Lesson 21   Mad or not?

   Aeroplanes are slowly driving me mad. I live near an airport and passing planes can be heard night and day. The airport was built years ago, but for some reason it could not be used then. Last year, however, it came into use. Over a hundred people must have been driven away from their homes by the noise. I am one of the few people left. Sometimes I think this house will be knocked down by a passing plane. I have been offered a large sum of money to go away, but I am determined to stay here. Everybody says I must be mad and they are probably right.

飞机正在逐渐把我逼疯。我住在一个机场附近，过往飞机日夜不绝于耳。机场是许多年前建的，但由于某种原因当时未能启用。然而去年机场开始使用了。有100多人肯定是被噪音逼得已经弃家远去，我是少数留下来的人中的一个。有时我觉得这房子就要被一架飞过的飞机撞倒。他们曾向我提供一大笔钱让我搬走，但我决定留在这儿。大家都说我肯定是疯了，也许他们说的是对的。

Grammar points.

被动语态与情态动词的连用

被动语态的基本结构：be p.p.（过去分词）

情态动词的被动语态结构是“情态动词+be+p.p.”表示的是对现在事情的推测；情态动词+完成时态的被动语态，即结构情态动词+have been p.p.强调对过去发生的事情的推测  

Exercises.

1. Don’t put the sweater into the washing machine. It __________ in water.

A. washes           B. washed

C. can’t wash      D. can’t be washed

2. If you keep __________ (do) this, your English handwriting__________ (improve) soon.

1. 解析：本题考查的是情态动词+被动语态，根据题意：“毛衣不能被水洗”，故答案选D。

2. 解析：本题是一个真实条件句，并且考查固定搭配keep doing和被动语态的结构，所以答案应填doing， will be improved。