例129 If railroads charged all customers the same average rate, they argue, shippers who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation would do so, leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line.
【結構分析】這句的條件狀語從句是If railroads charged all customers the same average rate,句子的主干的主語是shippers,定語從句是who have the option of switching to trucks or other forms of transportation,修飾前面的主語,動詞是would do,賓語是so,后面是分詞狀語leaving remaining customers to shoulder the cost of keeping up the line。
【亮點回放】此句話的亮點在于條件狀語從句套上定語從句,這個定語從句很有想象力,把主語的特點說得很清楚,而且里面有分詞狀語,很經典。
【核心詞匯】
charged all customers the same average rate 按同樣的平均費率收取所有顧客的費用
switching to trucks or other forms of transportation 選擇汽車運輸或其他種類運輸
shoulder the cost 承擔成本
keeping up the line 保持收支平衡
【參考譯文】鐵路公司提出,按同樣的平均費率收取所有顧客的費用,托運人肯定會選擇汽車運輸或其他種類運輸,而不會選擇鐵運,那么鐵運業(yè)內成本就只能由其他的鐵運托運人來承擔。