长难句翻译详解

Plastics is made from water which is a natural resource inexhaustible and available

everywhere, coal which can be mined through automatic and mechanical processes

at less cost and lime which can be obtained from the calcinations of limestone widely

present in nature.

【分析】原文是一个 典型的英语复杂长句，由

42

个单词组成，全靠一个逗号和几个 连

词结合成一个多层次的、内容丰富的句子。主句的主干是：

P lastics is made from

water, coal and lime; water, coal

和

lime

之后各有一个定语从句，其中的后两个定语

从句还是被动语态。所以，按照汉 语的表达习惯，翻译时要化整为零，可以把主句和

各个定语从句分开译成短句，其中的一 些状语比如

at less cost

也可以单独处理成短

句。

< /p>

【译文】塑料是由水、煤和石灰制成的。水是到处可以获得的、取之不尽的一种自然

资源

;

煤可以通过自动化和机械化来开采，成 本较低

;

石灰可由煅烧自然界广泛存在的石

灰石而得到。

Human beings have distinguished themselves from other animals, and in doing so

ensured their survival, by the ability to observe and understand their environment

and then either to adapt to that environment or to control and adapt it to their own

needs.

【要点】此句为一个多层 次的并列结构，”

by

”