表示过去的能力
XIA SU: Do you remember when the three of us went on a picnic?
SUSAN: And Chen Wei was sure he could see a snake in the grass. I remember.
XIA SU: I've never laughed so much in all my life. [《高中英语教科书》第二册(下), 人教社, p.67]
[原译1] ……程伟说他在草丛里看见了一条蛇……。[《英语课文翻译及解疑》(高中二年级),宇航出版社,p.273]
[原译2]……陈伟肯定他看到了草里的一条蛇……。[《课文英汉对照译注》(高中第二册·下),广西师大出版社,p.240]
...he could see a snake...是指“他看见(到)了一条蛇”吗?
上句中的 could 表示过去的能力(ability in the past)。下面是类似的例子：
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Nicola could play chess when he was six. 尼古拉6岁时就会下国际象棋。
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The old lady fell down and couldn't get up. 这位老妇人摔倒了,不能站起来。
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They asked me if I could drive a car. 他们问我是否会开车。
[问]句中的...he could see a snake in the grass 并不是说“……他在草地里真的看见了一条蛇”。而是指 Chen Wei 吹牛说“他能看到草地里的蛇”。
这里还要附带指出，上句中的 a snake 并不是指“一条蛇”，而是指作为动物一个类别的蛇，即不定冠词 a 在这里是表类指（不涉及数量，只涉及种类）。
[试译]……陈伟确信他能看到草地里的蛇。……
请做下面的英语试题：
Her brother never expected that the police ____ the lost bicycle.
A. found B. could find C. find D. will find(全国成人高考,94-23)