As soon as you 16 , I’d like to talk to you for a few minutes.
答案:(A) finish
【句型】as soon as 引導的時間副詞子句,要用現在式代替未來式來表達即將發生的動作(主句用未來語氣 I'd like to);finished(過去式,時態不合)、are finishing(現在進行式,不符合這種「一旦完成」的瞬間動作)、will finish(時間副詞子句不能用未來式,須用現在式代替)都不合。
本題大考中心未公布逐題答對率,以下不談數據,只談觀念。
句子的意思明明是「等你忙完之後」,講的是還沒發生的事,所以很自然就會選 will finish。這個直覺在中文裡沒有問題,在英文裡卻正好踩到一條規矩。
四個選項都是同一個動詞 finish 的不同形態,可見這一格考的是形態,那就先看它站在什麼樣的子句裡。空格前面是 As soon as(一……就……),這是帶出時間副詞子句的連接詞;逗號後面 I would like to talk to you 才是主要子句。英文有一條很硬的規矩:時間副詞子句裡不用未來式,改用現在式來表示未來會發生的事。掛鉤是國中就背過的 I will call you when I get there.(我到了就打給你。)——沒有人會寫 when I will get there。as soon as、when、before、after、until、by the time 這些帶時間的連接詞底下都一樣。所以 will finish 先出局,填現在式的 finish。
will finish:時間副詞子句裡不用未來式,這是最誘人也最典型的錯。finished:過去式。整段對話講的是眼前正在發生的事,Sue 現在還在忙,動作還沒完成。are finishing:現在進行式強調「正在做」的過程,但 as soon as 要的是一個完成的時間點(忙完的那一刻),不是一段過程。
as soon as(一……就……)、by the time(到……的時候)、interrupt sb(打斷某人)、be busy with sth(忙於某事)、for a few minutes(幾分鐘)、come on in(進來吧)。
Joe: I see you're busy right now, Sue. As soon as you 16 , I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes. Sue: It's O.K. Come on in.
Joe: Oh, no, I don't want to interrupt you. I can wait. I'll come back 17 . Sue: I'm afraid it's going to be a long wait! I'm working 18 my history paper.
Joe: History paper? I thought you'd finished it. 19 you turn it in on Friday? Sue: Uh-huh. But the professor just returned it to me. I 20 to add 10 more pages. Joe: Ten more pages! That's a lot. How are you going to do it? Sue: That's what I'm trying to figure out. Now what can I do for you?