Supposing the weather ____ bad, where would you go?
A. is B. will be C. were D. be
这里有两个问题:1. supposing 是什么词? 2. Supposing 之后既然可以使用陈述语气,为什么在上面的试题里选 A(is) 是错误的呢?
Supposing that 是个复合连词(complex subordinator)，其中的 that 常常被省略。supposing (that) 引出的从句既可以使用陈述语气，也可以使用虚拟语气。下面是一些实例：
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Supposing (that) she doesn't come, what shall we do? (Chambers) 假如她不来, 我们怎么办?
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Supposing that he asks you, will you go? (Eckersley) 假如他请你,你去不去?
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Supposing (that) all the doors are locked, how will you get in the house? (EGS) 假如所有的门都锁上了, 你怎样才能进屋里去呢?
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Supposing (that) you were left alone on a desert island, what would you do? (同上) 假如你只身被留在一个荒岛上, 你怎么办?
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Supposing they won the raffle, what would they do with an extra car? (CGEL) 假如他们抽彩中奖,那么他们将怎样处理一辆额外的汽车?
你所提问的句子是否可以在空白处填 is，这就要看主句和从句用的是何种语气。也就是说 supposing(that) 从句的语气要和主句的语气一致。由于作者在主句中使用了虚拟语气 (would you go)，所以从句也必须使用虚拟语气 (were)。