【问】 《英语常用词用法辞典》(修订版)(北大西语系编，商务印书馆，1985年)指出：“due to”
 只能引导表语，例如：
 These are errors due to sheer carelessness.
 这些错误纯粹是由于粗心而引起的。
 误：Due to certain unforeseen circumstances，we didn't start yesterday.”(PP. 108—109)
 但是我在实际阅读中经常读到due to引导状语的句子，这使我感到很迷惑。
 【答】 传统语法学家们不厌其烦地申明，due to只可引导adjective phrase(形容词短语)，而绝不可引导adverbial phrase(状语短语)。许多英语试题也常常用这个框框来考学生：
 (1)Mr. Chow succeeded...his untiring effort.
 (P)due to(Q) owing to (Objective English Test Papers to Certificate Level，P. 10)
 答案规定只能选(Q)。
 但是，英语的发展早已冲破了这个框框。连考核学生纯粹标准书面英语能力为已任的TOEFL也常常使用due to来引导adverbial phrase，即用due to来代替because of或owingto：
 1.Only three new sites were built in this city due to a decrease in business activity andprices rising.在这道改错题中应将prices rising改为an increase in prices，而due to是
 没有错误的。(TOEFL，1972.1)
 2. Last year the country had fewer imports as it did the year before due to the energy crisis.
 (应将as改为than，TOEFL，1972.2)
 英美等国的权威的英语辞典和语法著作，也不乏这种用法：
 3. Joe's application to the university was not accepted due to his failing English. (DAI)
 4. He was late due to an accident. (COD，P. 320)
 在科技英语里due to引起adverbial phrase的例子更是不胜枚举：
 5. Due to the high temperatures，special alloys are used. (STE，P. 82)
 6. Due to the tortuous flow path，the heat transfer area is said to be three to ten times thatof conventional cooling towers. (Chemical Engineering/Jan. 25，1971)
 7. Argriculture was never important due to the poor，rocky soil，but excellent harbors and
 fisheries made it a commercial center. (The Councise Columbia Encyclopedia，New York，1983)
 所以，R. A. Close总结说：“Due to is widely used instead of owing to.”现在的问题是：既然英美的自然科学家、语言家都在广泛地使用这个格式，那末为什么偏偏不容许把英语作为外语的学生来使用呢?这不是既不公正又不科学吗?
 建议：我们不应该再用due to不能引导状语的框框来考核学生。这既不能提高学生的阅读能力和写作能力，也不利于扩大他们的视野。