問:以下兩句,根據時式簡略法(tense simplification),應用什麼動詞時式?──(1)What is / would be the first thing you do / would do if you
became a ten-year-old boy?(假如你變成十歲男孩,會做的第一件事是什麼?)(2)If
it had been me who was / has been / had been given this expensive gift, I would
have donated it to charity(假如我獲贈這樣昂貴的禮物,我會捐贈給慈善機構)。
答:英文動詞有未來、現在、過去、完成等時式。所謂時式簡略法,是指主要子句(main clause)的動詞時式,已交代了所說事情的時間,其他子句的動詞,雖然所說時間相同,但或會改用簡單一點的時式。請看以下兩句:(1)I
will make sure that everything is ready tomorrow(我會致力務求明天一切準備好)。(2)He will not agree even if I ask him(我即使問他,他都不會答應)。第一句的is
ready和第二句的ask,都不用未來式will be
ready和will ask。
讀者示下的第一句,說現在不可能發生的事,應用假設過去式,即What would be the
first thing you would do if等,那would do很少簡略為did。第二句說過去沒有發生的事,應用假設過去完成式,即If it had been me who had been given等,但had been given往往簡略為was given。
【代郵】朱先生:「多行不義必自斃」之「斃」,當然可解作「死」;「自斃」即「自取滅亡」。課本謂「斃」指「垮臺」,是引伸其義而已。