第二章 插入結構
除了上一章的并列結構,英語長句中另一個常用結構就是插入結構。插入結構是在一個句子中某兩個句子成分之間,如主謂,謂賓,定語和受定語等之間插入一個從句,短語或單詞以對原來句子所表達的內容進行補充、添加、限定和說明。有時一個句子會有多個從句,分詞短語等存在,再加上插入成分,就會使得句子結構顯得很復雜,不易分清各部分得成分,而造成閱讀上得障礙。插入成分最明顯得標志是用逗號與主句隔開。但有時由于多種句子成分的存在,句子中會使用多個逗號,分號,從而導致插入得成分不易一眼看出,以至出現(xiàn)理解錯誤。本章我們就集中辨析這一類結構得句子。


Exercise

Dying patients especially—who are easiest to mislead and most often kept in the dark—can then not make decisions about the end of life: about whether or not they should enter a hospital, or to have surgery; about where and with whom they should spend their remaining time; about how they should bring their affairs to a close and take leave.

Computer crime, a phrase denoting illegal and surreptitious attempts to invade data banks in order to steal or modify records, or to release over computer networks software called a virus that corrupts data and programs, has grown at an alarming rate since the development of computer communications.

Hence, though the normal child masters some 80,000 words in sixteen years — about fourteen per day— little of this learning takes place in school.


要點分析和參考譯文

要點:要點該句中破折號內得成分是插入語。介詞about 之后三個分別由“whether or not”“where and with whom”“how”引起得從句做其賓語。動詞短語to bring to a close意為“to cause to come to an end”; “to take leave”意為“say goodbye to sb.”
參考譯文:特別是瀕臨死亡的病人——他們最容易受騙,也最會被蒙在鼓里——從而不能做出臨終前的有關抉擇:是否要住院,是否要進行手術,在何處與何人度過剩下的一點時光,以及如何處理完自己的事后再告別人世。

要點:本句的主句是“Computer crime grams, has grown at an alarming rate……”逗號之間的插入結構“a phrase……programs”是主句主語“Computer crime”的同位語。
參考譯文:隨著計算機通信的迅速發(fā)展,計算機犯罪以令人震驚的速度增長。計算機犯罪這個術語指的是用非法的,秘密的手段入侵數(shù)據(jù)庫,以便偷取或修改數(shù)據(jù)庫資料,或是在計算機網(wǎng)絡中散布病毒軟件,這些病毒能毀壞數(shù)據(jù)和程序。

要點:hence,就這樣,副詞表示結果。Though引導讓步狀語從句,從句的主語為the normal child, 謂語為master, about fourteen per day為插入語,起補充說明的作用,主句的主語為little of this learning; 主句的謂語是takes place
參考譯文:這樣,盡管正常的孩子在16年里能掌握大約8萬個單詞,大約一天學14個,但只有很少一部分是在學校里學來得。


?