“The number of deaths will be reduced”为什么是be reduced?

题目

“The number of deaths will be reduced”为什么是be reduced?
原句：The number of deaths from heart disease will be reduced greatly if people are persuaded to eat more fruit and vegetables.
为什么是be reduced?减少就减少干吗要被减少咧?

答案

科技英语常用被动语态表示客观结果,并且数量是被减少,reduce 是及物动词,所以用be reduced,如果用的是 decrease,由于decrease 是不及物动词,就可以直接用 decrease,而不用 be decreased.