主动与被动.doc

主动与被动
一、英汉语言中被动句使用对比
,少用意义被动式(即用主动的形式表达被动的意义):
被动语态在英语里是一种常见的现象。在某些文体中,使用被动句几乎成了一种表达****惯(passive habit)。英语常用被动句,主要有以下几方面的原因:
(1)施事的原因。
人们表达思想的时候,通常使用主动句。但当主动句的施事(agent)由于以下原因不需要或不可能指明时,英语往往采用被动句:
1)施事未知而难以言明,如:
The murderer was caught yesterday, and it is said that he will be hanged.
凶手已于昨天被捕,据说(他)将会被绞死。
2)施事从上下文中可以不言自明,如:
She told me that her master had dismissed her. No reason had been assigned; no objection had been made to her conduct. She had been forbidden to appeal to her mistress.
她告诉我,她的男主人已解雇了她。他(男主人)没有讲明任何理由,对她的行为没有任何异议,也不许她向女主人申诉。
3)施事不如受事重要,或受事需要强调,如:
Her only son was run over by a car. 她的独子被汽车轧了。
有时为了隐去含糊的人称主语(vague pronoun subject),也用被动句:
At the tea party they served only tea and cake.
At the tea party only tea and cake were served.
茶会上只供应茶和饼。
4)由于特殊原因而不要指明施事,如为了使叙述显得圆通、得体, 或为了表达某种微妙的情绪,如:Some things have been said here tonight that ought not to have been spoken.
今晚有人在此讲了些不该讲的话。
(2)句法的要求。英语重形合,注重句法结构和表达形式。当主动式不便于表达时,出于造句的需要或修辞的考虑,往往采用被动式:
1)为了使句子承上启下、前后连贯、便于衔接,如:
Some kinds of plastics can be forced through machines which separate them into long, thin strings, called “fibers”, and these fibers can be made into cloth.
有几种塑料可以压入机器并分离成细长的纤维,这种纤维可以用来织布。
2)为了使句子平衡,保持末端中心和末端重量,以符合主语简短、谓语复杂的表达****惯,如:I was astounded that he was prepared to give me a job.
他准备给我一份工作,这使我大吃一惊。
(3)修辞的考虑。英语修辞学主张不要过分使用被动句,但适当使用被动句可以使表达方式灵活多变,避免句型单调,达到一定的修辞效果。例