在本文中筆者從 《Foreign Affairs》、《The Guardian》、《The New York Times》、《The Wall Street Journal》、《The Economist》、《The New Yorker》等國際知名新聞雜誌，以及《The Journal of American Folklore》、《Traditional folk song in modern Japan : sources, sentiment and society》、《Ethnomusicology》、《Asian Music》等學術文獻中找出一些例句，分析被動語態在當中實際上是怎麼使用的，以提供讀者對於被動語態用法更實際的認識與參考。
第一部份：國際新聞雜誌
首先，我們先來看國際新聞雜誌中的範例：
1. Foreign Affairs, “In Pandemic Times, America Is No Exception”
Scientific research that occurs in one country produces vaccines and therapeutics that need to be shared with others. Doctors and nurses migrate to all corners of the world for work. Raw materials for testing, diagnostics, protective gear, and medical equipment are imported and exported across the same borders that travelers who may have the virus cross every day.”
被動語態分析句（文章當中使用被動語態，筆者將進行分析的句子)：
“Raw materials for testing, diagnostics, protective gear, and medical equipment are imported and exported across the same borders that travelers who may have the virus cross every day.”
若改為主動語態為 ：
“Countries import and export raw materials for testing, diagnostics, protective gear, and medical equipment across the same borders that travelers who may have the virus cross every day.”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句 (本文中「此句」所指皆為該段文字中的被動語態分析句) 是對於防疫議題一般性的論述，沒有特指哪個國家，重點是防疫所須的物資，而非進出口的國家，所以使用被動語態，以物資為主詞，而省略了動作執行者。
2. The Guardian, “Covid vaccine: UK woman becomes first in world to receive Pfizer jab”
A 90-year-old woman has become the first patient in the world to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine after its approval in the UK, where the NHS has launched its biggest vaccine campaign. Margaret Keenan received the jab at about 6.45am in Coventry, marking the start of a historic mass vaccination programme. The vaccines will be administered at 50 hospital hubs around the country, with patients aged 80 and over who are either already attending hospital as an outpatient or are being discharged home after a hospital stay, being first in line.
被動語態分析句：
“The vaccines will be administered at 50 hospital hubs around the country,…”
若改為主動語態為：
“The administrators will administer the vaccines at 50 hospital hubs around the country,…”
使用被動語態的原因：
我們看到此句當中的 “at 50 hospital hubs” 就可以知道疫苗是被醫院管理，因此使用被動語態而不須寫出動作執行者。此外，前一句句尾為 “vaccination programme”，此句若使用被動語態以 “The vaccines” 開頭連結前一句，符合「從舊資訊到新資訊的原則」，前後文的連貫性與流暢度會更佳。
被動語態分析句：
“Patients are being discharged home after a hospital stay,…”
若改為主動語態為：
“The hospital is discharging patients home after a hospital stay,…”
使用被動語態的原因：
從前文可以得知病人是被醫院遣送回家，因此使用被動語態而不須寫出動作執行者。此外，使用被動語態更可以表達出病人的「受害者狀態」，一種無能為力的無奈感。
3. The New York Times, “Humans Take a Step Closer to ‘Flying Cars”
In the 1880s, the first automobile was developed and about two decades later, the Wright brothers in North Carolina invented the first successful airplane. Today, the world is closer to combining those two concepts as a Japanese tech company said it completed a manned test flight of a “flying car.”
被動語態分析句：
“In the 1880s, the first automobile was developed and about two decades later, the Wright brothers in North Carolina invented the first successful airplane.”
若改為主動語態為：
“In the 1880s, somebody developed the first automobile and about two decades later, the Wright brothers invented the first successful airplane.”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句剛好呈現出主動語態和被動語態的對比，前半段由於不清楚汽車的發明者 (按：汽車的發明者確實眾說紛紜)，所以使用被動語態而省略動作執行者；後半段由於知道飛機是萊特兄弟發明的，所以使用主動語態。可以看出動作執行者若不明確，可以使用被動語態；動作執行者若明確，則可以使用主動語態。
Tomohiro Fukuzawa, SkyDrive’s chief executive, said on Saturday that five years ago there were various prototypes of flying cars, usually with fixed wings. SkyDrive’s product, he said, was one of the most compact in size and was lighter compared with other designs. SkyDrive was started in 2012 by members of a volunteer organization called Cartivator, and the company began developing a “flying car” in 2014, according to its website.
被動語態分析句：
“SkyDrive was started in 2012 by members of a volunteer organization called Cartivator,…”
若改為主動語態為：
“Members of a volunteer organization called Cartivator started Skydrive in 2012,…”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句之前討論的內容都是 “Skydrive”，若使用主動語態的話，開頭會突然出現一個前文沒提到的陌生人名，讀者不知道是誰，會打斷閱讀的流暢度。若使用被動語態，從前文提過的 “Skydrive” 開頭進而介紹他的創使者，符合「從舊資訊到新資訊的原則」，前後文的連貫性與流暢度會更佳。
4. The Wall Street Journal, “Individual-Investor Boom Reshapes U.S. Stock Market”
It has been called the Robinhood effect, the idea that stampedes of investors using the popular app are driving irrational stock moves. In fact, such activity doesn’t matter much for most stocks, according to Nick Maggiulli, chief operating officer of Ritholtz Wealth Management. But there is evidence of a Robinhood effect in some smaller stocks, he said. Many Asian stock markets have traditionally been dominated by individual investors, unlike the institution-heavy U.S. market. In places such as mainland China, frenzied trading by individuals can create a casino-like feel, with exuberant bull runs followed by spectacular crashes.
被動語態分析句：
“Many Asian stock markets have traditionally been dominated by individual investors,…”
若改為主動語態為：
“Individual investors have traditionally dominated many Asian stock markets,…”
使用被動語態的原因：
由於此句前一句的句尾是 “smaller stocks”, 此句使用被動語態將 “stock” 放在句首連接上一句，符合「從舊資訊到新資訊的原則」，前後文的連貫性與流暢度會更佳。此外，使用被動語態也可以表達出股市被支配的被動感。
5. The Economist, “Masters of the universe”
Human fund managers read reports and meet firms under strict insider-trading and disclosure laws. These are designed to control what is in the public domain and ensure everyone has equal access to it.
被動語態分析句：
“These are designed to control what is in the public domain…”
若改為主動語態為：
“The lawmaker designs these to control what is in the public domain…”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句當中的 “These” 所指的是前一句的 “strict insider-trading and disclosure laws” 此句的重點為此法規而非立法者，因此使用被動語態而動作執行者可以省略。此外，此句以 “These” 指涉前一句句尾的 “strict insider-trading and disclosure laws”，以被動語態將 “These” 放在句首連接前一句，符合「從舊資訊到新資訊的原則」，前後文的連貫性與流暢度會更佳。從此段文字可以看到，若 “These” 為動作接受者， “These” 搭配被動語態為連結上一句的手法。
6. The Economist, “The politics of pandemics”
To see what is to come look to Lombardy, the affluent Italian region at the heart of the covid-19 outbreak in Europe. Its hospitals provide world-class health care. Until last week they thought they would cope with the disease — then waves of people began turning up with pneumonia. Having run out of ventilators and oxygen, exhausted staff at some hospitals are being forced to leave untreated patients to die.
被動語態分析句：
“Having run out of ventilators and oxygen, exhausted staff at some hospitals are being forced to leave untreated patients to die.”
若改為主動語態為：
“ The situation is forcing exhausted staff at some hospitals to leave untreated patients to die “
使用被動語態的原因：
此句中由於呼吸器和氧氣用盡了，精疲力竭的醫護人員被迫放任未經治療的患者死去。”force” 使用被動語態更可以表達出「被迫」的被動感，表達出「被害者狀態」，由於情勢所迫，一種非自願的無能為力感。
The uncertainty has many sources. One is that SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, covid-19, are not fully understood.
被動語態分析句：
“One is that SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, covid-19, are not fully understood.”
若改為主動句為：
“One is that people don’t fully understand SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes, covid-19.”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句中 “covid-19” 並未完全被了解是不確定性的來源之一。此句的重點為 “covid-19” 而非人，因此使用被動語態而省略動作執行者 “people”。
Efficacy also depends on the structure and competence of health-care systems. There is immense scope for mixed messages and inconsistent instructions about testing and when to stay isolated at home. Every health system will be overwhelmed. Places where people receive very little health care, including refugee camps and slums, will be the most vulnerable. But even the best-resourced hospitals in rich countries will struggle.
被動語態分析句：
“Every health system will be overwhelmed.”
若改為主動語態為：
“The chaos will overwhelm every health system”
使用被動語態的原因：
由於此句的前文已經提及了醫療體系當中資訊混亂的狀況，我們可以知道 “Every health system will be overwhelmed.” 的原因，因此可以使用被動語態而不須寫出動作執行者。此外， “overwhelm” 大部分會以被動語態使用，以表達出「被害者被壓迫的狀態」。
Uncertainty will be a drag on the third factor — trust. Trust gives leaders licence to take difficult decisions about quarantines and social-distancing, including school closures. In Iran the government, which has long been unpopular, is widely suspected of covering up deaths and cases. That is one reason rebellious clerics could refuse to shut shrines, even though they spread infection.
被動語態分析句：
“In Iran the government, which has long been unpopular, is widely suspected of covering up deaths and cases.”
若改為主動語態為：
“In Iran people widely suspect the government, which has long been unpopular, of covering up deaths and cases.”
使用被動語態的原因：
此句的重點為政府被懷疑隱瞞疫情的這件事，且很明顯就是被他人懷疑，所以使用被動語態而不須寫出動作執行者。此外，此句中我們也可以看到被動語態搭配 “suspect” 得常見用法，筆者補充如下：
*被動語態搭配 suspect 用法：somebody/something be suspected of (doing) something
例句：
1. The drug is suspected of causing over 200 deaths. (Oxford)
2. He resigned after being suspected of theft. (Oxford)
3. He is not suspected of any involvement in the recent attacks. (Oxford)
4. He was wrongly suspected of the crime. (Oxford)
5. He’s suspected of murder. (Longman)
6. Pilcher was suspected of giving away government secrets to the enemy. (Longman)
小結：
綜上所述，我們可以看到被動語態在這些文章當中的用法包含「討論的重點為動作接受者時」、「動作執行者明顯或不清楚時」、「為了增加前後文的連貫性時」、「表達被害者狀態」等。
從這些文章當中我們特別可以發現，一些較強烈的動詞，如 “overwhelm, dominate, discharge, force” 等動詞，常常可以使用被動語態，來表達出被害者被迫被支配的被動感及無能為力感。
第二部份：學術文獻
接著，筆者從英文學術文章當中舉一些例子，來看學術中如何使用被動語態來呈現出客觀的論述效果，筆者將被動語態與其搭配詞以 ｛ ｝符號做標記，讀者可以從其前後文做觀察，以了解學術文章中被動語態在什麼樣的情境下使用、有哪些常見的搭配詞用法、產生了怎麼樣的效果。
1. The folk music revival in America ｛could be said｝ to have passed through four stages…….Gottschalk and Fillmore should have the honor of ｛being considered｝ pioneers in this process (Evans, D., 1979).
2. It ｛must be stressed｝ that the term ‘folk’ (min-) ｛is not perceived as｝ a pejorative by those in Japan to whom it ｛might be applied, nor particularly used｝ to maintain a class system. Certainly those who dislike min ‘yo may use the term with a bit of a sneer, but the same ｛could be said｝ of the word ‘opera’ in English — or in Japanese! Thus we may ignore those Western left-wing scholars who feel that the term ‘folk’ is insulting and ｛should be avoided at all costs｝(Hughes, 2008).
3. Min’yo are songs which ｛were originally born｝ naturally within local folk communities and, as they ｛have been transmitted｝, have continued to reflect naively the sentiments of daily life (Asano, 1966).
4. ｛It is expected｝ that more than 300,000 folk songs ｛will be collected｝ from all regions of the country, and about one tenth of them ｛will be selected｝ for publication in the Anthology (Wu, 1983).
5. With their flexible natures, genres offer to us the creative potential ｛to be given meaning｝ and ｛to be controlled｝. Pinning down a genre can be difficult though, because they engage in on-going change; existing genres ｛are transformed｝ and new ones ｛created｝.
6. ｛It is often remarked｝ that the human mind is unique among the thinking systems of the animal kingdom because of its capacity to look ahead and commit its long thoughts to the future. Other animals, ｛it is said｝, cannot do this; they live their lives in the immediate present, making use of memory — which they do possess, ｛it is conceded｝ — but only for essentially mindless matters like remembering where to find food or what hurt when last encountered, certainly not for creating images from the past to foretell what may happen next year. — Lewis Thomas, Et Cetera, Et Cetera (82)
7. Plans ｛made｝ without allowance for the intentions of the enemy are liable to miscarry. — Keegan(277)
小結：在學術寫作中使用被動語態，可以讓寫作者與其論述保持著一定的距離，呈現出一種客觀說明一般事實的風格，學習者可以運用這樣的被動語態寫法在自己的寫作當中，以適時呈現出學術客觀的寫作風格。
第三部份：練習
最後，筆者從國際知名雜誌《The New Yorker》當中選取一些含有被動語態的句子，並在被動語態之處作｛｝的記號，讀者可以參考上文的分析，自行練習思考判斷被動語態在實際文章當中的用法。
1. The New Yorker, “The Talk of The Town”
“American democracy was on the ballot of Election Day, and although American democracy appears to have won, an occasion of immense relief, the margin of victory should not ｛be exaggerated｝.”
“Donald Trump, who will finish out his term as the most cynical character ever to occupy the Oval Office, was mendacious to the last, claiming victory before the ballots ｛were counted｝ and accusing an unknown ‘they’ of trying to steal the election from him.”
“On Thursday evening, Trump reprised this malign and pathetic performance, as he took to the White House pressroom to claim, again without proof, that he ｛was being ‘cheated’｝ by a ‘corrupt system.’ Reading from a prepared text, he said that his vote ｛was being ‘whittled down’｝ as ballots ｛were being counted｝. He spun a baseless conspiracy theory about dishonorable election officials, a burst pipe, and ‘large pieces of cardboard.’ His words were at once embittered and deranged; his voice betrayed defeat. There has never been a more dangerous speech by an American President, and it remained to ｛be seen｝ if his party’s leadership would, at last, abandon him.”
2. The New Yorker, “Coming Home”
“‘Thursday meeting’ is a mandatory, semi-sacred gathering of the Castle’s eighty or so residents, all of whom ｛have been incarcerated｝, some as recently as earlier in the week, along with people who once lived there or who would like to live there.”
“Much of the language of the meeting is specific to the world of those who ｛have been locked up｝.”
“‘Justice involved’ means that someone ｛was arrested for or convicted｝ of a crime; ‘been upstate’ means imprisoned at northern-county places like Attica or Auburn (where license plates ｛are made｝) or at Sing Sing (where the electric chair Old Sparky once stood).”
“As a young man, in the eighties, he ｛was arrested｝ on gun and drug charges, and acknowledges significant lived experience himself.”
以上僅為筆者對於文章的閱讀與分析，分享給讀者參考，若有疏失，還請多多指教。
Sources: 《Foreign Affairs》、《The Guardian》、《The New York Times》, 《The Wall Street Journal》、《The Economist》、《The New Yorker》、《Style & Difference》、《The Journal of American Folklore》、《Traditional folk song in modern Japan : sources, sentiment and society》、《Ethnomusicology》、《Asian Music》
