托福阅读长难句：动物群统治地位

　　However, no group or species can maintain its dominance indefinitely, and when, after over 200 million years, the age of dinosaurs came to a dramatic end about 65 million years ago, mammals began to flourish, evolving from relatively few types of small terrestrial animals into the myriad of diverse species, including bats and whales, that we know today. (TPO33,58)

　　dramatic /dr?'m?t?k/ adj. 戏剧的;激动人心的，给人深刻印象的

　　flourish v. /'fl?r??/ 昌盛，旺盛，兴旺;健康成长，茂盛

　　terrestrial /t?'restr??l/ adj. 陆地的，陆生的;地球的

　　myriad /'m?r??d/ n. 无数，极大数量

　　大家自己先读，不回读，看一遍是否能理解

　　However, no group or species can maintain its dominance indefinitely, and (when, (after over 200 million years), the age of dinosaurs came to a dramatic end) (about 65 million years ago), mammals began to flourish, (evolving from relatively few types of small terrestrial animals into the myriad of diverse species), (including bats and whales), (that we know today).

　　分析：

　　这个句子主干：

　　no group or species can maintain its dominance indefinitely, and mammals began to flourish

　　修饰一： (after over 200 million years)，介词短语

　　中文：在二亿年后

　　修饰二：(when the age of dinosaurs came to a dramatic end)，从句

　　中文：当恐龙时代突然结束

　　修饰三：(about 65 million years ago)，介词短语

　　中文：大约在六千五百万年前

　　修饰四：(evolving from relatively few types of small terrestrial animals into the myriad of diverse species)，非谓语动词

　　中文：从少数几种小型陆生动物逐渐发展到无数的各类物种

　　修饰五：(including bats and whales)，插入语

　　中文：包括蝙蝠和鲸鱼

　　修饰六：(that we know today)，从句

　　中文：我们现在所知道的

　　参考翻译：

　　然而，没有哪类动物群或物种能够一直保持统治地位。在二亿年后，当恐龙时代大约在六千五百万年前突然结束，哺乳动物便开始繁盛，从少数几种小型陆生动物逐渐发展到无数的各类物种，包括我们现在所知道的蝙蝠和鲸鱼。