【问】 Never again____political office after his 1928 defeat for the presidency.
 A. Alfred E. Smith seriously sought B. seriously Alfred E. Smith soughtC. when did Alfred E. Smith seriously seek D. did Alfred E. Smith seriously seek (TOEFL，82. 11)
 书上给的答案是D。但是我不明白为什么要选D。
 【答】 当否定性副词never(hardly，seldom，little等)位于句首时，要引起主谓语的部分倒装，即：
 否定性副词+助动词+主语+实义动词
 如果句子本身没有助动词，就要添加一个do (does，did)，就像你所提出来的上面那道托福题那样。
 属于这种否定性副词的还有：scarcely，rarely，barely，in no way，on no account，underno circumstances。此外，有一些连词也要引起主谓语部分倒装，如nor，not until，no sooner等。
 请做下面的英语试题：
 1. “Did you enjoy the concert?” “Yes，______such a fine performance of the GratefulDead. ”
 A. never I have heard B. never have I heard
 C. ever I have heard D. ever have I heard(Michigan)
 2. “Look at this room. ” “Never in my life________ such a mess. ”
 A. I see B. do I see
 C. have I seen D. I've seen (TOEFL，75. 11)
 3. Little he his task so rapidly.(攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题，83B)
 4. Scarcely ____such a nice girl.
 A. I have met B. have I met
 C. I had met D. had I met
 E. as(攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题，81B)
 5. Rarely____for more than a few seconds once they enter the Earth's atmosphere.
 A. while meteors blaze B. meteors that blaze
 C. do meteors blaze D. blaze meteors
 6. Not until the late 1870's______an outlet for her talents and sympathies in charitablework.
 A. that Anna Hallowell found B. did Anna Hallowell find
 C. when did Anna Hallowell find D. when Anna Hallowell found(TOEFL，1984·5)
 7. The brown thrasher is not a particularly large or strong bird，____equipped for fight-ing.
 A. it is not B. but not
 C. neither is D. nor is it (TOEFL，86. 5)
 8. On no account____be removed from the library.
 A. reference books may B. may reference books
 C. reference books cannot D. reference books (TOEFL，1984)
 9. “Did John see the accident?”“No，no sooner____than the accident happened.”
 A. he had gone B. had he gone
 C. his going D. he went (Michigan)
 10. Scarcely had they settled themselves in their seats in the theatre____the curtainwent up.
 A. than B. when
 C. before D. as soon as(攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题，81A)
 11. Hardly had he finished his speech____the audience started cheering.
 A. and B. when
 C. than D. as(攻读硕士学位研究生入学考试英语试题，80A)
 (参见account²)