2　Hector: To Sparta, they'll kill you.

Paris: Then I'll die fighting.

Hector: Oh, and that sounds heroic to you, doesn't it? To die fighting. Tell me, little brother, have you ever killed a man?

Paris: No.

Hector: Ever seen a man die in combat?

Paris: No.

Hector: I've killed men and I've heard them dying and I've watched them dying and there's nothing glorious about it, nothing poetic. You say you're willing to die for love but you know nothing about dying and you know nothing about love!

Paris: All the same, I go with her. I won't ask you to fight my war.

Hector: You already have.

在这里，海克特质问他弟弟：“你说你要奋战到死，这听起来像个大英雄，是吧？那我来问你，你杀过人吗（have you ever killed a man）？你见过战争中死人吗（Ever seen a man die in combat）？我杀过人，我见过无数的人在战争中死亡（I've killed men and I've heard them dying and I've watched them dying），这些并不光荣和诗意。你说你愿意为爱而死，可你对死亡一无所知，对爱也一无所知！”我们看到，海克特在这里用了五个现在完成时态，一方面显示出弟弟帕里斯对于战争的残酷性的无知，另一方面表明了自己拥有丰富的作战经历。

我们现在来分析这里的五个现在完成时态：

1)...have you ever killed a man?

2) (Have) Ever seen a man die in combat?

3) I've killed men and I've heard them dying and I've watched them dying and there's nothing glorious about it, nothing poetic. You say you're willing to die for love but you know nothing about dying and you know nothing about love!

妙语点睛

这里的第一个完成时have ever killed是海克特问弟弟帕里斯：“……你杀过人吗？”这显然是表示曾经的经历，相当于一个“远的过去”事件，而不是表示“近的过去”事件，否则会译成“你刚刚杀了人了吗？”这里的ever排除了这个意思；第二个完成时Ever seen a man die in combat?同样是表示曾经的经历，是一个“远的过去”事件；最后三个现在完成时态I've killed... I've heard... I've watched则是相当于前面说的“重复”事件，这里的动作killed，heard和watched显然是多次重复发生的。

精品译文

海克特：去斯巴达，他们会杀了你的。

帕里斯：那么我会奋战到死。

海克特：哦，你说你要奋战到死，这听起来像个大英雄，是吧？那我来问你，兄弟，你杀过人吗？

帕里斯：没有。

海克特：你见过战争中死人吗？

帕里斯：没有。

海克特：我杀过人，我听过无数的人在战争中呻吟，目睹他们死亡，这些并不光荣和诗意。你说你愿意为爱而死，可你对死亡一无所知，对爱也一无所知！

帕里斯：无所谓，我跟她一起走。我不会请你来为我战斗。

海克特：你已经这样了。

二、时态搭配一：现在完成时＋一般过去时

5.6.3小节中提到过，在“现在完成时＋一般过去时”这个时态搭配中，一般用完成时提起一个新闻话题，然后用一般过去时继续详谈这个新闻的内容。那里的现在完成时是表示“近的过去”事件。现在，这一时态搭配中的现在完成时也可以用来谈“远的过去”事件，此时用完成时询问对方过去的经历，然后用一般过去时继续详谈这个经历的具体情况（The present perfect often serves to introduce a topic, which in turn becomes a definite event and is talked about using the past tense.）比如：

3　A: Have you seen the film Forrest Gump?（询问对方过去的经历）

B: Yes, I have.（现在知道电影的内容）

A: When did you see it?（关心看电影的过去的具体时间）

B: I saw it last spring.（给出具体时间）

A: Did you see it alone?（询问当时的情况）

B: No, I saw it with my boyfriend.（提供过去的事实）

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A：你看过电影《阿甘正传》吗？

B：是的。

A：你什么时候看的？

B：去年春天。

A：你自己去看的吗？

B：不是，我和男朋友一起去的。

4　A: Hey, this sounds good—snails with garlic! Have you ever eaten snails?

B: No, I haven't.

A: Oh, they're delicious! I had them last time. Like to try some?

B: No, thanks. They sound strange.

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A：嘿，这道菜听起来不错——蒜蓉蜗牛！你吃过蜗牛吗？

B：没有。

A：哦，好吃极了！我上次吃过。你想尝尝吗？

B：不了，谢谢，这菜听起来怪怪的。

可见，在“现在完成时＋一般过去时”这个时态搭配中，现在完成时可以表示“远的过去”事件，来询问某人过去的经历。另一方面，这种表示“远的过去”完成时还可以用于下列时态搭配，即“一般过去时＋现在完成时”。

三、时态搭配二：一般过去时＋现在完成时

我们刚才讨论的是“现在完成时＋一般过去时”的搭配使用：用“现在完成时”提起新闻话题，用“一般过去时”继续详谈内容。有趣的是，也可以用相反的时态搭配，即“一般过去时＋现在完成时”：用一般过去时讲述自己过去的经历，然后用现在完成时探询对方是否有相似的经历，以期望获得更多的理解或共鸣。请看下列口语对话中是如何使用这一时态搭配的：

5　John: We went down into Juarez and through El Paso, and oh, we had a ball.

Louise: Really?

John: Yeah. Have you ever been t-have you ever heard of Juarez?

Louise: I've heard of both of them because my girlfriend's old boyfriend was stationed in El Paso.

John: Well, we went to Juarez...

妙语点睛

这里约翰在用一般过去时讲述自己在图阿雷兹的经历，但在继续讲故事之前，他从过去时态的叙述转到一个现在完成时态的询问（Have you ever been t-have you ever heard of Juarez?）以此来探询路易斯是否了解图阿雷兹这个地方。而路易斯在展示自己的有关知识时也使用了现在完成时（I've heard of both of them...），表明自己对图阿雷兹有所了解。而这个“现在的了解”是因为过去听说过那个地方——即过去的事件对现在有影响。

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约翰：我们南下去了图阿雷兹，穿过了整个埃尔帕索市，哦，我们玩得开心极了！

路易斯：真的？

约翰：是的。对了，你曾经去过——你听说过图阿雷兹吗？

路易斯：这两个地方我都听说过，因为我的女朋友的前男友就是驻扎在埃尔帕索的。

约翰：噢，我们去了图阿雷兹……

请再看下面这段文字，这里作者在讲述自己一次去看摔跤比赛的经历：

6　We got to the Civic Center about an hour early, since I didn't have tickets yet, and I knew that it would be crowded. If you've never been to a professional wrestling match, you really should go — not for the wrestling, but for the crowd — eight to ten thousand people, wearing their favorite wrestler's T-shirts and screaming their heads off. I've been to rock concerts that weren't as loud.

妙语点睛

作者在if引导的条件状语从句中使用了现在完成时态If you've never been to...来探询读者是否有观看职业摔跤比赛的经历，并建议如果没有看过就应该去看一场。作者接下来用摇滚音乐会作比较时，也用了现在完成时I've been to...谈自己的经历，随后即转为一般过去时weren't来具体谈过去的情况。

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我们提前一个小时左右到达市府中心，因为我还没买票，而且我知道那里会非常拥挤。如果你从来没有看过职业摔跤比赛，那你真的要去看看了——不是为了看摔跤，而是去看人群——八千至一万名观众，穿着印有自己喜爱的摔跤手的T恤，疯狂地叫喊。我去过的摇滚音乐会也没这么吵。

同样的时态搭配用法也见于《老友记》（Friends）里的一个场景：菲比（Phoebe）有一个双胞胎妹妹叫乌尔苏拉（Ursula），两人感情十分不和。据菲比说，原因是乌尔苏拉从小就爱抢菲比的东西，然后故意把它弄坏。这一恶习发展到她们长大以后，乌尔苏拉还爱抢菲比的男朋友。比如，菲比有个男友，同时也是她最好的朋友叫兰迪·布朗（Randy Brown），后来乌尔苏拉生生地把他从菲比手中抢走了，然后又故意把兰迪甩掉，让他伤心。结果，弄得兰迪和菲比连朋友都做不了了，他怕见到菲比会想起乌尔苏拉，因为两人长得太像了。从此，兰迪再也不和菲比说话了。这当然让菲比很郁闷，所以她向雷切尔（Rachel）和莫尼卡（Monica）诉苦，讲述自己这个痛苦的经历：

7　Monica: Are you alright?

Phoebe: Yeah. It's just, you know, it's this whole stupid Ursula thing, it's...

Rachel: Okay, Phoebe, can I ask? So, he's going out with her. I mean, is it really so terrible?

Phoebe: Um, yeah. Look, I mean, I'm not saying she's like evil or anything. She just, you know, she's always breaking my stuff. When I was eight, and I wouldn't let her have my Judy Jetson thermos, so she threw it under the bus. And then, oh, and then there was Randy Brown, who was like...Have you ever had a boyfriend who was like your best friend?

Monica and Rachel: (Wistfully, shaking their heads) No.

Phoebe: Well, but that's what he was for me. And she, you know, kind of stole him away, and then...broke his heart...and then he wouldn't even talk to me any more. Because he said he didn't wanna be around... anything that looked like either one of us.

Rachel: Oh...Oh, Phoebe.

Phoebe: I mean, I know Joey is not my boyfriend, or my thermos, or anything, but...

妙语点睛

这里菲比先用一般过去时态讲述她和乌尔苏拉从小就不和（...she's always breaking my stuff. When I was eight, and I wouldn't let her have my Judy Jetson thermos, so she threw it under the bus. And then, oh, and then there was Randy Brown, who was like...）。然后，菲比从一般过去时态换为现在完成时态问道Have you ever had a boyfriend who was like your best friend? 以此来探询莫尼卡和雷切尔是否有“男朋友同时也是最好朋友”的经历。这里菲比问的目的当然是希望博取两人更多的理解和同情了，但两人没有这样的经历（尽管很渴望有〈wistfully〉）。不过，菲比还是自顾自地把自己的遭遇讲出来了（Well, but that's what he was for me. And she you know, kind of stole him away, and then...broke his heart...and then he wouldn't even talk to me any more. Because he said he didn't wanna be around...anything that looked like either one of us.）

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莫尼卡：你没事吧？

菲比：没事。只是，你知道，都是愚蠢的乌尔苏拉干的，这……

雷切尔：好吧，菲比，我能问个问题吗？那么，他与她约会了。我的意思是说，这有这么严重吗？

菲比：嗯，是的。瞧，我的意思是，我不是说她有多么邪恶或者其他的什么，她只是，你知道，她总是弄坏我的东西。我八岁那年，我不想把我的茱迪·杰特森牌暖水瓶给她，于是她就把它扔到公共汽车底下去了。接下来，哦，接下来就是兰迪·布朗了，他就像个……你们有没有过男朋友同时又是你最好的朋友？

莫尼卡和雷切尔：（惆怅地摇了摇头）没有。

菲比：嗯，但是他对于我来说就是这样的。而她，你知道，就好像是把他偷走了那样，然后……伤了他的心……然后他就再也不想和我说话了，因为他说他不想在……任何长得像我们俩的人身边了。

雷切尔：哦……哦，菲比。

菲比：我是说，我知道乔伊不是我的男朋友，也不是我的暖水瓶或者其他什么属于我的东西，但是……

四、时态搭配三：一般现在时＋现在完成时

在上面讲的“一般过去时＋现在完成时”搭配中，说话者用一般过去时讲述自己过去的经历，然后用现在完成时探询对方是否有相似的经历，以期望获得更多的理解或共鸣。但是如果说话人谈到的是一般常见的经历，而不是指某一次具体的过去的经历，那么他会用一般现在时态，然后接一个现在完成时态，来探寻听话者／读者是否有过类似的经历。比如在下面这个例子中，作者谈论到中国餐馆服务质量差的现象：

8　Give Me Some Service, Will Ya?

All you want is a fresh pot of tea. First, you snap your fingers. Then you wave your hand. Finally, you yell for some service. Fuwuyuan (waiter)!

You've been there, right?

In my opinion, the threat of withholding a tip—or the reward of handing it out—is the only tool the customers have in the long struggle for decent service.

妙语点睛

这里作者一开始采用一般现在时态来描述一个常见的情景，然后用现在完成时态来探寻读者是否也有过类似的经历。作者最后认为，要想提高中国餐馆的服务质量，付小费是唯一的出路。

精品译文

给我来点服务吧，好吗？

（在一个餐馆里）你所要的就只是一壶茶而已。开始时，你打着响指想引起服务员的注意，这招不行，于是你挥舞着手想引起对方注意，这招还不管用，最后你只好大声叫道：“服务员！”你有过类似的经历吧？

在我看来，顾客要想得到很好的服务，采用付小费制是唯一的出路，因为给或不给小费是一个很好的杀手锏。

注意，上面这段话里的you have been there的意思不是“你去过那个地方吧”，而是“你也有过类似的经历吧”。比如下面这个句子：

9　I'm going through this divorce. I know you've been there before, but mine is turning into a real legal battle.

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我正在办离婚。我知道你也经历过这个，但我的离婚手续完全是一场法律战。



思维总结

本小节讲的是“单一事件”的完成时用于“远的过去”，往往表示人们过去曾经的经历。在口语中，现在完成时态有时会和一般过去时搭配使用，说话者先用一般过去时讲述过去的经历，然后用现在完成时探询对方是否有相似的经历，即为“一般过去＋现在完成（远的过去意义）”。同时请注意，这不同于“现在完成（通常是近的过去意义）＋一般过去”。



思维训练

Exercise 5.6.4

请根据不同的回答，使用正确时态填空。

1．A: Have you ever worked in a restaurant?

B: Yes. I________(work) in many ones.

B: Yes. I________(work) in a French one last year.

2．A: Have you ever been to the Great Wall?

B: Yes. I_______(be) there many times.

B: Yes. I_______(go) there last spring.

3．A: Have you read this book?

B: Yes. It______(be) interesting.

4．A: Have you ever taken a French course?

B: Yes. I_______(take) a French course in high school.

5．A: Have you graduated from college?

B: Yes, I________(study) French for two years.

请用完成时态询问你的朋友可否有下列经历。

6．Lend money to a friend

7．Be on television

8．Meet a famous person

9．Break an arm or leg

10．Go to court

11．Find money on the street

12．Be cheated

13．Tell a lie

14．Take a flight

15．Go to Disneyland

16．Study abroad

17．Order products over the Internet.

看看在下面工作面试场景中，native speaker是怎样谈自己以往工作经历的。请在空格中填上适当的时态。

18．A: May I help you?

B: Yes. I would like to apply for one of the security guard positions you advertised in the local paper.

A: Good. May I ask you a few questions first?

B: Certainly.

A:_____you_______(ever, work) as a security guard before?

B: Yes, at shopper's plaza San Francisco and at the Regency Hotel here in town.

A: How many years of experience________you________(have) as a security guard?

B: a little over four years.

A:______you______(have) experience monitoring alarm systems?

B: Yes. I______(monitor) several types of alarm systems in my previous job.

A: Very good. You seem to meet our minimum qualifications. Complete this application form and bring it back to me. Then I'll schedule you for another interview.

B: Thank you. I'll fill this out now.

请用正确的时态完成下面对话。

19．A: What jobs__________(did you have/have you had)?

B: Well, I once_____(have had/had) a job on a cruise ship.

A: What_______(have you had/did you have) to do?

B: I______(have organized/organized) activities for the passengers.

A: What______(have you liked/did you like) about it?

B: Well, working on a cruise ship_______(has been/was) terrific. I really enjoyed...

A:_____(Were there/Have there been) any bad points?

B: Oh, sure. Every job has its bad points. I didn't like...

20．Isabel: I went to Sunrise Beach last week.________(Did you ever go/Have you ever been) to Sunrise Beach, Andy?

Andy: Yes,_________(I did/I have). It's beautiful._____________(Did you go/Have you gone) there on the weekend?

Isabel: Yeah,_______(I did/I have). I________(went/have gone) on Sunday.__________(I got up/I've gotten up) at 4:00 a. m.

Andy: Wow!_________(I never woke up/I've never woken up) that early!

Isabel: Oh, it wasn't so bad. I______(got/have gotten) to the beach early to see the sun rise._______(Did you ever see/Have you ever seen) sunrise, Andy?

Andy: No,_______(I didn't/I haven't). I prefer sunsets to sunrises.

Isabel: Really? Then I_______(went/have gone) swimming around 6:00, but there were some strange dark shadows in the water.________(Did you ever hear/Have you ever heard) of sharks at Sunrise Beach?

Andy: Yes,_______(I did/I have). I_______(heard/have heard) a news report about sharks last summer.

Isabel: Gee! Maybe I______(had/have had) a lucky escape on Sunday morning! Why don't you come with me next time?

Andy: Are you kidding?

5.6.5　“单一事件”与时间状语的关系

本小节将探讨“单一事件”的现在完成时态与时间状语的搭配关系。

一、“单一事件”完成时的肯定句不与持续的时间状语连用

这种完成时态的谓语动词通常是短暂动词，即指动作在短时间或瞬间内就已终止，而不再延续。常见的这类动词有：come，go，leave，kill，die，lose，buy，start，give，marry，join和bring等。因为动作本身无法延续，因此与它连用的时间状语不能是指“一段时间”的，如for a year等。这正好与“延续事件”的完成时相反——“延续事件”的完成时必须加持续的时间状语，而“单一事件”完成时态不能加持续的时间状语，这在5.2.3节中曾提到。比如不能说：

1　I have bought this pair of shoes for a year.*

2　I have married for over a year.*

3　I have fallen in love for eight years.*

4　He has left his hometown for three years.*

再比如，汉语里完全可以说“这部电影我看了有两年了”，但在英语里却不能用现在完成时态这样表达：

5　I have seen the movie for two years.*

因为这里句子的谓语动词都是短暂性的，不能表示延续，因而不能与since或for等引导的持续性的时间状语连用。只要把“动作（action）”转化为“状态（state）”即可，因为状态是可以延续的。比如上面几个错误的句子可以改为相应的“状态”：

6　I have had this pair of shoes for a year. 这双鞋我买了有一年了。

7　I have been married for over a year. 我结婚有一年多了。

8　I have been in love for eight years. 我恋爱有八年了。

9　He has been away from his hometown for three years. 他离开家乡有三年了。

若句中的“动作”表达无法转化成“状态”表达，就不能用现在完成时态，而只好改为一般过去时态。比如see没有对应的状态表达，所以上面的例句5只好改成一般过去时：

10　I saw the movie two years ago.

这完全能够表达汉语的“这部电影我看了有两年了”这句话的意思。其他句子也可以作同样的时态改变，比如说：

11　I bought this pair of shoes a year ago.

12　I got married over a year ago.

13　He left his hometown three years ago.

二、“单一事件”完成时的否定句表示状态意义，可与持续的时间状语连用

不过，短暂性动词的完成时句子若用否定式，来表示尚未发生的事情，则可作为一种状态（state），从而可以表示延续。所以，这种否定句就相当于前面介绍过的“延续事件”完成时态。来看下面这个可怜的乞丐：