鄞州中学外语组 吴斌
纵观近几年来高考试题中考查时态的题目，我们不难发现，如今已改变了过去那种在复合句中考查时态呼应的简单形式或通过具体的时间状语来确定时态，而是体现在交际性语言及上下文语境中，这无疑增加了试题的难度。要做好时态题，同学们不仅仅要掌握各种时态的结构，含义和用法，而且要充分利用题目所提供的语言环境，找出题干中隐含的时间信息，这在考试中是至关重要的，本文就这一问题作一分析。
一，现在进行时
1) 现在进行时可以表示目前一段时间内一直在发生的动作。这是现在进行时的“阶段性”特征。
I don 't really work here; I__________ until the new secretary arrives (NMET94)
A. just help out B. have just helped out C. am just helping out D. will just help out
通过语境，我们得知在新秘书到来之前这一段时间，我只是在这里帮忙。
2) 现在进行时可以表示说话时正在发生的动作
-----Is this raincoat yours?
-----No, mine ________ there behind the door. (NMET97)
A. is hanging B. has hung C. hangs D. hung
3) 现在进行时可以表示将要发生的动作，不过这种用法只限于arrive，begin，come，drive，fly，go，go off，get to，leave，return，see off，stay，take，take off等动词
I’ve won a holiday for two to Florida. I ________ my mum. (NMET2001, 春招)
A. am taking B. have taken C. take D. will have taken
通过语境，“我正要带上我妈妈”，用现在进行时表示将来。
4) 现在进行时可以表示现在不断发展变化的事情。
Selecting a mobile phone for personal use is no easy task because technology __________ so rapidly（NMET 2001）
A．is changing B．has changed C．will have changed D．will change
二，过去进行时
1) 过去进行时表示在过去某一时刻或某一段时间进行的动作。
------Everyone was at the party except you. What happened?
------I __________ with a friend who had traveled all the way from New York.
A. talked B. was talking C. had talked D. have been talking
通过语境，在举行晚会的时候(指过去)，我正在和一位来自纽约的朋友聊天，所以我不在。
2) 过去进行时表示按计划安排过去某时将发生的动作。
-----What were you doing when Jimmy phoned you?
---- I had just finished my article and _________ to take a shower.
A. starting B. to start C. have started D. was starting
3）动词 hope , want , wonder 的过去进行时用来提出请求，表达婉转的口气。实际上表示的是现在的情况。
-----Excuse me, sir. Would you do me a favor?
----Of course. What is it?
----I ________ if you could tell me how to fill out this form. (2002,北京卷)
A. had wondered B. was wondering C. would wonder D. did wonder
4) 在口语中，过去进行时有时既不是表示某时某刻正在进行的动作，也不是表示婉转口气或铺叙背景，而只是说明最近过去的事情。(说话前不久的动作)
I don’t think Jim saw me; he_________ into the space. (NMET95)
A. just stared B. was just staring C. has just stared D. had just stared
----Hey, look where you are going.
----Oh, I’m terribly sorry. __________ (NMET99)
A. I’m not noticing B. I wasn’t noticing C. I haven’t noticed D. I don’t notice
三，一般现在时
-----Can I help you, sir?
-----Yes, I bought this radio here yesterday, but it _________. (NMET96)
A. didn’t work B. won’t work C. can’t work D. doesn’t work
通过语境, 昨天买的收音机，现在坏了。
------You’re drinking too much.
------Only at home. No one_________ me but you. (2000, 春招)
A. is seeing B. had seen C. sees D. saw
通过上下文语境可以看出，You’re drinking too much 并不表示说话时正在喝酒，而是长期以来一直喝酒，所以是一种经常性的行为，“只在家里，只有你看到我喝酒”也是一般性的动作。
I___________ ping-pong quite well, but I haven’t had time to play since the new year. (NMET 2001)
A. will play B. have played C. played D. play
四，一般过去时
--------You haven’t said a word about my new coat, Brenda. Do you like it? (NMET 2002)
--------I’m sorry I _________ anything about it sooner. I certainly think it’s pretty on you.
A. wasn’t saying B. don’t say C. won’t say D. didn’t say
对不起，我没有及时发表我的意见，我当然认为你穿上去很漂亮。我没有发表意见是过去的事情。
-------Your phone number again? I__________ quite catch it.
-------It’s 9568442. (NMET95)
A. didn’t B. couldn’t C. don’t D. can’t
通过上下文语境可以看出，刚才我没听清。
------You can find the answer to this physics problem on page 88.
------Oh, it’s so simple that I wonder why I _________ of that.
A. didn’t think B. haven’t thought C. hadn’t thought D. don’t think
通过语境，哦，原来这么简单，我在想，（刚才）我怎么没想到呢（说明现在已经明白）。有同学会误选B haven’t thought说明我（现在）还没想到，与情景矛盾。
Glad to see you back. How long_________ in France?
A. did you stay B. have you stayed C. were you stayingD. have you been staying
某些同学受How long这个时间状语的影响，误选B。根据句意，我们清楚地知道对方已从法国回来了。若选B，则表明对方还在法国，前后矛盾。
刚才两道题目也涉及到一般过去时与现在完成时的区别：一般过去时表示的是一个目前无联系的过去的动作或状态，现在完成时则把过去发生的动作与现在联系起来，强调对现在的影响。如：
