1、英语长难句解析一、定语从句【难句】1. Even Chinas population will be declining by the early 2030s, according to the UN, which projects that by 2050 populations will be lower than they are today in 50 countries. (The Economist Jun.5, 2006)【结构分析】 本句结构清晰，是一个复合句。主句为 Even Chinas population will be declining by the early 2
2、030s, according to the UN，其后的定语从句 which projects that by 2050 populations will be lower than they are today in 50 countries 修饰先行词 UN，关系代词在从句中作主语，注意这里 project 作动词用，译为“指出”，且从句里使用了比较级。【参考译文】联合国有关报告指出，即便是中国，到 2030 年初期人口也将开始递减。这份报告同时还指出，到 2050 年，将有 50 个国家的人口低于今天的水平。【难句】2. That is surely how history will
3、judge modern criticism of video games, which are accused of turning young people into violent criminals. (The Economist Jun.18, 2006)【结构分析】 本句的主句 That is surely how history will judge modern criticism of video games 是主系表结构，其中表语由 how 引导的名词性从句充当，定语从句which are accused of turning young people into viole
4、nt criminals 修饰先行词 video games，关系代词 which 指代先行词 video games 在从句中作主语，这里使用了被动语态 be accused of，在翻译时我们译成主动。【参考译文】 对于当今时代那些控诉电视游戏使年轻人变成暴力罪犯的批评者们，历史最终也将对他们作出同样的批判。【难句】3. An animal that can remember the significance of that large, nasty-looking thing with the big teeth and sharp claws will survive longer a
5、nd 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 significance，它的后置定语为 that large, nasty-looking thing with the big teeth and sharp claws；介词短语 wit
6、h 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。2、名词性从句【难句】1. If I ever had any doubts about how demanding a teachers 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
7、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，had any doubts about 后的宾语由 how 引导的名词性从句 how demanding a teachers job is 充当，how 与形容词 demanding 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
8、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】2. 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 fea
9、tures 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。 device 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
10、 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】3. Davies says guidance must strike a balance between being flexible enough to take account of the differences between disciplines and providing
11、 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 between 的使用。第一个 between 与后面的 and 相连，构成 being
12、 flexible enough toand 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。三、非谓语动词【难句】1. Some great manufacturers and great service companies may have become too lean in their relentless drive to reduce co
13、sts, 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 tooto结构，句末的现在分词结构 outsourcing not just their non-core
14、 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】2. Having succeeded as a convenient vehicle for every conceivable political and commercial slogan, the threads themselves are becoming the newest message, logically enough. (Time
15、 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(的发生)合
16、乎逻辑。【难句】3. 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 es
17、tablished companies 和 increasingly setting their sights abroad 由 and 并列，作全句的伴随状语。【参考译文】 某些大的风险投资公司正在筹集大量的资金，他们的目标是已经稳定的企业，并且日益将目光投向海外市场。四、被动语态【难句】1. Questions are increasingly being asked by the councils about how they can be sure that misconduct is not taking place on the grants they provide.(The G
18、uardian Oct. 3, 2007)【结构分析】 本句使用了被动语态的现在进行时结构，主干为 Questions are increasingly being asked about，施动者 by the councils 构成了分隔结构。在翻译时，我们可以化被动为主动，the councils are increasingly asking questions about，介词 about 后的宾语由 how 引导的从句 how they can be sure充当，这里又包含一个特殊的结构“主语+adj.+从句”，that 引导的名词性从句 misconduct is not tak
19、ing place on the grants they provide 中，grants 后是一个省略了关系代词 that/which 的定语从句，关系代词在从句中作 provide 的宾语。【参考译文】 各委员会越来越多地提出问题关于他们如何能够确保在他们同意的情况下避免发生处理不当的行为。【难句】2. Its much easier to say “Great idea!” when a terrific solution has been put forward by someone on your team, than it is to take the time to explai
20、n why an employees favorite brainchild isnt going anywhere except the circular file. (Business Week Feb. 5, 2007)【结构分析】 本句成分复杂。以逗号为切入点，得到一个比较结构 Its much easier to say “Great idea!”than。it 是形式主语，前半部分的真正主语由不定式结构 to say “Great idea!”充当，这里包含一个 when 引导的时间状语从句 when a terrific solution has been put forward
21、 by someone on your team，使用了被动语态的现在完成时。后半部分真正主语为 to take the time to explain，explain 后的宾语是 why 引导的宾语从句 why an employees favorite brainchild isnt going anywhere except the circular file。在翻译时，我们将状语提前，且化被动为主动。【参考译文】 当团队中的某个人提出了极好的解决方案时，说“好主意”要比花时间解释为什么一个职员最喜欢的想法最终被抛弃要容易得多。五、状语从句【难句】1. If it decides in
22、favour, the whole industry will feel the impact, for it will affect not just European airlines but all those that fly into and out of the EU. (The Economist Jun. 8, 2006)【结构分析】 以连词 for 为切入点，得到两个并列结构，分别为 If it decides in favour, the whole industry will feel the impact 和 for it will affect not just Eu
23、ropean airlines but all those that fly into and out of the EU。前一分句中，if 引导从句 If it decides in favour 作条件状语；后一分句中，谓语 affect 的宾语部分使用了 not justbut结构，句末的定语从句 that fly into and out of the EU 修饰先行词 those。【参考译文】 如果意见是肯定的，那么整个民航业将受到影响，因为这个方案不仅影响欧洲的航线，同样也对到达欧洲和飞离欧洲的航线产生作用。【难句】2. Some jobs require specific qua
24、lifications but most top employers will take any degree discipline provided youve got a first or an upper second from a decent university. (Times Online Jan. 11, 2007)【结构分析】 以 but 为切入点，定位本句为两个并列分句 Some jobs require specific qualifications but most top employers will take any degree discipline句末部分的 p
25、rovided 引导条件状语从句 provided youve got a first or an upper second from a decent university，翻译为“ 假如”。【参考译文】 有些工作需要特别的资格，但大多数的一流雇主会采取某种程度的原则，即你要在一个不错的大学获得一流或上流的成绩。六、比较结构【难句】1. Keep in mind, though, its much more important to be able to show your manager how you contributed to the companys results (such a
26、s incremental revenue or reduced cost) than just a difference in pay between you and someone else. (Business Week Feb. 5, 2007)【结构分析】 本句使用了 morethan的比较结构。以副词 though 所充当的分词结构切入，本句为祈使句，keep 后的宾语由省略了 that 的名词性从句充当。在此从句中，使用了 it 作形式主语，不定式结构 to be able to show your manager作真正主语的形式， show 后是双宾语结构， than 并列了比
27、较的两端，为(show your manager) how you contributed to the companys results 和 just a difference in pay between you and someone else。【参考译文】 尽管如此，要记住向你的上司展示你对公司业绩的贡献(比如，提高收入降低成本)要比仅仅展示你和其他人的工资差别更为重要。【难句】2. Its much better for the manager to offer a pay increase, beaming with pride over his or her good judgm
28、ent in hiring you, than for you to get the same pay increase by having to ask for it. (Business Week Feb. 5, 2007)【结构分析】 本句的比较结构与例(40)同，主干为 Its much better for the manager tothan for you to注意两个逗号之间的分词结构 beaming with pride over his or her good judgment in hiring you 作前文 Its much better for the manage
29、r to offer a pay increase 的目的状语。【参考译文】 上司为你加薪为他或她录用你的判断而自豪高兴，要比自己为获得同样的加薪而要求更好。七、倒装语序【难句】1. Clever though this is, it is just a stepping stone towards the direct incorporation of fuel cells into portable devices and, in particular, laptopsthe application that remains the industrys Holy Grail. (The E
30、conomist Jun. 8, 2006)【结构分析】 本句体现了典型的将表语部分提前构成的让步状语从句倒装，还原后应为 though this is clever。主句为 it is just a stepping stone towards the direct incorporation of fuel cells into portable devices and, in particular, laptopsthe application that remains the industrys Holy Grail，其中包含incorporationinto的结构，portable devices 和 laptops 作介词 into 的宾语。句末的名词短语 the application that remains the industrys Holy Grail 作上文的补充说明，其中包含 that 引导的定语从句，修饰先行词 appplication。【参考译文】 虽然这很聪明，但它只能算是通往直接将燃料电池与便携设备整合的道路上的垫脚石，特别是对笔记本电脑而言这一设备现在仍是工业界的圣杯。
