1980年全国研考统考试题第V.2题:
Those of us who work in that chemical plant should have their lungs X-rayed.
标准答案规定把 their 应改为 our。我认为,这里用 their 并没有什么错误。
直到现在,我国的英语学界仍然持有这样的观点。例如,1995年出版的《英语疑难大全》说:
“误: Most of us working in the mountains have not had their hair cut for two months.
正: Most of us working in the mountains have not had our hair cut for two months."
其实,在 some of us, most of us 之后,既可以使用 our,也可以使用 their。这完全取决于句意。The Right Word at the Right Time 的作者们对这个问题的解释是很符合语言实际的:“some of us 这个代词短语是第一人称还是第三人称?是应该说 Some of us waste our money. 还是应该说 Some of us waste their money.?这很可能取决于说话者是否是那些浪费金钱者之一。如果说话人是其中之一,也就会用 our;如果不是,他就应该用 their。”由此可见,在上面的试题之中,使用 their 也是正确的(即说话人不把自己包括在内)。
应当指出,上面所引的研考英语题是根据下面的托福题而来的。但是,这并不能改变我们在上面所陈述的观点:
Those of us who wear glasses should have their eyes examined at regular intervals. (TOEFL)