ii. may, might

1. may的基本用法：

1）表示许可，可用于正式场合。

You may take the book home.

你可以把书本带回家。

Candidates may not bring reference books into the examination room.

考生不许把参考书带进考场。

2）May I/we ...? 用来表示请求。

—May I smoke here？

—No, you mustn't .

——我可以在这里抽烟吗？

——不，你不可以。

3）表示推测，可能发生某事，意为“也许，可能，大概”；may not表示 “可能不”， can't则表示“不可能”。

The teacher may not be serious.

老师可能不会是认真的。

A situation like this may occur from time to time.

像这样的情况也许会再三发生。

2. might的基本用法：

1）Might I ...? 表示更加礼貌的请求。

Might I call you by your first name?

我可以称呼你的名字吗？

2）表示把握不大的可能性。

I thought you might like something to read, so I have brought you some books.

我以为你或许想读点儿东西，因此我给你带来了几本书。

3. 在实际运用中需注意的问题：

1）may可以表示祝愿，意为“但愿，愿”，这时须将may放在句首用倒装语序。

May there never be another world war!

但愿永远不会再有世界大战。

May our friendship last forever!

祝我们的友谊万古长青！

2）may/might常用于表示目的/让步的状语从句中。

However much they may desire to come, they cannot be allowed to.

无论多么渴望来，他们都不会被允许。

Try as he may , he will not pass the examination.

尽管尝试，他也不会通过考试。

3）may/might as well do sth.表示强烈的意愿，意为“还是……的好，最好，不妨”。

Since she is angry, we might as well leave her alone.

既然她生气了，我们最好别理她。

4）may/might well do sth.意为“很可能，确实有可能”。

Friendship is a vase, which, if it is cracked by accident, may well be broken at once.

友谊就是一个花瓶，如果偶然碰破，很有可能立刻破裂。

5）may have done表示对过去把握不大的肯定推测，意为“或许”。

That was a bad place to skate, you may have broken your leg.

那个地方滑冰很糟糕，你也许会摔断腿的。

Our friends' plane landed but they weren't on it. They may have missed it.

我朋友的飞机着陆了，但是他们不在机上。他们或许错过了这趟飞机。

6）might have done表示对过去把握不大的推测，或者责备。

You were stupid to try climbing up there. You might have killed yourself.

你很傻试图爬上那里的山，你或许会摔死你自己的。

7）might have done用于虚拟语气。

If we had found him earlier, we might have saved his life.

如果我们早一点发现他，我们或许就救了他的命。

8）may (just) as well have done sth.意为“不妨；还不如……的好”，用来提建议。

Oh, you may (just) as well bring me a chocolate too.

哦，你还不如也给我带来一块巧克力呢。

专项练习

1. _______ prosperous and strong!

A. Let your country become

B. Hope your country become

C. May your country become

D. You country it becoming

2. Peter _______ come with us tonight, but he isn't very sure yet.

A. must

B. may

C. can

D. will

3. —Ann, _______ I have some more cake?

—Certainly, help yourself.

A. need

B. must

C. will

D. may

4. —Excuse me, _______ I ask you a question?

—Yes, please.

A. must

B. need

C. may

D. would

5. Since she is angry, we _______ her alone.

A. had better leaving

B. should leave

C. might as well leave

D. had rather leave

答案速查　1-5　CBDCC