“Are you done with the book I gave you?” “Not quite. I’ve read all ____ the last chapter.” A. but B. until C. just D. yet(TOEFL)
上面的 are you done with 是我无法理解的。句中的主语难道不是施动者,而是受动者吗?
在一般的句子里,be done 的主语是受动者,例如:
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She interrupted him before his speech was done. (MD) 他尚未结束发言,她就打断了他。
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He arrived after dinner was done. (MD) 饭做好后他才到达。
英语里还有一个 have done(with) 结构, 在这个结构里, 主语是施动者:
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When you have done, come back! (LDCE) 你干完了就回来!
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Let us have done with it. 让我们把这件事干完吧!
be done (with) 是一个特殊结构, 它的主语并不是受动者, 而是施动者。这是跟其语法结构相矛盾的。这种情况并不仅仅限于 be done (with), be finished 等也是如此(参见 she is finished)。
下面再列举一些 be done (with) 的例句：
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When we were done, we went out to the garden, and I picked up the sticks. (B. Clinton, My Life) 看完之后, 我们走到花园里, 我把那里的树枝都捡了起来。(《我的生活》)
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Are you done with the newspaper? 你读完那份报纸了吗？
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I wish to be done with my task. 我希望把我的工作干完。
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Ask the cryptographer to wait at the command post. I'll speak to him when I'm done (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 告诉密码破译者在部等着。等我忙完了再和他说话。(《达·芬奇密码》)