历年考研英语疑难长句解析(一)

4.And there are the townsfolk who largely live off the tourists who come, not to see the plays, but to look at Anne Hathaways Cottage, Shakespeares birthplace and the other sights.

“译文”另一边是靠游客谋生的市民，游客来到小镇不是为了看戏，而是想看看安妮·海瑟薇的房舍、莎士比亚的出生地和其他的风景点。

“解析”定语从句（who largely live off the tourists）修饰the townsfolk，而该定语从句的宾语the tourists的后面又跟了另一个定语从句。注意，不能把not to see the plays的主语看作是the townsfolk.

largely意为“在很大程度上，主要地”。He owed his success largely to the support of his wife.（他的成功在很大程度上应归于妻子的支持。）live off有两个意思，分别是“住在……外”或“靠……生活”。The family used to live off the small pocket of land they owned.（这家人过去靠着自家的一小块土地过日子。）Some college students have chosen to live off the campus.（有些学生选择住在校外。）

5.It is all deliciously ironic when you consider that Shakespeare, who earns their living, was himself an actor (with a beard) and did his share of noisemaking.

“译文”他们是靠莎士比亚过日子，而莎士比亚自己就是一位演员（留着胡子），当初也是吵吵嚷嚷的，想到这些不无讽刺的意味。

“解析”这是一个主从复合句，主句是Its all deliciously ironic.另外，非限制性定语从句who earns their living修饰Shakespeare，其字面意思是：莎士比亚挣钱养活他们，即他们靠莎士比亚过日子。

ironic意为“讽刺的，说反话的；有讽刺意味的”。Ironically, even the government was aware of the situation.（具有讽刺意味的是，甚至连政府都清楚这一情况。）share作名词时表示“分享；份额；一份；股份”，句中did his share of noisemaking字面意思是他也制造他那一份噪音，即莎士比亚当初也是吵吵嚷嚷的，像现在的演员一样。