托福閱讀長難句難度分析與實例解析

　　托福閱讀部分是考生最有希望拿高分甚至是滿分的科目，而長難句作為閱讀部分的一大障礙，也讓諸多考生在此處失分。那么長難句的“難”體現(xiàn)在哪里呢?

　　主要有三點：1.句子長，長度超過30單詞的長句在每篇文章中保持在10句左右;2.概念難，句中往往含有很多“詭異”的陌生學(xué)術(shù)概念;3.結(jié)構(gòu)異，英文中的特定語法結(jié)構(gòu)如倒裝，強調(diào)，修飾語后置等等。

　　快速理解復(fù)雜長難句是托福閱讀考試得分最重要的能力。比較近10年來的考試難度，最明顯的趨勢就是句子結(jié)構(gòu)的復(fù)雜冗長程度明顯遞增。縱觀文章閱讀考察的幾個層次可發(fā)現(xiàn)：比句子微觀的單詞含義理解，只要認(rèn)真準(zhǔn)備就不是難點;比句子宏觀的段落含義理解，弄懂主旨往往不難。而相對地，長難句的閱讀相對需要更多技巧，考場上經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)反復(fù)多遍閱讀仍不能理解句子大意的情況，從而成為了閱讀理解和得分的瓶頸。

　　接下來我們從句子結(jié)構(gòu)、翻譯、分句等方面來進(jìn)行一些長難句實例解析。

　　1. The end of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century were marked by the development of an international Art Nouveau style, characterized by sinuous lines, floral and vegetable motifs, and soft evanescent coloration.

　　(特殊結(jié)構(gòu) marked by...——以...為標(biāo)志、characterized by...——特征是)

　　19 世紀(jì)末與 20 世紀(jì)早期以一種國際新藝術(shù)風(fēng)格的發(fā)展為標(biāo)志，這一藝術(shù)風(fēng)格的特征是：線條彎曲，以花卉和果蔬為主題，顏色柔和飄逸。

　　分句 1: The end of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century were

　　分句 2: marked by the development of an international Art Nouveau style

　　分句 3: characterized by sinuous lines, floral and vegetable motifs, and soft evanescent coloration.

　　2 和 3 并列 ，1 和 2、3 嵌套

　　2. Although its influence continued throughout the mid 1920’s, it was eventually to be overtaken by a new school of thought known as Functionalism that had been present since the turn of the century.

　　(特殊結(jié)構(gòu) known as...——被稱為)

　　盡管其影響在整個20世紀(jì)20年代中期繼續(xù)存在，但最終還是被世紀(jì)之交以來就存在的新的思想流派 —— 功能主義所替代。

　　分句 1: Although its influence continued throughout the mid 1920’s

　　分句 2: it was eventually to be overtaken by anew school of thought known as Functionalism

　　分句 3: that had been present since the turnoff the century.

　　1 和 2 并列， 2 和 3 嵌套

　　3. This new design concept, coupled with the sharp postwar reactions to the styles and conventions of the preceding decades, created an entirely new public taste which caused Art Nouveau types of glass to fall out of favor.

　　(特殊結(jié)構(gòu) coupled with...——加上)

　　這一新的設(shè)計概念，加上戰(zhàn)后對過去數(shù)十年風(fēng)格與傳統(tǒng)的強烈反應(yīng)，產(chǎn)生了一種全新的公眾品味,使得新藝術(shù)類型的玻璃不再受人歡迎。

　　分句 1: This new design concept

　　分句 2: coupled with the sharp postwar reactions to the styles and conventions of the preceding decades, created an entirely new public taste

　　分句 3: which caused Art Nouveau types of glass to fall out of favor.

　　1 和 2 并列 ，2 和 3 嵌套

　　4. Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability. decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence that there is any category of “natural leaders.”

　　(同位語從句 evidence that...)

　　盡管領(lǐng)袖常被人認(rèn)為是個人能力非比尋常的人，但是數(shù)十年的研究迄今未能提供一致的證據(jù)表明存在任何“天然領(lǐng)袖”類型。

　　分句 1: Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability

　　分句 2: decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence

　　分句 3: that there is any category of “natural leaders.”

　　1 和 2 并列 ，2 和 3 嵌套

　　5. Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader, research suggests that there are typically two different leader ship roles that are held by different individuals.

　　(復(fù)合句)

　　而且，盡管一般人認(rèn)為社會團(tuán)體只有一位領(lǐng)袖，但是研究表明通常存在由不同個體擔(dān)任的兩個不同的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)角色。

　　分句 1: Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader

　　分句 2: research suggests

　　分句 3: that there are typically two different leader ship roles that are held by different individuals.

　　1 和 2 并列 ，2 和 3 嵌套

　　6. Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them.

　　(特殊結(jié)構(gòu) less...than...——較少...較多...)

　　善于表達(dá)的領(lǐng)袖較少注重團(tuán)體的整體目標(biāo)，較多注重為團(tuán)體成員提供情感支持，并盡力減少內(nèi)部紛爭和沖突。

　　分句 1: Expressive leaders are less concerned with the overall goals of the group

　　分句 2: than with providing emotional support to group members

　　分句 3: and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them

　　1 和 2、3 并列， 2 和 3 并列

　　7.Equally important is the fact that the execution of multiple—step tasks is accomplished in a series—parallel sequence.

　　(倒裝句)

　　同樣重要的是一個事實：多步任務(wù)是按照系列—平行序列完成的。

　　分句 1: Equally important is the fact

　　分句 2: that the execution of multiple — step tasks is accomplished in a series — parallel sequence

　　1 和 2 嵌套

　　8. But these factors do not account for the interesting question of how there came to be such a concentration of pregnant ichthyosaurs in a particular place very close to their time of giving birth.

　　(Of 結(jié)構(gòu)作定語: of how there came to be such a concentration of pregnant ichthyosaurs...)

　　但這些因素并不能解釋這個有趣的問題：為何在一個特定的地點會如此集中地出現(xiàn)即將臨產(chǎn)的懷孕魚龍群。

　　分句 1: But these factors do not account for the interesting question

　　分句 2: of how there came to be such a concentration of pregnant ichthyosaurs in a particular place very close to their time of giving birth

　　分句 1 是嵌套分句，分句 2 是 of 結(jié)構(gòu)作后置定語修飾說明 question 的內(nèi)容。

　　9. In the seventeenth century the organ, the clavichord, and the harpsichord became the chief instruments of the key board group, a supremacy they maintained until the piano supplanted them at the end of the eighteenth century.

　　(同位語 a supremacy)

　　17 世紀(jì)時風(fēng)琴、敲弦琴和撥弦琴成為鍵盤樂器類的主要成員，這種至高無上的地位一直由它們保持，直到 18 世紀(jì)末被鋼琴所取代。

　　分句 1: In the seventeenth century the organ, the clavichord, and the harpsichord became the chief instruments of the key board group,

　　分句 2: a supremacy they maintained until the piano supplanted them at the end of the eighteenth century

　　分句 2 是分句 1 的同位語從句，用來修飾說明分句 1 中的 the chief instruments of the keyboard group

　　10. A series of mechanical improvements continuing well into the nineteenth century, including the introduction of pedals to sustain tone or to soften it, the perfection of a metal frame and steel wire of the finest quality, finally produced an instrument capable of myriad tonal effects from the most delicate harmonies to an almost orchestral fullness of sound, from a liquid, singing tone to a sharp, percussive brilliance.

　　(介詞結(jié)構(gòu) from...to...作定語)

　　持續(xù)到19 世紀(jì)的一系列機械上的改進(jìn)，包括引入踏板以維持音調(diào)或使其柔和，改善金屬框架，以及使用最佳性能的鋼絲，最終產(chǎn)生了一種具備無數(shù)音調(diào)效果的樂器 —— 這些效果涵蓋了從最精致的和聲到幾乎全部的管弦樂音響，從明快流暢的吟唱音調(diào)到尖銳的打擊樂器的恢弘氣氛。

　　分句 1: A series of mechanical improvements continuing well into the nineteenth century

　　分句 2: including the introduction of pedals to sustain tone or to soften it

　　分句 3: the perfection of a metal frame and steel wire of the finest quality

　　分句 4: finally produced an instrument capable of myriad tonal effects

　　分句 5: from the most delicate harmonies to an almost orchestral fullness of sound

　　分句 6: from a liquid, singing tone to a sharp, percussive brilliance

　　本句的真正的主句結(jié)構(gòu)其實是由分句1和分句4構(gòu)成，即 A series of mechanical improvements continuing well into the nineteenth century finally produced an instrument capable of myriad tonal effects;

　　分句2和分句3并列修飾，說明分句1中的 A series of mechanical improvements;

　　而分句5和分句6并列，修飾說明了分句4中的 an instrument capable of myriad tonal effects