题目
You ______ John in the street this morning. He's been dead for ages.A. mustn't seeB. mustn't have seenC. couldn't seeD. couldn't have seen
You ______ John in the street this morning. He's been dead for ages.
A. mustn't see
B. mustn't have seen
C. couldn't see
D. couldn't have seen
题目解答
答案
D. couldn't have seen
解析
本题考查情态动词的完成式在否定推测中的用法。关键点在于:
- 区分“must”和“could”的否定形式:否定推测时,“must”表示肯定推测,而“could”表示可能性较低;
- 时间与事实的矛盾:后文“他已去世多年”说明“今天早上见面”不可能发生,需用否定推测表达;
- 完成式的选择:动作发生在“this morning”,需用“情态动词+have done”结构表示对过去的推测。
选项分析
A. mustn't see
- 错误:“mustn't”表示禁止,与语境不符(题目未表达“禁止见面”)。
B. mustn't have seen
- 错误:“mustn't have done”表示对过去的禁止,但题目需表达“不可能发生过”,应用“couldn't have done”。
C. couldn't see
- 错误:“couldn't see”是过去时,但“this morning”是过去时间点,需用完成式强调动作完成。
D. couldn't have seen
- 正确:“couldn't have done”表示对过去动作的否定推测,符合“见面不可能发生”的逻辑。