1、历年考研英语疑难长句解析(一)1.Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism which, in its strongest form, states that language imprisons the mind, and that the grammatical patterns in a language can produce far reaching consequences for the culture of a society.译文沃尔夫进而相信某种类似语言决定论的观点，其极端说法是：语言禁锢思维，语言的
2、语法结构能对一个社会的文化产生深远的影响。解析句子的主干为 Whorf came to believe in a sort of linguistic determinism.which 引导限制性定语从句，修饰 linguistic determinism.在由 which 引导的定语从句中，谓语动词states 跟了两个宾语从句，一是 that language imprisons the mind，一是 and that the grammatical patternssociety.注意：句中 imprison the mind 不能译成“把大脑（或思想）关进牢房” ，只能译成“禁锢思
3、想（或思维） ”。a sort of 与 a kind of 的意思一样，如用在形容词前一般译为“有一点”或“有几分” ，如用在名词前可译为“某种” 。a kind of magic（某种魔术或魔力） 。far reaching 意为“深远的 ”，far reaching consequences 算是一个常用的搭配，但是注意consequence 往往表示“后果” ，即不一定是好的结果。 “深远的影响”或“深远的意义” ，常用 far reaching significance 来表示。2.The American spymaster who built the Office of Stra
4、tegic Services in the World War II and later laid the roots for the CIA was fascinated with information.译文这位美国间谍头目对情报很是着迷，他曾在二战期间创立了战略情报局（或译：战略服务处） ，后来又为中央情报局打下了基础。解析本句的主干结构是 The American spymaster was fascinated with information.spymaster 的后边是一个定语从句，其中包含两个由 and 连接的并列结构。lay the roots for sth 表示“ 为打下
5、基础” ，类似 lay a（the ） foundation for sth.例如：What you have learned at school will lay the roots for your future.（你在学校所学的知识将对你的未来打下基础。 ）fascinate（着迷）的常用搭配是 be fascinated with sb/sth，例如：He was fascinated with her smiles.（他为她的微笑而着迷。 ）当然，也可以说：Her smiles fascinate him.fascinate 的形容词是 fascinating，名词是 fascina
6、tion.3.These days the Net, which has already remade such everyday pastimes as buying books and sending mail, is reshaping Donovans vocation as well.译文互联网已经改变了购书和寄信这样的日常活动，如今也正在改变多诺万所从事的职业。解析句子的主干是 the Netis reshaping Donovans vocation，由 which 引导的非限定性定语从句（which has already remade such everyday pastim
7、es as buying books and sending mail）用来补充说明 the Net.pastime 意为“消遣，娱乐” ，例如：Baseball has a huge following in the United States and is referred to as the national pastime.（棒球在美国深受欢迎，并且被称作是全民喜爱的运动项目。 ）shape 作名词有“形状，状态”的意思，作动词时可以表示 “塑造，成型”等。His business is in bad shape.（他的生意一团糟。 ）Together with our own eff
8、orts，we can help shape the future of our country.（通过我们共同的努力，我们可以帮助塑造国家的未来。 ）4.And there are the townsfolk who largely live off the tourists who come, not to see the plays, but to look at Anne Hathaways Cottage, Shakespeares birthplace and the other sights.译文另一边是靠游客谋生的市民，游客来到小镇不是为了看戏，而是想看看安妮海瑟薇的房舍、莎士
9、比亚的出生地和其他的风景点。解析定语从句（who largely live off the tourists）修饰 the townsfolk，而该定语从句的宾语 the tourists 的后面又跟了另一个定语从句。注意，不能把 not to see the plays 的主语看作是 the townsfolk.largely 意为“在很大程度上，主要地 ”。He owed his success largely to the support of his wife.（他的成功在很大程度上应归于妻子的支持。 ）live off 有两个意思，分别是“住在外”或“靠生活” 。The family
10、 used to live off the small pocket of land they owned.（这家人过去靠着自家的一小块土地过日子。 ）Some college students have chosen to live off the campus.（有些学生选择住在校外。 ）5.It is all deliciously ironic when you consider that Shakespeare, who earns their living, was himself an actor (with a beard) and did his share of noise
11、making.译文他们是靠莎士比亚过日子，而莎士比亚自己就是一位演员（留着胡子） ，当初也是吵吵嚷嚷的，想到这些不无讽刺的意味。解析这是一个主从复合句，主句是 Its all deliciously ironic.另外，非限制性定语从句 who earns their living 修饰 Shakespeare，其字面意思是：莎士比亚挣钱养活他们，即他们靠莎士比亚过日子。ironic 意为“讽刺的，说反话的；有讽刺意味的” 。Ironically, even the government was aware of the situation.（具有讽刺意味的是，甚至连政府都清楚这一情况。 ）share 作名词时表示“分享；份额；一份；股份 ”，句中 did his share of noisemaking 字面意思是他也制造他那一份噪音，即莎士比亚当初也是吵吵嚷嚷的，像现在的演员一样。
