...she was extremely difficult to please. (New Concept English, Book 3, L. 49)
to please 是指别人使她高兴,还是指她使别人高兴? 如果是指前者,我认为应当使用 to be pleased。不知对否?
英语里有一些形容词,如 easy, fit, difficult, hard, awkward, convenient, impossible, pleasant, tough, unpleasant 等,要求一个及物动词不定式来作它们的补足语。但在语义上,句子的主语便是动词不定式的宾语。如你所提问的句子,she 在语义上(而不是在语法上)便是 to please 的宾语。类例:
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Jack is easy to fool. (CGEL) 杰克容易受愚弄。
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She was difficult to understand at times. (Wells) 有时很难理解她。
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I was hard to convince. (Gallacher) 我很难(被)说服。
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This machine is awkward to handle. 这台机器不好操作。
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Most of our fears are unreasonable, but they are impossible to erase. (NCE, Book 3, p. 132) 我们的恐惧大都是没有根据的,但是要把它们消除却是不可能的。
某些不及物动词 + 介词的结构,也可以归到上面的句型中去:
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He is difficult to deal with. 他是很难相处的(他是很难对付的)。
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He's impossible to deal with. 跟他打交道,是不可能的。
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The man is hard to work with. 这个人很难与之共事。