there be存在句的主语后接不定式作定语,该不定式可以是悬空不定式(即主语为不定式的逻辑宾语),也可以是普通不定式。所以本句用to do 或 to be done 都是正确的,只是意义稍有差别。
There are more and more old people to care for. 暗示 we 为不定式的逻辑主语。
There are more and more old people to care for. 谁照顾老人没有任何暗示。
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在 There be 句型中,动词不定式作定语,被修饰的中心词是不定式的逻辑宾语时,用主动式与被动式均可,意义没多大区别,所以一般情况下多用主动形式表被动意义。如:
There are many mistakes to correct / to be corrected. 有许多错误需要纠正。
但是当由讲话人去执行不定式的动作,表示义务、责任或必要性时,多用主动形式;由别人去执行动作,表示可能性时,多用被动形式。如:
a. There is no time to lose. 我们没有时间可浪费了。(=for us to lose)
There is no time to be lost. 没有时间可浪费了。(谁 lose time 不明确)
b. There are still many things to take care of. 还有许多事情需要我们照料。
(=for us to take care of)
There are still many things to be taken care of. 还有许多事情需要照料。 (不一定
讲话人亲自去 take care of)
应注意的是,有时两种形式意义不同,试比较下列句子:
a. There is nothing to do now. (=We have nothing to do now. ) 现在没有事可干。
There is nothing to be done now —— we'll have to buy another one. (=We
can do nothing now.) . 现在没有办法了,我们只得另买一个。
b. There is nothing to see. (= There is nothing worth seeing. )
没有什么东西值得看。
There is nothing to be seen. (= We can see nothing.) 什么东西也看不见。
(以上摘自赵俊英:《现代英语语法》p.400)
所以,下面两个句子都正确:
There are more and more old people to care for. (暗示 we 为to care for的逻辑
主语,即: There are more and more old people to care for. = There are more
and more old people for us to care for. )
There are more and more old people to be cared for. (暗示不一定由我们 to
care for。)