英语四级真题阅读长难句的分析（十九）

　　74. In fact, New York s municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity.

　　【分析】本句为简单句。句子主干为 water was called the champagne and considered the best。 for more than a century 是时间状语。

　　【译文】实际上一个多世纪以来，纽约的市政水一直被称为自来水中的香槟，而且直到现在也被认为是世界上味道最好、最纯净的水。

　　75. Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and are kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school the prophecy becomes self-fulfilling, trapping women in a vicious circle of neglect.

　　【分析】本句为复合句。主句是破折号后的内容，前面则是prophecy的同位语从句。该从句包含一个while引导的比较状语从句，其中又嵌套一个than引导的比较状语从句，省略了从句谓语。trapping是现在分词短语作伴随状语。

　　【译文】所以，与男孩相比，女孩被认为没有用处而只能待在家里做家务，而她们的兄弟却被送去读书 这样的预言正如预期的那样成为了现实，使女性陷入被忽视的恶性循环。

　　76. It starts in the Pacific Ocean and is thought to be caused by a failure in the trade winds, which affects the ocean currents driven by these winds.

　　【分析】本句为并列复合句。主句为It starts in the Pacific Ocean and is thought to be caused by winds。which 引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 failure。过去分词短语driven by these winds是the ocean currents的后置定语。

　　【译文】这种现象首先出现在太平洋，并且被认为是由于信风引起的，信风会对洋流产生影响。

　　77. A government study recommended a national highway system of 33,920 miles, and Congress soon passed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944, which called strict, centrally controlled design criteria.

　　【分析】本句为并列复合句。主句为A government study recommended , and Congress soon passed the Act of 1944。 which 引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944。

　　【译文】一份政府研究报告建议在全国范围建设总长33920英里的公路，国会很快就通过了1944年联邦支持公路的法案，这项法案规定了严格的中央控制的设计标准。