问
The meat cooks slowly. 我认为上面的句子是错误的,应改为 The meat is cooked slowly. 因为 the meat 是被煮熟。
答
上面的 cooks 并没有用错。严格说来, The meat cooks slowly. 与 The meat is cooked slowly. 是有区别的。cook, 如同 read, wash, sell, open, shut, prove 一样, 亦可用作形式主动、意义被动的动词。这种用法在于强调主语所表示事物本身的性质和特征。The meat cooks slowly. 是指“这肉煮起来熟得很慢”。说的是 the meat 本身的性质, 而不是说某人煮(炒)这肉煮 (炒)得慢。表达后一意思时,应当说 The meat is cooked slowly. 见 notional passives, read。cool