新概念第四册第22课有一句话理解起来有一定难度：
Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men’s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them?
这是一句修辞疑问句。
修辞疑问句作为一种间接言语行为在人际交往中起着极为重要的作用,讲话者借助疑问这一形式表达了他对事件强烈的肯定或否定的态度,因此修辞疑问句实际上是强调的陈述.
对这种间接言语行为的识别需要分析修辞疑问句的生效条件和它的预设,对其所传递的交际信息的理解需要听话者结合语境和修辞问句的功能进行推理.
修饰疑问句是为了取得一种修辞上的效果而提出的，它实际上相当于陈述句，一般不需要回答，但肯定结构表否定，否定结构表肯定。这种疑问句如属一般疑问句，用升调；如属特殊疑问句，则用降调。如：
What more do you want? 你还想要什么呢？
（意即你不应再想要什么了，应知足了）
=You shouldn’t want any more.
What do I care? 关我什么事？（意即我才不在乎呢？）
= I care nothing.
Who doesn’t know? 谁不知道？（意即谁都知道）
=Everybody knows that.
修辞疑问句的句法特征和转换：
1、 肯定型
有一般疑问句和特殊疑问句类型，以肯定形式出现，可转换成否定形式。
Can you marry her?
=You cannot marry her.
Is that the way to treat your job?
=That is not the way to treat your job.
Are you consoling me?
=You shouldn’t console me.
Who cares about the result?
=Nobody cares about the result.
How can you buy this car?
= You cannot buy this car.
What difference does it make?
=It makes no difference.
2、 否定型
有一般疑问句和特殊疑问句类型，以否定形式出现，可转换成肯定形式。通过否定来渲染气氛，强调语气。
Didn’t you inform her of the truth?
= You should have informed her of the truth.
Isn’t this girl pretty?
=This girl is pretty.
Shouldn’t you appreciate us?
=You should appreciate us.
Who cannot do it?
=Everyone can do it.
Why don’t you tell me the truth?
=Tell me the truth.
3、 特殊性
在新闻报道中存在着自问自答型，以引起读者注意，增加新闻价值和说服力。
Does it really matter what a few politicians or academics say?
Probably not.
所以上述的那句话可以理解为：
Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than that of gunners using science to shatter men’s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them?
=Could any spectacle, for instance, be more grimly whimsical than the spectacle that gunners use science to shatter men’s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them?
=The spectacle that gunners use science to shatter men’s bodies while, close at hand, surgeons use it to restore them could be the most grim and the most whimsical.
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