“He is already on the wrong side of forties.” “It’s about time he ____ himself a wife and settled down.”
A. finds B. should find C. found D. had found (TOEFL)
书上给的答案为 C(found)。但我不明白这里为什么要用过去时。难道它是表示过去的事情吗？
这里的found并不是陈述语气的过去时，而是假设过去时（虚拟语气过去时），因而它表示的并不是过去时间，而是表示现在或将来的时间。这种用法主要用于表示说话人的观点或信念，它往往意味着讲话的此时此刻动作并未发生，而说话人希望其尽快发生并往往含有动作早该发生的意思。
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It's time (that) I was in bed. 我该睡觉了。
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It's time (that) I went home. 我该回家了。
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It's time you paid the bill. 你该付账单了。
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It's time we found somewhere to eat. (EED) 我们该找个地方吃饭了。请做下面的英语试题：
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“It’s getting very late.” “Yes, it’s time ____.” A. we have left B. we should leave C. we left D. we leaving (TOEFL)
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“He is in his late 40s now and still single.” “It is high time he ____ himself a wife and settled down.” A. has to get B. got C. gets D. will get (TOEFL)
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“What are you taking next term?” “I don’t know, but it’s time ____ something.” A. I decide B. I decided C. I’ll decide D. I’d decide (TOEFL)
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“You are very selfish. It’s high time you ____ that you are not the most important person in the world,” Edgar said to his boss angrily. A. have realized B. should realize C. realize D. realized(全国四级,99.1-57)
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It's time ____ about the traffic problem downtown. A. something was done B. everything is done C. anything will be done D. nothing to be done(全国六级,93.6-46)
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If I were in a movie, then it would be about time that I ____ my head in my hands for a cry. A. bury B. am burying C. buried D. would bury(全国研考,01-1)
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Isn't it time you ____ some serious work before the examination? A. got down to B. took up with C. got off with D. put down to(全国英语专业四级,92-62)
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“What courses are you going to do next semester?” “I don’t know. But it’s about time ____ on something.” A. I’d decide B. I decided C. I decide D. I’m deciding(全国英语专业四级,02-51)