Ask & Learn聞問切英語口語:Present Perfect

今期繼續(xù)回答 Calvin 的問題。他從網(wǎng)上新聞看到一句：Around two dozen Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest repressive Chinese rule in the past year. 想問作者為什么不用 simple past，而用 present perfect？

沒錯，這句的確可以用 simple past。文法就這個問題的規(guī)定很簡單，只要句子明確顯示事件發(fā)生在過去（句中時間為 "past year"），就可以用simple past。

但這句同時又可以用 present perfect。因此，Calvin 問的不單是文法問題，而是修辭問題。

我們比較以下兩句：

1. Around two dozen Tibetans set themselves on fire to protest repressive Chinese rule in the past year.

2. Around two dozen Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest repressive Chinese rule in the past year.

第一句只不過把在過去一年自殘的人數(shù)說出來，語氣比較客觀，純屬敘述；而第二句因采用了 present perfect 的關(guān)系，暗示故事還沒有結(jié)束：去年是二十多人，但自殘的人數(shù)還在增加。

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