Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path, but their relatively sudden disappearance during the paleolithic era indicates that an inability to adapt to some environmental change led to their extinction.
(B) appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path, (OA)
(E) appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
不知道各位同學是否常常對appear這個詞的用法充滿疑問?
除了知道有兩種搭配:
(1) something appear to ….
(2) it appears that …
之外,其他一概不知?
那當今天題目考到to 後面要加to V 還是to have Vpp時,該怎麼辦?當今天題目考到這個推測動詞的時態要用現在還是過去時,該怎麼辦?
甚至我相信細心的你一定已經觀察到了,appear的兄弟姊妹有seem、be likely、甚至遠一點的還有be estimated、be said….這一類表達的用法通通一樣,且語意上也有說不出的微妙相關。這些動詞、這些結構在SC中常不常見?相當常見。那你還認為你能逃避關於這類語氣動詞用法的學習嗎?
那麼,就讓這次終結者的精華討論,帶你一網打盡「表語氣連綴動詞」的用法。
首先我們必須先理解這如appear/seem/be likely/ be estimate / be said..等等這類表語氣的 「連綴動詞」(linking verb)有什麼特色:
他們雖然在文法上的位置是謂語,但是本身並沒有獨立的意義,句子的核心其實並不是這個連綴動詞,而是後面的補語。
這個動詞只是佔住動詞的位置,做助動詞或者副詞的事:表示作者講話的語氣。
像是你們這邊看到的appear 、seem be 、said ,其實相當於副詞的possibly 或者推測語氣的助動詞can / may.
比如我說:it seems to rain outside. 其實句子的本質是 it rains outside,只是用seems來表示作者講話的語氣是推測,不確定。
那麼,這個題目:
Combining enormous physical strength with higher intelligence, the Neanderthals appear as equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path, but their relatively sudden disappearance during the paleolithic era indicates that an inability to adapt to some environmental change led to their extinction.
(B) appear to have been equipped to face any obstacle the environment could put in their path, (OA)
(E) appeared to have been equipped for facing any obstacle the environment could put in their path,
Question:同學在問,到底appear要用現在式還是用過去式?看上去尼安德塔人是古代原始人,所以應該是用過去式吧?
Answer:錯!各位要理解一件事,跟一般的動詞不同,當你說「Neanderthals appear to have been equipped to face….」的時候,實際上並不是尼安德塔人做了appear這件事(真正屬於他們的動作是”Be equipped to face….”),這個appear是誰的動作呢?是講這句話的作者的語氣!所以決定appear用什麼時態,真正的關鍵並不是「尼安德塔人存在的年代」在何時,而是「作者在什麼時候」講這句話的?作者講這句的時候是現在,還是過去?
這時候,各位可以嘗試觀察一下前後文有沒有線索。從後文的… indicate這個同樣是從作者口中講出來的推測動詞,是使用現在式,代表作者是站在現在的角度去寫這一連串的文章。所以我們知道appear同為作者角度的推測,也會用現在式。
後來,終結者的同學也有討論到:連綴動詞後面到底是要接to V還是to have Vpp?
Dustin解答:這要看的是講話的人在猜的是當下的事情,還是更之前曾經發生過的事情:
It seems to rain outside.
(外面好像在下雨)(推測當下的事情,用to V)
It seems to have rained yesterday.
(昨天似乎下過雨)(講話的時間是現在,但是推測的內容是更之前曾經發生的事情)。
簡單而言,猜的是當下的事情用to V,猜的是更之前曾經發生過的事情,就用to have Vpp強調「曾經」
回到這個題目。作者在現在的時間點講話,而作者在推的事情是「尼安德塔人曾經遭受到環境衝擊」,是站在作者角度來看更早之前曾經發生,而非他講話當下當下發生的事情,所以要用to have Vpp。(萬一使用to V,就變成作者跟尼安德塔人共存在現代了!)