There was nothing much to do in the evening but read中read不是过去式,是read的原型。
这里用了省略句,补全是There was nothing much to do in the evening but to read books。
意思是晚上没有什么事要做,只能看书。英语中常用省略来减少句子的重复。这里应用到的语法是“前有do,后省to”。是省略的一种情况。例如:
There is nothing to do but (to) obey the orders. 除了服从命令之外,我们别无他法。(介词but前如有do,but后可省略to)
Mike said that he would come to school to see me the next day, but he didn't. 迈克说他第二天要来学校看我,但是他并没有来。(省掉最后九个词,句子简洁多了)
— Have you told him that 你把那告诉他了吗?
— Not yet. 还没有呢。(= I have not told him that yet. 强调not yet )