be的文法

1)首先要說，像suggest/recommend/ask/require/demand/insist/urge
等動詞，若帶出that-子句(that clause)，那that clause會是

that + Subject + (should) ＋原形動詞，但should卻可以省略，如：
I suggest you should go. 就可以寫成I suggest you go.

所以，你的句子可看如下：
The sensitivities of East Asian history require that Japan (should) be ever-mindful of its militaristic past.

2)Criminals do take advantage of anyone who is vulnerable, be it a man or a woman.的be it
則可看為
"whether it be"的倒裝寫法，如：

Be it a party, community event or a social get-together, we have just the place for you. ...　不論是宴會或社區活動或聚會，我們都可以提供場地…

希望幫到你！



2013-05-24 14:46:07 補充：
whether it be只不過是比較舊些的英文，現在我們常用whether it is
如聖經耶利米書４２：６

比較舊的譯本　KJV就譯:"Whether it be good or whether it be evil, we will .......
但比較新的譯本 NIV就譯:Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will ......

be是is/are/am等的原形動詞-意思是be這動詞的現在式寫法是am(第一身我)/is(第三單數)/are(第三眾數/第二身you) - 好像變身咁...但意思同樣是「是」
當然還有其他變化如你說的can be/wil be/would be等則是作為分詞infinitive.

be寫出單字可用命令句: be still = 不要動
或作為虛擬語你表達一句中的情況..

The sensitivities of East Asian history require that Japan be ever-mindful of its militaristic past.
這句當中ever-mindful就是表達Japan現時沒有「留心」自己，作者替Japan指出她「應該」的狀況(態度)...你可以簡單地當be=is的意思，但是假如不是講那東西is真實的，而是講期望那東西「是」怎樣怎樣時便用be。

這句的意思是
敏銳東亞歷史的話應該令日本「會」每每注意她自己過去的軍國主義。
暗指日本現在「沒有」或「不是」敏感她本身的過去軍事行為對地區歷史的意義。

-Criminals do take advantage of anyone who is vulnerable, be it a man or a woman.
be it 同類型的用法，作「假若」的實事來說：it是指vulnerable的那個anyone=任何人。直譯解即是「就像說是」一個男或一個女，用中文詞正譯是「無論」那「是」男或是女。如果你用機械性地學英文要每個字都有結構或文法定義，是會令你學得很複雜的，就算英語人也不會這樣學的，所以多看不同的寫作小說文章，意會意思來學寫法會有用啲。

Language is a practical expression of symbols, be flexible and adaptive in learning from observation, imitation and assimilation.

The grammar of "be":-
(1)require as a verb=request =want, instruct, oblige to show that
=(that Japan should heed a warning to keep away from the WWII disaster.)is a a noun clause only.
(2_Criminals (do take )=aux.verb+verb ;
(whether it be a man or a woman)
=adv cl of condition.