问题描述

The students are about to be shown how hard the test is.

这个句子符合英语习惯吗？我是说这里的 be about to do sth 用了被动式，好像很少见吧！

老师答疑

刘老师：

The students are about to be shown how hard the test is.

这个句子完全正确。意思是“马上要给学生们看看测验是多么难。”

如果句子需要使用被动语态的话，自然要用be about to be done，此用法比较常见。例如：

1. He knew roughly what was about to be said.

他大概知道要说些什么。

来自柯林斯例句

2. He was under pressure to resign and was about to be sidelined.

他承受着被迫辞职的压力，很快就要被排挤出去了。

来自柯林斯例句

3. The water boards are about to be privatized.

水务委员会将实行私有化。

来自柯林斯例句

4. It's about to be cut loose from the state on which it has so long depended.

它将脱离长期依附的国家，实现独立自主。

来自柯林斯例句

5. The British are about to be given a sharp reminder of what fighting abroad really means.

有些事将很快让英国人清楚意识到海外作战究竟意味着什么。

来自柯林斯例句

6. Argentina has lifted all restrictions on trade and visas are about to be abolished.

阿根廷已经取消所有贸易限制，签证制也将废止。

来自柯林斯例句

7. An agreement was about to be reached when the other side raised new issues.

快要达成协议的时候,对方又节外生枝。

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8. Hardly had he returned to London than an anonymous well-wisher called to say he was about to be raided by Customs & Excise.

他刚回到伦敦，就有一个不愿透露姓名的好心人打来电话说，他即将面临海关的突击检查。

来自柯林斯例句

9. She is about to be crowned Empress again. 

她又将被册封为皇后了。

10. It's too late, the film is about to be finished. 

太晚了,电影就要结束了。

黎老师：

    如果be about to do 中的不定式和主语在意思上存在动宾关系，即主语是不定式所示动作的对象，则应该用be about to be done结构。例如：

   He was about to be transferred to another part of the Province .（摘自张道真主编《现代英语用法词典》修订版p.5）