不定式语态选择新思路

谢奎金

不定式仍具有动词特性，有语态形式，分主动和被动两种，是动词语态考查的最高境界。究竟该选用何种形式一直困扰着广大考生。不定式语态的选择最终取决于不定式与修饰（作用）对象之间的关系以及不定式动作的实际执行者，二者缺一不可。现探讨如下：

一、分析不定式与修饰（作用）对象之间的关系

不定式与某一对象存在不同关系，依据关系选择不定式语态是解决问题的突破口。包括：

动宾关系

某一名词是不定式作用对象，做不定式的逻辑宾语，二者构成动宾关系，但不定式语态的选择还必须参考不定式动作实际执行者。若不定式为不及物动词，所修饰的名词如果是地点、工具等，须加介词。介词的选用取决于功用和意义需要。

【例1】Tom asked the candy makers if they could make the chocolate easier____into small pieces.

A. break

B.breaking

C.broken

D.to break

分析：D。不定式to break與宾语the chocolate之间存在动宾关系。为便于理解，the chocolate easier to break into small pieces可解释为the chocolate which Tom can break more easily into small pieces，the chocolate是break的宾语，构成动宾关系，但Tom是其逻辑主语，与break构成主动关系。

主谓关系

被修饰的名词或代词实际上是不定式的逻辑主语，是不定式动作的执行者，二者构成主谓关系，动词不定式选择主动形式。

【例2】—The last one____pays the meal.

—Agreed！

A. arrived

B.arrives

C.to arrive

D.arriving

分析：C。不定式to arrive与主语the last one之间为主谓关系。为便于理解，“the last one to arrive”可解释为“the last one who arrives”，the last one是arrive的主语，构成主谓关系。不定式逻辑主语同时也是句子主语，是不定式动作实际执行者。

同位关系

不定式与所修饰的名词指的是同一事物，说明或解释所修饰名词的具体内容，动词不定式选择主动形式。

【例3】Volunteering gives you a chance____lives， including your own.

A. change

B.changing

C.changed

D.to change

分析：D。不定式to change lives与修饰语a chance之间为同位关系。为便于理解，a chance to change lives可解释为a chance that you can change lives.不定式to change lives对修饰语a chance解释说明，二者构成同位关系。类似地，the attempt/ability to do均是此种用法。

动状关系

被修饰的名词way/time/place实际上表示动词不定式动作的方式、时间、地点等，动词不定式与这些名词通过介词才能发生意义关联，不定式选择主动形式。若动词不及物，介词可以省略。

【例4】This is the only way we can imagine____ the overuse of water in students' bathrooms.

A. reducing

B.to reduce

C.reduced

D.reduce

分析：B。不定式to reduce与the only way没有语义联系，需加上介词in，即构成in the way搭配，做方式状语。为便于理解，the only way to reduce the overuse ofwater可解释为the only way in which we can reduce the overuse of water或in the way we can reduce the overuse of water。 显然，修饰语the only way做动词reduce的状语，二者构成动状关系。

二、判断不定式动作实际执行者

正如前文所述，不定式与某一对象存在主谓、同位、动状关系时，不定式选择主动形式；与某一对象存在动宾关系时不定式语态的选择取决于不定式动作的实际执行者。因此，判断不定式动作的实际执行者是解决问题的核心。包括以下情况：

1.执行者在句中

不定式与作用或修饰对象构成动宾关系，但不定式动作实际执行主体在句中可以找到，且与不定式构成主谓关系，不定式选择主动形式，反之则选择被动形式。不定式的逻辑主语可以分以下几种情况：

（1）句子的主语是不定式的逻辑主语

【例5】l have a lot of readings____before the end of this term.

A. completing B.to complete C.completed

D.being completed

分析：B。不定式to complete虽与被修饰名词a lot of readings构成动宾关系，但其实施者依然是句子主语I，可理解为I will complete a lot of readings，故选用主动语态。再如：

With a lot of difficult problems to settle， the newly-elected president is having a hard time.（可解释为the newly-elected president will settle a lot of difficult problems）

（2）句子的宾语是不定式的逻辑主语

【例6】Let those in need____that we will go all out to help them.

A. to understand B.understand

C.understanding

D.understood

分析：B。动词不定式（to）understand和作用对象从句（that we will go all out to help them）存在動宾关系，不定式动作的执行者不是句子主语we（被省略）而是宾语those。可理解为those in need will understand that we will go aU out to help them，故选用主动语态。再如：My advisor encouraged me to take a summer course to improve my writing skills.（可解释为I will take a summer course to improve my writing skills）

（3）不定式的逻辑主语由介词for（with）引出。分如下两种情况：

①在“主语+系动词+形容词+to do”结构中

【例7】It's important for the figures___regularly，

A. to be updated

B.to have been updated C.to update D.to have updated

分析：A。不定式to update的逻辑主语the figures由介词for引出，是不定式to update动作的承受者，存在动宾关系，可这样理解the figures are to be updated，故选择被动式。试比较：It's important （for people） to update the figures regularly.（可解释为people will update the figures regularly）

②在“动词+宾语+形容词（补语）+to do”结构中

【例8】Nowadays people sometimes separate their waste to make it easier for it____.

A. reusing

B.reused

C.reuses

D.to be reused

分析：D。不定式to reuse与其作用对象waste存在动宾关系，但不定式的逻辑主语通过介词for引出，不定式逻辑主语不再是句子主语people而是waste。垃圾和回收利用存在被动关系，故选择被动式。试比较：Nowadays people sometimes separate their waste to make it easier （for people） to reuse.

2.执行者在句外

为便于弄清楚不定式动作实际执行者，可以加介词by/for引出主语或改换成对应句子来帮助分析。

（1）添加by引出主语

句子主语或宾语是不定式动作的承受者，或不定式与修饰对象构成动宾关系，且不定式动作实际执行者在句中找不到，不定式只能选择被动形式。为便于理解，可依据主语、不定式和修饰对象三者逻辑关系判断不定式动作实施者，自行添加by引出即可。

【例9】The airport____next year will help promote tourism in this area.

A. being completed

B.to be completed C.completed

D.having been completed

分析：B。不定式to complete与修饰语the airport构成动宾关系，但根据句意，句子主语the airport不是不定式to complete动作实施者。机场修建应有施工人员去实施，故选择被动式。为便于梳理关系，the one to be completed可这样理解为the one to be completed （by workers）。

（2）添加for引出主语

①在“be+to blame/seek/let”结构中

在此结构中，不定式与其作用对象存在动宾关系，不定式使用主动形式。为便于理解，可以将“be+to blame/seek/let”解释为“be+for sb. to blame/seek/let”。

【例10】I feel it is your husband who____for the spoiled child.

A. is to blame

B.is going to blame C.is to be blamed D.should blame

分析：A。不定式to blame与其作用对象who之间存在动宾关系，但I feel it is your husband who is to blame for the spoiled child可这样理解为I feel it is your husband who is （for you） to blame for the spoiled child，故选择主动形式。再如：Mr Green stood up in defence of the 16-year-old boy，saying that he was not the one （for us） to blame.

②在“主语+系动词+形容词+to do”或“动词+宾语+形容词（补语）+to do”结构中

在此结构中，不定式与主语或宾语存在动宾关系，但做补语的形容词用来描述主语或宾语属性、特征、品质等。为便于理解不定式究竟该选用主动还是被动形式，可以在不定式前加上介词for引出逻辑主语。

【例11】This machine is very easy____.Anybody can learn to use it in a few minutes.

A. operating

B.to be operating

C.operated

D.to operate

分析：D。不定式to operate与其作用对象this machine之间存在动宾关系，但This machine is very easy to operate可这样理解为This machine is very easy （for anybody） to operate，故选择主动形式。不定式的逻辑主语不在含不定式句中而是在另一句中，须自行添加for引出。类似地，再如：The difference in thickness and weight from the earlier version makes the iPad 2 more comfortable （for people） to hold.

（3）转化成句子识别主语

在“关联词+to do”结构中，不定式与其作用对象若存在动宾关系，不定式依然使用主动形式。为便于理解，可以将“关联词+to do”解释为“关联词+sb.will/can+do”。

【例12】I have worked with children before， so I know what____in my job.

A. expected

B.to expect

C.to be expecting

D.expects

分析：B。不定式to expect与其作用对象what存在动宾关系，但I know what to expect in my job可这样理解为I know what I will expect in my job，故选择主动形式。再如：The mother didn't know who to blame（who she would blame/who was to blame） for the broken glass as it happened while she was out.

3.執行者不明确

当不定式动作执行者有不同理解时，不定式主被动形式不同，意义也不同。做题时务必依据题干揣摩动作实施者是说话者本人还是他人。主体为说话者时（sth.is done by yourself）选择主动形式，主体为他人时（sth. is done by others）选择被动形式。

【例13】If there is a lot of work____，I'm happy to just keep on until it is finished.

A. to do

B.to be doing

C.done

D.doing

分析：A。动词不定式to do与修饰语a lot of work存在动宾关系，但不定式动作实施者仍然是句子主语I，故选择主动形式。试比较：

（1）There is a lot of work （for me） to do（或by myself）， so I can't spare time to visit my parents.（有很多活要干，我抽不出空去看望父母亲。）

（2） There is a lot of work to be done （by workers）， so l have to hire more workers to help.（活很多，我得再多招几位工人帮忙。）

总之，不定式语态的选择具有挑战性，要求具备极强的分析问题和解决问题能力。做题时遵循两条标准，即首先辨关系，其次找主语（为便于发现，可加介词引出或改换成句子），问题便能迎刃而解，事半功倍。

[练一练]

1. The old man sat in front of the television every evening， happy ______ anything thathappened to be on.

A. to watch

B. watching

C. watched

D. to have watched

2. I like getting up very early in summer. The morning air is so good ______.

A. to be breathed

B. to breath

C. breathing

D. being breathed

3. I feel greatly honored ______

into their society.

A. to welcome

B. welcoming

C. to be welcomed

D. welcomed

4. The message is very important， so it is supposed ______ as soon as possible.

A. to be sent

B. to send

C. being sent

D. sending

5. There were many talented actors out there just waiting____.

A. to discover

B. to be discovered

C. discovered

D. being discovered

6. His first book ______ next month is based on a true story.

A. published

B. to be published

C. to publish

D. being published

7. In many people's opinion， that company， though relatively small， is pleasant ______.

A. to deal with

B. dealing with

C. to be dealt with

D. dealt with

8. Twenty students want to attend the class that aims to teach ______ to read fast.

A. what

B. who

C. how

D. why

9. If they win the final tonight， the team are going to tour around the city ______ by their enthusiastic supporters.

A. being cheered

B. be cheered

C. to be cheered

D. were cheered

10. There are five pairs ______， but I'm at a loss which to buy.

A. to be chosen

B. to choose from

C. to choose

D. for choosing

11. We're having a meeting in half an hour. The decision ______ at the meeting will influence the future of our company.

A. to be made

B. being made

C. made

D. having been made

12. George returned after the war， only ______ that his wife had left him.

A. to be told

B. telling

C. being told

D. told

13. We've had a good start， but next， more work needs ______ to achieve the final success.

A. being done

B. do

C. to be done

D. to do

14. Tom took a taxi to the airport， only ______ his plane high up in the sky.

A. finding

B. to find

C. being found

D. to have found

15. No matter how bright a talker you are， there are times when it's better ______ silent.

A. remain

B. be remaining

C. having remained

D. to remain

參考答案：1～5 ABCAB 6～10 BACCB 11～15 AACBD