The man must have the strength of a hippopotamus, or he never ____ the cattle.
A. could have vanquished
B. would vanquish
C. should have vanquished
D. had vanquished
我的分析如下:
must 表示对现在的推测,该句可改成 If the man had not the strength of a hippopotamus,he would never vanquished the cattle.
故选 B。但书中给的答案是 A,在此请求老师给予分析。
The man must have the strength of a hippopotamus, or he never________ the cattle.
A. could have vanquished
B. would vanquish
C. should have vanquished
D. had vanquished
你考虑得有一定道理。但这个句子中,or后面的部分,是想表达过去的一个事件:“否则的话,他当时是决不可能打败牛的”。
前一分句The man must have the strength of a hippopotamus,的确是指“他现在有河马这样的力气”,但后面or引导的另外一句,完全可以指过去的一件事情——这并不矛盾。现在有这么大的力气,说明过去也有。
我把句子补全,你仔细体会一下,注意or变成了与过去事实不符的假设:
The man must have the strength of a hippopotamus.(指现在) If he had not had the strength of a hippopotamus he never could have vanquished the cattle.(指过去)
这种时间不一致的虚拟假设,叫做“错综时间虚拟语气”。
【注意】如果你一定要坚持,or后面的句子应该与现在或将来时间有关,应填would vanquish。那么,句子意思是讲不通的:
The man must have the strength of a hippopotamus, or he never would vanquish the cattle.
该句表达的意思就是:这个事件没有发生,是否发生,那是将来的事情。请问“否则的话”——从何而来?
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