实例解析六类最难应对的托福阅读长难句

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托福阅读长难句解析是托福阅读备考的重点和难点之一,下面我们结合TPO真题,具体来看六类最难应对的长难句该如何攻克。


1. Immediately adjacent to the timberline, the tundraconsists of a fairly complete cover of low-lying shrubs, herbs, and grasses,while higher up the number and diversity of species decrease until there ismuch bare ground with occasional mosses and lichens and some prostrate cushionplants.

难句类型:复杂句子结构+大量生僻名词

本句比较长,理解起来比较有难度,因为句子结构有些复杂,同时夹杂着众多的生僻名词。 如果一个句子里有超过 5 个单词不认识或者不熟悉,对我们的阅读都会构成一定的影响。

这句话是一个表示对比关系的复合句,主句和从句都各有一个状语来修饰,表明条件的变化;然后说明在两种不同条件下植被的构成发生了变化。

整句的主干结构是这样的:adjacent to timberline, the tundra consists of shrubs and grassesand so on, while rise up, the species and diversities will decrease. 只要能读出来这句话的核心意思是“靠近林木线的土地上到处覆盖着灌木和草,而海拔高度提高的时候,物种减少直到出现大片的荒地” 就可以了。

Timberline: n. 林木线(树木生长的极限海拔高度) timber + line Tundra: n. 冻原,苔原

Moss: n. 苔藓,

Lichen: n. 地衣

prostrate:adj. 俯倒,拜倒

cushion :n. 垫子,垫状物

译文:

由于紧挨着林木线,苔原上比较完整地覆盖着矮灌木、药材和草地。随着海拔的增加物种的数量和多样性会逐渐减少,直到出现大片的空地,这些空地仅仅伴有零星的苔藓和地衣或者一些伏地植物。

2. In order for the structure to achieve the size andstrength necessary to meet its purpose, architecture employs methods of supportthat, because they are based on physical laws, have changed little since peoplefirst discovered them—even while building materials have changed dramatically.

难句类型:复杂状语+复杂句子结构+插入成分+不明显的倒装+抽象名词

虽然表面看来这个句子没有什么生词,但是这个句子理解起来并不容易,因为这个句子中出现的单词都是比较抽象的单词,例如 structure, achieve, size, strength, purpose, method,,所以读句子的时候让人觉得不舒服。

句子开头就是一个目的状语,但是这个状语很长,让同学们搞不清楚谁是为了实现谁。主句结构是 architectureemploysmethodsof support,但是随后作者又用 that 引导了一个定语从句来修饰 method,并且在定语从句一开始,that 后面直接用 because 引导了一个插入的句子,割裂了定语从句。

所以完整的复合句是这样的:architecture employsmethods of support that have changed little since people first discovered them,到此处作者仍不肯收手,用 even while 引导了最后一个从句和定语从句做对比。于是整个句子的结构就变的十分混乱。

实际上 because they are based on physical laws 在句子中位置稍作调整,同学们就可以比较清楚的理解这句话了:architecture employsmethods of support that have changed little since people first discovered them,because they are based on physical laws.

所以本句意思是“建筑学上采用了一些支撑的方法,这些支撑的方法自它们被人类发现以来就鲜有变化,,因为它们是建立在物理定律上的”。作者隐含的意思是物理定律不变,所以这些方法不变。

译文:

建筑结构必须达到大小和强度的要求,以实现必要的建筑目的,因此建筑学上采用一些支撑的方法,这些方法都是以物理定律为基础的,尽管建筑材料已经发生了翻天覆地的变化,这些支撑的方法却自人们发现它们以来就鲜有变化。

3. There are two principal influences that shape the terrain:constructive processes such as uplift, which create new landscape features, anddestructive forces such as erosion, which gradually wear away exposedlandforms.

难句类型:并列句做主语从句+插入成分

本句的主句结构是一个 there be 结构,句子的主语应该是 two principal influences,主句的意思是“两个主要的影响决定了地形”,后面的标点符号用冒号,表示冒号后面使用并列句对主语进行具体解释,并在每个并列的分句中都插入了一个定语从句。

省略掉两个并列分句中的由 which 引导的定语从句,并列句应当如下:There are two principal influences that shape the terrain:constructive processes such as uplift, and destructive forces such as erosion.

在并列结构中两次对称地插入了定语从句,把一个好好的句子弄得四分五裂,虽然作者的逻辑思路是清晰的,但是对同学的阅读造成了不利的 影响。此类型的句子在托福阅读中出现的频率很高,同学们要多练,习惯了这种句子就会发现理解它们并不难。

译文:

主要有两种影响会改变地形:建设性的过程,如产生新的地表特征的地壳隆起;和破坏性的 力量,如缓慢清除突出地貌的地表侵蚀。

4. The same thing happens to this day, though on a smallerscale, wherever a sediment-laden river or stream emerges from a mountain valleyonto relatively flat land, dropping its load as the current slows: the waterusually spreads out fanwise, depositing the sediment in the form of a smooth,fan-shaped slope.

难句类型:复杂修饰+插入成分

本句的主句结构很简单 the same thing happens.

但是作者为了说明是什么同样的事情发生而大费周章,though on a smaller scale 做插入成分,说明现在是在更小的规模上发生同样的事情,如果跳过这段插入成分,主句和从句连在一起读就是 The same thing happens to this day, wherever a sediment-laden riveror stream emerges from a mountain valley onto relatively flat land. 到此处句子并不难理解,但是作者用动名词构成的短语 dropping its load as thecurrent slows 来修饰从句,表示伴随发生的动作。并在状语结束的时候用冒号,引出了一个句子来解释从句。

译文:

现代也有冰水沉积,尽管规模相对较小。凡是有携带泥沙的河流或者溪流从山谷流至相对平坦的地面时,砂石就随着水流速度的减慢逐渐沉淀;水流通常呈扇形扩散,它们所携带的砂 石也会沉淀为光滑的扇形斜坡。

5. Sediments are also dropped where a river slows on enteringa lake or the sea, the deposited sediments are on a lake floor or the seafloorat first, but will be located inland at some future date, when the sea levelfalls or the land rises; such beds are sometimes thousands of meters thick.

难句类型:复杂修饰+插入成分

本句的主句结构应当是 Sediments are also dropped,butwill be located inland at some future date; Such beds are sometimes thousandsof meters thick. 这是一个由分号隔开的并列句,分号前面的句子结构比较复杂,Sedimentsarealsodropped ,后面跟了一个由 where 引导的状语从句,紧接着这个状语从句又加上了一个插入结构, the depositedsediments are on a lake floor or the seafloor at first,,然后才开始进行转折 but will be located inland at some future date,但是马上又跟上了一个由 when 引导的状语从句。分号后面的半句比较简单 such beds aresometimes thousands of meters thick.

同学们面对这样的句子一定要先找主干,把状语从句、插入结构纷纷跳过,从纷繁复杂的句子中找出主干来,才能不被 ETS 出题人改写的句子所迷惑。

译文:

当河流汇入湖泊和海洋的时候也会有沉淀,这些沉淀最初在湖底或海底,但将来海平面 下降或者陆地崛起时,它们就会分布于内陆,通常厚达几千米。

6. In lowland country almost any spot on the ground mayoverlie what was once the bed of a river that has since become buried by soil;if they are now below the water’s upper surface (the water table), the gravelsand sands of the former riverbed, and its sandbars, will be saturated withgroundwater.

难句类型:复杂修饰+省略

本句也是一个由分号隔开的并列句,主句结构是 almost any spot on the ground may overlie what was once the bed ofa river; if they are now below the water’s upper surface, they will besaturated with groundwater.

但是作者在 river 后面用 that 引导了一个定语从句修饰一下 river,在 surface 后面用括号和两个插入成分 the gravels and sandsof the former riverbed,and its sandbars,打乱了分号前后两个并列句自己内部的主谓宾结构的连贯性,所以阅读时就十分困难。

所以我们的对策仍然是先读主干,不重要的定语、状语、同位语、插入成分纷纷略过,读出核心意思来即可。

译文:

低地区域上的任何位置可能就是曾经的河床,后续被土壤覆盖而变成现在的样子。如果那些河床和沙洲现在位于地下水位之下,一定会有大量的地下水浸在它们的沙砾和沙石之间。

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