考研英语阅读难点及应对之历年长句解析(二)

   I have been transformed from /a passionate advocate of the philosophy of “having it all”, preached by Linda Kelsey / for the past seven years / in the page of She magazine, into a woman / who is happy to settle for a bit of everything. (2001年真题)

   【分析】本句是由transformed from...into...(从……转变为……)固定搭配连接构成的长句。句子主干为：I have been transformed from a passionate advocate of the philosophy of “having it all” into a woman who is happy to settle for a bit of everything.“preached by Linda Kelsey”，分词作定语修饰“the philosophy of ‘having it all’”。“who is happy to settle for a bit of everything”定语从句修饰“woman”。
 
   【翻译】我已经从 “拥有一切”哲学的积极倡导者，转化成一个对一切浅尝辄止就心满意足的妇女。过去七年里琳达·凯尔西在《女性》杂志再三宣扬这种哲学。

   It identifies the under-treatment of pain / and the aggressive use of “ineffectual and forced medical procedures / that may prolong and even dishonor the period of dying” / as the twin problems of end-of-life care. (2002年真题)

   【分析】本句主干部分是由identify...as...(把……识别为……)固定搭配连接构成的。同时identifies后面所接的两个并列宾语成分(the under-treatment of pain，the aggressive use of ineffectual and forced medical procedures)增加了句子的理解难度。句子主干为：It identifies the undertreatment of pain / and the aggressive use of “ineffectual and forced medical procedures / as the twin problems of end-of-life care. 定语从句“that may prolong and even dishonor the period of dying”，修饰“the aggressive use of ‘ineffectual and forced medical procedures’”而不是“the under-treatment of pain and the aggressive use of ‘ineffectual and forced medical procedures’”，这里要学会对定语从句所修饰词语范围的限定，通常结合文中的句意来确定。

   【翻译】该报告把对病痛处理不力和坚持使用无效及强制性医疗手段从而有可能延长病人死亡时间，致使病人临终时痛苦不堪，确定为临终护理方面存在的两大问题。

   The American spymaster / who built the Office of Strategic Services in the World War II / and later / laid the roots for the CIA / was fascinated with information. (2003年真题)

   【分析】句子主干为：The American spymaster was fascinated with information. “who built the Office of Strategic Services  in the World War II / and later / laid the roots for the CIA”是定语从句，修饰“The American spymaster”。

   【翻译】这位在第二次世界大战中建立了战略情报局且后来为中央情报局奠定基础的美国间谍头子对信息收集非常痴迷。

   Physicians——frustrated by their inability to cure the disease / and fearing loss of hope in the patient——too often offer aggressive treatment / far beyond what is scientifically justified. (2003年真题)

   【分析】句子主干为：Physicians too often offer aggressive treatment.插入部分“frustrated by their inability to cure the disease / and fearing loss of hope in the patient”是分词作定语，修饰physicians。介词短语“far beyond what is scientifically justified”作定语修饰“aggressive treatment”。

   【翻译】内科医生由于不能治愈疾病，同时担心病人失去希望，常常采取极端大胆的治疗方法，这些方法远远超出了科学许可的界限。

   A bill by Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, which would offer financial incentives for private industry, is a promising start. (2005年真题)

   【分析】句子主干：A bill is a promising start. “which would offer financial incentives for private industry”是修饰“a bill”的定语从句。

   【翻译】来自西弗吉尼亚州的民主党参议员罗伯特·伯德提出的一项议案是一个很有希望的开端，该议案提出将对私人企业给予财政上的奖励。

   The brain is as active during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep——when most vivid dreams occur——as it is when fully awake.(2005年真题)

   【分析】句子主干由as...as...(和……一样……)固定搭配构成。句子主干：The brain is as active as it is when fully awake. 介词短语“during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep”作状语修饰“active”，时间状语从句“when most vivid dreams occur”修饰“REM (rapid eye movement) sleep”。

   【翻译】大脑活动在眼球迅速运动的睡眠时期中同完全醒时一样，比较生动的梦境就出现在那时。

   With much practice / people can learn to, literally, do it in their sleep. (2005年真题)

   【分析】句子主干：people can learn to do it in their sleep.本句难点在于literally的理解，表示“客观地，实际上”。“with much practice”，with引导的介词短语作伴随状语，修饰整个句子。

   【翻译】多加练习的话，人们就真能在睡眠时控制梦境了。

   American no longer expects public figures, whether in speech or in writing, to command the English language with skill and gift. (2005年真题)

   【分析】句子主干：American no longer expects public figures to command the English language with skill and gift.“whether...or...”引导状语从句，表示“无论是……还是……”。

   【翻译】美国人不再指望公众人物在演讲或写作中娴熟地运用技巧和文采来驾驭英语。

   John McWhorter, a linguist and controversialist of mixed liberal and conservative views, sees the triumph of 1960s counter-culture as responsible for the decline of formal English. (2005年真题)

   【分析】本句主干由see...as...(把……看作……)连接构成。句子主干：John McWhorter sees the triumph of 1960s counter-culture as responsible for the decline of formal English.“mixed liberal and conservative views”分词短语作定语，修饰controversialist。

   【·译】约翰·麦克沃特是位喜欢争辩的语言学家，他的观点混杂着保守派与自由派的看法，他认为，20世纪60年代反文化传统的得势是造成正式英语水平下降的原因。

   It’s not obvious / how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns / suits one to answer questions / that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers.(2007年真题)

   【分析】本句是一个结构比较复杂的表语从句。句中“how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns / suits one to answer questions”充当主句的主语，主语中的几个不定式均是修饰the capacity，定语从句“that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers”修饰“questions”。本句的理解难点是one指定的判定。指代的判断通常可以从两个方面着手：一、指代前面的中心词，二、与指代所在句子的并列结构。本句中我们可以确定one之前的中心词是the capacity，两者都是不定式结构，属并列结构，因此，这里的one指代的是capacity。

   【翻译】对目标事物进行形象思维和推断数字模型的能力，如何与解答那些难倒比较有才气的诗人和哲学家的问题的能力相匹配，这点并不明显。

   Even demographics are working against the middle class family, as the odds of having a weak elderly parent--and all the attendant need for physical and financial assistance--have jumped eightfold in just one generation. (2007年真题)

   【分析】本句难点在于几个词汇的理解：work against表示“对……不利”、as作连词可以表示因果关系，这里表示“因为”，odds表示“可能性、概率”。通常这些貌似熟悉的词汇，一旦在句中出现其确切的含义会让许多考生难以理解，因此考生在记单词的时候一定要彻底弄懂这些熟悉但具体词义不好把握的词汇，这个可参看海文《2009考研英语易混超难词汇特训手册》。

   【翻译】就连人口统计数据也对中产阶级不利，因为家庭成员中有一个年老体弱的父母——以及其他需要物质和经济救助的人——的可能性，在一代人的时间里就猛增了八倍。

   【小结】从以上近20年来的阅读真题中出现的长难句，我们可以看出，所谓的长难句其实并不难，它们基本上是由少数几个常见的句型或固定搭配连接而成的。对于绝大部分考生来说，由于自身心态问题，以至于对长句产生恐惧，他们看到字数多一点的句子就不知所措。实际上，我们只需冷静头脑，从容应对，读懂这些句子是不会有问题的。