問:麥克阿瑟將軍談歷史教訓,說It(History) points to no single instance where this end has justified that means, where appeasement has led to more than a sham peace,全句是什麼意思?Instance之後為什麼用where而不是which?
答:這一句是說:「歷史從來沒有例子顯示,為求目的,應該不擇手段;或姑息養奸,可以換得真正的和平。」Sham是「假的」,more than a sham peace即「不止是虛假的和平」,也即「真正的和平」。
至於where,文法上等於in which,例如:He talked about a case where / in which a man murdered his wife and then claimed insurance(他談到一案件,案件中一個男人謀殺了妻子,然後索取保險金)。麥克阿瑟那一句的where,改為in which也可以,但不可只用which。文法上,which等於instance。你可以說In one instance the end has justified the means,但不可說One instance the end has justified the means。
問:以下一句,unused是什麼詞類?為什麼可置於bury之後?──We must not bury, unused, what God has given us(上帝所賜的東西,不可掩埋不用)。
答:這個unused是過去分詞(past participle),作形容詞用,全句改為被動語態(passive voice)就是:What God has given us must not be buried unused。To bury unused就和to bury alive(活埋)的文法結構相同。過去分詞的這種用法很常見,謹再舉一例:He tried to walk unassisted(他嘗試不用扶助,自己走路)。