对于每一个英语句子的翻译, 并不只是使用一种翻译方法, 而是多种翻译方法的综合运用, 这在英语长句的翻译中表现得尤为突出。长句在科技性的文体中的出现极为频繁, 因此也就成为研究生入学考试的重点, 通过对近年来试题的分析我们可以看出, 所考查的绝大多数划线的部分都是长句。在翻译长句时, 首先，不要因为句子太长而产生畏惧心理，因为，无论是多么复杂的句子，它都是由一些基本的成分组成的。其次要弄清英语原文的句法结构, 找出整个句子的中心内容及其各层意思, 然后分析几层意思之间的相互逻辑关系, 再按照汉语的特点和表达方式, 正确地译出原文的意思, 不必拘泥于原文的形式。
一. 英语长句的分析:
一般来说, 造成长句的原因有三方面: (1) 修饰语过多;(2) 并列成分多; (3) 语言结构层次多。
在分析长句时可以采用下面的方法:
找出全句的主语、谓语和宾语, 从整体上把握句子的结构。
找出句中所有的谓语结构、非谓语动词、介词短语和从句的引导词。
分析从句和短语的功能, 例如, 是否为主语从句, 宾语从句, 表语从句等,若是状语, 它是表示时间、原因、结果、还是表示条件等等)。
分析词、短语和从句之间的相互关系, 例如, 定语从句所修饰的先行词是哪一个等。
注意插入语等其他成分。
注意分析句子中是否有固定词组或固定搭配。
下面我们结合一些实例来进行分析:
例1. Behaviorists suggest that the child who is raised in an environment where there are many stimuli which develop his or her capacity for appropriate responses will experience greater intellectual development.
分析: (1) 该句的主语为behaviorists, 谓语为suggest, 宾语为一个从句, 因此整个句子为Behaviorist suggest that-clause 结构。
(2) 该句共有五个谓语结构, 它们的谓语动词分别为suggest, is raised, are, develop, experience等, 这五个谓语结构之间的关系为: Behaviorist suggest that-clause 结构为主句; who is raised in an environment为定语从句, 所修饰的先行词为child; where there are many stimuli为定语从句, 所修饰的先行词为environment; which develop his or her capacity for appropriate responses为定语从句, 所修饰的先行词为stimuli; 在suggest的宾语从句中, 主语为child, 谓语为experience, 宾语为greater intellectual development.。
在作了如上的分析之后, 我们就会对该句具有了一个较为透彻的理解, 然后根据我们上面所讲述的各种翻译方法, 就可以把该句翻译成汉语为:行为主义者认为, 如果儿童的成长环境里有许多刺激因素, 这些因素又有利于其适当反应能力的发展, 那么, 儿童的智力就会发展到较高的水平。
例2. For a family of four, for example, it is more convenient as well as cheaper to sit comfortably at home, with almost unlimited entertainment available, than to go out in search of amusement elsewhere. (85年考题)
分析: (1) 该句的骨干结构为it is more … to do sth than to do sth else. 是一个比较结构, 而且是在两个不定式之间进行比较。
(2) 该句中共有三个谓语结构, 它们之间的关系为: it is more convenient as well as cheaper to … 为主体结构, 但it是形式主语, 真正的主语为第二个谓语结构: to sit comfortably at home, 并与第三个谓语结构to go out in search of amusement elsewhere作比较。
(3) 句首的for a family of four作状语, 表示条件。另外, 还有两个介词短语作插入语: for example, with almost unlimited entertainment available,其中第二个介词短语作伴随状语, 修饰to sit comfortably at home.
综合上述翻译方法，这个句子我们可以翻译为：譬如, 对于一个四口之家来说, 舒舒服服地在家中看电视, 就能看到几乎数不清的娱乐节目, 这比到外面别的地方去消遣又便宜又方便。
二. 长句的翻译:
英语习惯于用长的句子表达比较复杂的概念, 而汉语则不同,常常使用若干短句, 作层次分明的叙述。因此, 在进行英译汉时, 要特别注意英语和汉语之间的差异, 将英语的长句分解, 翻译成汉语的短句。在英语长句的翻译过程中, 我们一般采取下列的方法。
（一）、顺序法。
当英语长句的内容的叙述层次与汉语基本一致时, 可以按照英语原文的顺序翻译成汉语。例如:
例1. Even when we turn off the beside lamp and are fast asleep, electricity is working for us, driving our refrigerators, heating our water, or keeping our rooms air-conditioned. (84年考题)
分析: 该句子由一个主句, 三个作伴随状语的现在分词以及位于句首的时间状语从句组成, 共有五层意思: A. 既使在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时; B.电仍在为我们工作; C. 帮我们开动电冰箱; D. 加热水; E. 或是室内空调机继续运转。上述五层意思的逻辑关系以及表达的顺序与汉语完全一致, 因此, 我们可以通过顺序法, 把该句翻译成：即使在我们关掉了床头灯深深地进入梦乡时, 电仍在为我们工作: 帮我们开动电冰箱, 把水加热, 或使室内空调机继续运转。
例2. But now it is realized that supplies of some of them are limited, and it is even possible to give a reasonable estimate of their “expectation of life”, the time it will take to exhaust all known sources and reserves of these materials. (84年考题)
分析: 该句的骨干结构为“It is realized that…”, it为形式主语, that引导着主语从句以及并列的it is even possible to …结构, 其中, 不定式作主语, the time …是“expectation of life”的同位语, 进一步解释其含义, 而time后面的句子是它的定语从句。五个谓语结构, 表达了四个层次的意义: A. 可是现在人们意识到; B. 其中有些矿物质的蕴藏量是有限的; C. 人们甚至还可以比较合理的估计出这些矿物质“可望存在多少年”; D. 将这些已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽的时间。根据同位语从句的翻译方法, 把第四层意义的表达作适当的调整, 整个句子就翻译为：可是现在人们意识到, 其中有些矿物质的蕴藏量是有限的, 人们甚至还可以比较合理的估计出这些矿物质“可望存在多少年”, 也就是说, 经过若干年后, 这些矿物的全部已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽。
下面我们再列举几个实例:
例3. Prior to the twentieth century, women in novels were stereotypes of lacking any features that made them unique individuals and were also subject to numerous restrictions imposed by the male-dominated culture.
在20世纪以前, 小说中的妇女像都是一个模式。她们没有任何特点, 因而无法成为具有个性的人; 他们还要屈从于由男性主宰的文化传统强加给他们的种种束缚。
例4. This method of using “controls” can be applied to a variety of situations, and can be used to find the answer to questions as widely different as “Must moisture be present if iron is to rust?” and “Which variety of beans gives the greatest yield in one season?”
这种使用参照物的方法可以应用于许多种情况, 也能用来找到很不相同的各种问题的答案, 从“铁生锈, 是否必须有一定的湿度才行?”到“哪种豆类一季的产量最高?”
例5. It begins as a childlike interest in the grand spectacle and exciting event; it grows as a mature interest in the variety and complexity of the drama, the splendid achievements and terrible failures; it ends as deep sense of the mystery of man`s life of all the dead, great and obscure, who once walked the earth, and of wonderful and awful possibilities of being a human being.
我们对历史的爱好起源于我们最初仅对一些历史上的宏伟场面和激动人心的事件感到孩童般的兴趣; 其后, 这种爱好变得成熟起来, 我们开始对历史这出“戏剧”的多样性和复杂性, 对历史上的辉煌成就和悲壮失败也感兴趣; 对历史的爱好, 最终以我们对人类生命的一种深沉的神秘感而告结束。 对死去的, 无论是伟大与平凡, 所有在这个地球上走过而已逝的人，都有能取得伟大奇迹或制造可怕事件的潜力。
例6. If parents were prepared for this adolescent reaction, and realized that it was a sign that the child was growing up and developing valuable powers of observation and independent judgment , they would not be so hurt, and therefore would not drive the child into opposition by resenting and resisting it.
如果做父母的对这种青少年的反应有所准备, 而且认为这是一个显示出孩子正在成长, 正在发展珍贵的观察力和独立的判断力的标志, 他们就不会感到如此伤心, 所以也就不会因对此有愤恨和反对的情绪而把孩子推到对立面去。J
（二）、逆序法。
英语有些长句的表达次序与汉语表达习惯不同, 甚至完全相反, 这时必须从原文后面开始翻译。例如：
例1. Aluminum remained unknown until the nineteenth century, because nowhere in nature is it found free, owing to its always being combined with other elements, most commonly with oxygen, for which it has a strong affinity.
分析: 这个句子由一个主句, 两个原因状语和一个定语从句, “铝直到19世纪才被人发现”是主句, 也是全句的中心内容, 全句共有四个谓语结构, 共有五层意思: A. 铝直到19世纪才被人发现; B. 由于在自然界找不到游离状态的铝; C. 由于它总是跟其他元素结合在一起; D. 最普遍的是跟氧结合; E. 铝跟氧有很强的亲和力。按照汉语的表达习惯通常因在前, 果在后, 这样, 我们可以逆着原文的顺序把该句翻译成：铝总是跟其他元素结合在一起, 最普遍的是跟氧结合; 因为铝跟氧有很强的亲和力, 由于这个原因, 在自然界找不到游离状态的铝。所以, 铝直到19世纪才被人发现。
例2. It therefore becomes more and more important that, if students are not to waste their opportunities, there will have to be much more detailed information about courses and more advice.
分析: 该句由一个主句, 一个条件状语从句和一个宾语从句组成, “……变得越来越重要”是主句, 也是全句的中心内容, 全句共有三个谓语结构, 包含三层含义: A. ……变的越来越重要; B. 如果要使学生充分利用他们的机会; C. 得为他们提供大量更为详尽的信息, 作更多的指导。为了使译文符合汉语的表达习惯, 我们也采用逆序法, 翻译成：因此, 如果要使学生充分利用他们(上大学)的机会, 就得为他们提供大量关于课程的更为详尽的信息, 作更多的指导。这个问题显得越来越重要了。
下面我们再举几个实例:
例3. It is probably easier for teachers than for students to appreciate the reasons why learningEnglish seems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the languagehave been understood.
一旦了解英语的基本结构和句型, 再往下学似乎就越来越难了, 这其中的原因, 也许教师比学生更容易理解。
例4. They (the poor) are the first to experience technological progress as a curse which destroysthe old muscle-power jobs that previous generations used as a means to fight their way out of poverty.
对于以往几代人来说, 旧式的体力劳动是一种用以摆脱贫困的手段, 而技术的进步则摧毁了穷人赖以为生的体力劳动, 因此首先体验到技术进步之害的是穷人。
例5.A great number of graduate students were driven into the intellectual slum when in the United States the intellectual poor became the classic poor, the poor under the rather romantic guise of the Beat Generation, a real phenomenon in the late fifties.◎
50年代后期的美国出现了一个任何人都不可能视而不见的现象, 穷知识分子以“跨掉的一代”这种颇为浪漫的姿态出现而成为美国典型的穷人, 正是这个时候大批大学生被赶进了知识分子的贫民窟。
例6. Such is a human nature in the West that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white collar workers.
许多人宁愿牺牲比较高的工资以换取成为白领工人的社会地位, 这在西方倒是人之常情。
例7. Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals.◎
假如没有那些以昆虫为食的动物保护我们, 昆虫将吞噬我们所有的庄稼, 害死我们的牛羊家畜, 使我们不能生存于世。
(三)、分句法。
有时英语长句中主语或主句与修饰词的关系并不十分密切, 翻译时可以按照汉语多用短句的习惯,把长句的从句或短语化成句子, 分开来叙述,为了使语意连贯, 有时需要适当增加词语。例如:◎
例1. The number of the young people in the United States who can`t read is incredible about one in four.
上句在英语中是一个相对简单的句子, 但是如果我们按照原文的句子结构死译, 就可能被翻译成：没有阅读能力的美国青年人的数目令人难以相信约为1/4。
这样, 就使得译文极为不通顺, 不符合汉语的表达习惯, 因此, 我们应该把它译为：大约有1/4的美国青年人没有阅读能力, 这简直令人难以置信。
例2. Television, it is often said, keeps one informed about current events, allow one to follow ◎the latest developments in science and politics, and offers an endless series of programmes which areboth instructive and entertaining. (85年考题)
分析: 在此长句中, 有一个插入语“it is often said”, 三个并列的谓语结构, 还有一个定语从句, 这三个并列的谓语结构尽管在结构上同属于同一个句子,但都有独立的意义, 因此在翻译时, 可以采用分句法, 按照汉语的习惯把整个句子分解成几个独立的分句, 结果为：人们常说, 通过电视可以了解时事, 掌握科学和政治的最新动态。从电视里还可以看到层出不穷、既有教育意义又有娱乐性的新节目。
下面我们再举几个例子：
例3. All they have to do is press a button, and they can see plays, films, operas, and shows of every kind, not to mention political discussions and the latest exciting football match. (85年考题)
他们所必须做的只是按一下开关。开关一开, 就可以看到电视剧、电影、歌剧, 以及其他各种各样的文艺节目。至于政治问题的辩论、最近的激动人心的足球赛更是不在话下。
例4. Although perhaps only 1 per cent of the life that has started somewhere will develop into highly complex and intelligent patterns, so vast is the number of planets that intelligent life is bound to be a natural part of the universe.
虽然在某处已经开始的生命中可能仅有百分之一会发展成高度复杂、有智慧的型式, 但是行星的数目如此之多,以致有智慧的生命一定是宇宙的一个天然组成部分。
(四) 、综合法。
上面我们讲述了英语长句的逆序法、顺序法和分句法, 事实上,在翻译一个英语长句时, 并不只是单纯地使用一种翻译方法, 而是要求我们把各种方法综合使用, 这在我们上面所举的例子中也有所体现。尤其是在一些情况下, 一些英语长句单纯采用上述任何一种方法都不方便, 这就需要我们的仔细分析, 或按照时间的先后,或按照逻辑顺序, 顺逆结合, 主次分明地对全句进行综合处理,以便把英语原文翻译成通顺忠实的汉语句子。例如:
例1. People were afraid to leave their houses, for although the police had been ordered to stand by in case of emergency, they were just as confused and helpless as anybody else.
分析: 该句共有三层含义: A: 人们不敢出门; B: 尽管警察已接到命令, 要作好准备以应付紧急情况; C: 警察也和其他人一样不知所措和无能为力。在这三层含义中, B表示让步, C表示原因, 而A则表示结果, 按照汉语习惯顺序, 我们作如下的安排：尽管警察已接到命令, 要作好准备以应付紧急情况, 但人们不敢出门, 因为警察也和其他人一样不知所措和无能为力。
下面我们再举几个例子:◎
例2. Modern scientific and technical books, especially textbooks, requires revision at short intervals if their authors wish to keep pace with new ideas, observations and discoveries.
对于现代书籍, 特别是教科书来说, 要是作者希望自己书中的内容能与新概念、新观察到的事实和新发现同步发展的话, 那么就应该每隔较短的时间, 将书中的内容重新修改。
例3. Taking his cue from Ibsen`s A Doll`s House, in which the heroine, Nora, leaves home becauseshe resents her husband`s treating her like a child, the writer Lu Xun warned that Nora would needmoney to support herself; she must have economic rights to survive.
易卜生的剧作《玩偶之家》中的女主人公娜拉离家出走, 因为她憎恶她的丈夫像对待孩子一样来对待她。作家鲁迅从中得到启示, 从而告诫人们娜拉得需要钱来养活自己, 她要生存就必须有经济上的权利。
例4. Up to the present time, throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this new tendency placed the home in the immediate suburbs, but concentrated manufacturing activity, business relations, government, and pleasure in the centers of the cities.
到目前为止, 经历了18和19两个世纪, 这种新的倾向是把住宅安排在城市的近郊, 而把生产活动、商业往来、政府部门以及娱乐场所都集中在城市的中心地区。
考研英语翻译中一些常用的结构及其翻译：
all but：几乎，差不多
as anything：非常地
anything but：根本不
apart from：除了
but for：要不是
by far：远不，……得多
by no means：根本不
by any means：无论如何
due to：由于
except for：除了
far from：远非
in contact with：与……联系
instead of：而不是
on account of：因为
on the basis of：根据
only to：结果是
might/may as well：还是……的好
not so much…as：与其说……不如说
not really：远不
not to mention：更不用说
let alone：更不用说
no more…than…：和……一样都不
no less than：简直是
nothing less than：完全是
cannot…too…：再……也不过分
rather than：而不是
owing to：由于
It is assumed that：人们认为
It is said that：据说
It is learned that：据闻
It is supposed that：据推测
It is considered that：据估计
It is believed that：人们认为
It is reported that：据报道
It is well-known that：众所周知
It is asserted that：有人断言
It is clear/obvious/evident that：很显然
It can’t be denied that：不可否认
It must be admitted that：必须承认
It must be pointed that：必须指出
考研英语长难句
1. That sex ratio will be favored which maximizes the number of descendants an individual will have and hence the number of gene copies transmitted. （难度系数5，下同） ◎大宝考译文：那种性别比例能在最大程度上增加一个个体所能拥有的后代数量，并因此能在最大程度上增加所传递到后代身上去的基因复制品的数量。
难句类型：倒装、省略
a本句的正常语序应当是：That sex ratio which maximizes the number of descendnts an individuall will ◎have and hence the number of gene copies transmited will be favored.但是因为主语That sex ratio之后的以which引导的修饰它的定语从句，如果按照以上语序，则有头重脚轻之感。所以原文将此长长的从句倒装成谓语will be favored之后。
b在which引导的从句中，有两处省略：第一处在maximize的第一个宾语the number of descendants that an individuall will have中， an individuall will have是修饰descendants的定语从句，但是，因为descendants在从句中作have的宾语，所以引导词that可以省略。第二处省略是在第二个the number of 之前，省略了与前面一样的成分that sex ratio which maximizes. And hence在此表示后面的成分作为前面“最大化一个个体的后代的数目的”结果。
意群训练：That sex ratio will be favored which maximizes the number of descendants an individual ◎will have and hence the number of gene copies transmitted. ◎
2. （This is）A desire to throw over reality a light that never was might give away abruptly to the desire on the part of what we might consider a novelist-scientist to record exactly and concretely the structure and texture of a flower .(5++)
难句类型：复杂+倒装+省略;
译文：（这是一种）照亮现实的欲望，此欲望从来就不会唐突的取代后面的那种欲望，后者是我们可以将其部分的理解为一个兼任小说加和科学家的人想要去准确并具体的记录下一朵花的结构和文理的那种意义上的欲望。
解释：本句子的难度在一切GRE、GMAT包括LSAT考试中所出现的难句中堪称登峰造极，可以确定地讲，类似此句子的难度的语言，在计算机考试的现场绝无可能出现。如果对此句话不感兴趣，可以把其废掉不读。
A、 这句话读起来别扭的第一个原因，是因为它根本就不是一个句子。句首省略了this is 。这种用一个词代替一个句子的方式如果在书面语中出现，只能出现在高级英语中，因此我们以前的英语学习中从未遇到过。其形式类似于我们中文的“精彩”是“这句话真是精彩”的省略形式。
B、 desire后跟着两个大的修饰成分，一个是to throw over reality a light，其中的a light 是被倒装到了over reality之后，正常应是throw a light over reality.不过这个便装部分与throw距离不远，读者看得还算懂。关键是第二个修饰成分。注意：从that开始直到句尾结束的长长的定语从句不是修饰其前的light的，而是修饰一开始的desire的。
C、 第二个修饰成分中又来了一个倒装，由于作者为了强调never,所以将其提前，引发了定语从句中的倒装：正常语序应该是that might never be given away，倒装后系动词was被提前，given因为在情态动词might之后所以变成了原型give。A give way to B，是A让位于B，而A be given way to B，则是A取代B。on the part of 之后的部分修饰后面的desire，what引导的从句现场阅读时可以看成一个名词。What从句中的不定式to recored exactly and concretely the structure and texture of a flower中又有一个避免头重脚轻的倒装，正常语序应该是to recored the structure and texture of a flower exactly and concretely。
D、 就算能够看懂这句话的结构，可能仍然理解不了意思。本句的意思是，哈代(注：人名老的冲动是一种简单的、说明现实的欲望，新冲动是一种即是小说家又像科学家的仔细研究一个东西的特点那样的欲望（新冲动），前一种欲望是永远也不能取代后者的。
意群训练：（This is ）A desire to throw over reality a light that never was might give away abruptly to the desire on the part of what we might consider a novelist-scientist to record exactly and concretely the structure and texture of a flower .
3. Hardy’s weakness derived from his apparent inability to control the comings and goings of these divergent impulses and from his unwillingness to cultivate and sustain the energetic and risky ones. (5)
难句类型：复杂修饰、省略、抽象词
译文：哈代的缺陷一方面缘起于他的某种明显的无能，无法控制好那结不尽相同的创作冲动的穿梭往来；另一方面缘起于他不愿意去培养和维持那些富于生机活力和风险性强的创作冲动。
解释：介词from的宾语有两个并列的部分，由and所连接，在and之后的第二个from前，省略了前面一样的谓语动词derive。本句之所以难，有两个原因，一是derived from 后面的成分太长，初学者难以一下子看下来；二是作为一篇文科文章，用词抽象，难以迅速理解。
意群训练：Hardy's weakenss derived from his apparent inability to control the comings and goings of these divergent impulses and from his unwillingness to cultivate and sustain the energyetic and risky ones.
4. Virginia Woolf’s provocative statement about her intentions in writing Mrs. Dalloway has regularly been ignored by the critics，since it highlights an aspect of her literary interests very different from the traditional picture of the "poetic" novelist concerned with examining states of reverie and vision and with following the intricate pathways of individual consciousness. （5）
难句类型：复杂修饰、省略、抽象词
译文：弗吉尼亚.伍尔夫（Virginia Woolf）在创作《黛洛维夫人》（Mrs. Dalloway）时有关其创作意图的这番发人深思的陈述，迄今为止一贯为文学评论家们所忽略，因为它突出反映了她诸多文学兴趣中某一方面，而这一方面则与人们对“诗性”小说家（poetic novelist）所形成的传统见解大相径庭。所谓的“诗性”小说家，所关注的是审视想入非非和白日梦幻的诸般状态，并致力于追寻个体意识的通幽曲径。
解释：本句逗号以前只有复杂修饰的长主语有些难，但总的来讲比较好懂，since引导的原因状语从句较难。
A、 since之后的it指前面的statement，highlight的宾语an aspect之后有两个修饰成分，一个是of her literary interests， 另一个是以that引导的定语从句that is very different from the traditional picture of the poetic novelist，都是修饰an aspect的。Novelist后面又有由and 连接的两个介词结构concerned with doing 修饰novelist.
B、 句中有两处省略，一是在her literary interests that is very different from当中，修饰interests的定语从句中引导词＋be that is 一起省略了。第二处在and之后，由于concerned with与前面的concerned with重复，所以concerned被省略。
C、 本句另外一个难懂的地方，就是使用了大量的抽象词。这是文学市评论题材的文章的一个特点。
意群训练：Virginia Woolf’s provocative statement about her intentions in writing Mrs. Dalloway has regularly been ignored by the critics，since it highlights an aspect of her literary interests very different from the traditional picture of the "poetic" novelist concerned with examining states of reverie and vision and with following the intricate pathways of individual consciousness.
5. As she put it in The Common Reader , “It is safe to say that not a single law has been framed or one stone set upon another because of anything Chaucer said or wrote ; and yet , as we read him , we are absorbing morality at every pore .”（5-）
难句类型：抽象词、抽象词组、比喻
译文：就像她在《致普通读者》一书中所表达的那样，“尽管可以毫无疑问的说，没有任何法律被指定出来，也没有任何高楼大厦被建立起来是因为乔叟说了什么或者写了什么；然而，当我们读它的书的时候，我们身上每一个毛孔都充满了道德”。
解释：这句话不但用了词抽象，还用了比喻的修辞手法。是指没有因为乔叟的言论而产生任何实际的行为规则或政治机构，但我们受其影响之深，以及其影响力之大。
意群训练：As she put it in The Common Reader , “It is safe to say that not a single law has been framed or one stone set upon another because of anything Chaucer said or wrote ; and yet , as we read him , we are absorbing morality at every pore .”
6. With the conclusion of a burst activity , the lactic acid level is high in the body fluids , leaving the large animal vulnerable to attack until the acid is reconverted , via oxidative metabolism , by the liver into glucose , which is then sent (in part )back to the muscles for glycogen resynthesis .（4+）
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、专有名词
译文：随着爆发出来的运动的结束，再体液中乳酸含量会变得很高，使得大型动物处于容易受到攻击的状态，直到乳酸通过有氧新陈代谢，被肝脏转化成（convert into）葡萄糖，而葡萄糖接下来又会（部分）传送回肌肉中重新合成糖原 。
解释：本句中修饰成分极多，以分词修饰和介词结构修饰为主，作各种类型的状语。前面的状语和主句还好理解，从leaving开始句子变难；leaving引导的直到句末的结构来做整个句子的状语；分词中又包含了三个状语，其中的两个via oxidative metabolism by the liver又起到了插入语的作用，把be converted into拆成两段。本句的另外一个特征是其中充斥着专有名词。其中的body fluids, oxidative和resynthesis通过字面的意思或者根据词头、词根我们还是应该猜出其意思的，lactic acid, metabolism和muscle这三个词在生物类文章中极其常用，大家应该背下来；而glycogen这种东西则没办法，只能作一个首字母提炼。但是请记住，GRE和GMAT文章中只要出现◎了这种专有名词，出题者是一定会在文章中把它在文章中所乃至的词义解释清楚的，所以读者遇到文章中做了解释的专有名词，应该力求把解释看懂。
意群训练：With the conclusion of a burst activity , the lactic acid level is high in the body fluids, leaving the large animal vulnerable to attack until the acid is reconverted , via oxidative metabolism , by the liver into glucose , which is then sent (in part )back to the muscles for glycogen resynthesis .
7. Although Gutman admits that forced separation by sale was frequent，he shows that the slaves’preference，revealed most clearly on plantations where sale was infrequent，was very much for stable monogamy. （3+）
难句类型：插入语
译文：虽然古特曼承认，由于奴隶买卖而造成的被迫离散甚为频繁，但他还是证明，奴隶的偏爱——在那些奴隶买卖并不频繁的种植园上被最为显著地揭示出来——在很大程度上侧重于稳定的一夫一妻制（monogamy）。
解释：本句中插入语的使用revealed most clearly on plantations where sale wa infrequent, 后半个分句中的主语that slaves' preference与系动词was离得太远，造成阅读的困难。
意群训练：Although Gutman admits that forced separation by sale was frequent，he shows that the ◎slaves’ preference，revealed most clearly on plantations where sale was infrequent，was very much ◎for stable monogamy.
8. Gutman argues convincingly that the stability of the Black family encouraged the transmission of-and so was crucial in sustaining-the Black heritage of folklore，music，and religious expression from one generation to another，a heritage that slaves were continually fashioning out of their African and American experiences. （4）
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语
译文：古特曼人令人信服地论辨道，黑人家庭的稳定有助于包括民间传说、音乐、及宗教表达在内的黑人文化遗产一代一代传递下去，因而在维持文化遗产方面也起着至关重要的作用，而对于这种文化遗产，黑奴们不断地从其非洲和美洲的经历中予以丰富发展。
解释：由that引导的宾语从句中，encouraged的宾语the transmission of the Black heritage被同时表示并列和转折的and so 分开，给读者造成了阅读上和理解上的困难。最后一个逗号后面的部分是修饰前面的black heritage的同位语。
意群训练：Gutman argues convincingly that the stability of the Black family encouraged the transmission of-and so was crucial in sustaining-the Black heritage of folklore，music，and religious expression from one generation to another，a heritage that slaves were continually fashioning out of their African and American experiences.
9. This preference for exogamy，Gutman suggests，may have derived from West African rules governing marriage，which，though they differed from one tribal group to another，all involved some kind of prohibition against unions with close kin. （3+）
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语
译文：古特曼表示，这种对于外部通婚的偏爱很有可能缘起于西部非洲制约着婚姻的规定，尽管这些规定在一个和另一个部落群体之间不尽相同，但都涉及到某种对近亲联姻（union with close kin）的禁止。 ◎解释：本句有两个插入语，第一个插入语Gutman suggests割裂了主句的主语和谓语。West African rules后跟着两个修饰成分，第一个是分词修饰(governing marriage), 第二个是以which引导的非限定性定语从句，从句中出现了第二个插入语though they differed from one tribal group to another，又割裂了从句引导词与谓语之间的联系。
意群训练：This preference for exogamy，Gutman suggests， may have derived from West African rules governing marriage，which，though they differed from one tribal group to another，all involved some ◎kind of prohibition against unions with close kin.
10. His thesis works relatively well when applied to discrimination against Blacks in the United States，but his definition of racial prejudice as "racially-based negative prejudgments against a group generally accepted as a race in any given region of ethnic competition，" can be interpreted as also including hostility toward such ethnic groups as the Chinese in California and the Jews in medieval Europe.（4+）
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、抽象词
译文：该社会学家的命题当被应用于针对美国黑人的歧视时，相对而言尚能适用，但他对种族偏见所下的定义——◎即“以种族为基础的、针对某个群体的消级的先入之见，而该群体在任何特定的种族竞争地区则被普遍认作一种族”——可被理解成同样也襄括了针对加利福尼亚州的中国人以及中世纪的犹太人这样一些种族群体的敌视态度。
解释：本句长度惊人，插入部分比较长，再加上不乏抽象词，所以较为难懂，在表示转折的后半个分钟中，长长的插入语as raciallybased negative prejudgments against a group generally accepted as a race in any given region of thnic competition作为主语his definition of racial prejudice的同位语，使分句中的主谓相隔千山万水。除此之外，本句用词抽象，语义难以理解，对读者的词汇功底要求较高。考试现场如无法读懂，宜用合理化原则中的取非读法，but之前的分句说的是其论点对美国黑人的种族歧视是较为管用，转折后的内容就应该说其理论对华人和犹太人相对无用。
意群训练：His thesis works relatively well when applied to discrimination against Blacks in the United States，but his definition of racial prejudice as "racially-based negative prejudgments against a group generally accepted as a race in any given region of ethnic competition，" can be interpreted as also including hostility toward such ethnic groups as the Chinese in California and the Jews in medieval Europe.◎大
11. Such variations in size，shape，chemistry，conduction speed，excitation threshold，and the like as had been demonstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in significance for any possible correlation with the manifold dimensions of mental experience.（5）
难句类型：复杂修饰
译文：类似于这些已经被在神经细胞中证明的在大小、形状、化学过程、产生的速度、兴奋阈值及其类似的方面上所发生变化，当他们被用来与大脑的体验以可能的方式联系起来的时候，他们在重要性上仍然是微不足道的。
解释：即使是初练难免的人其实也很熟悉such thing as something这样的语言方式，可是当中间的小东西thing居然变成了一个长达十二个单词的大东西的时候，实在令人搞不清后面的as及其后的something 到底为哪方神圣。再加上以such as 为中心的长主语距离系动词remain太远，更增加了本句的难度。请读者反复阅读，直到读出这样的感觉：顺序阅读原文时，原文似乎就是几大块，就好像是such things as a remain negligible in a certain sense.
意群训练：Such variations in size, shape, chemistry, conduction speed, excitation threshold, and the like as had been deomnstrated in nerve cells remained negligible in significance for any possible correlation with the manifld dimensions of mental experience. ◎
12. It was possible to demonstrate by other methods refined structural differences among neuron types ; however , proof was lacking that the quality of the impulse or its condition was influenced by these differences , which seemed instead to influence the developmental patterning of the neural circuits .(5)
有可能通过其他方法来证明神经元种类间的细微的结构差异；可是，这样的证据是缺乏的，即神经冲动的性质或者状态是受这些差异所影响的，而这些差异看起来却能影响神经网络的发育模式。
难句类型：复杂修饰、倒装
解释：与很多人的印象相反，lack从来就不能作形容词，它只有动词或名词的词性。其形容词的形式是lacking,意思是缺乏的、不足的。
本句的在however 之前和之后的两个分句，是两个倒装结构，前一个是小倒装，正常语序是：to demonstrate refined structural differences among neuron types by other methods: however后面是个大倒装，lacking之后的that引导的同位语人名是修饰主语proof的，但是因为它太长，所以为了避免头重脚轻，被放到lacking之后，正常的语序应该是proof that the quality of ..was lacking ◎大宝考研版权所有，意群训练：It was possible to demonstrate by other methods refined structural differences among neuron types; however, proof was lacking that the quality of the impulse or its condition was influenced by these differences, which seemed instead to influence the developmental patterning of the neural circuits. ◎
13. Although qualitative variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved，the doctrine was generally abandoned in favor of the opposing view，namely，that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and are transmitted as "common currency" throughout the nervous system. （4）
译文：尽管在神经能量上存在着质的不同，这一点从来都没有在严格的意义上被反对过，但是以上教条通常被抛弃掉，而转向相反的观点，即：神经冲动从根本上本质相同，而且被当作“一种普通流”在整个神经系统中传播。 ◎大宝考研版权
难句类型：复杂修饰、双重否定 ◎大宝考研版权所有，拒绝转载◎D1Fci019th
解释：前半个分句中有一个双重否定，was never rigidly disproved,这种表示法用中文说出来还是比较好懂的，原因是我们熟悉中文的这种表示法，但在英文中出现，因为在以前的学习中见得少，所以感觉上很别扭。因此，同学们的任务，就是通过反复阅读此类句子来熟悉这样的英语。其实在英文表达中，很多双重否定与中文表达是一样的，表示肯定；如not unlimited就等于limited。但是值得读者注意的是在GRE和GMAT这两种对考生的逻辑有苛刻要求的考试中，如果这种双重否定中所涉及的概念不是dichotomous(即二分法的词汇，比如上面例子中的limited和unlimited)，则双重否定不一定表示肯定；比如本例中的not disprove, 不能理解为agree， 不反对者中，的确有人会同意，但通常心存疑虑，随大流者居多。不但如此，大双重否定中加上限定词以后，在否定的范围上也有所变化，如本句的be never rigidly disproved，没有完全被反对，不能理解为从来都被严格支持的，而应该理解成从来都可能有人支持的。综上所述，对双重否定的句子，简单的把其置换为肯定，不是最精确的理解。而最好的办法，就是通过多读、多练来熟悉其语言表达及其逻辑方式，按照其字面的表达理解成没有完全否定，然后大脑中反应出其目前的生存状态是一个仍未消失的状态；这种理解才是在考试现场既快速又精确的理解。 ◎运用前面所说的用合理化原则中的取非读法，可以很容易的读出作者在后半个分句中想说前面的那种观点被反对了。但是，初学者会对这个分句中的something be abandoned in favor of something else这种语言表达感到突然，如果理解成因为喜后者而抛弃了前者，虽然也能说得通，但是其实原文从来没有这种因果关系，in favor of强调的是这两种动作的同时性；抛弃了前者，而转向后者，namely之后的内容是前面的opposing view的同位语。
意群训练：Although qualitative variance among nerve energies was never rigidly disproved, the doctrine was generallyabandoned in favor of the oppsing view, namely, that nerve impulses are essentially homogeneous in quality and are transmitted as "common currency" throught the nervous system. ◎大14. Other experiments revealed slight variations in the size，number，arrangement，and interconnection of the nerve cells，but as far as psycho neural correlations were concerned，the obvious similarities of these sensory fields to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the minute differences. （4 -）
译文：尽管其他实验显示在神经细胞的大小、数量、排列和相互连接上有一些小的差异，但是就心理-神经的关系而言，这些感官区域彼此之间的明显的相似性看起来比起微小的差异更为令人注目。 ◎大宝考研难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语
解释：在前后两个分句之间有一个插入语as far as psychoneural correlations were concerned。在后面的分句中，主语the obvious similarities之后的、修饰主语的成分较长、以至于有很多读者看到相隔很远的more remarkable than时一下子反应不过来是什么比后者更明显。其简化形式应为：similarities seemed more remarkable than differences。
意群训练：Other experiments revealed slight variations in the size, number, arrangement, and interconnection of the nerve cells, but as far as psychoneural correlations were concerned, the obvious similarities of these sensory fileds to each other seemed much more remarkable than any of the minute differences. ◎大宝
15. Although some experiments show that，as an object becomes familiar，its internal representation becomes more holistic and the recognition process correspondingly more parallel，the weight of evidence seems to support the serial hypothesis，at least for objects that are not notably simple and familiar. （4+）
译文：虽然某些实验表明，随着一个物体变得熟悉起来，其内心再现图像亦更具整体感，辨认过程相应地更趋于平行，但证据的砝码似乎在支持序列假设（serial hypothesis），至少是对于那些不甚简单、不甚熟悉的物体来说。
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、省略
解释：在Although引导的分句中，谓语shows后面跟着一个长长的宾语从句，从句中先出现一个插入语as an object becomes familiar,之后的内容是由and 连接的两套并列的主谓宾。其实and前后就是两个句子，只不过作者省略了后面的句子中与前面相同的引导词that和谓语become。 句子中有一个生词holistic，其实即使不认识，也能用合理化原则猜出它是后面serial的反义词、parallel的同义词，大约是统一、完整或同时的意思；其实只要能理解到其是与serial相反的意思即可。
意群训练：Although some experiments show that，as an object becomes familiar，its internal representation becomes more holistic and the recognition process correspondingly more parallel，the weight of evidence seems to support the serial hypothesis，at least for objects that are not notably simple and familiar. ◎大
16. In large part as a consequence of the feminist movement，historians have focused a great deal of attention in recent years on determining more accurately the status of women in various periods. （3+）
译文：在很大程度上，由于女权主义运动（feminist movement）的缘故，史学家近年来汇聚了大量的注意力，来更为准确地确定妇女在各个历史时期的地位。
难句类型：倒装
解释：focus A on B指把A集中于B，本句中介词on的宾语determining/more accurately the status of women invarious periods中有一个小倒装，正常语序应该是determining the status of women in various periods more accurately。
意群训练：In large part as a consequence of the feminist movement, historians have focused a great deal of attention in recent years on determining more accurately the status of women in various periods.
17. If one begins by examining why ancients refer to Amazons , it becomes clear that ancient Greek descriptions of such societies were meant not so much to represent observed historical fact –real Amazonian societies – but rather to offer “moral lessons” on the supposed outcome of women’s rule in their own society . (4)
译文：如果我们先研究一下为什么古人会提到亚马逊人，下面的一点就变得清晰了，那就是古希腊对于这种社会的庙睡不是太多的被用来表达观察的历史事实——真正的亚麻逊社会的——而是为了对于妇女在其社会中的统治的预期后果提供一种“道德教导”。 ◎大宝考研版权所有，拒绝转
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、抽象词
解释：有两个词汇需要先解释一下：something be meant to represent是use something to mean的被动语态。mean在这里不是常用的"……的意思是"的意思，而是表示做某事所表达的目的、意图，其英文释义为：to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate。句中的结构为：something be meant not so much to,,, but rather to, 实际上是把be meant to和not rather 的两个固定搭配套在一起，意思是：不是为了...而是为了... 另外，suppose的意思很抽象，不容易理解。此词既有据信、被认为的意思，也有预期的意思，还有表示贬义的假想的被想当然的意思。本句的supposed用法极其特殊，在此处的意思，用以上任何一个释义来理解居然都可以成立，既是在说一个预期的社会状态，又是在说一个虚构出来的、本来不存在的社会状态，其用法类似于中文中的一语双关，是文章作者自以为文笔精妙之处。
意群训练：If one begins by examining why ancients refer to Amazons, it becomes clear that ancient Greek descriptions of such societies were meant not so much to represent observed historical fact- real Amazonian societies- but rather to offer"moral lessons" on the supposed outcome of women's rule in their own society. ◎大宝考
18. Thus，for instance，it may come as a shock to mathematicians to learn that the Schrodinger equation for the hydrogen atom is not a literally correct description of this atom，but only an approximation to a somewhat more correct equation taking account of spin，magnetic dipole，and relativistic effects；and that this corrected equation is itself only an imperfect approximation to an infinite set of quantum field-theoretical equations. （5）
译文：因此，举例来说，对数学家而言，了解到下述情形可能会令其惊愕不已，即薛定谔（Schrodinger）的氢原子方程式并非是对该原子作出的一种绝然正确的描述，而仅仅是个近似值，趋近于一个在某种程度上更为正确的将自旋、磁性偶极子、以及相对论效应考虑在内的方程式；而这个得以纠正的方程式就其本身而言也只是一个不完美的近似值，趋近于无穷无尽的一整套量子场论方程式。
难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、省略
解释：读到此句时，数学家不见得震惊，晕倒的考生恐怕不在少数。不但句子结构复杂，而且罗列了大量的专有名词。对于不是理科的同学来讲，在阅读这篇文章的现场清楚地明白应该读到什么程度远比研究这些生僻的专有名词更重要。其实是否知道薛定鄂方程对读者来说并不见得重要，GRE考试的出题者也不见得知道它；关键是要读懂句子的主要意思；数学家不能理解不精确和近似值的伟大意义。不过在本书中，出现的句子均以阅读训练为目的，所以读者仍要把句子的结构读清楚。主句中的主语it是一个开工主语，其具体的内容应该是从to learn开始一直到句子结束的长达八行的不定式，但是此不定式实在太长，如果放在句首则句子无法平衡。Learn后面带着两个以that引导的宾语从句，中间以分号和and分开，可以把分号以后的句子看成是and it may come as a shock to mathematicians to learn that的省略形式。
意群训练：Thus, for instance, it may come as a shock to mathematiians to learn that the Schrodinger equation for the hydrogen atom is not a literally correct description of this atom, but only an approximation to a somewhat more correct equation taking account of spin, magnetic dipole, and relativistic effects; and that this corrected equation is itself only an imperfect approximation to an infinite set of quantum field-theoretical equations. ◎大
19. The physicist rightly dreads precise argument，since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumptions on which it is based are slightly changed，whereas an argument that is convincing though imprecise may well be stable under small perturbations of its underlying assumptions. （5+）
译文：物理学家恐惧于那些精确无误的论据不无道理，因为某种只有在它是精确无误的条件下才令人置信的论据，一旦它赖于建立其上的假设稍有变化，便会失去它一部的作用；而与此相反，一个尽管并不精确无误但却令人置信的论据，在其基本假设（underlying assumption）稍微受干扰的情况下，仍然有可能是站得住脚的。
难句类型：复杂修饰
解释：本句在文章中就是一个自然段，虽然长度比不上前面第一章中所举的那个长达10行的例子，但是难度绝不在那句话之下。本句堪称句子的大杂烩，连主句带从句居然一共有八个。从大往小说，由whereas连接了两个大句子，whereas后面的句子中的主语an augument之后又跟了一个定语从句that is convincing though imprecise， 修饰augument。whereas前面共有六个句子，由the physicist作主语的主句；由since引导的原因状语从句，修饰since从句中主语an augument的由that引导的定语从句，此定语从句中的条件状语从句only if it is precise; since从句中的条件状语从句if the assumptions on which it is based are slightly changed,以及修饰此从句中的主语assumptions的定语从句on which it is based一共八个句子，从句套从句，实在令人叹为观止。然而，在考试现场去数句子的数目，是只有呆子才会干的事，读者们惟一要干的事就是反复阅读这句话，什么时候练到不必去想其语法结构就能按原文顺序读懂，才算初步掌握；再进一步把它读顺，直到你看不出这个句子有什么特别的地方，看上去还挺舒服就算训练成功。
意群训练：The physicist rightly dreads precise argument, since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumptions on which it is based are slightly changed, whereas an argument that is convincing though imprecise may well be stable under small perturbations of its underlying assumptions.
20. However，as they gained cohesion，the Bluestockings came to regard themselves as a women’s group and to possess a sense of female solidarity lacking in the salonnieres，who remained isolated from one another by the primacy each held in her own salon. （4-）
译文：起初，蓝袜女们确实模仿了法国沙龙女主人，将男性襄括到其小圈子中来。然则，随着她们获得的凝聚力，她们渐趋将自己视作一女性团体，并拥有了一种妇女团结意识，而这种意识在法国沙龙女主人身上则荡然无存，因为她们每个人在其自己的沙龙中自视甚高而彼此孤立隔绝开来。 ◎大宝考研版权所有，难句类型：复杂修饰
解释：本句读到表示并列的连词and开始变难。and之后的不定式与前面的不定式是并列的，to的前面省略了一个与前面一样的谓语came。 lacking之后的分词作定语修饰a sense of female solidarity其后的由who引导的定语从句又修饰逗号前面的salonnieres此从句中又有一个定语从句that each salonniere held in her own salon修饰其前的primacy,但是由于引导词that在从句中作宾语，因此被省略。
意群训练：However, as they gained cohesion, the Bluestocking came to regard themselves as a women's group and to possess a sense of female solidarity lacking in the salonnieres, who remained isolated from one another by the primacy each held in her own salon.◎ |
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