【例句】If it did, it would open up its diversity program, now focused narrowly on race and gender, and look for reporters who differ broadly by outlook, values, education, and class.(如果它能注意這個問題的話,它就會拓展其雇員多樣化項目,而目前的項目只單純考慮招收不同種族和性別的員工,去雇傭那些在世界觀、價值觀、教育背景及社會階層方面各不相同的記者。)
【解析】這是一個含有條件狀語從句的復合句。If it did是條件狀語從句。主句中主語是it;謂語動詞有兩個,分別是would open up...和look for...。這是一個與現在事實相反的虛擬語氣,從句用一般過去時,主句用would+動詞原形open up和look for。
二、主語從句中的虛擬語氣
當it作形式主語,后面用形容詞作表語,即在it is + adj.這樣的句型中,當描述主語的表語形容詞是advisable,critical,crucial,desirable,essential,imperative,important,incredible,inevitable,necessary,recommend,strange,urgent等形容詞時,主語從句的謂語動詞多用虛擬語氣,如果是現在時,謂語動詞用should/would +動詞原形(should/would經常省略);如果是過去時,則用should/would + have done的形式。
【例句】It was inevitable that this primacy should have narrowed as other countries grew richer. Just as inevitably,the retreat from predominance proved painful.(隨著其他國家日益富裕,美國的這一優勢地位逐漸下降是不可避免的。惟其不可避免,從優勢地位上退出愈發痛苦不堪。)
【例句】Theories concerning on the individual suggest that children engage in criminal behavior because they were not sufficiently penalized for previous misdeeds or that they have learned criminal behavior through interactions with others.(關于個體研究的理論認為,孩子們從事犯罪活動是因為以前他們做錯事情時對他們的懲罰力度不夠,或是因為他們通過與其他人的交往學會了犯罪。)