He's working hard for fear that he ____.
A. should fall behind B. fell behind C. may fall behind D. would fall behind以上是《英语结构难题解析》(复旦大学出版社,1995年版,p.44)的一道测试题,规定的正确答案为A(should fall behind)。但我认为C(may fall behind)和D(would fall behind)也同样是正确的,不知您的看法如何?
该书编者出这道题的依据是有的,比如 ALD 中便有类似的句子:
I daren't tell you what he did, for fear that he should be angry with me. （我不敢告诉你他干了什么事，以免他生我的气。）
《新英汉词典》也有类似的句子: He handled the instrument with care for fear (that) it should be damaged. (他小心翼翼地使用那台仪器, 生怕把它弄坏。) 但这是不是意味着在这种从句里只能使用 should, 而不能使用 may, might, would 呢? 事实并非如此。请看下面的例句:
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She worried for fear that the child would be hurt. (DAI) 她因怕孩子受伤而担忧。
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She's working hard for fear that she would be fired. 她因怕被解雇而努力工作。
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Shut the window for fear (that) it may rain. (LDCE) 把窗户关上,以防下雨。
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Margot did not dare to touch me for fear they might hear us. (Mis) 马戈特没有敢跟我说话, 因为他怕别人听见。
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We all seemed afraid to say what was in our minds, for fear it might start trouble. (Mis) 我们大家都不敢说出我们心里的想法，生怕惹起麻烦。
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They didn't say much for fear the others might hear them. (Mis) 他们没有说很多话, 因为怕其他人听见。