答：該問題主要涉及的知識點(diǎn)為：quantity 與后面謂語動詞單、復(fù)數(shù)搭配(即主謂一致).但是關(guān)于quantity 與謂語單復(fù)數(shù)搭配,現(xiàn)在說法不統(tǒng)一.主要有兩種觀點(diǎn)：
1、與詞形保持一致
a quantity of /quantities of 不管后面接復(fù)數(shù)還是單數(shù)(包括不可數(shù))名詞,只看quantity 本身.即：a quantity of 中的quantity 是單數(shù),謂語動詞就用單數(shù)；quantities of 中quantities 是復(fù)數(shù),謂語動詞則與復(fù)數(shù)保持一致.例如：
Quantities of nuts were on the table.
A quantity of nuts was on the table.
2、與意義保持一致
這種觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為,不應(yīng)該看a quantity of / quantities of 本身,而應(yīng)該看這個詞組后面所接的是什么名詞,如果后面的名詞是單數(shù)(或不可數(shù)),則謂語用單數(shù)；如果名詞是復(fù)數(shù),那么謂語用復(fù)數(shù).這一點(diǎn)與a lot of 相同,即遵循意義一致原則.例如：
There is only a small quantity of wine left.
Great quantities of sand was washed down the hillside by the rain last night.
A large quantity of air conditions have been sold since the summer came.
Huge quantities of oil were shipped to Japan last year.
結(jié)論：目前,比較傾向于與quantity 的詞形保持一致,即 a quantity of 是單數(shù),quantities of 是復(fù)數(shù),而不管后面接單數(shù)或復(fù)數(shù)的名詞.例如,某省一道高考題如下：
With many forests being destroyed,huge quantities of good earth ______ each year.
A.is washing away B.is being washed away
C.are washing away D.are being washed away
它所給的答案是D.此題中,earth 是不可數(shù)名詞,但quantities 是復(fù)數(shù),所以謂語采用了復(fù)數(shù)形式D.
還有,這個選擇題：
It's a pity that large quantities of wood ____that way all over the world.
has been wasted 還是have been wasted,還是 has wasted ,have wasted
用have been wasted,分析：quantities是復(fù)數(shù)形式,所以have,wood 是被浪費(fèi)的,要用被動語態(tài).