涉及垂懸分詞的一道典型考題

請看下面一題：

Finding her car stolen, _________.

A. a policeman was asked to help

B. the area was searched thoroughly

C. it was looked for everywhere

D. she hurried to a policeman for help

【分析】此題容易誤選 A，因為從漢語角度來看，車子被盜，就應該叫來警察。但如果選 A，會導致句子主語與分詞的邏輯主語不一致，構成所謂的垂懸分詞。其實，此題最佳答案選 D，因為句首用作狀語的現在分詞短語 finding her car stolen 的邏輯主語應是“她”，而不是 a policeman, the area, it 等，按照英語語法，在通常情況下，非謂語動詞用作狀語時，它的邏輯主語應與句子主語保持一致，所以最佳答案為D。請再看以下類似例子：

(1) To master a foreign language, _________.

A. the school needs a foreign teacher

B. a good teacher is needed

C. a lot of practice is needed

D. one must have a lot of practice

【分析】此題答案選D，因為 to master a foreign language 的邏輯主語應是 one，而不是其他。

(2) _________ many times, he still didn’t understand it.

A. Having been told    B. Though to be told

C. Having told           D. He was told

【分析】此題答案選A，因為根據句意，he 與 tell 應是被動關系；另外，從時間上看，應該是“被告訴”在先，“沒有理解”在后，故要用 having been told 這一現在分詞的完成被動式。注意不能選D，因為 He was told 與 he still didn’t understand it 這兩個簡單句之間缺乏必要的銜接關系(參見下一題)。

(3) _________ many times, but he still didn’t understand it.

A. Having been told    B. Though he was told

C. To have been told  D. He was told

【分析】此題答案選D，句中的并列連詞 but 表明整個句子為并列句，同時表明 but 前應是一個獨立的句子，而不能是一個非謂語動詞短語(所以不能選A或C)，又因為 though 為從屬連詞，用以引導讓步狀語從句，它與連接并列句的并列連詞 but 不“兼容”，所以也不能選B。