历年GRE考试试题阅读部分难句精选100句(六)

　　51. The best evidence for the layered-mantle thesis is the well-established fact that volcanic rocks found on oceanic islands，islands believed to result from mantle plumes arising from the lower mantle，are composed of material fundamentally different from that of the mid-ocean ridge system， whose source，most　geologists contend，is the upper mantle.

　　对于地幔分层论点来说，最好的证据乃这样一个确认的事实，即在那些海洋岛屿――这些岛屿据信是源于由下层地幔升上来的地幔柱状溶岩流――上发现的火山岩石，是由与海洋中部山脊系统的物质根本不同的物质构成的，而这一海洋中部山脊系统的成因，大多数地质学家论辩道，为上部地幔。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语

　　解释：本句前面的主干并不算难，即the evidence is the fact that,难就难在fact之后说明fact 的同位语从句。此从句中既有大段插入语，又有从句，较为难读。同位语从句的主语是volcanic rocks，主语后面的found on oceanic islands是分词修饰volcanic rocks的;islands后面又有一个说明islands的同位语islands believed to result from mantle plumes arising from the lower mantle,此同位语实际起到一个分隔主谓的同位语的作用。其后是谓语动词are composed/of fundamentally different from that of the midocean ridge system, whose source, most geologists contend, is the upper mantle。

　　句中有一些专有词汇。如果抛开文章不说，单看这一个句子，则句首的layered mantle thesis就难以理解。但是如果读者能够读懂句子的大致意思，看到layered mantle thesisr最有力证据就是其材料fundamentally different from the upper mantle,这应该可以推测出，既然不同于上层地幔，则这个理论一定是在说地幔有不同的层面。

　　意群训练：The best evidence for the layered-mantle thesis is the well-established fact that volcanic rocks found on oceanic islands，islands believed to result from mantle plumes arising from the lower mantle，are composed of material fundamentally different from that of the mid-ocean ridge system， whose source，most　geologists contend，is the upper mantle.

　　52. Some geologists，however，on the basis of observations concerning mantle　xenoliths， argue that the mantle is　not layered，but that heterogeneity is created by fluids rich in incompatible elements percolating upward and transforming　portions of the upper mantle　irregularly，according to the vagaries of the fluids pathways.

　　但是，某些地质学家，以对地幔捕虏岩体所作的观察为依据，指出地幔并非是分层排列的，相反，地幔的异质性是由那些富含不相容成分的流质构成的，这些成分趋向于流体而非固体的状态，自下而上渗透扩散，并依照这些流质流向的任意性，不规则地将上部地幔的某些部分予以改变。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语

　　解释：本句的主句中有一个长插入语however,on the basis of observations concerning mantle xenoliths,割裂了主谓，但句子的主要难度还是在that引导的宾语从句中，从句中有由but 所连接的两个句子，一起延续到句末。首选是rich in incompatible elements修饰fluids;后面又有一个同位语和一个分词结构，都是修饰incompatible elements的，最后还有一个状语来修饰那个分词结构，层层修饰，比较复杂。

　　意群训练：Some geologists，however，on the basis of observations concerning mantle　xenoliths， argue that the mantle is　not layered，but that heterogeneity is created by fluids rich in incompatible elements percolating upward and transforming　portions of the upper mantle　irregularly，according to the vagaries of the fluids pathways.

　　53. Fallois proposed that Proust had tried to begin a novel in 1908, abandoned it for what was to be a long demonstration of Saint-Beuves blindness to the real nature of great writing , found the essay giving rise to personal memories and fictional developments ,and allowed these to take over it a steadily developing novel.

　　F认为，P在1908年试图开始写一部小说，又为了写一部批判S-B的 伟大作品的真正本质的视而不见的长篇的证明而放弃了这部小说，其后又发现这一论文又勾起了其个人记忆及小说情节的萌生，使得后者取而代之形成了一部稳定展开的小说。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、抽象词

　　解释：本句来自历来被GRE考生尊称为所有GRE文科文章中难度第一的普鲁斯特的追忆似水年华，这篇文章的难度远远高于现在计算机考试的题目。普鲁斯特是公认的意识流小说的先驱，据笔者推测，本文的原作者必定是研究普鲁斯特的大家，因此其文章必然带有思维的跳跃，、不连贯性、时空颠倒等意识流手法：经过ETS的改编后，虽然可读性略有啬，然积重难返、无法救药，于是堕落成一篇流水帐文章。从本句的结构来看，也可以表现作者的这种叙事风格：本句从that引导的宾语从句开始，实际上是以普鲁斯特的意识流向为线索，以列举的方式描述其动机的变化，从一开始的写别的小说，其英文为Prout had tried to, abandoned,found,and allowed..。但是因为abandoned之后的状语for的结构复杂、用词抽象，所以这个结构不太容易被看出来。Blindness在此不是指真盲，而是指缺乏辨认能力difficult to discern, make out,or discover,视而不见。Give rise to 这个词组的意思是引起，使发生。

　　意群训练：Fallois proposed that Proust had tried to begin a novel in 1908, abandoned it for what was to be a long demonstration of Saint-Beuves blindness to the real nature of great writing , found the essay giving rise to personal memories and fictional developments ,and allowed these to take over in a steadily developing novel.

　　54. The very richness and complexity of the　meaningful relationships that kept　presenting and rearranging themselves　on all levels，from abstract intelligence to profound dreamy feelings， made it difficult for Proust to set them out coherently.

　　各种有意义的联系在所有的层次上，自抽象的理性至深刻的梦幻般的情感，层出不穷并不断重新组合排列;正是这些有意义的联系的丰富性和复杂性，致使普鲁斯特难于将它们错落有致地安排好。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、抽象词

　　解释：请原谅笔者在此所做中文翻译的艰涩难懂，为了让读者能够更好地理解句子的结构，本书尽量把中文翻译与英文原文的语序相对应，而且尽可能的不用意译。为了达到这个目的，可以说绞尽脑汁，但本句之难懂也全非笔者之故，原文作者使用了大量的抽象词。本句仍然来自于上面说过的这篇关于普鲁斯特的文章。句中的主语是The very richness and complexity,其后的修饰成分长达三行，of the meaningful relationships that kept presenting and rearranging themselves on all levels from abstract intelligence to profound dreamy feelings,其中还夹杂着插入语，有效地分开了主语和谓语。其实本句虽然结构也比较复杂，但是不见得比前面的句子复杂得多，其真正的难点，还在于句子中大量的抽象词的使用。由于笔者在附录中所提到的原因，抽象词可以严重地占据大脑资源，因此带有大量的抽象词的结构复杂的句子就更为难懂，比如本句就是一个很好的例子，复杂修饰与抽象词狼狈为奸，句意另人难以理解。

　　意群训练：The very richness and complexity of the　meaningful relationships that kept　presenting and rearranging themselves　on all levels，from abstract intelligence to profound dreamy feelings， made it difficult for Proust to set them out coherently.

　　55. But those of who hoped, with Kolb, that Kolbs newly published complete edition of Prousts correspondence for 1909 would document the process in greater detail are disappointed.

　　但是我们当中的那些希望K新出版的P1909年书信的全集能够更加详细的记录下这一过程的人都大失所望。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语

　　解释：本句中从句套从句，致使主语those of us与谓语的距离很远，而且中间的成分又极多，使得句子很难读懂。修饰主语those of us的定语从句who hoped之中又套了一个宾语从句，宾语从句的主语complete edition又被一前一后的两个定语所修饰，之后才依次是宾语从句的谓语、宾语：主句的系动词、表语。

　　意群训练：But those of us who hoped, with Kolb, that Kolbs newly published complete edition of Prousts correspondence for 1909 would document the process in greater detail are disappointed.