Question

________ no one in the building when the fire broke out．So the building was almost destroyed．

1. A.
   There were
2. B.
   There were to
3. C.
   There happened to be
4. D.
   There happened

Answer 1

C
分析：从四个被选项看，本句应以there开头，且从后一个句子的意思推测前一个句子的意思是：火灾发生时，大楼里没有人。故用there be句型，而句子的主语是no one，应是单数形式，故选there happened to be。
发散点：本题是个there be句型，而happen又是个不及物动词，用在谓语中，构成there happen to be．．． happen to do．．．意为“碰巧……”。本题句子的意思是“当火灾发生时，大楼里碰巧没有人。所以整个楼房几乎全破坏了”。