1、专题一 阅读理解 第三讲 阅读素养必备/破译长难句 一个英语句子之所以难以理解有许多原因,其中一个主要原因是句子太长或者句子结构复杂。句子过长或者复杂通常是该句除了主干之外还包含了许多附加部分,如插入语、同位语、分隔现象、各种从句或较长的非谓语动词短语等。下面我们来讲几种英语阅读理解中长难句的处理方法。方法一 据谓语,找主语一般情况下,一个谓语形式的动词对应其动作的发出者(主语),我们可以根据谓语动词来确定其主语。而且,如果一个句子中出现两个或两个以上的谓语形式的动词,则该句可能是并列句或复合句(并列谓语动词的情况除外)。(2020高考全国卷D节选)The engineers at the M
2、assachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)have taken it a step furtherchanging the actual composition of plants in order to get them to perform diverse,even unusual functions.分析 本句为结构较为复杂的简单句。句子主语为theengineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT);havetaken为谓语;changing the actual composit
3、ion of plants in order toget them to perform diverse,even unusual functions是现在分词短语作方式状语。句意 麻省理工学院的工程师们又深入了一步,改变植物的实际组成,以使它们发挥不同的,甚至不寻常的功能。(2020新高考全国卷B节选)After high school,Jennifer attended a local technical college,working to pay her tuition(学费),because there was no extra money set aside for a colle
4、ge education.分析 本句是一个主从复合句。句子主语为Jennifer;attended为谓语;现在分词短语working to pay her tuition作伴随状语;because引导原因状语从句,从句中过去分词短语set asidefor a college education作定语,修饰extra money。句意 高中毕业后,詹妮弗上了当地的一所技术学院,靠打工来支付学费,因为家里没有额外的钱供她上大学。方法二 提主干,去枝叶一般情况下,一个句子中的主句所表达的信息为主要信息,从句、状语和定语等所表达的信息为次要信息。若句子的主干提炼不出来,就不能完全把握句子的核心意义,
5、从而导致思维混乱,主次不分。(2020高考全国卷B节选)The creative team behind“Apes”used motioncapture(动作捕捉)technology to create digitalized animals,spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that records an actors performance and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image(图像)分析 本句是一个复合句。其中主干是T
6、he creative team behind“Apes”used motioncapture technology to create digitalized animals,包含短语“use sth.to do sth.”;spending.是现在分词短语作状语,其中that records.and later processes.是that引导的定语从句,修饰名词technology,在定语从句中,records和processes是两个并列的谓语动词。句意 猩球崛起背后的创意团队利用动作捕捉技术创造出数字化的动物,花费数千万美元购买了技术来记录演员的表演,然后用计算机图形学来处理并创建
7、出最终图像。(2020高考全国卷B节选)The researchers analyzed video recordings of 53 childparent pairs during everyday activities at home and found children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills when assessed at 54 months of age.分析 本句的主干是The researchers analyzed video recor
8、dings and found children have better spatial skills;本句有两个并列的谓语动词analyzed和found。children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills是省略that的宾语从句;定语从句who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age修饰先行词children;when assessed at 54 months of age是时间状语从句的省略形式。句意
9、 研究人员分析了53对亲子对象在家中日常生活的录像,并且在孩子54个月大的时候进行评估,结果发现在2646个月这段时间玩拼图的孩子有更好的空间技能。方法三 寻关联,辨逻辑一些长句其实是由若干分句组成的并列句或复合句。而这些并列句或复合句之间需要一些关联词来连接。如果我们找准这些关联词,就能够弄清楚句与句之间的逻辑关系,弄清楚主句的意义和各从句的意义,则长句就容易理解了。要掌握此方法必须对英语中常见的关联词熟记于心。(2020高考全国卷B节选)Psychologist Susan Levine,an expert on mathematics development in young child
10、ren at the University of Chicago,found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills.分析 本句的主干是Psychologist Susan Levine foundchildrenlaterdevelopbetterspatialskills;anexpertonmathematics development in young children at the University ofChicago是Susan Levine的
11、同位语;who play with puzzles betweenages 2 and 4是定语从句,修饰children。句意 芝加哥大学心理学家苏珊莱文是一位幼儿数培专家,她发现2到4岁之间玩拼图的孩子在今后会形成更好的空间技能。(2020新高考全国卷D节选)And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份),its the beanpoles with big appetites you really need
12、 to avoid.分析 本句是主从复合句。and承接上文;contrary to existing research.large portions是形容词短语作状语;its the beanpoles with big appetites you really.是主干。that says you.large portions是关系代词that引导的定语从句,修饰先行词research,其中包括who引导的定语从句who order large portions,修饰先行词heavier people;you really need to avoid是定语从句,修饰先行词beanpoles。句
13、意 现有的研究宣称,你应该避免和吃得多且发福的人一起吃饭,实际上恰恰相反,你需要避免的是跟大胃口而又高又瘦的人在一起进餐。方法四 看搭配,防分隔有时一个长句或难句是由一个或多个搭配构成,而且这些搭配中常常出现分隔现象。考生若受分隔现象的干扰而看不清句子的本来面目,则对句意的理解就会发生偏差。如:Some companies have made the manufacturing of cleanand safe products,to some degree,their main selling points andemphasize it in their advertising.分析 本句
14、是一个“主语谓语宾语宾语补足语”句型,此句型中含“make宾语宾语补足语”复合结构,即“使成为”,只不过宾语和宾语补足语被to some degree隔开而增加了理解难度。句意 从某种程度上说,一些公司把生产的卫生的、安全的产品当作他们的主要卖点,并在广告中强调这一点。总之,在碰到长句和难句时,要根据实际情况灵活运用上述方法,在平时阅读过程中要加强对长句和难句的句法分析训练。有时要综合使用几种方法才能正确理解句意。如:The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do member
15、s of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions.分析 本句的主干为The fact does not mean that.,其中,that they do not experience emotions 是宾语从句作mean 的宾语。that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another 为fact 的同位语从句,其中as do members of another 是状语从句,助动词do 位于主语members of another 前形成倒装,主语后省略了express their emotions。句意 一种文化背景下的人不像另一种文化背景下的人一样直率地表达他们的情感,这一事实并不意味着他们没有这些情感。