核心问题
That was so serious a matter that I had no choice but ____ the police. A. called in B. calling in C. call in D. to call in(全国四级,96.1-24) 答案为 D,但是,我认为选项 C 也是正确的,因为介词 but 后的动词不定式符号是可以省略的: What could he do but die?
词典解答
在 but + to-v 结构中省略 to 是有条件的: but 之前如有实义动词 do(does, did), 则动词不定式符号 to 是可以省略的。而在 have no choice (alternative) but + to-v 结构中动词不定式符号是不可以省略的(参见 except do/except to do):
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We had no choice but to accept the majority decision. 除了接受大多数人的决定外,我们别无选择。
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I had no choice but to tell him what I knew, what I guessed! (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) 我没有选择, 只得告诉他我知道的, 我猜测的! (《哈利·
波特与死亡圣徒》)
[试题句意]那是一件非常严重的事，除了叫警察来，我别无选择。