1. 动作 only to do常常充当结果状语，它所表示的事件或动作是紧接在前一个事件或动作之后发生，往往表示意外或不幸的结果，（表示结果）请看：
I reached the station only to find that my train had already left.
我到了车站，却发现我要搭乘的火车已经开走了。
He hurried to the station, only to find the train had left.
他急急忙忙赶到车站，却发现火车已经开走了。
She turned up the driveway, only to find her way blocked.
她开上自家车道，不料发现路已被堵。
He had tasted freedom only to lose it again.
他刚尝到了自由的甜头，却又失去了。
The attack was unsuccessful and served only to alert the enemy.
进攻未奏效，反而使敌人警觉起来。
They don"t have to pay for expensive seats at the theatre, the cinema or the opera, only to discover, perhaps, that the show is disappointing.
他们不必花钱去戏院、电影院或歌剧院买价格很贵的票，（如果去了，）结果却可能发现，所演的节目令人失望。
He raced through the living room, only to find the front door closed.
他飞快地跑过起居室，却发现前门锁上了。
Dan made a break for his car only to find the driver's door locked.
丹朝他的汽车跑去，却发现驾驶座位置的门被锁住了。
He turned off only to find he was trapped in a town square with no easy exit.
他转入岔路，却发现自己困在了一个难觅出口的市镇广场。
A customer took a perfectly serviceable washing machine in for repair, only to be told it needed replacing.
一位顾客带着一台性能尚好的洗衣机来修，不料竟被告知该换洗衣机了。
He went to the seaside only to be drowned.
他去海边游泳，不幸被淹死了。
He hurried to the house only to find that it was empty. 他急忙赶到那所房子，却发现空无一人。
He returned after the war, only to be told that his wife had left him. 他战后回来，人家诉他他妻子已离开他了。
He lifted a rock only to drop it on his own feet. 他搬起石头砸了自己的脚。
They hurried there only to find the meeting canceled.
他们匆匆忙忙赶到那儿，结果却发现会议被取消了。
2. 动作 only to do，当然也可以表示其本来的含义：做某事仅仅为了……（表目的）
I wanted only to wallow in my own grief.
我只想沉湎于自己的悲伤中。
He does so only to please her.
他这样做只是为了讨好她。
They are there only to satisfy their ghoulish curiosity. 他们去那里纯粹是为了满足其病态的好奇心。
I didn't mean to hurt her, only to keep her still. 我不是故意要弄痛她，只是想让她别乱动。
You may scoff but I honestly feel I'm being cruel only to be kind
你可能不以为然，但我真的认为我狠下心来只是出于一片好意。
The meeting was stormy, and the two sides managed only to paper over the cracks on some issues.
会议很激烈，但双方只是在试图掩盖某些问题上的错误。
I have come here only to tell you this. 我来这里只为了和你说这事。
此时only可以换为just,如：
We came here just to hear her sing . 我们来这里只是要听她唱歌。
所以only to do既可表“意想不到的结果”，也可表“某种特殊的目的”。究竟是表示“结果”还是“目的”，应该根据具体的语境来判断。
The three men tried many times to sneakacross the border into the neighboring country,____by the police each time.
A.had been captured B.being always captured
C.only to be captured D.unfortunately captured
参考答案为C
