第六章 省略

????英語句子有時復雜難辨的另一個原因是由于句子中的某些成分被省略掉了。為了避免重復，增強所表達的意思的緊湊性、邏輯性和新穎性，常常把句子前部分已經(jīng)交代過的人、事或動作在不影響語義內(nèi)容表達連貫的情況下，從句子后部分的成分中省略掉。省略一般出現(xiàn)在平行結構的后半部分或各類從句中。被省略的部分大多是主語，謂語或者謂語的助動詞等。


Exercise?

Then he called in his two remaining women secretaries and handed them capsules of poison to use if they wished to when the advancing Russians broke in.

Whatever his rank, however rich or poor, an Egyptian believed in another life after death, provided he had pleased the gods.

My mother Jane, died in her 88th year, a mighty age for one who at 40 was so delicate of body as to be accounted a confirmed invalid, destined to pass away.


要點：if they wished to 后面省略了use.這種省略的動詞要根據(jù)上文來判斷。
譯文：然后，他把自己僅剩的兩名女秘書傳來，遞給她們毒藥膠囊，以備節(jié)節(jié)逼近的俄國人闖入后她們想服用時服用。

要點：句中的兩個讓步狀語"whatever his rank, however rich or poor"是兩個省略句。完整的句子應為：“whatever his rank is, however rich or poor he is".句子中provided he had pleased the gods 是由連詞provided引出的條件狀語從句，類似意義的詞還有：providing，（常用于口語和商業(yè)英語中，不用于書面語），given,supposing等。例如：Supposing the plane doesn't arrive on time, we'll have to postpone the meeting.
譯文：埃及人不論職位高低，不管貧富貴賤，都相信如果得到了上帝的歡心，死后會有另一次生命。

要點：此句中Jane是my mother的同位語，a mighty age for one 是her 88th year的同位語?！眞ho at 40...destined to pass away"是one的定語從句?！皌o be accounted a confirmed invalid ,destined to pass away "是一個省略了成分的并列動詞不定式結構。此短語補齊后應該是：to be accounted a confirmedivalid , and to be destined to pass away,省略and to be 是為了避免重復多余的詞。
譯文：我的母親簡是88歲去世。這個歲數(shù)對于一個40歲時就身體纖弱，被公認有痼疾在身和注定不久于人世的人來說，是個難得的高齡。

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