The painter Jacob Lawrence frequently incorporated patterns into his compositions, making them more striking than they would ____ have been.
A. instead B. however C. otherwise D. nevertheless(TOEFL)
我知道答案为 C(otherwise)，但我不明白，为什么 than 从句的谓语动词要用虚拟语气。我在英汉词典中没有查到这种用法。
otherwise 用作副词或连词时常常表示否定的条件(negative condition)。或者说, 表示与前述内容相反的条件。这个否定条件可以是事实的, 也可以是反事实的(假想的, 虚拟的)。在前一情况下, 含 otherwise 的分句的谓语动词用陈述语气, 在后一情况下, 用虚拟语气。当 otherwise 用作连词时, 其用法和意义相当于连词 or。
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Seize the chance, otherwise[or] you will regret it. (CGEL) 抓住这个机会,否则你会后悔的。
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Don't be too long, otherwise[or] you'll miss the bus. (CGEL) 时间不要拖得太长,要不然你就赶不上公共汽车了。
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Do it now. Otherwise, it will be too late. (LDCE) 现在就干吧,要不然,就太晚了。
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The sailors would have otherwise fallen into the sea. (MD) 要不然水手们早就掉进大海里去了。
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They (must have) liked the apartment, otherwise[or] they wouldn't have stayed so long. (CGEL) 他们(一定)喜欢这个公寓,要不然他们不会住这么久的。
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Gas molecules move in all directions, otherwise the color could not spread throughout the jar. 气体分子是到处运动的，不然的话，颜色就不可能扩散及整个瓶子。
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The atmosphere acts as a screen to shield us from certain harmful rays that would otherwise beat down on the earth and make life impossible. 大气层像屏障一样，保护我们不受某些有害射线的照射，否则，这些有害的射线就会照射到地球上，使生物无法生存。
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One way is to develop uses for products which otherwise would waste. 方法之一, 就是开发那些不用就会成为废物的产品的用途。
请做下面的英语试题：
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He was very busy yesterday; otherwise, he ____ to the meeting. A. would come B. came C. should come D. would have come
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These national parks are very important for preserving many animals, who would ____ run the risk of becoming extinct. A. instead B. therefore C. nevertheless D. otherwise
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We didn't know his telephone number; otherwise we ____ him. A. would have telephoned B. must have telephoned C. would telephone D. had telephoned(全国四级,95.6-46)