英語四級閱讀備考:真題長難句解析
四級閱讀理解長難句有以下六大特點:
1、 主語拉長
一般來講,漢語主語比較簡短。相比之下,英語中主語一旦拉長,就會增加讀者的理解難度。
解決方法:有效分解主謂成分,斷開之后各個擊破。例如:
The streams, lakes, meadows(草地), mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for balck bears have also attracted more people to the region. (2005.6)
首先,把原句子分解為兩個簡單獨立的句子:
(1)The streams, lakes, meadows(草地), mountain ridges and forests that make the Poconos an ideal place for balck bears溪流、湖泊、草地、山脈、森林,使得Pocono成為黑熊理想的棲息地
(2)have also attracted more people to the region. 吸引了越來越多的人們來到這里。
其次,句子整合翻譯:
溪流、湖泊、草地、山脈、森林,這些不僅使得Pocono成為黑熊理想的棲息地,而且吸引了越來越多的人們來到這里。
2、 分詞短語打頭,句子呈現(xiàn)三段(或三段以上)的長句式
分詞短語(包括現(xiàn)在分詞和過去分詞)做狀語,這一句式比較常見,讀者閱讀時由于要區(qū)分短語和主語之間的邏輯關系,所以理解上有難度。并且分詞短語本身往往由于摻入了插入語成分,理解上就更為困難。
解決方法:理清主動和被動關系。一般來說現(xiàn)在分詞與主語之間是主動關系;而過去分詞與主語之間是被動關系。
例如:
Operating out of a century-old schoolhouse in the village of Long Pond, Pennsylvanis, the Conservancy’s Bud Cook is working with local people and business leaders to balance economic growth environmental protection. (2005.6)
翻譯:在賓西法尼亞州的朗龐德村莊有一棟上百年歷史的校舍,大自然保護協(xié)會的成員巴德-庫克就在這里辦公,他與當?shù)厝嗣窈蜕虡I(yè)領導合作,以努力平衡好經(jīng)濟發(fā)展與環(huán)境保護之間的關系。
☆注意:介詞短語位于句首類似分詞短語形式。例如:
In a time of low academic achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. (2005.1)
翻譯:有一段時間,美國的兒童學業(yè)表現(xiàn)不盡如人意,許多人于是轉向日本,想從中尋求可能的解決辦法,因為日本不僅經(jīng)濟實力強,而且學術成就也很高。
☆特別注意不定式to位于句首表目的,一定是考試重點。例如:
原文:To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. (2005.1)
翻譯:為了使孩子能在一年級和以后有良好的表現(xiàn),日本的學校并不教授閱讀、寫作、和算數(shù),而是教孩子們諸如毅力、注意力和群體合作能力等技巧。
考題:In Japan’s preshcool education, the focus is on
A. preparing children academically ?B. developing children’s artistic interests
C. tapping children’s potential ? ? ? D. shaping children’s character
3、 多個謂語動詞連用
簡單句之所以簡單是因為成分單一便于讀者理解。而四級閱讀理解中,出題人為增加閱讀難度,就會把幾個謂語動詞放在一個句子當中。但是無論局勢如何變化,英語句子本身就猶如一棵大樹,只能有一個主干起支撐作用,其他起輔助作用。
解決方法:遇到多個謂語動詞連用情況要分清主句謂語動詞和從句的謂語動詞。剔除細枝末節(jié)之后,句子也就好理解了。例如:
Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery, but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu(流感) may make a difference in how long the misery lasts. (2005.1)
解析:此句是由but引導的并列句。前面一句話容易理解,謂語動詞是spell,關鍵看后一句話。but引導的句子黑體下劃線是主語,該句子真正謂語動詞是may make,如下面所示:
but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu(流感) may make a difference in how long the misery lasts.
翻譯:喉嚨發(fā)癢、鼻塞、渾身酸痛都令人痛苦,但是能夠確定造成這種痛苦的根源是普通感冒還是流感,對這種痛苦能折磨你多就會起關鍵作用。
4、舉例作為插入語(顯著詞such as; for example; including etc.)
插入語主要起補充或說明的作用,我們在進行快速閱讀的時候通常會把它省略,即忽略不看。但是,筆者在這里要提出的一點是,如果根據(jù)文章問題回原文定位句子時,如果定位的關鍵句子包含了以上插入語中的任何一種形式,則答案往往就在此處。例如:
原文:Finally, other people may give us instrumental support—financial aid, material resources, and needed services—that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.
考題: Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of
A. instrumental support ? B. informational support
C. social companionship ?D. the strengthening of self-respect
(1)Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. (2005.1)
翻譯:普通感冒患者的一些典型癥狀,如鼻塞、流鼻涕、喉嚨發(fā)癢,發(fā)作比較緩慢,成人和青少年患者一般不會有發(fā)熱癥狀。
(2)And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms. (2005.1)
翻譯:一般來說,流感癥狀包括發(fā)燒、發(fā)冷、喉嚨發(fā)癢、渾身疼痛,比普通感冒的癥狀來得突然和猛烈。
☆注意:舉例有時可以換成短語,如介詞短語、不定式短語等等;還可以換成有兩個破折號引起的插入語成分。例如:
It is 37 years later. Stokoe—now devoting his time to writing and editing books and jounals and to producing video materials on ASL and deaf culture—is having lunch at a café near the Gallaudet campus and explaining how he started a revolution.(2004.6)
時間過了37年。現(xiàn)在Stoloe致力于撰寫和編輯關于美國手語和聾啞人文化的書籍和雜志,以及制作相關的錄像材料
5、并列句連用使得句子變長(主謂賓都可以并列)
并列句是四級閱讀理解中的主要句式。出題人會把幾個成分相同的并列句子,通過剔除多余成分從而使其合并為一個很長的句子
解決方法:破解這樣句子的關鍵是要弄清楚兩個句子的邏輯關系,補全成分后重新還原為幾個單獨的句子即可。例如:
To make matters worse for the government, it soon emerged that the Princess’s trip had been approved by the Foreign Office, and that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government’s policy regarding landmines. (2004.6)
翻譯:對政府來說,更糟糕的是,不久得知的消息是,王妃的安哥拉之行得到過外事辦的批準,并且她事實上非常了解安哥拉的形勢和英國政府關于地雷的政策。
相當于拆分成三個句子:
(1) To make matters worse for the government
(2) It soon emerged that the Princess’s trip had been approved by the Foreign Office.
(3) It soon emerged that she was in fact very well-informed about both the situation in Angola and the British government’s policy regarding landmines.
6、多重復合句疊加
所謂多重復合句疊加,就是說一個長句子當中可能包含了好幾種句式(并列的定語從句、狀語從句、介詞短語等等)。
解決方法:分清主從句,理清句子邏輯關系至關重要。通常采用圖表法。例如:
(1)Then there is the general, all covering apology, which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act that was particularly hurtful or insulting, and which the person who is apologizing should promise never to do again. (2006.1)
結構圖:
★①——☆①
○——○——
★②——☆②
說明:
○——○=then there is the general, all covering apology
★①=which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act
★②= and which the person should promise never to do again
☆①= that was particularly hurtful or insulting
☆②= Who is apologizing
顯然,原句子是由有there be引導做主句,后面跟了兩個which 引導的定語從句,兩者是并列的。比較特殊的是which定語從句中有各自有一個定語從句,像是一個連環(huán)套。
分解為以下幾個句子:
1.Then there is the general, all covering apology
2.Which avoids the necessity of identifying a specific act
3.That was particularly hurtful or insulting
4.And which the person
5.Who is apologizing
6.Should promise never to do again
翻譯:
1.然后就有了一種一般意義的、無所不包的道歉
2.這種道歉避免了一種指明特別行為的必要性
3.特別是讓人傷心或者令人委屈的行為
4.這種道歉使得人們
5.道歉的人們
6.承諾以后不再犯類似的行為
句子整合翻譯:然后還有一種泛泛的無所不包的道歉,這種道歉避免了一種指明特別讓人傷心、特別令人委屈的、道歉者應該保證以后不會再犯的具體行為。