) 某些动词后所接宾语从句中的谓语动词要求用虚拟语气,用来表示建议、命令和要求等。其形式为:(should)+动词原形。常这样用的动词有:ask, advise,determine, decide, command, insist, intend, move, prefer, propose, order,recommend, request, require, suggest, urge, demand, desire, direct等。
例:①Some experts recommend thatpeople set strict limits on their time for Internet use.
许多专家建议人们严格限制自己的上网时间。
②We all insist that we should not rest until we finish the work.
大家都坚决要求不完工不休息。
(2) 在以it为形式宾语的复合宾语从句中也可以用虚拟语气,其形式为:(should)+动词原形。这一句型中使用的形容词(宾补)与主语从句中的虚拟语气所使用的形容词相同。
(3) wish后面所跟的宾语从句中的虚拟语气表示某种不能实现的愿望:①表示对现在情况的虚拟:wish+主语+动词过去式或were;②表示对过去情况的虚拟:wish+主语+had+过去分词,或wish+主语+would(could)+have+过去分词;③表示对将来情况的虚拟:wish+主语+would+动词原形。
例:①I wish I were a child.
我希望自己是个小孩子。
②I wish you had spent the wonderful evening with us last night.
我真希望你昨天跟我们一起度过了美好的夜晚。
③I wish it would rain tomorrow.
我希望明天下雨。
4.if条件句中的虚拟语气
用if引导的非真实条件句是虚拟语气最基本的表现形式,它是由非真实的条件从句和与之相关的假设结果(主句)两部分组成,表达的是某种不存在的条件和假设下可能发生的事。按时间概念的不同可分为3种形式:①与现在事实相反;②与过去事实相反;③与将来事实相反。这三种非真实条件句的动词表现形式通常来说是非常规范的,如下表:
例:①If I were you, I would take amoderate stance towards your brother’s affairs.
要是我是你,我就会对你弟弟的事件采取温和的姿态。
②If I had known this beforehand, I would not have gone back.
要是早知道这件事我就不回去了。
③If it were to rain, we wouldhave to cancel the match tomorrow.
假如下雨,我们只好取消明天的比赛。
此外,用if引导的条件句在书面语中常把if省略而将were, had, should放在主语前面,这种句型与if引导的条件句在要表达的意义上没有任何区别。
5.以asthough和as if引导的方式状语从句或表语从句中的虚拟语气
as though和as if意义相同,但as if较为常用。as if引导从句使用虚拟语气时的从句动词形式分三种情况,如下表所示。
例:①I feel as if I were ten yearsyounger.
我感觉自己年轻了十岁。
②The two strangers talked as if they had been friends for years.
这两个陌生人交谈好像多年的朋友一样。
③It looks as if it might rain.
看上去好像要下雨了。
6.混合式虚拟语气
混合式的虚拟语气,条件从句表示与过去事实相反,主句则表示与现在事实相反。结构如下表所示:
例:If he had worked harder when young, he would be well off now.
如果他年轻时多努力一点,现在就能过得舒服些。
【专项训练】
1.Things might have been much worse if the mother ______(坚持她的权力)to keep the baby.
2.The professor required that ______(我们交研究报告).
3.If I ______(在学校更努力学习), I would be sitting in a comfortable office now.
4.We are all for your proposal that ______(讨论应推迟).
5.I would rather have a room of my own, however small it is, than ______(与他人共用一个房间).
6.The victim ______(本来有机会活下来)if he had been taken to hospital in time.
7.I lost your address, otherwise (or) I ______(很久之前就拜访你了).
8.Since his injury was serious, the doctor suggested that ______(他不要参加比赛).
9.I was afraid to open the door lest that ______(以免乞丐跟着我).
10.Weprefer that ______(该计划被充分讨论)before being put into execution.
11.Iwon’t see you off at the airport tomorrow, so I will ______(现在祝你旅途愉快).
12.Giveme your telephone number ______(我也许会需要你的帮助).
13.Victorobviously doesn’t know what’s happened, otherwise ______(他不会做出这么愚蠢的评论的).
14.Youwould not have failed if you ______(按照我的指令去做).
15.Thoseflowers looked as if ______(好长时间没有浇水了).
参考答案及解析
1.[答案] hadinsisted on her right
[解析] ①条件句主句为might have done的形式,表示与过去事实相反,所以从句应该为had+过去分词的形式;②“坚持某事”的常用表达为insist on sth.。
2.[答案] we (should) hand in our/the research report(s)
[解析]①require后面接宾语从句时,从句中的谓语动词要用虚拟语气,即用should +动词原形结构,should可省略;②表示“上交”用hand in。
3.[答案] had worked harder at school
[解析] 这是一个错综虚拟条件句,从句是说“要是我在学校时(过去)努力学习了,那么我现在就会坐在舒服的办公室里”,对过去情形的虚拟,要用过去完成式,即if I had worked harder at school。
4.[答案] the discussion be put off
[解析] ①表示建议的名词proposal后面的同位语从句要用虚拟语气,其谓语构成形式是should+动词原形,should可以省略;②“推迟”的习惯说法是put off。
5.[答案] share a room with someone else
[解析] ①would rather do sth.than do sth.意为“宁愿做某事而不愿做某事”;②“与某人分享某物”译为share sth. with sb.。
6.[答案] would have had a chance to survive/would have survived。
[解析] ①条件从句为had+过去分词,表示与过去的事实相反,则主句用would have+过去分词;②“活下来”用survive表示。
7.[答案] would have visited youlong before
[解析] otherwise表达的是含蓄条件,相当于if条件句,由时间状语“很久之前”可知,此处表达的是与过去事实相反的虚拟假设即相当于if Ihad not lost you address,所以其构成形式为would + have + done。
8.[答案] he not participate inthe game
[解析] ①表示建议的suggest后面的宾语从句要用虚拟语气,其构成形式为should+动词原形,should可以省略;②“参加比赛”可以表达为take part in/participate inthe match。
9.[答案] the beggar shouldfollow me
[解析] ①lest表示“以免,以防”的意思,后面所加的从句要使用虚拟语气,其构成形式为should+动词原形,其中should可以省略;②注意乞丐“beggar”的拼写。
10.[答案] the plan be fullydiscussed
[解析] ① prefer表示“宁愿,更希望”,引导从句时需用虚拟语气,结构为prefer that(should) do;②“充分讨论”fully discuss。
11.[答案] wishyou a good journey now
[解析] 此处wish接双宾语表示祝愿,you和a good journey同是宾语。
12.[答案] in case I need your help
[解析]“如果,万一”的常用表达为in case,后面加虚拟语气,其构成形式是should+动词原形,should可以省略。
13.[答案] he wouldn’thave made such a stupid remark
[解析] ①含有otherwise的含蓄条件句中从句要使用虚拟语气,其表现是谓语动词由would/should/might+动词原形构成,由句中“what’s happened”可知,“作出评论”这一动作发生在过去,所以应该译为would have done;②“做出评论”为make a remark。
14.[答案] had followed myinstructions/orders
[解析]①主句部分为would have+过去分词,表示与过去事实相反,条件从句应用had+过去分词的结构;②“按照…做”可用多种方式表示,如follow, act on等;③“指令”可用instruction或order表示。
15.[答案] theyhad not been watered for a long time
[解析]①谓语动词为过去式,从句动作发生在主句之前,则从句应用had+过去分词表示;②“浇水”用water做动词表示,这里用其被动语态;③“好长时间”用for a long time表示。