常用情态动词的基本用法may和might
may , might 或许，可能，可以
might可以看作是may的过去式，这两个词除了时态不相同外，在表达意思的许多方面是相近的。当然may 和might又都有一些各自不同的独特用法。
（1）可能性
I may be busy from tomorrow on . 从明天起我可能会忙起来。
I wondered if they might agree with the idea . 我想知道他们是否会同意这种想法。
She thought it might be wise to try her luck here . 她认为在这儿碰碰运气也不错。
You may catch sight of the sunrise from here when you get up before 5 in the morning .
你在早晨五点钟以前起来，或许能从这儿看到日出。
（2）表示允许
May I come in ？ 我可以进来吗？
I'd like to have a smoke here if I may . 如果可以的话我想在这儿抽一支烟。
The librarian told her that she might return the book to the library in three days .
图书馆理员告诉她说，她可以在三天后还那本书。
At the press conference , a news reporter asked the chairman if she might trouble him with a question about Taiwan issue.在记者招待会上，一位新闻记者问大会主席她是否能提一个有关台湾问题方面的问题。（3）may间或用来表示祝愿，也常用于表示目的或让步的状语从句中:
May that day come soon . 但愿这天早日到来。
May you succeed in winning the first prize in the game . 祝愿你比赛夺冠成功。
May you continue in your efforts and achieve greatersuccesses . 祝愿你继续努力并取得更大的成功。
（4）might也常用于表示目的等状语从句中，或用于虚拟语气的结构中:
I could not convince him , try as I might . 我无论用什么样的办法也不能说服他。
He died so that the others might live . 为了其他的人能活下去，他自己牺牲了。
One error in calculation might ruin the whole project . 计算中出一点错就可能毁掉整个工程。
They left off earlier on that day so that they might catch the first train .
那天，他们为了赶上头班车动身早一些。
If you had made better use of your time , you might have learned more .
假若你将自己的时间利用得更好一些，你本可以学到更多东西的。
注意：在回答以may引导的问句时，一般说来避免使用may，以免显得太严厉、或不太客气，而改用其他方式。例如：
——May I come in ？ 我可以进来吗？
——Yes , please . / Sure . / Certainly . . 请进。
——Please don't . . 请不要进来。
——No , you mustn't . 不行。
1. Such poets as Shakespeare _____widely read, of whose works, however, some _____difficult to understand.
A. are；are B. is；is C. are；is D. is：are
2. The number of foreign students attending Chinese universities ___rising steadily since1990.
A. is B. are C. has been D. have been
3. The teacher together with the students _______ discussing Reading Skills that ______ newly
published in America.
A. are; were B. is; were C. are; was D. is; was
4. Either you or one of your students ______ to attend the meeting that is due tomorrow.
A. are B. is C. have D. be
5. Dr. Smith, together with his wife and daughters, ______visit Beijing this summer.
A. is going to B. are going to C. was going to D. were going to
