1.In many such cases, a cursory search for causes finds that some small group of people was wearing, promoting, or developing whatever it is before anyone else paid attention. (2010--text 3)
A cursory search 是主語,finds是賓語,that后是一個賓語從句,在賓語從句中,主語是small group of people, 謂語是帶ing的三個詞,這三個詞后要接賓語的,所以whatever又引導一個賓語從句,在從句中,it做主語,is是系動詞,whatever做表語。Before引導一個時間狀語從句。該句是說在很多情況下,對原因的粗略調查顯示,在其他人注意到這一潮流之前,一些小群體早就開始了引領或發展潮流的做法。
2.We are thus led to distinguish, within the broad educational process which we have been so far considering, a more formal kind of education -- that of direct tuition or schooling. (2009--text 4)
Are led to被引導。翻譯中往往被動譯為主動,“得以”是常用的方式。句子主干是we are thus led to distinguish a more formal kind of education.within the broad educational process做狀語,which......considering是來修飾process的定語,that......schooling是前邊education的同位語。So far與完成時態連用,表示動作一直持續到現在,這里表示一直在討論中。該句是說我們進而得以在一直討論的廣義教育過程中去區分一種更加正式的教育,也就是直接講授或學校教育。
3.But surely that does not mean environmentalists concerned about uncontrolled industrial growth are anti-science, as an essay in US News & World Report last May seemed to suggest.
As 引導的非限制性定語從句時,先行詞通常不能是主句中的某個具體的詞,而是整個句子、整個短語或由某個短語推斷出來的概念。在這個句子中,as作關系代詞代替前邊的整個句子,在這個從句中作賓語。這句話是說但這并不意味著關注工業無節制發展的環境專家是反科學的,這正好是去年五月《美國新聞和世界報導》中的一篇文章所揭示的內容。
4.Devoted concertgoers who reply that recordings are no substitute for live performance are missing the point. (2011--text 1)
句子主干是Devoted concertgoers are missing the point. Who引導了一個定語從句,修飾concertgoers,這些常去參加音樂會的人回復說唱片不能代替現場演出,reply that又引導了一個賓語從句,是這些人回復的內容。這句話出現了兩個are,可能會對大家造成困擾,仔細分析,并不是難以理解。這句話是說那些熱衷于參加演唱會的人回應說唱片不能代替現場演出,可是他們忽視了一些內容。
5.Whatever they think of his work, business people cannot help admiring a man who parted art-lovers from 70.5m on the day that Lehman Brothers collapsed.
比較一下,以下這句是同位語從句,the way后面的部分敘述的內容是對方式的具體解釋。見例句:In fact, the way consumers now approach the process of making purchase decisions means that marketing's impact stems from a broad range of factors beyond conventional paid media.