Question

8.Someone called me up in the middle of the night，but they hung up ________I could answer the

　8.Someone called me up in the middle of the night，but they hung up _before_I could answer the phone.
有人在半夜给我打电话，但是还没等我接起电话前就挂掉了

这里为什么要用到could 何意

Answer 1

Someone called me up in the middle of the night，but they hung up _before_I could answer the phone.
从直译来看：有人在半夜给我打电话，但是在我（能）接起电话前就挂掉了

这里的could表示我本想接这个电话，但因为响铃时间太短，来不及解。

如果去掉could，就不能说明我是否愿意接这个电话。

满意请采纳