语法点：过去完成时 (Past Perfect)
过去完成时表示"过去的过去"：在过去某个时间点或过去某个动作之前，已经完成的动作或存在的状态。它常和一般过去时一起出现，用来说明两个过去动作的先后顺序。本课讲坎贝尔爵士创造世界纪录的故事：车"早已"为他造好、他"后来才"得知平均速度"曾经"是多少——这些"先发生"的事都用过去完成时表达。
结构
| 形式 | 结构 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| 肯定 | 主语 + had + 过去分词 | The car had been built for him. |
| 否定 | 主语 + had not (hadn't) + 过去分词 | He had not seen the car before. |
| 疑问 | Had + 主语 + 过去分词…? | Had a mistake been made? |
| 被动 | 主语 + had been + 过去分词 | A mistake had been made. |
常见搭配：when / after / before / by the time + 一般过去时，主句用过去完成时；learn / be told / discover that + 过去完成时（间接引语中的"过去的过去"）。
课文中的例句
- [句 3] Bluebird, the car he was driving, had been specially built for him. — 车在他开之前就已造好，过去完成时被动
- [句 6] After his attempt, Campbell was disappointed to learn that his average speed had been 299 miles per hour. — 得知（过去）之前的速度（过去的过去）
- [句 7] However, a few days later, he was told that a mistake had been made. — was told 是过去，mistake 在此之前已经犯下
- [句 8] His average speed had been 301 miles per hour. — 延续上句，仍指"那次尝试时"的速度
补充例句
- When Campbell arrived at the Salt Flats, the engineers had already tested the engine. — 坎贝尔到达盐滩时，工程师们已经测试过发动机了。
- By 1935 no one had driven at over 300 miles per hour. — 到 1935 年为止还没有人开到过每小时 300 英里以上。
- Donald learnt that his father had set up the record in 1935. — 唐纳德得知父亲在 1935 年创造了这项纪录。
易错点
- ❌ He was told that a mistake has been made. → ✅ He was told that a mistake had been made. — 主句是过去时，从句表示更早的事要用 had，不用 has。
- ❌ His average speed had be 299 miles per hour. → ✅ His average speed had been 299 miles per hour. — had 后面必须接过去分词 been，不是原形 be。
- ❌ After his attempt, Campbell had been disappointed to learn the result. → ✅ After his attempt, Campbell was disappointed to learn the result. — 只是按时间顺序叙述过去的事，用一般过去时即可，不要处处用过去完成时。
- ❌ Since that time, racing drivers had reached speeds over 600 miles an hour. → ✅ Since that time, racing drivers have reached speeds over 600 miles an hour. — since + 过去时间点，强调延续到现在，用现在完成时。