情態動詞考題的兩個側重點

一般情態動詞考題的考查主要涉及兩個方面，一是對情態動詞所用句型的考查，二是對情態動詞在一定的語境中的意義的考查。如：

1. “Is John coming by train?” “He should, but he ________ not. He likes driving his car.”

A. must                   B. can                       C. need                        D. may

最佳答案為D。may 表推測，may not 意為“可能不(會坐火車來)”。句中的 He should 為 He should come by train 之省略，由于其后出現轉折連詞 but，說明語意有變化，再結合下文的 He likes driving his car，便可決定此題選D。注意，不能選B，因為can表示推測時通常不用肯定陳述句。

2. “I heard they went skiing in the mountains last winter.” “It ____ true because there was little snow there.”

A. may not be           B. won’t be                C. couldn’t be               D. mustn’t be

此題最佳答案為C，主要由下文的 because there was little snow there 這一語境所決定，既然“沒下什么雪”，那么“滑雪”就應是“不可能”，所以選 couldn’t be，即選C。

3. “Do you think he is lazy?” “I ________ so once, but I don’t now.”

A. may have thought                                   B. can have thought

C. may think                                              D. might think

答案選A。從答話人的語境可知，空格處的意思“曾經這樣想過”，即對過去情況作推測，故應用“情態動詞+動詞完成式”；又因為 can 表推測不用于肯定句，故選A。