和谐英语

英语阅读基本功—长难句过关之倒装结构

2007-11-12来源:
Exercise

We could not offer you that post without the responsibility, neither  could we ask you to accept the one or two other vacancies of a different type which do exist, for they are unsuitable for someone with your high standard of education and ability.

Along with this disparagement of a compliment is the American tendency to laugh at one's own mistakes and admit one's weaknesses.

The Chinese had trained messengers on horseback and runners before 1100 B.C.,as did the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans.

要点:neither后面用的是倒装语序(could we)。 which do exist 的先行词为vacancies,但被of a different type 隔开。exist后面是一个由for(等立连词)引导的原因状语从句,用来作附加说明。
译文:我们不能不负责任地给你这种职务,也不愿让你接受其他工种现有的一两个空缺,因为这两个中任何一个都不适合教育程度和能力达到你这样高水平的人去做。

要点:本句是判断句的倒装。Along with引导的介词短语在句中作表语,为了使句子的结构达到平衡协调,把带有较长修饰语的主语部分放到句子的后部,以避免头重脚轻。表语提前,还达到了强调表语所表达的意义的作用。介词短语along with意为"together with".
译文:美国人在自贬别人对自己称赞的同时,还有一种倾向,那就是嘲笑自己的错误并承认自己的弱点。

要点:此句的后半部分"as did the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans"中的连词"as"引出方式状语从句。"did"为代动词,代替主句的"had trained messengers on horseback and runners before 1100 B.C".因为从句主语较长,谓语较短,为了保持句子平衡,将谓语动词提前。正常语序为" as the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans did"。
译文:就像古波斯人、希腊人、罗马人一样,中国人在公元前1100年就已经训练信使骑马或跑步送信.

Exercise

Only when total production expands faster than the rate of labor force growth plus the rate of productivity increase and minus the rate at which average annual hours fall does the unemployment rate fall.

In addition, difficult as it is to believe, there are desert fish which can survive through years of drought in the form of inactive eggs.

In reality, though, the BBC dictionary will be purchased by a far wider range of language learners, as will the other two dictionaries.

要点:这是一个倒装句。不倒装的话,应为:the unemployment fall only when ...hours fall. when引导的从句主干为: total production expands faster than the rate ... plus the rate ... and minus the rate...,最后一个rate又是由at which引导的从句修饰的。
译文:只有当总产量增长快于劳工数量加产量的增长,并减去平均工作小时时,失业率才会下降。

要点:在由as引导的让步状语从句中,句中的形容词或副词甚至动词根据强调的需要放在句首,而as置于其后。
译文:此外,让人难以置信的是,有一种生长在沙漠地区的水生动物在干旱时能以其非活性卵的形态存活多年。

要点:as承接前面从句之语,意为“如。。。一样”,并且要求主谓倒装。
译文:尽管如此,实际上购买英国BBC广播公司的字典的语言学习者的范围将会更大一些,其他两本字典也是这样.