series
的用法
1.
问:A series of lectures
________ to be given to mark the 50th anniversary of the
founding of the school.
A. will be
B. are going
C. are
D. is.
答案是D,但我认为不对。根据主谓一致的原则,这里似乎应该是复数动词。但是如果这样的话,B和C都对。该怎么解释?
答:series是一个单数和复数形式相同的英语名词。换言之,series可以作单数名词,也可作复数名词,因此,谓语动词的数,
通常得视其修饰语或隐含的数概念来定。句中的A
series of lectures(一系列讲座)中的lectures仅管是复数,但它们是紧密相连的多个讲演,所以应该看成一个整体,故谓语应该用单数动词,选D. is
。其他类似的单数和复数形式相同的名词还可举出:means, species, bellows, deer, sheep, aircraft,
等。再看下列句子:
1)
All possible means ____ tried,
but there was another means to our end.
A.
was B.
is C. has
been D.
were
2)
Some bird species ____ unknown
to them.
A. is B.
has been
C. was D.
are
3) Two aircraft of the enemy _____damaged
during the battle last month.
A.
has been
B. must has
C. were
D. was
以上3句都该选复数谓语动词:1)D,2)D,3)C
。第一句有All修饰,第二句有Some修饰,第3句有Two修饰,可以看出它们表达的是复数概念。
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2.
问:A series of memorial
stamps ______ by my friend the day before yesterday.
A. bought
B.
were bought
C. was bought
D. have bought
我知道应该选被动形式,所以只能在B和C之间选。究竟该选哪一个?
答:应该选C。英语中有一些名词,它们的单数和复数形式相同。它们的谓语动词的数通常得视其修饰语和内容而定。句子中的A series of memorial stamps(一套纪念邮票)的内容相关,应该被看成是一个整体,所以谓语动词用单数形式,故选C. was bought。
再比如:A
series of lectures
was given last week in the school. (学校上星期举行了一系列的讲座。---
相互有关的讲座,看为整体,谓语动词用单数形式)
/ A series of accidents have happened ever since
2002. (自2002年以来,发生了一系列的事故。---
事故彼此没有关联,谓语动词用复数形式)。
我们常见的这类名词有:aircraft
(飞机,飞行器), barracks (营房), deer (鹿), gallows (绞刑架), headquarters (司令部), means (方式,方法), sheep (羊), species (种类), Chinese (中国人), Japanese (日本人), Swiss (瑞士人)。
加载中,请稍候......