TPO Reading Official 10 Passage 1 Chinese Pottery

nonpublic123

這篇托福閱讀文章出自托福TPO考古題 Reading-Official 10 passage 1 Chinese Pottery

考古題網站(https://reurl.cc/lexmyd),捲動至網頁Official 10 Passage 1,鼠標移至上方會浮現在線做題,點選即可觀看文章

該網站會擋中國大陸以外IP,需用chrome外掛程式:(https://reurl.cc/3oQAW9)

其中在第十一題:

選項B是對應到第五段的最後一句: Only when European decorative themes were introduced did these meanings become obscured or even lost.

但是選項B我有疑惑

Their significance may have remained clear had the Chinese not come under foreign influence.

這是假設語氣的倒裝(If the chinese had not come under foreign influence, their significance may have remained clear)(與過去事實相反-if條件句用過去完成式，結果句用情態助動詞would….have+past participle)

我的疑問是結果句的情態助動詞為什麼是用現在式may而不是過去式might?

我在一個網站上看到以下說法:https://reurl.cc/5pAjXq

但我也有看到另一種說法:https://reurl.cc/RXZ58x

所以在這個選項的選項的句子用may，可以解釋成發生的機率比用might大?

接著在第五段的開頭有一句:

Just as painted designs on Greek pots may seem today to be purely decorative, whereas in fact they were carefully and precisely worked out so that at the time, their meaning was clear, so it is with Chinese pots.

其中

whereas in fact they were carefully and precisely worked out so that at the time, their meaning was clear

是插入句嗎?

但是whereas是轉折連接詞，我有點不太確定? 謝謝。

dunchee

[更正] 我的回答有誤

nonpublic123 但是選項B我有疑惑

Their significance may have remained clear had the Chinese not come under foreign influence.

這是假設語氣的倒裝(If the chinese had not come under foreign influence, their significance may have remained clear)(與過去事實相反-if條件句用過去完成式，結果句用情態助動詞would….have+past participle)

我的疑問是結果句的情態助動詞為什麼是用現在式may而不是過去式might?

主要子句"Their significance may have remained clear"不是conterfactual。"may"表達的重點是"現在"(note 1)--前文提到"To twentieth-century eye, ..."(note 1)，所以原句子暗示的是現狀，而不是(比如)清朝/明朝當時的「過去」情形（這段文章沒有這方面敘述）。"have remained (clear)"是完成式(不是為了表達過去)，"may have remained clear"整個表達的是過去那時(若沒有受西方/歐洲影響)直到「現在」的可能(may)情形--重點是在「現在」。

nonpublic123 所以在這個選項的選項的句子用may，可以解釋成發生的機率比用might大?

~~他那套說法不適用此處。~~

(note 1) 我注意到是上世紀。我查了文章出處--Ten Thousand Years of Pottery by Emmannel Cooper -- 這書初版是 1972 年，所以作者寫的時候的「現在」也確實是在上世紀。

dunchee

nonpublic123 其中

whereas in fact they were carefully and precisely worked out so that at the time, their meaning was clear

是插入句嗎?

但是whereas是轉折連接詞，我有點不太確定?

這要看你背的「插入句」定義是什麼。whereas也確實是連接詞。
整個句子用的是這句型: (Just) as ..., so ... (note 1)，然後第一個子句另外接了個 whereas-clause，是對第一個子句另外補充說明。

(note 1) https://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/just-as-so

nonpublic123

dunchee 主要子句"Their significance may have remained clear"不是conterfactual。"may"表達的重點是"現在"(note 1)--前文提到"To twentieth-century eye, ..."(note 1)，所以原句子暗示的是現狀，而不是(比如)清朝/明朝當時的「過去」情形（這段文章沒有這方面敘述）。"have remained (clear)"是完成式(不是為了表達過去)，"may have remained clear"整個表達的是過去那時(若沒有受西方/歐洲影響)直到「現在」的可能(may)情形--重點是在「現在」。

我自己思考了一下(雖然還是有點轉不過來)

第五段的最後一句

Only when European decorative themes were introduced did these meanings become obscured or even lost.

這句話其實並沒有明確說these meanings become obscured or even lost真的發生了，這句話只是在說當在這樣的情況時(European decorative themes were introduced)可能導致的結果

所以Their significance may have remained clear 也就不是(與過去事實相反)，因為第五段完全沒提到

have remained(現在完成式)可以表達(開始於過去並持續至今的狀態)，前面多了一個may多了一點不確定的性質(可能)

這對應到To twentieth-century eyes, Chinese pottery may appear merely decorative

而且後面有yet to the Chinese the form of each object and its adornment had meaning and significance這個轉折

這跟之前所知道的假設語氣條件句用法不同(沒看過)，我也不確定這樣解釋是否正確

dunchee 這要看你背的「插入句」定義是什麼。whereas也確實是連接詞。
整個句子用的是這句型: (Just) as ..., so ... (note 1)，然後第一個子句另外接了個 whereas-clause，是對第一個子句另外補充說明。

我後來有在此看到:(https://reurl.cc/qNEnX0)

跟此處:https://reurl.cc/ERAg0R

感謝您的詳細回答跟補充。

dunchee

算是個補充。原書和 TPO 有個小差異 -- TPO 版本多了個逗號。
TPO的句子(我對照了Google Book上的官方書，和你的句子一樣)
Just as painted designs on Greek pots may seem today to be purely decorative, whereas in fact they were carefully and precisely worked out {so that at the time, their meaning was clear}, so it is with Chinese pots.

原書的句子: https://tinyurl.com/5kcf8eje
Just as painted designs on Greek pots may seem today to be purely decorative, whereas in fact they were carefully and precisely worked out {so that at the time their meaning was clear} , so it is with Chinese pots.

whereas-clause 又另外接了個 so that-clause。

dunchee

nonpublic123 第五段的最後一句

Only when European decorative themes were introduced did these meanings become obscured or even lost.

這句話其實並沒有明確說these meanings become obscured or even lost真的發生了，這句話只是在說當在這樣的情況時(European decorative themes were introduced)可能導致的結果

".... did these meaning become ..." -> "these meaning did become ...." 作者很明確的說明 .... 真的發生了。
一個合理的邏輯則是要是這沒發生，那麼情況不就不一樣嗎？-- 這是一般的思考模式，畢竟作者不是毫無目的隨機胡謅。
也因此題目（答案）那樣子出題。
Reality: European decorative themes were introduced ....
Hypothesis: What if it didn't happen? (... had the Chinese not come under foreign influence) → Their significance may have remained clear. 這只是個 hypothesis，只是個可能性的推測。當然也有其它的可能。

而且後面有yet to the Chinese the form of each object and its adornment had meaning and significance這個轉折

"had" -- 過去式。這是在說受西方/歐洲影響之前的情況(Greek pots 那部分也有提到這種過去曾有(但是後來流失/失傳)的情況)。換句話說若沒有那些影響，這情況不就有可能保留下來？這也呼應了 B 答案句子的意思。

nonpublic123

dunchee ".... did these meaning become ..." -> "these meaning did become ...." 作者很明確的說明 .... 真的發生了。

我想我可能找到我的盲點了。

Only when European decorative themes were introduced did these meanings become obscured or even lost.

我一開始透過這個網站(https://reurl.cc/pMGOYa)在了解這個句型的時候

我以為do/does/did加上去只是因為主要子句用一般動詞所以就是得加，我完全不知道它有加強語氣的功能

dunchee "had" -- 過去式。這是在說受西方/歐洲影響之前的情況(Greek pots 那部分也有提到這種過去曾有(但是後來流失/失傳)的情況)。換句話說若沒有那些影響，這情況不就有可能保留下來？這也呼應了 B 答案句子的意思。

這邊我確實沒有細看，漏掉了過去式。這邊是說對於現今(20世紀)的眼光來說，中國瓷器上的圖案也許僅是一種裝飾用途，然而(yet)這些圖案在過去對於中國人來說有重要/特殊涵義->暗示受到外來影響以致於現今失傳

所以題目就問對於這些圖案從第五段能夠推測出? (如果沒受到外來影響可能會被保留下來)

dunchee [更正] 我的回答有誤

Critical Account of English Syntax

dunchee I'll be damned ... 看樣子我沒注意過 may 的這用法。Swan 的 Practical English Usage 有提到這用法。這本 TOEFL 書也有這用法的句子:

我也被驚訝到了，翻了手邊文法書跟網路搜尋都沒有此用法

dunchee Critical Account of English Syntax

這裡也有說KB and JM would write acknowledged that Mr.boonen might have lived and If the style had matched the content, it might have had…. (普遍寫法) 我可能還要再詳細看看這篇文章

dunchee Swan 的 Practical English Usage 有提到這用法。這本 TOEFL 書也有這用法的句子

也許我能看看有沒有電子書可以取得，感謝您提供的參考書目。

dunchee

[更正] 我的回答有誤

Critical Account of English Syntax

Consider now (3) and (4).

....
If the styles had matched ...., it may have had more success ....

以及接下來的說明。看樣子這用法是上世紀後半開始傳開。

邊看電視找到的。我沒仔細讀

dunchee

I'll be damned ... 看樣子我沒注意過 may 的這用法。Swan 的 Practical English Usage 有提到這用法。這本 TOEFL 書也有這用法的句子:
Check Your English Vocabulary for TOEFL
Essential Words and Phrases to Help You Maximize Your TOEFL Score
By Rawdon Wyatt · 2012
page 57
題目句子：

Violence may have been averted if the police had not acted so aggressively.

nonpublic123

我在Practical English Usage 4th edition的 section7 Modal Auxiliary verbs (71 chances : may, might and could -> 9 might/could have) 找到此用法

May have… is now some times used with this meaning too; some people feel that this is not correct.