本期难句分析:
1. A child hears it spoken from morning till night and, (what is more important), always in its genuine form, with the right pronunciation, right intonation1, right use of words and right structure.
结构:共有2个谓语动词,其中主句的是hears。(what is more)是插入语,而插入语并不重要。所以要先理解插入语两端的内容,再理解插入语。因此,对于插入语,我们的处理方法是:“先读两端,再读中间”。with后面的right…right…and right…是并列结构。
翻译:儿童从早到晚都能听到别人在讲(母语),而且更重要的是,听到的总是一种正确的发音、语调、用词以及语法结构的纯正语言。
2.Work, (for most American and Chinese women aged2 55 and under), involves responsibility for a household, a child or children, and a job outside the home as well.
结构:只有一个谓语动词:involves。(for most American and Chinese women aged 55 and under)是插入语。本句的主干为:Work involves responsibility。for后面的内容修饰responsibility,而a household, a child or children, and a job outside the home as well为并列结构。
翻译:对于大多数美国和中国的55岁或者以下的妇女而言,工作的全部职责包括了负责家务、照顾孩子以及在家务之外还要上班。
3.Still, he could not help thinking that if anything should happen, the nearest person he could contact by radio, (unless there was a ship nearby), would be on an island 885 miles away.
结构:共有5个谓语动词,主句谓语动词为could not help。that引导think的宾语从句。could contact属于定于从句,省略了引导词,修饰person。unless引导条件状语从句,为插入语。拆分为:
1) Still, he could not help thinking.
2) That if anything should happen.
3) The nearest person would be on … away.
4) he could contact the person.
5) Unless there was a ship nearby.
翻译:他仍然忍不住想到,如果发生了什么意外,那么除非附近有条船,否则他能用电台联系到的最近的人也885英里之外的岛屿上。
4.Yet this other life has its interests, its enjoyments3, its satisfaction, and, (at certain rare intervals), a peaceful glow or a sudden excitement.
结构:只有1个谓语动词:has。its…, its…, its…, and a…or a…是并列结构,作为has的宾语。(at certain rare intervals)是插入语。
翻译:然而,这另一种生活也有其情趣、快乐、满足,而且也偶尔伴随着平静的喜悦或者突如其来的激动。
5.Our knowledge of social systems, (therefore), (while it is in many ways extremely inaccurate4), is not likely to be seriously overturned by new discoveries.
结构:共有2个谓语动词,其中is not是主句的谓语动词。while引导的让步状语从句,作为插入语,分隔了主语和系动词。拆分为:
1) Our knowledge of social systems is not likely to be seriously overturned by new discoveries.
2) While it is in many ways extremely inaccurate.
翻译:因此,虽然在很多方面,我们对社会体制的认识极度不准确,但是这些认识并不能够被新的发现所正式推翻。
6.However, self-fulfillment is important to morality because unfulfilled citizens, (no matter how virtuous), can not perform the duties morality assigns them.
结构:共有2个谓语动词,其中is是主句的谓语动词。because引导原因状语从句。(no matter how virtuous)是插入语,分隔了从句的主语和谓语。拆分为:
1) Self-fulfillment is important to morality.
2) Because unfulfilled citizens can not perform the duties morality assigns them.
翻译:然而,自我实现对于道德而言至关重要,因为没有自我实现的公民,无论多么有道德,都无法履行道德赋予他们的义务。
7. Information and knowledge will become even more vital, and the people who possess it, (whether they work in manufacturing or services), will have the advantage and produce the wealth.
结构:共有4组谓语动词,其中主句谓语动词为will become和will have and produce。whether引导让步状语从句为插入语。拆分:
1) Information and knowledge will become even more vital, and the people will have the advantages and produce the wealth.
2) People possess it.
3) Whether they work in manufacturing or services.
翻译:信息和知识将会变得更加重要,而且掌握它们的人们,不论是在制造业还是服务业,都将会拥有优势,创造财富。
8.What I was being blamed for, (it turned out), was a newspaper strike which made it necessary to hand-deliver the advertising5 inserts that normally are included with the Sunday paper.