核心问题 1

（1）The students are going to take the test in two days' time. (New Concept English, Book 2, L.84)

(2) The Olympic Games will be held in our country in four years' time. (同上, L. 37)

in two days' time 和 in four years' time 与 in two days 和 in four years 有无区别?

词典解答 1

在表示从现在算起的一段时间的末尾这一意义时, in two days' time 与 in two days 是同义的, 均表示“两天后”。但是, 当表示做某事所经历的时间长度时, 则只能使用 in two days 这种格式:

1541 It's (high/about) time he found...

The bird covered the distance in three minutes. (NCE 2, L. 5). 这只鸽子三分钟便飞完了全程。

[参见 in(in three minutes)]

It's (high/about) time he found...

核心问题 2

“He is already on the wrong side of forties.” “It’s about time he ____ himself a wife and settled down.”

A. finds B. should find C. found D. had found (TOEFL)

书上给的答案为 C(found)。但我不明白这里为什么要用过去时。难道它是表示过去的事情吗？

词典解答 2

这里的found并不是陈述语气的过去时，而是假设过去时（虚拟语气过去时），因而它表示的并不是过去时间，而是表示现在或将来的时间。这种用法主要用于表示说话人的观点或信念，它往往意味着讲话的此时此刻动作并未发生，而说话人希望其尽快发生并往往含有动作早该发生的意思。

It's time (that) I was in bed. 我该睡觉了。
It's time (that) I went home. 我该回家了。
It's time you paid the bill. 你该付账单了。
It's time we found somewhere to eat. (EED) 我们该找个地方吃饭了。请做下面的英语试题：
“It’s getting very late.” “Yes, it’s time ____.” A. we have left B. we should leave C. we left D. we leaving (TOEFL)
“He is in his late 40s now and still single.” “It is high time he ____ himself a wife and settled down.” A. has to get B. got C. gets D. will get (TOEFL)
“What are you taking next term?” “I don’t know, but it’s time ____ something.” A. I decide B. I decided C. I’ll decide D. I’d decide (TOEFL)
“You are very selfish. It’s high time you ____ that you are not the most important person in the world,” Edgar said to his boss angrily. A. have realized B. should realize C. realize D. realized(全国四级,99.1-57)
It's time ____ about the traffic problem downtown. A. something was done B. everything is done C. anything will be done D. nothing to be done(全国六级,93.6-46)
If I were in a movie, then it would be about time that I ____ my head in my hands for a cry. A. bury B. am burying C. buried D. would bury(全国研考,01-1)
Isn't it time you ____ some serious work before the examination? A. got down to B. took up with C. got off with D. put down to(全国英语专业四级,92-62)
“What courses are you going to do next semester?” “I don’t know. But it’s about time ____ on something.” A. I’d decide B. I decided C. I decide D. I’m deciding(全国英语专业四级,02-51)