思维训练

Exercise 5.10.1

请用括号中动词的适当形式完成下面句子。

1．I_______(just, sit) down in the recliner to watch TV when I_________(hear) a knock on the door. When I_______(open) the front door I________(see) a young man standing there staring at me.

2．I_________(just, pour) myself a cup of tea when the phone_________(ring). When I__________(come) back from answering it, the cup__________(be) empty. Somebody__________(drink) the tea or________(throw) it away.

3．A: It's already 10 o'clock. I guess Bob and Amy won't be coming to the party.

B: They________(call) at nine to say that they_______(hold up).

用括号中动词的适当形式完成下面笑话故事：

4．Surgeon: How________the patient_______(be) since I_______(operate) on his heart?

Nurse: He is fine except that he seems to have a double heartbeat.

Surgeon: Ah, so that's where it's gone! I was wondering where I________(lose) my watch!

5．When her daughter________(arrive) home from a party, Mrs. Thompson asked her if she________(thank) her hostess. "No," she said. "The girl in front of me thanked her and the lady said 'Don't mention it' so I didn't."

6．Kenneth is so stupid. He phoned his teacher at school yesterday to say he couldn't come to school because he________(lose) his voice!

7．A: A beggar stopped me the other day and said he_________(not, have) a bite for days.

B: What did you do?

A: I bit him!

8．A: Mum! Mum! Dad_______(fall) over a cliff.

B: Is he okay?

A: I don't know. He_______(not, stop) falling when I left.

5.10.2　延续事件、重复事件和单一事件的过去完成时

现在完成时是站在“现在时间”的角度回顾过去。同理类推，过去完成时是站在“过去时间”的角度回顾更远的过去（The Past Perfect indicates "the past before the past"—what film-makers call a "flashback" in time.）即谈的是“过去的过去”的情况。这里同样涉及两个时间点：一个事件从更远的过去开始发生，然后“延续”到另一个较近的过去，或者“重复”到另一个较近的过去，或者在过去的某一时刻已经结束，这就分别构成了延续事件、重复事件和单一事件，完全类似于现在完成时，区别只是“坐标时间”由“现在”移至“过去”。因此，过去完成时态同样具有三种含义——延续事件、重复事件和单一事件。具体来说，过去完成时是用来表示在过去的某一时刻之前（即过去的过去）就已开始的动作，这一动作：

1．在该过去时刻仍然在继续，或在该过去时刻刚刚停止（延续性思维）；

2．在该过去时刻之前的一段时间内重复的动作（重复性思维）；

3．在该过去时刻之前的某一时刻停止的动作（单一事件）。

下面分别举例解释说明。

一、过去完成时表示“延续事件”

如同现在完成时，过去完成时可以表示开始于过去之前（即过去的过去）的动作或状态在过去这一时刻仍在持续。具体来说，就是表示一个动作或状态在过去的某一时间之前已经开始，这一动作或状态一直持续到这一过去时间，并且到这一过去时间还未结束并仍有可能继续持续下去。

图解：



（图中的虚箭头表示动作可能继续持续下去）

请看例句：

1　I had stayed in America for two years when he moved here.

妙语点睛

moved是过去的动作，stayed发生在moved之前，即过去的过去，并且在moved之后还将会继续下去，因此用过去完成时had stayed。

精品译文

他搬到美国时，我在这里已经生活了两年了。

2　I had learned 1,000 words by the end of last year.

妙语点睛

learned在过去的时间the end of last year之前已开始发生，到“去年年底”之后还将可能持续下去，因此用过去完成时had learned。

精品译文

到去年末，我已经学会了1,000个单词。

再比如，谈到学英语的时间，可以这么说：

3　We had studied English for six years when we entered college.

妙语点睛

studied在过去的动作entered之前已开始发生，并且继续延续，因此用过去完成时had studied。

精品译文

进入大学的时候，我们已经学了六年英语了。

当然，也可以谈一般的情况，此时when引导的从句的谓语可以用一般现在时态，那么主句就要改成现在完成时态了。比如说成：

4　We have studied English for six years when we enter college.

再来看其他例句：

5　A: It's already 10 o'clock. I guess Bob and Amy won't be coming to the party.

B: They called at nine to say that they'd been held up.

妙语点睛

现在的时间是10点，在9点钟这一过去的时间打电话时，Bob和Amy已经“有事被耽误了”，所以“被耽误”应该用过去完成时had been held up。

精品译文

A：现在已经10点了。我猜想鲍勃和艾米不会来参加聚会了。

B：他们9点钟来过电话说他们有事被耽误了，不来了。

6　Why Did the Easter Islanders Disappear?

Isolated in middle Pacific Ocean, Easter Island has attracted anthropologists ever since its discovery in 1772. This civilization had lived for 1,200 years on this small island. Who were they, and why did they sculpt those big stone heads with staring eyes?

妙语点睛

这里的过去完成时had lived一直持续到另外一个过去的时间its discovery in 1772。

精品译文

复活节岛上的居民为何消失了？

复活节岛位于太平洋中央，自从人们于1772年发现它以来，已经吸引了许多考古学家。该文明在这座小岛上延续了1,200年。他们是谁？他们为什么要雕刻那些大头、瞪眼的雕像？

或由上下文明确告知动作或状态持续到过去这一时刻即停止。

图解：



请看例句：

7　Former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, who had been in a coma（昏迷）for six weeks, died of a cerebral（大脑的）infarction（梗塞）at a Tokyo hospital.

日本前首相小渊惠三，在昏迷了长达六个星期后，因患脑梗塞死于东京的一家医院。

8　I had waited for her for two hours in such a severe winter when she eventually turned up, which of course drove me mad. 我在这样严寒的冬日里等了她两个小时，所以当她终于出现的时候，我当然气得要命。

9　He had served in the army for ten years; then he retired and married. His children were now at school.

他当过10年兵，后来退伍并结了婚。他的孩子当时都在上学。

10　There had been fifty colleges in our city up till 1993. 到1993年时，我们的城市里已经有了50所大学。

二、过去完成时表示“重复事件”

如同现在完成时，过去完成时可以表示在过去之前开始的动作，在过去之前的一段时间内重复发生。

图解：



下面这篇短文谈到了著名影星奥黛丽·赫本（Audrey Hepburn）：

11　In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until 1993. She was named to People's magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. Her last film was Always in 1989. Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 in Tolochnaz, Switzerland, from colon cancer. She had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named to Empire magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time".

妙语点睛

这里的过去完成时had made显然是表示过去重复的动作，且该动作只重复到过去，没有一直持续到现在，所以用过去完成时。读者可以将该句与5.5.1小节的有关汤姆·克鲁斯（Tom Cruise）的这个例句进行比较：He moved to New York and appeared in a few teen movies before starring in his first big hit, Top Gun in 1986. Since then he has made hit after hit movies.

因为阿汤哥现在还在世，因此他拍电影这一活动就可能一直重复到现在直至将来，所以这里要用现在完成时has made。

精品译文

1988年，奥黛丽·赫本成为了联合国儿童基金会的一名特殊的大使，致力于帮助拉丁美洲和非洲的儿童，她在这个职位上一直干到了1993年。她被《人物》杂志评为世界上50个最美丽的女人之一。她平生的最后一部影片是拍摄于1989年的《永远》。奥黛丽·赫本因患结肠癌，于1993年1月20日在瑞士的托洛那茨去世。她一生中共拍摄了31部高水平的影片，她的优雅和风格将永载电影史册。为此，她被《帝国》杂志评为“历史上最耀眼的100名影星”。

再来看一个关于2003年爆发的SARS的新闻报道：

12　Students at Northern Jiaotong University are welcomed with flowers after being discharged from quarantine yesterday afternoon in Beijing. Nearly 400 students were in isolation in a dormitory compound for a fortnight. More than 10 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) cases had been reported in the building before it was sealed off on April 24. No new cases were found during the isolation period. Quarantine measures were also lifted yesterday at a residential building of Beijing's Central University of Finance and Economics, where some 38 families had been isolated since April 24.

妙语点睛

在过去的动作was sealed off之前，reported的动作“重复”发生了十多次，即文中说的more than 10 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)，故该用过去完成时had been reported。另外，对于过去完成时had been isolated，既可能有延续的含义，也可能有重复的含义。这里出现了since，虽然与since搭配的主句一般是现在完成时态，但这里用了过去完成时态的had been isolated，因为“被隔离”只持续到上文出现的yesterday afternoon，而没有持续到现在。这里的yesterday afternoon就相当于一个过去的参照时间。

精品译文

昨天下午，北京的北方交通大学的学生们被解除了检疫隔离，受到了学校热烈的迎接。近400名学生在一座单独的宿舍楼中被隔离了两周。在该宿舍楼于4月24日被封锁之前，这里报告了十几个“非典”病例。在隔离期间，没有发现新的病例。北京的中央财经大学中的一座居民楼也于昨日解除了检疫隔离，自从4月24日起，这座楼里大约38户居民被隔离。

请看其他例句：

13　I had proposed to her five times, but she still refused to marry me. 我已经向她求婚五次了，但还是被拒绝。

14　I had written her 100 letters when she finally promised to marry me.

我给她写了100封信，她最后终于答应嫁给我了。

15　Clint had written three letters by the time she arrived. 她到达的时候，克林特写了三封信。

三、过去完成时表示“单一事件”

如同现在完成时，过去完成时可以表示开始于过去之前的动作到过去这一时刻之前即已停止。具体来说，就是表示一个动作或状态在过去的某一时间之前已经开始，并在这一过去的时间之前即告结束，而没有持续到这一过去的时刻。这时过去完成时的动作通常是短暂动作。

图解：



请看例句：

16　She had made everything ready before I came.

妙语点睛

这里made的动作在came之前已经完成，故用过去完成时had made。

精品译文

在我来之前，她已经把一切都准备好了。

17　Her baby had fallen asleep when she went into the room.

妙语点睛

这里fall的动作在went之前已经完成，故用过去完成时had fallen。

精品译文

她进房间时，孩子已经睡着了。

18　I had just poured myself a cup of tea when the phone rang. When I came back from answering it, the cup was empty. Somebody had drunk the tea or thrown it away.

妙语点睛

在过去的动作rang之前pour的动作已经完成，故用过去完成时had poured。同理，在过去的状态was empty之前drink和throw的动作已经完成，故两者都用过去完成时had drunk和（had）thrown。

精品译文

我刚刚给自己倒了一杯茶，这时电话铃响了。于是我去接电话，接完电话回来的时候，发现杯子空了。有人已经把茶喝了或者是倒掉了。

19　I had just sat down in the recliner to watch TV when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened the front door I saw a young man standing there staring at me.

妙语点睛

在过去的动作heard之前sat的动作已经完成，故用过去完成时had sat。

精品译文

我刚坐在躺椅上准备看电视的时候，听到有人敲门。打开前门，我看见一个年轻人站在门前凝视着我。

5.10.3　过去完成时的其他意义和用法

本节将来总结一下过去完成时的其他用法。

一、表示“非真实”的过去

主要是指intend, mean, hope, want, plan, suppose, expect, think, propose和wish等动词用于过去完成时，可表示过去未能实现的计划、设想、意图或希望等。请看例句：

1　I had intended to watch just one program, but somehow I couldn't make myself switch off the TV.

我本来打算只看一个电视节目，可不知怎的，电视打开之后我就关不了了。

2　I had intended to see you, but I was busy. 我本打算去看你，但是我太忙了。

3　I had planned to go shopping with you, but my mother came to see me just when I was about to go.

我本打算和你一起去逛街，但正当我要出门的时候，我妈妈过来看我了。

4　She had hoped that he would come to date her, but he didn't show up.

她本来希望他能来约会她，但是他没露面。

5　They had hoped to see you off at the airport, but they got there too late.

他们本来希望去机场给你送行，但是他们到得太晚了。

6　A: Peter had hoped to have his apartment painted by this time.

B: But he hasn't even started yet, has he?

A：彼得本来是希望到现在已经把他的公寓粉刷完了。

B：可他不是还没有开始刷吗？

7　A: Are you glad you came to China?

B: Yes. Indeed. I'd considered going to Tokyo or Singapore, but I've never regretted my decision.

A：你来到中国之后感到高兴吗？

B：是的，非常开心。我本来是考虑去东京或新加坡的，但现在我从不后悔当初的决定。

二、用于最高级句型

这一点完全类似于我们在5.8节中讨论过的现在完成时的用法，即用在“It was the＋序数词（first, second...）或最高级……that……”句型中。例如：

8　It was the third time that someone had interrupted me that night. 那是那天晚上我第三次被打断。

9　On his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a. m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.

妙语点睛

因为有过去时的bought表明是过去的时间，所以在最高级the largest的后面要用过去完成时态had seen。

精品译文

他再次来的时候，早上七点刚过就到了。为了答谢我们，他给我们带来了一条很大的鱼，还有一夸脱重的牡蛎，那是我所见过的最大的牡蛎。他说，他那天早上出发之前才把牡蛎去壳，这样能保持肉质鲜美。我知道他乘坐的公共汽车是凌晨4点启程的，那他究竟要多早起床为我们做这些事啊！

5.10.4　过去完成时与一般过去时的比较

比较1：两个或两个以上相继发生的动作，用and或but按动作发生的先后顺序连接，此时要用一般过去时，而不用过去完成时。过去完成时则强调主语在过去的某一时刻“回顾”更早的动作。具体来说，如果在谈论过去某一事件时，又想到在这之前已发生的某事，就要用过去完成时态。例如：

1　He opened the door and entered, but found nobody. 他打开门进去了，但一个人都没看见。

请读者比较：

2　1) He served in the army for ten years; then retired and married. His children are now at school.

2) He had served in the army for ten years; then he retired and married. His children were now at school.

妙语点睛

在例句1）中，因为有了are表示现在的时间，作为现在的参照时间，所以在此之前的serve的动作，应该用一般过去时served。在例句2）中，因为有了were表示过去的时间，作为过去的参照时间，所以回顾在此之前的serve的动作，应该用过去完成时had served。

精品译文

1）他当过10年兵，然后退伍并结了婚。他的孩子现在都在上学。

2）他当过10年兵，后来退伍并结了婚。他的孩子当时都在上学。

3　He had served in the airforce for ten years before he died in the jet-crash incident.

妙语点睛

因为有了died表示过去的时间，作为过去的参照时间，所以回顾在此之前的serve的动作应该用过去完成时had served。

精品译文

在上次的坠机事故中他牺牲了，在那之前他在空军中服役了10年。

4　I heard voices and realized that there were several people in the next room.

我听见说话的声音，知道隔壁房间里有人。

5　I saw empty glasses and cigar butts on the table and realized that someone had been in the room.

我看见桌子上有空杯子和烟蒂，知道了屋子里有人来过。

6　I realized that we had met before.

我意识到我们以前见过面。

这里不说：I realized that we met before.*

比较2：在表示两个相继发生的动作时，用过去完成时可以表示一个动作完成以后，另一个动作才开始发生，从而使得两个动作相互独立，彼此脱离开来。用一般过去时，则可能表示一个动作“导致”另一个动作的发生，或两动作之间有一种因果关系。例如：

7　When I had opened all the windows, I sat down and had a cup of tea.

不宜说：When I opened all the windows, I sat down and had a cup of tea.*

我把所有的窗子都打开后，就坐下来喝了杯茶。

8　When I opened the window the cat jumped in.（比说When I had opened...更自然。）

我刚把窗子一打开，就有只猫跳了进来。

9　When I had written my letters I did some gardening.

不宜说：When I wrote my letters I did some gardening.*

我把信写完后，就到花园里干了些活。

10　When I wrote him a letter, he came at once. 我给他去了封信后，他立即就来了。

11　When the singer had sung her song, she sat down. 这名歌手唱完歌以后，就坐下了。

上面这句话若说成：When the singer sang her song, she sat down.

则可能给人造成这种印象：这位歌手喜欢坐着唱歌。



思维训练

Exercise 5.10

请读者研读下面故事，并认真分析其中黑体部分的过去完成时态的含义。

Appointment with Love

Six minutes to six, said the clock over the information booth in New York's Grand Central Station. The tall, young Army lieutenant lifted his sunburned face and narrowed his eyes to note the exact time. His heart was pounding with a beat. In six minutes he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 13 months, the woman he had never seen, yet whose written words had sustained him unfailingly.



Lieutenant Blandford remembered one day in particular, during the worst of the fighting, when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of enemy planes. In one of his letters he had confessed to her that he often felt fear, and only a few days before this battle he had received her answer, "Of course you fear...all brave men do. Next time you doubt yourself, I want you to hear my voice reciting to you: Yeah, though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for thou are with me..." He had remembered, and it had renewed his strength.



Now he was going to hear her real voice. Four minutes to six.



A girl passed close to him, and Lieutenant Blandford started. She was wearing a flower, but it was not the little red rose they had agreed upon. Besides, this girl was only about 18, and Hopis Meynell had told him she was 30. "What of it?" he had answered. "I'm 32." He was 29.



His mind went back to that book he had read in the training camp. Of Human Bondage it was, and throughout the book were notes in a woman's handwriting. He had never believed that a woman could see into a man's heart so tenderly, so understandingly. Her name was on the bookplate: Hopis Meynell. He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address. He had written, and she had answered. Next day he had been shipped out, but they had gone on writing.