It's believed that travelers from China got there first.

一般相信來自中國的旅行者最先到達那裡。

本句使用了"It is + 過去分詞 + that引導的名詞子句"的句型。此類句型常見的有下列幾個:

　It is said that...　　    據說……

　It is believed that...　　一般相信……

　It is reported that...　　據報導……　

　It is estimated that...　 據估計……

　例: It is said that Mary is leaving for London
　　　tomorrow.

　　　(據說瑪麗明天要動身前往倫敦。)

　　　It is believed that printing was first
　　　invented by the Chinese.

　　　(一般相信印刷術最早是由中國人發明的。)

　　　It is reported that a traffic accident took
　　　place early this morning.

　　　(據報導今天清晨發生了車禍。)

　　　It is estimated that ten people were killed
　　　in the accident.

　　　(據估計有十個人在這次車禍中喪生。)

注意上述句型的時態變化

我們先以"It is said"為例, 說明如下:

a. It is said之後由that引導的名詞子句之中的動詞為現在式或現在進行式時, 可將that引導的名詞子句中之主詞移至句首, 次接is said或are said, 再接虛詞to, 並將that引導的名詞子句句中的動詞改成動詞原形。

　　例: It is said that he works hard.

                             現在式

　　　= He is said to work hard.

　　　　(據說他工作很努力。)

　　　　It is said that they are learning English.

                                  現在進行式

　　　= They are said to be learning English.

　　　　(據說他們正在學英語。)

b. It is said之後由that引導的名詞子句中的動詞若為過去式或現在完成式時, 可將that引導的名詞子句中的主詞移至句首, 次接is said或are said, 再接虛詞to, 並將that引導的名詞子句中動詞的過去式或現在完成式一律改寫為"have + 過去分詞"。

　　例: It is said that he left an hour ago.

                           過去式

　　　= He is said to have left an hour ago.

　　　　(據說他一個小時前離開了。)

　　　　It is said that they have come back.

                               現在完成式

　　　= They are said to have come back.

　　　　(據說他們已經回來了。)

"It is believed"與"It is said"的變化完全相同。

故本課閱讀的原句亦可有下列的變化:

　　It is believed that travelers from China got
　　there first.

                          過去式

　= Travelers from China are believed to have got
　　there first.

　　一般相信來自中國的旅行者最先到達那兒。

"It seems + that引導的名詞子句" (似乎……) 亦有相同的變化。

　例: It seems that he is a good boy.

                    現在式

　　= He seems to be a good boy.

　　　(他似乎是個好男孩。)

　　　It seems that they are hospitable.

                      現在式

　　= They seem to be hospitable.

　　　(他們似乎很好客。)

＊hospitable a. 好客的

　It seems that he left without saying good-bye.

                 過去式

= He seems to have left without saying good-bye.

　　　(他似乎不告而別。)

　注意:

　seem之後有to be時, to be可予省略, 故:

　　He seems to be a good boy.

　= He seems a good boy.

　　They seem to be hospitable.

　= They seem hospitable.