精品译文　尽管几乎每个历史学家对史学都有自己的界定，但是现代史学家的实践最趋向于认为，历史学是试图重现过去的重大史实并对其作出解释。

3　I have excluded him because, while his accomplishments may contribute to the solution of moral problems, he has not been charged with the task of approaching any but the factual aspects of those problems.

妙语点睛　这是2006年的考研翻译真题。本题考查的是状语从句连词的翻译。这里because引导的原因状语从句里面又包含有一个while引导的让步状语从句。

精品译文　我之所以把他（普通的科学家）排除在外，是因为他的成就尽管可能促成道德问题的解决，但是他一直以来都没有以解决道德中的实际方面的问题为己任。

3.9.4　no matter wh-

在英文中，我们可以用no matter+what, who, when, where, which, how或者whatever, whoever, whenever, wherever, whichever, however来引导让步状语从句，表示“无论”。请注意，这几个连词除了however外，一般都是单独使用，而however后面通常要接形容词或副词，不单独使用。请看例句：

1　We have decided to do so, whatever happens.

精品译文　我已经决定这么做了，无论发生什么。

2　Whoever may trouble you, I will help you to the last.

精品译文　无论谁找你的麻烦，我都会帮你到底。

3　No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. The worth of our lives come not in what we do or who we know but by WHO WE ARE! You are special--don't ever forget it!

精品译文　无论我如何对待那张钞票，你们还是想要它，因为它并没贬值。人生路上，我们会无数次地被自己的决定或碰到的逆境击倒、欺凌甚至碾得粉身碎骨。我们觉得自己似乎一文不值。但无论发生了什么或将要发生什么，在上帝的眼中，你们永远不会丧失价值。生命的价值不在于我们的所作所为，也不仰仗我们结交的人物，而是取决于我们本身！你们是独特的——永远不要忘记这一点！

4　But however amazed our descendants may be at how far from Utopia we were, they will look just like us.

妙语点睛　这个句子本来的结构是Our descendants may be amazed at how far from Utopia we were...，现在因为有了however这个连词，所以amazed和however一同提到了句首。

精品译文　但是不管我们的后代对我们离乌托邦之遥远感到多么吃惊，他们的长相将和我们一样。

5　When a new movement in art attains a certain fashion, it is advisable to find out what its advocates are aiming at, for, however farfetched and unreasonable their principles may seem today, it is possible that in years to come they may be regarded as normal.

妙语点睛　这个句子有一定的难度。理解它的关键是要知道这里的for是表示原因的连词，引导原因状语从句。而在这个for引导的原因状语从句里面又套有一个however引导的让步状语从句，这个让步状语从句原本的结构是their principles may seem farfetched and unreasonable today，现在因为有了连词however，所以farfetched and unreasonable和however一同提到了句首。

精品译文　当一个新的艺术运动达到某种程度的流行时，我们最好搞清楚这个运动的倡导者们的目标是什么，因为不管他们的原则现在看来是如何牵强和不合理，很可能在将来它们会被视为正常规范。

6　"The test of any democratic society," he wrote in a Wall Street Journal column, "lies not in how well it can control expression, but in whether it gives freedom of thought and expression the widest possible latitude, however disputable or irritating the results may sometimes be. We won't retreat in the face of any threats."

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是：the results may sometimes be disputable or irritating，现在因为有了连词however，所以disputable or irritating和however一同放到了句末。

精品译文　他在《华尔街日报》的一个专栏中写道：“对任何民主社会的检验不在于它能多好地控制言论的自由表达，而在于它能否尽可能更宽松地赋予思想自由和表达自由，不管结果有时可能会是多么有争议和令人不悦。面对威胁，我们不会退缩”。

看完上面的例句，细心的读者一定注意到了，在no matter wh-这样的让步状语从句中，从句的谓语往往会有情态动词may或might，这是用来加强让步语气的，相当于汉语中说“可能会多么的”。请返回参看上述各例句的译文，认真体会。这种谓语的特点常常是出现在however引导的从句中，但不限于however。此外，有时甚至是把may或might省去，只剩下一个动词原形。请看下面的例句：

7　Try as he will, no man breaks wholly loose from his first love, no matter who she be...We've only one virginity to lose and where we lost it there our hearts will be!

妙语点睛　这里no matter who she be就相当于no matter who she might be这种加强语气的形式。此外，该句中的try as he will也是一个让步状语从句的结构。

精品译文　不管怎么样，没有一个男人能够完完全全忘却自己的初恋，不管她是谁。因为我们的童贞只有一次，我们永远不会忘记自己奉献出来的第一次！

3.9.5　as引导的倒装句表示让步

as引导的倒装句可表示让步，这一结构有：



一、形容词提置句首

1　There are also desert insects which survive as inactive larvae. In addition, difficult as it is to believe, there are desert fish which can survive through years of drought in the form of inactive eggs.

妙语点睛　这句话是“形容词+as+主谓”的结构，表示让步。

精品译文　还有一些沙漠昆虫，其幼虫靠着不活动来存活。此外，尽管很难以置信，但确有一种沙漠鱼，能够以不活动的卵的形式来抵御干旱，可以存活好几年。

2　Oldest in our workshop as he is, he works hardest.

妙语点睛　请注意，这句话的最高级前不加the。

精品译文　尽管他是我们车间最年长的一位，他工作起来最努力。

二、副词提置句首

3　Much as I respect him, I can not agree with him.

精品译文　虽然我非常尊重他，但是我仍旧不同意他的意见。

4　Again as he failed in doing this experiment, he didn't lose his heart.

精品译文　尽管他的试验再次失败了，但是他并不灰心。

三、分词提置句首

5　Praised as he was, he remained modest.

精品译文　尽管他受到了表扬，但仍然很谦虚。

四、名词提置句首

6　Child as he is, he is knowledgeable.

妙语点睛　请注意，这句话的名词前不带冠词。

精品译文　他虽然还是个孩子，但知识渊博。

7　Lazy a boy as he is, he is kind to help others.

妙语点睛　请注意这里名词短语的语序：lazy a boy。

精品译文　他虽然很懒惰，但乐于助人。

五、动词原形提置句首

另外，还可以把动词原形置于句首，此时句子的结构为：v.+as+主语+助动词（may, might, will, would, can, could, do, does, did）。

8　Fail as I did, I would never stop trying.

妙语点睛　这里是将动词原形fail提前。原因很简单，因为若是将failed提前，那么句子无法构造——我们无法这么说：Failed as I*。所以，只能将原形动词fail提前，而通过助动词did来标明时态。

精品译文　尽管我失败了，但我决不会停止尝试。

9　Try as he will, no man breaks wholly loose from his first love, no matter who she be...We've only one virginity to lose and where we lost it there our hearts will be!

妙语点睛　这里是把动词原形提到句首，形成try as he will这样一个让步状语从句的结构。

精品译文　不管怎么样，没有一个男人能够完完全全忘却自己的初恋，不管她是谁。因为我们的童贞只有一次，我们永远不会忘记自己奉献出来的第一次！

若动词是及物动词，则其宾语也要随着动词提前。请看例句：

10　Lose money as I did, I got a lot of experience.

妙语点睛　这里不是把lost提前，而把“动词原形（lose）+宾语（money）”提前，即动词与其宾语同时提到句首。

精品译文　尽管我费了不少钱，但是获得了很多经验。

最后需要提醒注意的是，这里的as可以替换为that或though，尽管较少这样用。另外，不可以用although。

11　Odd though it sounds, cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics, and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true.

妙语点睛　这是1998年的考研翻译真题。这里作者用了though代替as来表示让步。

精品译文　宇宙膨胀理论虽然听似奇特，但它是基本粒子物理学中一些公认的理论在科学上看来可信的推论。许多天体物理学家十来年来一直确信这一论说是正确的。

3.9.6　as/so+形容词+as+主谓结构，放在句首表示让步

这一表示让步的结构，虽然相对来说比较少见，但请读者不妨了解一下，以便在英语阅读中遇到时能正确理解。

1　As much as John hates to do it, he must stay at home and study tonight.

精品译文　尽管约翰不愿意，但他今晚还是得待在家里学习。

2　As amusing and perceptive as graffiti（涂鸦）may sometimes be, it has by no means won universal approval.

妙语点睛　这里的从句as amusing and perceptive as graffiti may sometimes be是“as+形容词+as+主谓”的结构，表示让步。

精品译文　尽管涂鸦有时可以怡人情趣并发人深思，但它决不会赢得普遍的认同。

下面这段话是美国现任总统小布什的妈妈芭芭拉·布什在一次大学毕业典礼上说的，当时她是美国的第一夫人（America's First Lady），在这段话中她谈论到了家庭的重要性：

3　As important as your obligation as a doctor, a lawyer or a business leader will be, you are a human being first, and those human connections with spouses, with children, with friends are the most important investments you will ever make. At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, winning one more verdict, closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend or a parent. Our success as a society depends not on what happens in the White House but on what happens inside your house.

精品译文　尽管你们将来或许要成为一名医生、一名律师或是一个商人而要肩负重任，但首先你是一个平凡的人。因此，你与自己的配偶、孩子、朋友等之间的亲情或友情是最为重要的。在你临终前，让你感到后悔的不会是因为没有多做一次医学测试、没能多打赢一场官司或没有多做成一笔生意，而是后悔没有多花些时间陪你的丈夫、孩子、朋友或是父母。社会的发展进步依赖于每一个家庭，而不是白宫。

再来看下面这个例句谈的是面试的重要性：

4　As important as qualifications are, and you won't get to an interview without the qualifications, the most important thing in fact is the character and how a person presents himself at interview. I find it very difficult to define exactly the sort of person I am looking for, but when I meet someone I can tell whether they are the sort of person that I would like to appoint or whether they are not.

精品译文　在求职的过程中，资历固然重要，因为若没有很好的资历，你是得不到面试机会的。但事实上，最重要的是你的个性以及在面谈中你如何去展现你自己。我发现有时很难确切地说我需要何种类型的人才，但是在面谈的过程中，我能够判断出他们是否是我所需要聘用的。

3.9.7　句首用be的倒装句表示让步

在英语中，由whether或however引导的让步从句可以变成一个句首用be的倒装句，同样表示让步。我们先来看例句：

1　All substances, be they gaseous, liquid or solid, are made up of atoms.

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是All substances, whether they may be gaseous, liquid or solid, are made up of atoms.也即相当于whether引导的让步状语从句，译成“不论……还是”。把whether省去后，将be动词提到句首。

精品译文　一切物质，不论是气态、液态还是固态，都是由原子构成的。

2　Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是However humble it may be, there is no place like home.也即相当于however引导的让步状语从句，译成“不论多么”。把however省去后，将be动词提到句首。

精品译文　金窝银窝，不如自己的草窝。

综上所述，我们可以总结出这样的规律：

1. be引导的倒装句如果表达的是两种或以上的情况，此时be引导的倒装句可改写成由whether引导的让步状语从句，比如由be they gaseous, liquid or solid改写成whether they may be gaseous, liquid or solid。

2. be引导的倒装句如果只是表达一种情况，此时be引导的倒装句可改写成由however引导的让步状语从句，比如由be it ever so humble改写成however humble it may be。

我们再来看更多的例句：

3　As we grow up, we form our own identities because we are individuals, so it feels unfair to have our identities compared with others', be it our peers, siblings or parents.

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是whether it may be our peers, siblings or parents，也即相当于whether引导的让步状语从句，译成“不论……还是”。把whether省去后，将动词be提到句首。

精品译文　在我们的成长过程中，我们每个人都在塑造自己的个性，因为我们是一个个体。因此，当我们被拿来和别人做比较时就会感到不公平，不论这些比较的对象是我们的同龄人、兄弟姐妹还是父母。

4　Home is home, be it never so homely.

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是home is home, however homely it may be，也即相当于however引导的让步状语从句，译成“不论多么”。把however省去后，将动词be提到句首。

精品译文　金窝银窝，不如自己的草窝。

再来看下面这道题：

5　　　　, I will marry him all the same.

A. Were he rich or poor

B. Whether rich or poor

C. Being rich or poor

D. Be he rich or poor

正确答案　D。

妙语点睛　这个句子原本的结构是whether he may be rich or poor，也即相当于whether引导的让步状语从句，译成“不论……还是”。把whether省去后，将动词be提到句首。

精品译文　不论他是富有还是贫穷，我都会嫁给他。

思维总结

让步状语从句的内容比较多，读者要掌握引导让步从句的各种连词以及各类句型结构。比如as引导的倒装句表示让步；“as/so+形容词+as+主谓”的结构，放在句首表示让步；句首用be引导的倒装句表示让步等等，遇到时要能够正确翻译。

思维训练

Exercise 3.9

1. 选择最佳答案填空。

1. Getting enough vitamins is essential to life, although the body has no nutritional use for excess vitamins. Many people, 　　　, believe in being on the "safe side" and thus take extra vitamins.

A. nevertheless

B. therefore

C. moreover

D. meanwhile

2. There are over 100 night schools in the city, making it possible for a professional to be re-educated no matter 　　　 he does.

A. how

B. where

C. what

D. when

3. 　　　, he does get annoyed with her sometimes.

A. Although much he likes her

B. Much although he likes her

C. As he likes her much

D. Much as he likes her

4. Church as we use the word refers to all religious institutions, 　　　 they Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Jewish, and so on.

A. be

B. being

C. were

D. are

5. The business of each day, 　　　 selling goods or shipping them, went quite smoothly.

A. it being

B. be it C was it

D. it was

6. 　　　 lay eggs, but some give birth to live young.

A. Although most insects

B. Most insects

C. Despite most insects

D. Most insects that

7. Airsickness is produced by a disturbance of the inner car, 　　　 psychogenic factors, such as fear, also play a part.

A. in spite of

B. neither

C. nor

D. although

8. 　　　 his physical handicap, he 　　　 a successful businessman.

A. Despite / has become

B. Although / has become

C. In spite / became

D. Despite of / becomes

9. 　　　 all our kindness to help her, Sarah refused to listen to us.

A. At

B. For

C. In

D. On

10. 　　　, the policeman still has good command.

A. Sophisticated as search techniques were

B. Sophisticated were search techniques

C. Search techniques were sophisticated

D. Sophisticated as search techniques they were

11. 　　　, I still enjoy driving even after my accident.

A. It may seem strange though

B. Strange though it may seem

C. Though strange it may seem

D. Strange it may seem though

12. I've already told you that I'm going to buy it, 　　　.

A. however much it costs

B. however does it cost much

C. how much does it cost

D. no matter how it costs

13. 　　　, the fire men were unable to quench the fire.

A. Try they would

B. As they tried

C. What they tried

D. Try as they would

14. 　　　 I admire him as a poet, I do not like him as a man.

A. Much so

B. So much

C. Much as

D. As much

15. The engineers are going through with their project, 　　　 the expenses have risen.

A. even though

B. just because

C. now that

D. as though

16. Every society, 　　　 great or small, primitive or civilized, has a culture.

A. if it is

B. no matter it is

C. if it were

D. be it

17. 　　　, we will set off as we planned.

A. Were it good or bad

B. Being good or bad

C. Whether good or bad

D. Be it good or bad

18. All science students, 　　　, should have a good foundation in basic sciences.

A. whether they are future physicists and chemists

B. they are future physicists or chemists

C. they should be future physicists or chemists

D. be they future physicists or chemists

2. 辨别改错。

19. Although Mr. Smith studied art (A) in Paris, but his (B) writings attracted much (C) more interest than (D) his paintings.

20. Despite (A) fats and oils are nutritionally (B) important as (C) energy sources, medical research indicates (D) that saturated fats may contribute to hardening of the arteries.

21. Much although (A) I have traveled, I have never seen anyone to equal (B) her in thoroughness, whatever (C) the job (D).





3.10　比较状语从句

比较状语从句的结构或句型很多，下面我们将一一详细讲解。

3.10.1　连词as 的基本用法

as引导比较状语从句，其基本结构是as...as。前一个as是副词，而后一个as才是比较状语从句的连词。具体用法如下：

一、结构1：as+形容词或副词+as

1　The work is not as difficult as you think.

精品译文　这项工作不像你想象的那么难。

2　Eyes are as eloquent as lips (are).

精品译文　眼睛像嘴唇一样富于表现力。

3　An adult human must take eight steps to go as far as a giraffe does in one stride.

精品译文　长颈鹿跨一步的距离相当于一个成年人走八步。

4　Do you enjoy listening to records? I find records are often 　　　, if not better than, an actual performance.

A. as good as

B. as good

C. good

D. good as

正确答案　A。