so that VS so as to

tony9721

So that  与  so as to 的疑惑
OG 136
136. Although schistosomiasis is not often fatal, it is so debilitating that it has become an economic drain on many developing countries.
(A) it is so debilitating that it has become an economic
(B) it is of such debilitation, it has become an economical
(C) so debilitating is it as to become an economic
(D) such is its debilitation, it becomes an economical
(E) there is so much debilitation that it has become an economical
EXPLAN:  Choice A is best: is links the noun schistosomiasis with its modifier, debilitating, and so debilitating that idiomatically introduces a clause that provides a further explanation of debilitating. Choices B, D, and E produce awkward, wordy, imprecise, or unidiomatic phrases by substituting the noun debilitation for the modifier debilitating. Choices B and D fail to introduce the explanatory clause with that, and C uses an awkward and wordy construction in place of a that... clause. Finally, B, D, and E wrongly use economical instead of economic to mean "pertaining to the economy."
在这里为何没有选择C呢，在C中的it不就是指代schistosomiasis吗，而且
按照LZM的说话，so as to 只用于简单的系表结构中，且结果状语的主语与主句的主语一致，在C中结构状语的主语就是schistosomiasis，与主句一致，而且我觉得也是简单的系表结构
（BTW，什么才是“简单的”系表结构，判断地原则是什么？我就是看着单词少就认为是简单的，情况和because of相同，LZM 曰：because of只跟简单的名词短语，简单的名词短语又是什么东西啊？）
而且，A中的连续的两个it我总是看着不爽！
如果是因为倒装不好，那么改为：
Schistosomiasis is so debilitating as to become an economic drain on many developing countries.
与
Schistosomiasis is so debilitating that it has become an economic drain on many developing countries.
哪一个正确（or简洁）？
如果这里就是选择so that，那么
另外，同样在LZM E11－4（page221）
Climate shift are so gradual as to be indistinguishable at first from ordinary fluctuation in the weather.
(A)    so gradual as to be indistinguishable
(B)    so gradual they can be indistinguishable
(C)    so gradual that they are unable to be distinguished
(D)    gradual enough no to be indistinguishable
(E)    gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them
答案说是A（so as to），原因是C（so that）没有A简洁。
为何这个OG136 就不选择C了呢。

1stzhang

1、so...as to 后的so 只能接形容词；c接的是倒装句。有些时候so...as to...的动词发出会产生歧异，所以so as to这个词组的使用最好在原句的主语和so as to的之间不要出现其他的名词。

2、Schistosomiasis is so debilitating as to become an economic drain on many developing countries.
与
Schistosomiasis is so debilitating that it has become an economic drain on many developing countries.
我还是会选择下面用so.. that 结构的，因为to do结构的表达不能表示动作的先后、及语气只能表达目的。在单纯地表示目的的时候，so..as to的使用是简洁有效的，但是如果有时态和语气的变化，要比较选项后在做选择。OG的171题就是一个例子
http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=23&ID=3770
这个帖子里面我已经说了。


3、另外，同样在LZM E11－4（page221）
Climate shift are so gradual as to be indistinguishable at first from ordinary fluctuation in the weather.
(A) so gradual as to be indistinguishable
(B) so gradual they can be indistinguishable
(C) so gradual that they are unable to be distinguished
(D) gradual enough no to be indistinguishable
(E) gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them
答案说是A（so as to），原因是C（so that）没有A简洁。
为何这个OG136 就不选择C了呢。
这个题目的简洁的理解我认为是这样的：
（1）这个题目中单纯地表示目的,没有特殊的时态和语气；
（2）indistinguishable比are unable to be distinguished要简洁。

dl7801

以下是引用Istzhang的发言
3、另外，同样在LZM E11－4（page221）
Climate shift are so gradual as to be indistinguishable at first from ordinary fluctuation in the weather.
(A) so gradual as to be indistinguishable
(B) so gradual they can be indistinguishable
(C) so gradual that they are unable to be distinguished
(D) gradual enough no to be indistinguishable
(E) gradual enough so that one cannot distinguish them
答案说是A（so as to），原因是C（so that）没有A简洁。
为何这个OG136 就不选择C了呢。
这个题目的简洁的理解我认为是这样的：
（1）这个题目中单纯地表示目的,没有特殊的时态和语气；
（2）indistinguishable比are unable to be distinguished要简洁。

这里的so as to是表示“...如此...以致于..."后面是结果不是目的。
另外，这里不选C的原因是：able/unable, 表示其主语具备完成补充成分里所提到的行为的能力，所以是不可以说：sth be able/unable to be done, 下面是字典的解释：
The new submarine is able to dive twice as fast as the older model. It should be avoided when such an ascription is unwarranted, as with passive constructions involving forms of the verb  be; thus it is inconsistent to say  The problem was able to be solved through the method she had learned about in business school,  since this sentence ascribes no capacity or ability to the problem itself. In such cases,  can or  could can usually be substituted:  The problem could be solved . . .

[此贴子已经被作者于2003-5-12 0:22:54编辑过]

1stzhang

你说的很对，（1）be able to 一般用于生命体；（2）后面不能接被动；（2）这一点我的确疏忽了，谢谢提醒。

我说的目的不是“目的状语”的意思，是行为所为了达到的目的。
你体会一下这个题目：
http://forum.chasedream.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=23&ID=3770