第18讲
长难句理解
(2012·湖南卷A篇)
…
I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked.
56. The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was ______.
A. doing shopping
B. having a debate
C. reading a message
D. leaving for Wyoming
C 该题正确答案就是根据这一长句推断的。该句的主干是I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom，而saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him是Verbing短语作定语修饰主干中的名词a text message；when I came across a message on my phone是时间状语从句，that I had locked是定语从句修饰先行词a message。由此可知答案为C。 思路点拨
在阅读理解中，考生会经常碰到许多结构复杂的句子，也就是所谓的长难句。命题者在句子理解难度上大做文章，无非是想通过增加句子长度和使用复杂结构来干扰考生正常的阅读习惯和思维方式，从而达到考查考生综合阅读能力的目的。长难句在阅读理解中容易给考生造成阅读障碍，形成一种心理压力，使考生失分。
一、长难句的基本特征
(一) 含多重从句和修饰语的复合句。
这些句子往往较长，一个从句套着另一个从句，环环相扣，使得考生不明白整个句子结构。考生应通过仔细分析找出主干和修饰成分，这样整个句子结构就清晰了。
(二) 分隔结构和成分省略的干扰。
为了调整语气和增加补充信息，更主要的是为了平衡句子结构，避免头重脚轻，使语义严密，结构紧凑，英语中将语法关系密切的两个句子成分用其他语法成分分隔开来，这就是所谓的分隔结构。考试中出现较多的是插入语、用破折号插入的新话题或补充信息。此外，还有一些句子成分(一般是定语)过长而出现后置，只不过它只是句子原有成分位置的调整，没有新增信息。
省略主要是为了避免重复，突出关键词并使上下文紧密连接。成分省略一般和从句相结合，一正一反，使句子富于变化，增强表现力。
(三)正常语序的改变。
改变语序主要指倒装句式。这些句子往往和一些副词、连词相关，有明显的标志。
当然，被动句、双重否定句等句式在阅读考试中也屡屡出现。希望考生能结合阅读实践来体会上述句法特征。
二、长难句的理解技巧
一般说来，长难句理解主要采用“主干成分分析法”，按“先干后枝”的原则处理，即按“主句→从句→修饰语”的顺序进行。具体步骤如下：
第一步：整句结构分析。
通过语法分析，迅速弄清整个句子的结构，把握住句子的基本框架，确定整个句子是简单句、并列句还是复合句。 例句：“I felt there was a need for a book like this.” she says. “I didn't want to lecture, but I wanted other diabetics to know that things get better when we're selfcontrolled and do our part in managing the disease.”
分析：整个句子是个简单句，即：she says “…”。只不过，前后两个引号为两个并列的宾语从句。第一处引号“I felt there was a need for a book like this.”的主语为I，felt后跟了一个宾语从句“there was a need for a book like this”。第二处引号“I didn't want to lecture, but…managing the disease.”由but连接两个分句，第二个分句有主句I wanted other diabetics to know…， 宾语从句that things get better 及时间状语从句when we're selfcontrolled and do our part in managing the disease。
第二步：主干成分确定。
找出句子的核心成分，确定主句的主语和谓语。
例句：Miss Germaine's mother looked anxious through the wedding and Mr. Cordell's parents are reported to be less than delighted.
分析：本句由两个分句组成，and连接两个并列单句。句意： Germaine小姐的母亲在整个婚礼过程中看上去很焦虑，Cordell先生的父母亲据报道也不开心。
第三步：从句功能分析。
找出句中从句的引导词，分析从句类型(是否为定语从句、名词性从句或状语从句等)和从句之间及从句和主句之间的关系。
例句：Whereas a woman's closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage，it wasn't unusual to hear a man say he didn't know his friend's marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa. 分析：whereas引导了一个从句，即 a woman's closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage, 而it wasn't unusual to hear a…if he could sleep on the sofa.为主句，其中it为形式主语，真正的主语为不定式 to hear a man…。省略to的不定式say作宾语补足语，say后面接了一个宾语从句he didn't know，know后面又接了一个宾语从句his friend's marriage was in serious trouble和时间状语从句until he appeared one night，现在分词短语asking 作伴随状语，asking 后面又接了一个宾语从句if he could sleep on the sofa。 句意：一个女人最亲密的女友，很可能第一个奉劝她结束不幸的婚姻。然而，我们常听到男人说，他是在朋友突然来到自己家里并要求睡在沙发上时，才明白朋友的婚姻有了麻烦。
第四步：短语功能分析。
找出非谓语动词短语、介词短语、形容词短语、名词短语等短语，分析其功能以及它们与谓语动词/非谓语动词/从句/主句之间的关系等。
例句：If you ask people to name one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like “Shakespeare”， “Samuel Johnson”， and “Webster”， but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn't even speak English — William the Conqueror.
分析：首先找出并列复合句，即but连接的两个句子，再看but前的并列句中有一个if引导的条件状语从句，but后的并列句中有一个who引导的定语从句，修饰a man。句意：如果你要求别人说出对英语的影响最大的人，你可能会得到像“Shakespeare”， “Samuel Johnson”和 “Webster”之类的答案。但是与一个甚至不会说英语的人——“征服者”William相比，这些人就毫无影响力了。 【基础练习】 【基础练习】 译文： 在看到父亲打开仔细镶嵌于一个廉价框架，并看到那些龙飞凤舞的黑色文字时的表情的那一刻，我就知道我送的礼物非常完美了。 【基础练习】 2. (2012·湖南卷B篇)Arriving in 1805, he wrote a letter complaining that it was a place of “mess and drunkenness”． 结构： 主句为he_wrote_a_letter,_complaining that…为非谓语动词形式作伴随状语；引导宾语从句，Arriving in 1805作状语。 【基础练习】 译文：他1805年到达，写了一封投诉信，抱怨说，这是一个醉醺醺的一团糟的地方。 【基础练习】 3. (2012·湖南卷B篇)It is also said that on occasion Byron swam naked by moonlight in the lake, which is now known as Byron's Pool. 结构：主句为It_is_also_said，that引导主语从句，naked_by_moonlight是形容词短语作状语，which引导非限制性定语从句修饰先行词lake。 【基础练习】 译文：人们说，拜伦偶尔会在河里借着月光裸泳。这条河也就是现在闻名的“拜伦池”。 【基础练习】 4. (2012·湖南卷C篇)The material, made from shrimp (虾) shells and proteins produced from silk, is called “shrilk”． 结构：主句为The_material_is_called_“shrilk”. made from…是过去分词短语作定语修饰The_material，produced from silk同样是过去分词短语修饰proteins。 【基础练习】 译文：这种名为“虾客”的物质，是由虾壳和丝绸构建的蛋白所组成的。 【基础练习】 5. (2012·湖南卷C篇)Decades later, however, plastic's very durability (耐用性) is raising questions about how appropriate it is for onetime products such as plastic bags, or shortlived consumer goods, used in the home for a few years and then cast into a landfill where they will degrade for centuries. 结构：主句为plastic's_very_durability_(耐用性)_is_raising_questions，how引导介词后的宾语从句，used…and then cast…为过去分词短语作定语修饰前面的名词，where引导定语从句修饰名词landfill。 【基础练习】 译文：然而几十年后，塑料的耐用性受到了质疑，那就是使用一次性的产品比如塑料袋或者一次性的消费品，在家里使用几年之后扔到垃圾堆里好几个世纪才能降解合理吗？
感谢您的关注 Thank you for your attention ! 翻译并分析下列句子的结构：
1. (2012·湖南卷A篇)The minute I saw the look on my dad's face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given the perfect gift.
结构： 主句为I_knew_I_had_given_the_perfect_gift，The_minute引导时间状语从句，as引导方式状语从句，carefully placed in a cheap frame为过去分词短语作定语修饰名词letters。