阅读命题常针对长难句。所以很有必要熟悉长难句的种类以及它们各自的重点。下面给出一些典型的句子，建议熟读甚至背诵以做到考试时碰到类似句子就能抓住重点。

1、复合句

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.

[结构分析]

本句的主干是it is advisable to find out... for... it is possible that...，句首的When引导一个时间状语从句，句中的for... it is possible... (至句末)是一个并列分句，表示原因，其中for后面的however +形容词farfetched and unreasonable引导状语从句，表示让步。在主干it is advisable to find out... 中，it是形式主语，后面的不定式结构to find out what its advocates are aiming at是真正的主语。

[参考译文]

当艺术上的一项新运动达到一定流行程度时，最好先弄清该运动倡导者的目的，因为，无论他们的创作原则在今天看来多么牵强、多么荒谬，在未来这些理论有可能会被视为正常的东西。

2、并列句

While talking to you, your could-be employer is deciding whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications will pay him to employ you and your “wares” and abilities must be displayed in an orderly and reasonably connected manner.

[结构分析]

这也是一个并列句，包含两个分句。第一个分句的主干是your could-be employer is deciding whether...，其中whether引导一个宾语从句whether your education, your experience, and other qualifications will pay him to employ you;第二个分句的主干是your “wares” and abilities must be displayed...。注意：pay sb. to do sth.此处的意思是“做…对…有利”;“wares”的本义是“商品、货物”，但在本文中，作者认为找工作就是推销自己，所以结合本文的背景，wares的意思是“(求职者的)资历或能力”。

[参考译文]

与你谈话时，可能成为你未来老板的人会考虑你所受的教育、你的经历和你的其他资历是否在雇佣你以后会给他带来好处。你的“资历”和能力必须有条不紊、合理连贯地展示出来。

3、定语从句

The change met the technical requirements of the new age by engaging a large professional element and prevented the decline in efficiency that so commonly spoiled the fortunes of family firms in the second and third generation after the energetic founders.

[结构分析]

本句是一个并列句，以and连接;第一个分句的主干是The change met the technical requirements...，后面的介词结构by engaging a large professional element作状语，说明met the technical requirements of the new age的方式;第二个分句的主干是(the change) prevented the decline in efficiency，后面的that引导的定语从句修饰decline in efficiency。注意：engage此处的意思是“雇，聘”。

[参考译文]

通过雇用大量的职业人才，这一变化满足了新时代的技术要求，防止了效率下降——在过去，这种效率下降经常使家族公司在充满活力的创业者之后的第二代或第三代毁掉全部财产。

4、名词性从句

Online culture thinks highly of the notion that the information flowing onto the screen comes there by specific request.

[结构分析]

本句的主干是Online culture thinks highly of the notion that...，其中notion后面的that引导一个同位语从句，说明notion的具体内容;同位语从句的主干是the information...comes there...，其中flowing onto the screen作定语，修饰the information，句末的by specific request作状语，修饰come there。

[参考译文]

网络文化非常推崇这样一种理念：出现在用户屏幕上的信息应该是根据用户特定要求发送过来的。

5、状语从句

Consumers seem only concerned, not panicked, and many say they remain optimistic about the economy’s long-term prospects, even as they do some modest belt tightening.

[结构分析]

本句是以and连接的并列句，其中第二个分句的主干是many say...，say后面的部分是宾语从句，其中还包含一个as引导的让步状语从句。

[参考译文]

消费者们看上去只是有点担心，而没有恐慌，很多消费者说尽管他们正在把开支紧缩一点，但是他们对经济的长期前景仍然保持乐观。

6、特殊结构

(1)强调句

Perhaps it is humankind’s long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the ideal of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascinating.

[结构分析]

这是一个强调句，基本结构是it is...suffering...that makes...so fascinating，被强调部分是humankind’s long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought，其中的中心词是suffering，有两个修饰成分：humankind’s long和at the mercy of flood and drought(受旱涝摆布)都做suffering的定语。suffering这个词除了是被强调的部分外，还是后面that引导的从句的主语;在that引导的从句中，ideal做宾语，带有of引导的动名词短语forcing the waters to do our bidding(让河水听我们吩咐)这个定语;so fascinating做ideal的宾语补语，说明ideal的特点。

[参考译文]

也许正是因为人类长期以来遭受旱涝摆布的痛苦，才使他们制服洪水的理想显得如此令人着迷。

(2)倒装结构

Nowhere do 1980 census statistics dramatize more the American search for spacious living than in the Far West.

[结构分析]

否定副词nowhere放在句首，所以句子出现部分倒装。注意：more 与否定词nowhere一起使用，相当于最高级。dramatize此处的意思是“突出显示，使…戏剧化”。

[参考译文]

1980年美国的人口普查数据表明，没有哪个地方比美国最西部更能突出显示美国人想寻找更广阔的生存空间。

(3)比较结构

Mr. McWhorter’s academic specialty is language history and change, and he sees the gradual disappearance of “whom”, for example, to be natural and no more regrettable than the loss of the case-endings of Old English.

[结构分析]

本句是一个并列句，包含两个以and连接的分句，其中第二个分句比较复杂：宾语是the gradual disappearance of “whom”, for example，接着是to be natural and no more regrettable，这一部分作上述宾语的补足语，最后是比较结构no more... than... (像…一样不…)。

[参考译文]

麦克沃特先生的学术专长是语言史和语言变化。举例来说，他认为“whom”一词的逐渐消失是很自然的，像古英中词格结尾的消失一样不令人惋惜。

(4)分隔结构

With regard to Futurist poetry, however, the case is rather difficult, for whatever Futurist poetry may be—even admitting that the theory on which it is based may be right—it can hardly be classed as Literature.

[结构分析]

本句的主干是the case is rather difficult, for... it can hardly be classed as Literature，前面的however表示本句与前一句形成对比，句首的介词结构With regard to Futurist poetry作状语，其中with regard to的意思是“关于…”; for... it can hardly be classed as Literature是一个并列分句，表示原因，主干是it can hardly be classed as Literature; for后面的从句whatever Futurist poetry may be表示让步，作状语;破折号之间的部分even admitting that... 也是让步状语，其中that 引导一个宾语从句that the theory... may be right，而从句的主语theory后又带有定语从句on which it is based。

[参考译文]

然而就未来主义诗歌而言，情况就很难说了，因为不管未来主义诗歌是什么——即使承认其理论基础是正确的——也很难将其归为文学。