《英语易混词辨异与用法学习辞典》(大连理工大学出版社, p. 406) 在讲 find 的用法时说：“find(found)(vt., vi.) 是无意去找而找到……” find 能否表示“有意去找而找到”呢？
该书的说法是不精确的。实际上，find 在作“找到”解时，既可表示无意去找而找到 (discover sth./sb. by chance/without looking or searching for) (A)，也可表示经过努力、学习、寻找而有意地找到 (discover sth./sb. by effort, study, search etc) (B)。下面是一些摘自英语原著的实例：
A. I found a wallet on the sidewalk. 我在人行道上发现一个钱包。
B. 1. They still haven't found the reasons for his death. 他们仍没有找出他的死因。
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Have you found a solution to the problem? 你们找到这个问题的答案了吗?
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Do you want me to find one for you? 你要我给你弄一张吗? find
“She finds English quite difficult. (她觉得英语相当难。)
为什么不说: She finds English is quite difficult. 呢?
提出这个问题问老师的学生相当多……”[《初中英语重点·难点纵横谈》(三),中国科技大学出版社,p.23]
She finds English is quite difficult. 真的是错句吗?
应当搞清楚, find 常常用于 find + 宾语 + 宾语补足语句型。其中的宾语补足语可由名词、形容词、分词、副词、介词短语和动词不定式来充当。
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You will find it a difficult book. (名词) 你会发现那是一本很难的书。
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We found him dishonest. (形容词) 我们认为他不诚实。
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He found the door closed. (分词或形容词) 他发现门是关着的。
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Langdon expected to hear an embassy operator, but he found himself instead listening to an answering machine. (分词) (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 兰登原想自己会听到大使馆接线员的声音,没想到自己听到的却是一个语音信箱的录音。(《达·芬奇密码》)
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We went to her house but we found her out. (副词) 我们去了她家, 发现她已外出。
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When we arrived, we found him in bed. (介词短语) 我们到达时, 发现他在睡觉。
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Some insects have been found to live for several years without any water. 人们发现一些昆虫可以滴水不进地活好几年。
find 也常常用于 find + (that) 从句的句型中。应特别注意, 这个连词 that 在口语中常常是可以省略的:
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When we arrived we found he was in bed. 我们到达时,发现他正在睡觉。
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He found (that) the treatment was effective against cancer. 他发现这种疗法对癌症有效。
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But when you climb higher, you will find nothing grows there at all. (JEFC, 3, p. 94) 但是, 当你爬到高处时, 你会发现那里什么东西都不长。
由此看来,上面的所谓错句并没有什么错误,而是标准的 find + (that) 宾语从句的句型。此外,[问]句还可写成:
She finds English to be quite difficult.