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精选英语长难句分析
精选英语长难句分析
一、定语从句
【难句】
1. He
is
referring
to
the
upsurge
of
interest
in
mobile
television,
a
nascent
industry
at
the
intersection
of
telecoms
and
media
which
offers
new
opportunities
to
device-makers,
content
producers
and
mobile-network
operators.
(The Economist Jan. 5, 2006)
【结构分析】
本句结构清晰，是一个复合句。句首部分
He
is
referring
to
the
upsurge of interest in
mobile television
是主句，其后的
a
nascent industry at the
intersection of
telecoms and media
…作
mobile t
elevision
的同位语，句末的关系
代词
which
引导定语从句
which
offers
new
opportunities
to
device-makers,
content
producers
and
mobile-network
operators
来修饰
先行词
a
nascent
industry
，
关系代词
which
在从句中作主语。
【参考译文】
他谈到了众人对移动电
视的巨大兴趣，这是一个在电信和媒体领
域有交叉的新兴产业，它给设备制造商、电视内
容制作者以及移动网络运营商
提供了新的机遇。
【难句】
2. Meanwhile, Apple
Computer, which launched a video-capable version
of
its
iPod
portable
music-player
in
October,
is
striking
deals
with
television
networks to expand the range of shows
that can be purchased for viewing on the
device, including
“
Lost
”
，
“
< br>
Desperate
Housewives
”
and
“
Law
&Order
”
. (The
Economist Jan. 5, 2006)
【结构分析】本句使用了分隔结构，体现了非限制性定语从句分隔，从句
which
launched a video-capable version
of its iPod portable music-player in
October
修
饰主语
Apple
Computer(
关系代词
which
在从句中作主语
)
分隔了主语和系动词。
连
接
后
得
到
Meanwhile,
Apple
Computer
is
striking
deals
with
television
networks to expand the range of shows
…其中
that
又引导定语从句
that can be
purchased for viewing
on the device
…修饰先行词
shows(
关系代词
that
在从句作
< br>主语，
从句中使用了被动语态
)
，
句末的分词结构
including
“
Lost
”
，
“
Desperate
Housewives
”
and
“
Law
&Order
”作伴随状语，表明
range of
shows
的具体内
容。
【参考译文】与此同时，苹果电脑公司在
10
月发
售了一款可以观看电视的便携
式音乐播放器
iPod
，
这个播放器大大帮助了电视网络扩大其可以供用户购买的、
用于在移动终端的节目范围，
包括《迷失》、《绝
望的主妇》以及《法律与秩
序》。
【难句】
3. Some technologies do
indeed improve at such a predictable pace that
they obey simple formulae such as
Moore
’
s law, which acts as a
battle plan for
the semiconductor
industry. (The Economist Sep. 21, 2006)
【结构分析】
本句结构清晰，主句为
Some
technologies
do
indeed
improve
at
such a predictable pace that they obey
simple formulae such as
Moore
’
s law
，
使
用了
such
…
that
…结构；
关系代词
< br>which
引导定语从句
which acts as
a battle plan
for the semiconductor
industry
，修饰先行词
formulae such
as Moore
’
s law
，
which
在从句中作主语。
【参考译文】的确，有些技术的进步是以一种可预测的节奏进行着，它们遵循
摩尔定律般简单的公式，好比是半导体工业的设计图纸。
【难句】
8. To make
the technology
as simple
as
possible, Sony, HP, and other
vendors
are finally creating software that can be used
across all their devices
—
be
it PCs, TVs, or set
—
top
boxes. (Business Week Jan. 29, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句结构比较清晰，<
/p>
是一个复合句。
句首的不定式短语
To
make the
technology as simple as possib
le
作全句的目的状语。
主句为
Son
y, HP, and other
vendors are finally
creating software
…。关系代词
that<
/p>
引导的定语从句
that can
be
used across all their devices
修饰先行词
software
，
that
在从句中作主语，并
且使用了被动语态。第一个破折号后面是对
across all their devices
的具体说明，
注意这里采用了
whether
…
or
…引导的让步状语从句省略
whether
的特殊形式
be
it PCs, TVs,
or set
。第二个破折号后
top boxes
是对
software
的最终阐释，我们
去掉中间让步状语作的分隔成分，可以连接全句为
Sony, HP,
and other vendors
are finally creating
software that can be used across all their
devices
—
top
boxes
。
【参考译文】为了让科
技尽可能的简单，索尼、惠普和其他销售者最终开发了
可以在所有装置上使用的软件——
不论是个人电脑、电视机或是数字解码器—
—这种软件就是机顶盒。
【难句】
9. On
the
face
of
it,
that
doesn
’
t
seem
especially
surprising:
we
feel
strong emotion at
important events, which are obviously more
memorable than
ordinary moments. (Time
Jan. 18, 2007)
【结构分析】这是典型的冒号
前为主句，冒号后作解释说明的实例。句首部分
On
the
face
of
it
为全句的状语，主句部分为
that
doesn
’
t
seem
especially
s
urprising
，这里
seem
采
用了系动词的用法。注意形容词
surprising
指物的<
/p>
-ing
使用。冒号后
we feel
strong emotion at important events
是对主句的
解释说明，
非限制性定语从句
which are
obviously more memorable than ordinary moments
使用了比较结构，关系代词
which
在从句中
作主语。注意
which
后的
be
动词使
用了复数形式
are
，联系上文，我们不难判断出它指代
important
events
。
【参考译文】乍看起
来，那似乎不会使我们特别吃惊：在重大事件上我们会感
到强烈的感情冲击——重大事件
显然比平常日子让人记忆深刻。
【难句】
10. An
animal
that
can
remember
the
significance
of
that
large,
nasty-looking
thing with
the
big
teeth
and
sharp
claws
will
survive
longer
and
produce more offspring.
(Time Jan. 18, 2007)
【结构分析】本句是复合句，句子的主干为
An
animal
will
survive
longer
and
produce more offspring
。
主语
animal
后接关系代词
that
引导的定语从句，关系
代词代替
animal
在从句中作主语。
在从句里，
谓语动词
remember
的宾语是
the
s
ignificance
，它的后置定语为
that
large, nasty-looking thing with the big teeth
and sharp
claws
；介词短语
with the big teeth
and sharp claws
补充说明
thing
的
特点。
【参考译文
】
一种动物只有记住了长相丑恶
(
具有
巨大牙齿和锋利爪子
)
且身体庞
大的重
要性，才能生存长久并繁殖更多的后代。
【难句】
11. Women who live in
areas of high air pollution, exposed to invisible
particles
from
traffic
fumes,
coal-fired
power
stations
and
wood
fires,
are
at
increased risk of heart disease and
death, according to a study. (The Guardian
Feb. 1, 2007)
【结构
分析】
本句是主系表结构。
主语
Wom
en
后是定语从句
who live in areas
of
high air pollution
，
关系代词
who
在从句中代替
women
作主语，
系表部分
are
at
increased
risk
of
heart
disease
and
death
被分词结构
(
表被动
< br>)
作的后置定语
exposed
to
invisible
particles
from
traffic
fumes,
coal-fired
power
stations
and
wood
fires
分隔，由于定语部分较长，在翻译时我们可以译为并列结构；句子末
尾的
according to a
study
作全句的状语。
【参考译
文】一项研究表明，生活在严重空气污染地区的女性，暴露在车辆尾
气、燃煤发电厂、森
林火灾所产生和排放的无形的微小颗粒中，越来越容易患
心脏病，甚至会因此直接导致死
亡。
二、名词性从句
【难句】
1. The console can
determine how the controller is moving in space
and
what it is pointing at, and uses
that information to control what is happening on
screen. (The Economist Dec. 2,
2006)
【结构分析】
以逗号后<
/p>
and
为切入点，
得到主句部分的并列平
行结构
The console
can
determine
…
, and uses that
information to control
…，
uses
与
can determine
一起作
该句的谓语。其中
determine
的宾语也以
and
切入，得到
how
引
导的名
词性从句
how the controller is
moving in space
和
what
< br>引导的名词性从句
what it
is
pointing at(how
在从句中作状语，
what<
/p>
在从句中作宾语
)
；在
< br>use
的宾语补足
语
to
control
…中，
control
的宾语使用了
what
引导的名词性从句<
/p>
what
is
happening
on screen
充当，
what
在
从句中作主语。
【参考译文】游戏机能测出手柄的移动轨迹，
识别手柄指着屏幕上的什么东西，
然后根据得到的信息控制屏幕上的游戏。
【难句】
2. If left
unchanged, it appears that the time to cash in on
digital sales via
services like iTunes
is starting to evaporate, especially if the music
is set to start
leaking into the public
domain in the country where it was originally
produced.
(Business Week Feb. 5,
2007)
【结构分析】本句主干为主系表结构，注意
appear
在这里是系动词用法。表语
部分
由
that
引导的名词性从句
that
the time
…
is starting to evap
orate
…充当，
不
定式短语
to cash in on digital sales via services
like iTunes
作后置定语修饰
the
time
。
especially
直到句末是条件状语从句，使用了被动语态
if
the
music
is
set
to
…句末关系副词
where
引导的定语从句
where it
was originally
produced
修饰
先行词
the
country
，
关系副词在从句中作状语，
< br>相当于
in
which
。
句首部分
If left
unchanged
，我们可以理解为是分词结构作的条件状语
，注意这里使用了
leave
sth.+adj
。用法。
【参考译文】如果不改变，则通过诸如
iTunes
利用数字销售赚钱的时代可能开
始消亡了，尤其是当音乐在其最初发表的国家已经进
入公共领域时。
【难句】
3. If
I ever had any doubts about how demanding a
teacher
’
s job is, it
would
have
disappeared
for
good
when
I
spent
some
time
recently
in
schools.
(The Guardian Sep.
12, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句的结构清晰，为主从复合句。
it
would
have
disappeared
for
good when I spent some time recently in
schools
为主句部分，
其中包含一个
when
引导的时间状语从句
when I spent
some time recently in schools
。
If
引导的条件
状语从句中，
ha
d
any
doubts
abou
t
后的宾语由
how
引导的名词性从句
how
demanding a
teacher
’
s job is
充
当，
how
与形容词
demandin
g
相连作从句的表
语。注意整个句子使用了与过去相反的虚拟语
气，从句为
if+had
done
，
主句为
would/could/should/might+have
done
的形式。
【参考译文】
如果说我以前还曾怀疑
教师的工作有多吃力，那么当我最近在学
校中待了一段时间后，我永远改变了原来的想法
。
【难句】
4. The
teachers
who
took
part
in
the
program
also
told
me
of
their
worries
that
they
might
be
force-
feeding
their
pupils
information
rather
than
stimulating
the
discussion
necessary
to
ensure
they
grasped
the
importance
to
them of what they were being taught.
(The Guardian Sep. 12, 2007)
【结构分析】本句成分复杂。主语
The
teachers
后跟
who
引导的定语从句
who
took part
in the program also told me of their worries
…作修饰语，
关系代词
who
在从句中作主语。
told
后我们可以认为是双宾语
(
对象
+
内容
)
，
直接宾语部分
th
eir
worries
后跟
that
引导的名词性从句
that they might be
force feeding their pupils
information
rather
than
stimulating
the
discussion
necessary
to
ensure
…说明
worries
的具体内容。
ensure
后面的宾语是一个省略了引导词
that
的宾
语从句
they grasped the importance to them
of
…，
grasped
的宾语
the importance
of
…
被不定式结构
to them<
/p>
分隔，
of
构成的介宾短语的宾语由
what
引导的名词性从
句充当，且从句使
用了被动语态的现在进行时。
【参考译文】参与节目的老师们
还告诉我，他们担心自己可能是在向学生强行
灌输知识与信息，而不是激励他们讨论，以
此保证他们能掌握他们所学知识的
要领。
【难句】
5. The
trouble
with
that
approach
is
that
consumers
tend
to
prefer
devices
that
require
simply
plugging
them
in,
without
complicated
setups
of
wireless
channels,
security,
and
other
features
common
to
home
networks.
(Business Week Jan. 29,
2007)
【结构分析】
本句主干很清晰，是主系表结构。其中表语部分由
that
引导的名
词性从句
that consumers
tend to prefer devices
…充当。
de
vice
后是
that
引导的
定语从句
that
require
simply
plugging
them
in
…
,
关系代词
that
在从句中作主
语。逗号后的介词短语
without
complicated setups of wireless channels, security,
and other features
…作从句中的伴随状语
(
在翻译时我们可以转译为定语
)
，句末
的形容词结构
common to
home networks
后置作
features
的定语。
【参考译文】
这一方式的问题在于，
消费者更喜欢不需要创立复杂的无线电频
道、安全保护以及家庭网络所共有的其他特性，
便可以简单插入的装置。
【难句】
6. Davies
says
guidance
must
strike
a
balance
between
being
flexible
enough
to
take
account
of
the
differences
between
disciplines
and
providing
enough detail to
be of use. (The Guardian Oct. 3, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句不难，
主句谓语
says
后是省略了
that
的宾语从句
guidance must
strike a balance between being flexible
enough to take account of the differences
between disciplines and providing
enough detail to be of use
。注意两个
< br>between
的使用。
第一个
between
与后面的
and
相连，
构成
being
flexible enough to
…
and
providing enough detail
to
…结构，第二个
between
后跟
disciplines
表示“各学
科之间”
，并且前后都使用了
be enough to
do
的形式。
【参考译文】戴维斯说
，指导规范必须在足够灵活考虑各学科的不同点和提供
充足的可操作的细节之间寻求一种
平衡。
【难句】
7. In its 16 years of
operation it has found the first convincing
evidence
for the existence of black
holes, made observations supporting the theory
that the
universe
’
s
expansion is accelerating and confirmed that dark
matter exists. (The
Economist Nov. 2,
2006)
【结构分析】去掉句首介宾
In
its
16
years
of
operation
作的时间状
语，以
and
为切入点，得到主句
it
has found
…
,
made
…
and confirmed
…其中
made
后的宾
语中，包含现
在分词结构
supporting the theory
…作
的伴随状语，在此伴随状语
中，
that
引导同位语从句
that the
universe
’
s expansion is acce
lerating
解释说明
theory
的内容；
而
confirmed
后的
宾语由
that
引导的名词性从句
th
at dark matter
exists
充当。
【参考译文】
在它运行的
16
年中，
首次发现了关于黑洞的令人信服的证据，
很多观测都支持
宇宙加速膨胀的理论并确认暗物质的存在。
三、非谓语动词
【难句】
1. The energy used to
separate oxygen from air before burning is
almost
as
great
as
that
needed
to
filter
out
nitrogen
afterwards,
leading
to
a
similar loss of efficiency. (The
Economist Nov. 30, 2006)
【结构
分析】
本句是一个简单句，
为一个主系表结构
< br>The energy is almost as
great as
that needed to filter out nitrogen afterwards
，使用了
as
…
as
…结构，其
中被比较的对象
that
needed to filter out nitrogen afterwards
中，
that
指代上文
的
energy
，
过去分词结构
needed to
…作后置定语体现被动。
其中主语
energy
由
过去分词结构
used to separate oxygen from air before
burning
作后置定语体现
被动；
句末的现在分词结构
leading to a similar loss of
efficiency
作全句的结果状
语。
【参考译文】
燃烧前将氧气从
空气中分离所需的能源几乎不亚于上述将氮
气过滤所需的耗费，这就使得两者在效率损失
上不相上下。
【难句】
2.
Some great manufacturers and great service
companies may have
become
too
lean
in
their
relentless
drive
to
reduce
costs,
outsourcing
not
just
their
non-core activities but essential ones too. (The
Economist Jun. 15, 2006)
【结构分析】本句不难，逗号前为主句
Some great
manufacturers and great
service
companies may have become too lean in their
relentless drive to reduce
costs,
使用了
too
…
to
…结构，句末的现在分词结构
outsourcing
not
just
their
non-core
activities
but
essential
ones
too
作伴随状语，进一步
补充说明
reduce
costs
的具体内容。
【参考译文】
有些大的制造商和服务供应商热衷于降低成本，
不仅把非核心
业务外包，而且连核心业务也不放过。
【难句】
3. The study shows that
nearly half the organizations featured in the
Times
Top
100
Graduate
Employers
plan
to
expand
their
graduate
programs
this year,
increasing the total number of vacancies available
for new graduates
by more than 10
percent compared with 2006 recruitment levels.
(The Sunday
Times Jan. 11,
2007)
【结构分析】
本句是复合句。
逗号前为主句，
是主谓宾结构，
其中谓语
shows
的宾语由
that
引导的名词性从句
that
nearly
half
the
organizations
featured
in
the Times Top 100
Graduate Employers plan to expand their graduate
programs
this
year
充当。现在分词结构
increasing the
total number of vacancies available
for
new
graduates
by
more
than
10
percent
compared
with
2006
recruitment
levels
作状语，我们可以理解其为结果状语，注意增加的幅度用介词
by
表示。
句末的过去分词结构
compared with 2006 recruitment levels
作比较状语。
【参考译
文】研究表明，
《时代》排名前
100
名的毕业生雇主单位中有将近
一半计划今年将扩大毕业生接收规模，为新的毕业生增加可
利用的空缺职位数
量，这个数量与
2006
年的新成员水平相比，会增加
10%
以上。
【难句】
4. The trouble is,
as soon as you
’
ve been given
a clean bill of health
you
’
re back at
your desk, facing the same situation that led to
depression and
compulsive behavior
problems in the first place. (Times Online Jan.
11, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句主干是一个主系表结构
The trouble is
…，其中表语部分
由从句充当。
在表语从句
中，
包含
as soon
as
引导的时间状语从句
as soon as
you
’
ve been given a clean
bill of health
，
翻译为
“一……就……”
。
现在分词短语
f
acing
the same situation
…作
you
’
re back at your
desk
的伴随状语，关系代词
that
引
导的定语从句
that
led
to
depression
and
compulsive
behavior
problems
in
the
first
place
修饰先行词
the same situation
，
that
在从句中作主语。
【参考译文】
问题
是，一旦你得到清楚的健康证明，你就得立刻回到你的
办公桌，并且首先就要面对与原来
曾导致沮丧和强迫性行为问题的同样的情形。
【
难
句
】
5.
Drivers
can
instruct
their
car
stereos
to
“
play
similar
”，
prompting
the
system
to
call
up
songs
in
the
same
musical
genre.
(Business Week Feb.
5, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句结构清晰，主干是一个主谓宾结构：
Drivers
can instruct
their car stereos
to
“
play
similar
”，其中不定式结构
to
“
play
similar
”构成了
instruct
their
cars
的复合宾语。现
在分词结构
prompting
the
system
to
call
up
songs in the same musical
genre
作
instruct their car
stereos to
“
play similar
”
的
状语，
我们可以理
解为结果状语，
在这里，
prompt
后也采用了不定式结构
to call
up songs
in the same musical
genre
与
the
system
一起构成复合宾语的形式。
【参考译文】
驾驶者可以指令车内立
体声设备“播放相似音乐”，提示系
统集合相同风格的音乐。
【难句】
6. Having succeeded as a
convenient vehicle for every conceivable
political and commercial slogan, the
threads themselves are becoming the newest
message, logically enough. (Time Jan.
18, 2007)
【结构分析】本句为主从复合句。主句中
的主语与从句中的主语一致，从句
中省去主谓，造成分词作伴随状语的形式，我们可以还
原为
since
the
threads
have succeeded
as
…主句部分是
the threads
themselves are becoming the newest
message,
句末的
logically enough
是状语，
在翻译时，
我们可以转译为
be becoming
the newest
message
的补充部分。
【参考
译文】成功作为政治和商业口号的一种便捷媒介物，
(T
恤
)
衣服本身
也成了最新的信息，这种情况<
/p>
(
的发生
)
合乎
逻辑。
【难句】
7. Some
of the biggest venture capital firms are raising
large funds,
targeting
more
established
companies,
and
increasingly
setting
their
sights
abroad. (Business
Week Feb. 5, 2007)
【结构分析】
本句结构清晰，主句为
Some
of
the
biggest
venture
capital
firms
are
raising
large
funds,
两个现在分
词结构
targeting
more
established