🔍 The dead return 亡灵返乡

新概念英语第二册 Lesson 96 · 语法精读与固定搭配分类

NCE Book 2 · Lesson 96（课本印刷页 434-437）· 3 个生词和短语 · 课文 9 句

一全文逐句语法解读

本课是一篇介绍日本亡灵节的说明文。语言点集中在 被动语态（is held / are said to / is laid out / are hung / is thrown / are placed）与过去完成时的被动语态（had been laid out / had been hung），以及 be said to do sth.、lay out、be considered unlucky、drift out to sea 等固定表达。

¶ 1 · 亡灵节（句 1-3）

句子	语法点
A Festival for the Dead is held once a year in Japan.	被动语态 is held 被举行 · a festival for the Dead 亡灵节 · once a year 每年一次 · 介词 for 表示「为……而设的」
This festival is a cheerful occasion, for on this day, the dead are said to return to their homes and they are welcomed by the living.	a cheerful occasion 一个欢乐的场合 · 并列连词 for 表示原因 · be said to do sth. 据说……· the dead 死者（the + 形容词表示一类人）· the living 生者 · 被动语态 are welcomed by
As they are expected to be hungry after their long journey, food is laid out for them.	原因状语从句 as 引导 · 被动语态 are expected to be … / is laid out · lay out 摆开，摆放（食物等）· after their long journey 长途旅行之后

¶ 2 · 灯笼指引与通宵歌舞（句 4-5）

句子	语法点
Specially-made lanterns are hung outside each house to help the dead to find their way.	specially-made lanterns 特制的灯笼（复合形容词作定语）· 被动语态 are hung · outside each house 在各家门外 · to help the dead to find their way 不定式表目的 · find one’s way 找到路
All night long, people dance and sing.	all night long 整夜 · dance and sing 载歌载舞 · 全句只六个词，与前后的被动语态形成节奏上的对比

¶ 3 · 清晨处置食物（句 6）

句子	语法点
In the early morning, the food that had been laid out for the dead is thrown into a river or into the sea as it is considered unlucky for anyone living to eat it.	in the early morning 清晨 · 定语从句 that 引导修饰 the food · 从句用过去完成时的被动语态 had been laid out（「摆」发生在「扔」之前）· 被动语态 is thrown into · 原因状语从句 as 引导 · be considered unlucky 被认为不吉利 · for anyone living to eat it 对任何活人来说吃它

¶ 4 · 灯笼入海（句 7-9）

句子	语法点
In towns that are near the sea, the tiny lanterns which had been hung in the streets the night before, are placed into the water when the festival is over.	定语从句 that 与 which 各引导一个，层层修饰 · 过去完成时的被动语态 had been hung · the night before 前一天夜里 · 被动语态 are placed into the water · 时间状语从句 when 引导 · be over 结束
Thousands of lanterns slowly drift out to sea guiding the dead on their return journey to the other world.	thousands of 成千上万 · drift out to sea 漂向大海 · 现在分词短语作状语 guiding the dead … 伴随着主句的动作 · on their return journey 在返回的旅途中 · the other world 另一个世界，阴间
This is a moving spectacle, for crowds of people stand on the shore watching the lanterns drifting away until they can be seen no more.	a moving spectacle 一个动人的场面 · 并列连词 for 表示原因 · crowds of people 成群的人 · stand on the shore 站在岸边 · watch sth. doing sth. 看着某物正在做某事 · drift away 漂远 · 时间状语从句 until 引导 · be seen no more 再也看不见（被动语态 + no more 的否定）

二固定搭配与重点词组

短语	用法与例句
once a year	每年一次：is held once a year in Japan。
be said to do sth.	据说……：the dead are said to return to their homes。
be expected to do sth.	被料想会做某事：they are expected to be hungry。
lay out	摆开，摆放：food is laid out for them。
find one's way	找到路：to help the dead to find their way。
all night long	整夜：All night long, people dance and sing。
be considered unlucky	被认为不吉利：it is considered unlucky for anyone living to eat it。
be over	结束：when the festival is over。
drift out to sea	漂向大海：Thousands of lanterns slowly drift out to sea。
the other world	另一个世界，阴间：their return journey to the other world。

三语法核心总结

被动语态

is held / are said to / is laid out / are hung / is thrown / are placed

过去完成时的被动语态

had been laid out / had been hung（点明先后）

be said to do sth.

据说……

现在分词作状语

guiding the dead on their return journey …

be said to do sth.：the dead are said to return to their homes 意为「据说死者会回到家里」。这一结构相当于 It is said that the dead return to their homes.，是英语中表「据说」的常用句式。同类还有 be reported to do sth.、be believed to do sth.。
过去完成时的被动语态点明先后：the food that had been laid out for the dead is thrown into a river …（先摆好，后扔掉）；the tiny lanterns which had been hung in the streets the night before, are placed into the water …（先挂上，后放进水里）。两处都用 had been done，把「更早发生」这一层意思交代清楚。
the dead / the living：「the + 形容词」可以表示一类人，作主语时谓语用复数。本课有 the dead（死者）、the living（生者）；类似的还有 the rich（富人）、the young（年轻人）、the blind（盲人）。