1.下面对话中的to lie about it是修饰alive的还是are的？它表示的是结果意义还是什么意义？
A对C谈论B：See for yourself. He is a mess. Came home atdawn beaten half to death by coolies.
B对A说：Ialready told you they fared much worse by the time it was over. I was caught bysurprise. That’s all.
A:Theonly surprise here is that you are still alive to lie about it.
2.How is it you propose to help, exactly?请问how is it是某种特殊的句型吗？仿佛没见过，并且you propose to help是什么成分，是主语从句吗？
1. The onlysurprise here is that you are still alive to lie about it.
——不定式 to lie about it 作状语，修饰整个谓语部分，也就是系表结构（are still alive），系表是谓语的组成部分，不可离别。不是单独修饰一个系动词，更不是单独修饰一个表语。本句，不定式作结果状语，“活到能说谎”。意思是：唯一的惊喜是你还活着，还能说谎。
2. How is it youpropose to help, exactly?
——这是强调句的特殊疑问句式，问的是方法。意为：你到底计划如何帮忙？
演变如下：
原句：I propose to help that way.
强调方法状语，变成强调句：It is that way I propose to help.
就 that way 提问：
How is it youpropose to help?