动词的语态
1. 概念与构成
当句子的主语是动作的执行者时，谓语的形式用主动语态；当句子的主语是动作的承受者时，谓语要用被动语态。被动语态由“助动词be + 过去分词”构成，时态通过be 表现出来。如下表所示：

　　2. 一些特殊的被动语态
　　1) 短语动词的被动结构：用于这类被动结构的短语动词要作为整体看待，即要把它们看作单个及物动词。例如：
　　The baby is looked after carefully.
　　2) 有些动词形式上是主动结构，但表示被动的意思：
　　① 具有及物意义的不及物动词的被动意义：在主语是物的句子中，有些动词的主动形式可以表示被动意义。常用的这类动词有sell, read, feel, write, wear, wash, open, clean, cook, keep, cut, fill, blow, measure, lock, run, record, begin, shut等等。例如：
　　The book sells well. 这本书很畅销。
　　Your composition reads well. 你的作文读起来很不错。
　　This pen writes smoothly. 这支钢笔好用。
　　② 动名词主动形式表示被动意义：通常是物作want, need, require等动词的主语时，表示事物客观上需要……，用动名词一般式的主动形式作宾语表示被动意义。例如：
　　The classroom wants / needs / requires cleaning. 教室需要打扫。
　　这种用法的动名词改用不定式一般式的被动形式后也可表示同样意义。例如：
　　The classroom wants to be cleaned.

　　Exercises:
　　1. Directions: There is a blank and a verb (or verbal phrase) given in the brackets in each of the following sentences. Fill in the blank with the verb or verbal phrase in its proper form.
　　1) The students were writing busily when Miss Brown went to get a book she _____ (leave) in the office.
　　2) It is said that the new building that _____ (build) now will be used for teaching.
　　3) Just a few years ago, tomatoes _____ (believe) to have magical powers, making people who ate them fall in love.
　　4) By the coming end of the term, we _____ (learn) twenty passages.
　　5) “What are you doing now?”
　　“I _____ (prepare) my lessons for the final exam.”
　　6) Needless to say, the second list of words _____ (can, remember) more easily than the first one.
　　7) In the old days, the children _____ (take good care of) by the mother because she did not work outside the house.
　　8) The waiter soon _____ (bring) him a cup of tea but the Englishman shook his head.
　　9) My father went to Shanghai in 1988 and he _____ (work) there ever since.
　　10) John said that the car _____ (make) long before his mother was born.

　　2. Directions: In each of the following sentences there is one underlined part which is incorrectly used. Please put it right in a proper form.
　　1) We usually spent ten minutes doing fast-reading exercises in class.
　　2) We hoped you will provide us with some information needed in our research.
　　3) The medical team has left for the mountainous area next month.
　　4) You will be able to write good papers when you mastered some writing skills.
　　5) He saw at a glance that something unusual is happening in the class.
　　6) it was reported that the boy has seen a UFO flying over the area.
　　7) The old man was made burst into a happy smile by the letter from his daughter.
　　8) She was not at all surprising at the news.
　　9) I don’t know when the football match will be taken place.
　　10) The teacher explained to the students that the movement of the earth around the sun has caused seasons.

　　Answers:
　　1. 1) had left 2) is being built 3) were believed
　　4) will have learned 5) am preparing 6) can be remembered
　　7) were taken good care of 8) brought 9) has been working / has worked
　　10) had been made
　　2. 1) spend 2) would provide 3) is leaving for / will leave for
　　4) have mastered 5) was happening / had happened
　　6) had seen 7) made to burst into 8) surprised
　　9) will take place 10) causes