1)确定主句和从句,以及主句和从句中的主要成分(主谓宾);
2)划分意群---将意义相对独立的单位,如包含一个动词的部分一一划分开来。经过上述拆分以后,句子大致分成四个部分(也可能少于或多于四个部分),因为一句话的分数是2分,一般分成4个给分点。例如,
72. “In short”, a leader of the new school contends, “the scientific revolution, as we call it, was largely the improvement and invention and use of a series of instruments that expanded the reach of science in innumerable directions.” (1994-72)
本句有四个动词:contends, call, was, expanded,可以分为四个部分:
a leader of the new school contends…(说话人)
as we call it…(定语从句,修饰the scientific revolution)
“the scientific revolution…was largely the improvement and invention and use of a series of instruments…(直接引语部分,为contends的宾语)
that expanded the reach of science in innumerable directions(定语从句,修饰the improvement and invention and use of a series of instruments)。
要注意定语从句that expanded the reach of science in innumerable directions的翻译。
又如,
72. How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted. (1995-72)
本句的主干是How well the predictions will be validated by later performance depends upon…and on…,其中主语是个主语从句How well…by later performance。本句有三个谓语动词:validated,depends upon,interpreted,所以翻译时本句可以拆分成三部分:
How well the predictions will be validated by later performance…
depends upon the amount, reliability, and appropriateness of the information used…
and on the skill and wisdom with which it is interpreted.
要注意定语从句with which it is interpreted的翻译。
例三,
62. Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry which seeks to study humans and their endeavors in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena.(2003-62)
本句的主干是Social science is that branch of intellectual enquiry,定语从句which seeks to study humans and their endeavors in the same reasoned, orderly, systematic, and dispassioned manner 修饰that branch of intellectual enquiry ,而定语从句that natural scientists use for the study of natural phenomena 又修饰先行词manner。本句有三个动词:is,seeks, use,所以翻译时本句可以拆分成三部分。要注意两个定语从句的翻译。
上面三个例子表明了分析难句的过程与方法。要做到考试时娴熟地拆分难句,必须做一些难句分析练习,至少要把94年以来考过的英译汉句子都分析几遍,并且分类整理,如将各类定语从句、状语从句等分别进行集中分析。过一段时间,难句分析能力必然会大幅提高。最后,中国研究生招生网www.chinayjs.com.cn 祝大家考试顺利!