SeeingthemoffattheairportA.theforeignministerandotherofficialswereB.theforeignministerandotherofficialsC.wastheforeignministerandotherofficialsD.weretheforeignministerandotherofficials为什么选C不选D?

Question

Seeing them off at the airport_
A.the foreign minister and other officials were
B.the foreign minister and other officials
C.was the foreign minister and other officials
D.were the foreign minister and other officials
为什么选C不选D?

Answer 1

倒装
系动词单复数取决于系动词后面跟的名词的单复数形式,由于foreign minister是单数,所以用was
主语是the foreign minister and other officials,如果是正句就是:
the foreign minister and other officials were seeing them off at the airport
但倒过来是
seeing them off at the airport was the foreign minister and other officials.
为什么这样,跟你打个比方,就是某个大嘴播音员,不动脑子,看到什么说什么,看到就人在机场送行,就说seeing them off at the ariport,看到大领导,所以就was the foreign official,说着说着又忘了还有其它人,所以就补上and other officials.
注意从语法角度讲,the foreign minister and other officials不是一个主语,而是双主语,用and连接的词作主语,要看是双主语还是单主语,and前后是一个整体时,谓语用复数,如tom and baker are twins.当不是一个整体时就是双主语,谓语单复数取决于离系动语最近的一个主语.如the captain and his crew were fighting monsters.(the crew and the captain was fighting monsters.)