21. as my own studies have advanced,i have been increasingly impressed with the functional similarities between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural differences that seem,at first glance,to constitute such an immense gulf between them. (5)
译文: 随着我的研究不断深入,我对昆虫和脊椎动物群落之间的功能类似性印象愈来愈深刻,而对结构上的差异印象愈发淡漠,虽然这些结构上的差异初看上去似乎构成了二者间一条无法愈越的鸿沟。
难句类型: 复杂修饰、插入语、省略
解释: 本句子的中间一段impressed with the functional similarites between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural differences容易令人看晕,其中的insect and vertebrate societies and less so with由两个and连接了三个部分,然而它们其实不是同一层次的并列,第一个and实际上是between insect societies and vertebrate societies的一部分,是并列的,而and之后的less so with其实是对于一个完整的表达方式i have been increasingly less impressed with的省略形式,去掉了与前面重复的成分。
后面修饰的 structural differences的定语从句that seem, at first glance, to constitute such an immense gulf between them中,又出现了一个别扭的插入语at first glance,把应该连在一起的seem to 粗暴地分开,令人不熟悉此类难句的人倍感不适。
意群训练: as my own studies have advanced, i have been increasingly impressed with the functional similarities between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural differences that seem, at first glance, to constiture such an immense gulf between them.
22. although fiction assuredly springs from political circumstances,its authors react to those circumstances in ways other than ideological,and talking about novels and stories primarily as instruments of ideology circumvents much of the fictional enterprise.(4)
译文: 虽然小说无疑起源于政治情状,但其作者则是以非意识形态的方式对这些政治情状作出反应的,而将小说和故事主要地当作意识形态的工具来探讨,会在相当程度上阻碍小说事业。
难句类型: 复杂修饰
解释: 本句从句子的结构上来讲,惟一的难度在于and之后的句子的主语talking about novels and stories primarily as instruments ofideology太长,以至于看到谓语circumvent的时候已经搞不清楚主谓了。更大的难度恐怕还在于对两个词汇的理解circumvent和 enterprise。我们以前所背过的circumvent有两个词义,一个是规避,一是以计谋战胜,但是这两种意思放到此处都显然不通;其实 circumvent有一个我们没有背过的最常用的意思是包围、限制或陷害;至于enterprise常用的意思是企业,这里的指事业。
意群训练: although fiction assuredly springs from political circumstances,its authors react to those circumstances in ways other than ideological,and talking about novels and stories primarily as instruments of ideology circumvents much of the fictional enterprise.
23. is this a defect,or are the authors working out of,or trying to forge,a different kind of aesthetic? (3)
译文: 这究竟是一种缺陷呢,还是这些作者想要按照一种与众不同的美学体系进行创作,抑或是在试图创立一种与众不同的美学体系?
难句类型: 插入语
解释: 本句的句子既短,意思也不难理解,但插入语(or trying to forge)的干扰作用却极强。
意群训练: is this a defect, or are the authors working out of, or trying to forge, a different kind of aesthetic?