歷年GRE閱讀材料中的難句精選100句
編輯點(diǎn)評(píng): 大家在復(fù)習(xí)GRE作文時(shí),把歷年的閱讀真題拿出來重新閱讀和分析是非常好的一個(gè)復(fù)習(xí)方法,這里為大家精選的是GRE歷年考試的閱讀部分的難句,如果大家可以花時(shí)間搞懂這些句子,相信對作文的提高一定有所幫助。
91、 For one thing, no population can be driven entirely by density-independent factors all the time.難句類型:正話反說
請思考:如果文中說這句話的前提是:all population are driven by two categories of growth parameters, one is density-independent factors, and the other is density-independent factors. 那么作者說上面的這句話有什么用意。
解釋:本句雖然貌不驚人,但本書既然將其收錄進(jìn)來,并標(biāo)出難度5,就意味著其中有怪異之處。值得一提的是,本文前面曾把控制種群密度的因素分為兩種,一種叫做density-dependent factors,另一種叫做dentsity-independent factors。原文的直譯雖然好懂,但是總令人感覺說得不甚明白。顯然,GRE或GMAT的作者不可能隨便說一句無關(guān)痛癢的話,那么沒有任何種群能夠在所有的時(shí)間全被d-I因素所控制,其真正意思是什么呢?就是:一切種群都必然在某個(gè)時(shí)間內(nèi)受到d-d因素的控制。本句是ETS在考試中慣用的正話反說的典型例子,請讀者深沉體會(huì)。本句在文章中也是理解作者態(tài)度的關(guān)鍵所在。
意群訓(xùn)練:For one thing, no population can be driven entirely by density-independent factors all the time.
92、 In order to understand the nature of the ecologist s investigation,we may think of the density-dependent effects on growth parameters as the signal ecologists are trying to isolate and interpret,one that tends to make the population increase from relatively low values or decrease from relatively high ones,while the density-independent effects act to produce noise in the population dynamics.
為了能理解生態(tài)學(xué)家們所從事的研究的性質(zhì),我們可以把那些作用于增長參數(shù)的密度依賴效應(yīng)視作生態(tài)學(xué)家們力圖將其分離并予以解釋的 信號(hào) ,正是這一信號(hào)傾向于使種群從相對較低的數(shù)值遞增,或從相對較高的數(shù)值遞減;而與此同時(shí),那些密度獨(dú)立效應(yīng)起到的作用則構(gòu)成了種群動(dòng)態(tài)變化中的 噪音 。
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、插入語、省略
解釋:句子不僅很長,而且有兩個(gè)地方看上去不舒服,第一:think of ..as 不是很常見,其實(shí)think of 這個(gè)詞組就等于consider,imagine,加上后面的as就是把 .認(rèn)為是 的意思。第二個(gè)不習(xí)慣的地方是signal后面的大段修飾語,不但長度很長,而且在signal后面還省略了一個(gè)that,正常應(yīng)該是the signal that ecologists are trying to isolate and interpret,,與前面見過對that的省略不同的是,這次that在句中不是句子的賓語,而是不定式動(dòng)詞的賓語。
意群訓(xùn)練:In order to understand the nature of the ecologist s investigation,we may think of the density-dependent effects on growth parameters as the signal ecologists are trying to isolate and interpret,one that tends to make the population increase from relatively low values or decrease from relatively high ones,while the density-independent effects act to produce noise in the population dynamics.
93、 But the play s complex view of Black self-esteem and human solidarity as compatible is no more contradictory than Du Bois famous,well-considered ideal of ethnic self-awarenesscoexisting with human unity,or Fanon s emphasis on an ideal internationalism that also accommodates national identities and roles.
但該劇有關(guān)黑人自尊可與人類團(tuán)結(jié)相融合這一復(fù)雜觀點(diǎn),絲毫都不比杜波伊斯的理想或法儂的強(qiáng)調(diào)來得更為 矛盾 :杜波伊斯提出的著名的、深思熟慮的理想是,民族的自覺可以和人類大同共存;法儂則對理想的國際主義進(jìn)行了強(qiáng)調(diào),而這一理想的國際主義同樣也能兼容民族身份與角色。 No more than :一樣不
注:view Black self-esteem and human solidarity
ideal ethnic self-awareness coexisting with human unity
emphasis national identities and roles accommodates internationalism
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、抽象詞
解釋:本句的一個(gè)大難點(diǎn)就是對A no more contradictory than B的理解,與我們想當(dāng)然的意思正相反,其意思不是A不如B更矛盾,而是A與B同樣都不矛盾。A no more than B這個(gè)固定搭配的意思是A與B一樣都不 .例如:I can no more swim than a hammar并不是說我游泳不如錘子游得好,而是說我與錘子一樣都無法游泳。
另一個(gè)難點(diǎn)在于句子中大量的抽象詞,給讀者的詞匯能力提出了較高的要求。但是功底較好的讀者應(yīng)該可以發(fā)現(xiàn),句中用來比較的前后項(xiàng)中的描述三個(gè)作家的九組詞匯形成了一個(gè)3 4的同義詞矩陣,如上述的注。每一列都是同義詞,可以看出,這三個(gè)人的觀點(diǎn)是相同的,也可以看出作者英語功底之深。
意群訓(xùn)練:But the play s complex view of Black self-esteem and human solidarity as compatible is no more contradictory than Du Bois famous,well-considered ideal of ethnic self-awarenesscoexisting with human unity,or Fanon s emphasis on an ideal internationalism that also accommodates national identities and roles.
94、 In which of the following does the author of the passage reinforce his criticism of responses such as Isaacs to Raisin in the Sun?難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、題干圈套
在以下哪一個(gè)選項(xiàng)中,文章的作者加強(qiáng)了她對類似這樣的對于《》做出的反應(yīng)的批判呢?
解釋:為了對應(yīng)原文,以上中文的翻譯顯得很笨拙,請讀者原諒。需要說明的是,本題號(hào)稱GRE五大難題之一。對于此題的市面上眾說紛紜,皆不得要領(lǐng),筆者很高興能通過這本書把此題講清楚,一來以正視聽,二來解決同學(xué)們的疑難,三來提示ETS出題者的叵測居心。
此題之所以難解,是因?yàn)轭}干中藏有圈套。請仔細(xì)觀察題干,它問的是作者對誰的批評(píng)?是對I一伙的所有批評(píng)家的responses還是對I個(gè)人的responses做出的批評(píng)呢?當(dāng)然是對所有的responses。出題者在此設(shè)下陷阱,讓讀者怎么看都像是對I的responses的批評(píng),可是文章中對于I的描述并沒有能和選項(xiàng)匹配的說法,因此用I到文中去定位,這道題當(dāng)然無法做出:而文中對與I抱有相同觀點(diǎn)的全體評(píng)論家們對 太陽下的葡萄干 一書的反應(yīng)的描述十分清楚:Indeed, a curiously persistent refusal to credit Hansberry with a capacity for intentional irony has led some critics to interpret the play s thematic conflicts as mere confusion,contradiction, or eclecticism.Isaac, for exmaple,
評(píng)論家們從一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤的前提推出一個(gè)錯(cuò)誤結(jié)論,那么我們的作者應(yīng)該怎么批評(píng)他們呢?當(dāng)然要駁倒其assumption,說H是能作intentinal irony的。我們于是看到了D選項(xiàng),intentianal 的完美的同義詞:well-considered.從本題中可以體會(huì)到,對于句子的閱讀能力是多么重要。
意群訓(xùn)練:In which of the following does the author of the passage reinforce his criticism of responses such as Isaacs to Raisin in the Sun?
95、 Inheritors of some of the viewpoints of early twentieth-century Progressive historians such as Beard and Becker,these recent historians have put forward arguments that deserve evaluation.
作為二十世紀(jì)早期 進(jìn)步派 史學(xué)家等人某些觀點(diǎn)的繼承者,這些近期的史學(xué)家所提出的觀點(diǎn)值得我們予以評(píng)價(jià)。
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾
解釋:看夠了后置的修飾成分,我們來看一個(gè)放在前面的同位語。Inheritors之后的長長的復(fù)合結(jié)構(gòu)是主句的主語these recent historians的同位語。本句稍微有些難的地方在于,很容易把B和B與recent historians的關(guān)系看錯(cuò)。正確的理解是:recent historians是B和B的后繼者,而不是相反。
意群訓(xùn)練:Inheritors of some of the viewpoints of early twentieth-century Progressive historians such as Beard and Becker,these recent historians have put forward arguments that deserve evaluation.
96、 Despite these vague categories,one should not claim unequivocally that hostility between recognizable classes cannot be legitimately observed.
盡管存在這些模糊范疇,但我們不應(yīng)該斷然聲稱,在各個(gè)易于辨認(rèn)出的階層之間所存在的敵對態(tài)度就無法被合理地觀察到。
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、三重否定
解釋:從這個(gè)例子可以看出,句子的難度也不全是與其長度成正比。比如這句話,既不算長又沒有什么不認(rèn)識(shí)的單詞,但是偏偏很難看懂。看不懂的原因,是寫文章的人使用了三重否定,should not unequivocally, cannot。在這里,可以明顯看出ETS在考查我們的閱讀能力,因?yàn)槿绻氚丫渥涌隙ǖ恼Z氣而不改變句子的意思是很容易的。Despite these vage categories, one may still claim definitely that hostility between discernable classes can be validely observed.
意群訓(xùn)練:Despite these vague categories,one should not claim unequivocally that hostility between recognizable classes cannot be legitimately observed.
97、 Yet those who stress the achievement of a general consensus among the colonists cannot fully understand that consensus without understanding the conflicts that had to be overcome or repressed in order to reach it.
然而,有些史學(xué)家強(qiáng)調(diào)在殖民者之間曾出現(xiàn)過一種普遍的一致意見。這些史學(xué)家如果不認(rèn)識(shí)到各種矛盾的存在,就無法充分地理解這種一致意見,而所有那些矛盾只有在被克服或壓制之后才有可能獲得那種一致意見。 It 指代:general consensus
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、雙重否定
解釋:本句同樣不算長,但是難度卻超乎尋常,而且本句在文章中是最后一句,文章的作者用本句話給出了他對文章中心論題的最后態(tài)度,不可謂不重要。據(jù)筆者觀察,能夠現(xiàn)場讀懂這句話的讀者絕不超過20%。
本句之所以難,是因?yàn)槿齻€(gè)原因,第一,句子中的復(fù)雜修飾帶給讀者思維上的困難。第二,本句without引導(dǎo)的條件狀語的表述不符合讀者大腦中的語言及思維習(xí)慣。Without引導(dǎo)的介詞結(jié)構(gòu)作條件狀語,在中文里面不一定要像筆者上面給出的翻譯一樣,要放在其推出的結(jié)論的前面,相當(dāng)于,如果不 則 ,而在英文中,它既可以放在前面,也可以后面,而且以出現(xiàn)在后面的情況居多。這就造成了中國讀者的思維上的不習(xí)慣。不但如此,without之后的表達(dá)也讓人看得不舒服,我們習(xí)慣的表達(dá)是without understanding that the conflicts had to be overcome or repressed in order to reach it.而句中把the conflicts和that調(diào)換了一下,變成了without understanding the conflict that had to be overcome or repressed in oreder to reach it,從語法上可通,但從句義上卻看起來別扭。作者為什么不用看起來更通順的前一種說法呢?這是因?yàn)閮烧叩囊馑忌洗嬖诩?xì)微的差別。前者強(qiáng)調(diào)的是要去理解泛指的矛盾被克服這件事,而后者強(qiáng)調(diào)的是要去正確理解特指的需要被克服才是理解整個(gè)抗英斗爭的著急。
另外,句中的consensus和最后的it都是指殖民者的一致抗英的共識(shí)。
本句給讀者造成的最大困難還在于它使用了雙重否定,如果不理解那些必須被克服的矛盾,就不能理解這些共識(shí),其意思就是只有理解了那些必須被克服的矛盾,才有可能理解這些共識(shí)。請讀者反復(fù)閱讀,以熟練掌握這種對于多重否定的思維轉(zhuǎn)換。
意群訓(xùn)練:Yet those who stress the achievement of a general consensus among the colonists cannot fully understand that consensus without understanding the conflicts that had to be overcome or repressed in order to reach it.
98、 It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements regarding socioeconomic class and support for the rebel and Loyalist causes during the American Revolutionary War?插入語多
從文章中可以推斷出來,作者最有可能同意以下哪一個(gè)關(guān)于在美國革命戰(zhàn)爭中的社會(huì)經(jīng)濟(jì)各階層及其對叛黨和保王黨的支持的陳述?
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾
解釋:句子是在regarding之后才開始難懂的。Regarding引導(dǎo)一個(gè)分詞結(jié)構(gòu),修飾statement。分詞中regard的賓語有兩個(gè),一個(gè)是socioeconomic class,另一個(gè)是support for the rebel and Loyallist caused,中間由and相連接,本句的不好懂之處在于,我們對support 的第一反應(yīng)是把它當(dāng)成動(dòng)詞,這樣就有可能理解成and support for是與前面的agree with并列的謂語,當(dāng)然這種理解在語法上是成立的,然而在邏輯上不成立。正確的理解是support作名詞,與socioeconomic class并列。其實(shí)本題干的意思就是在問哪個(gè)階層的人會(huì)支持哪一方。
意群訓(xùn)練:It can be inferred from the passage that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements regarding socioeconomic class and support for the rebel and Loyalist causes during the American Revolutionary War?
99、 She wished to discard the traditional methods and established vocabularies of such dance forms as ballet and to explore the internal sources of human expressiveness.
她希望拋棄傳統(tǒng)的方法和像芭蕾舞這樣已經(jīng)確立的舞蹈語言,而希望探索人類表現(xiàn)力的內(nèi)在源泉。
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、省略、抽象詞、易淆結(jié)構(gòu)
解釋:本句盡管用詞抽象,但給讀者帶來直接威脅的還是句子的結(jié)構(gòu),句中由兩個(gè)and連接起三部分內(nèi)容,這在語法上似乎說不通,可實(shí)際上這兩個(gè)and在句子中所處的層次其實(shí)是不同的,第一個(gè)and連接了discard的兩個(gè)賓語,也可以看成是and后面省略了不定式to discard,也就是說第一個(gè)and 是在不定式中的并列,而第二個(gè)and的層次要高于前面的第一個(gè)and。
讀者讀到established的時(shí)候容易犯兩種錯(cuò)誤,一是把a(bǔ)nd之后的established看成是與wished并列的謂語,二是把established看成是與discard并列的不定式。其實(shí)這兩種理解在語法上都行不通;如果與wished并列,則后面要加不定式,如果與discard并列,它本身就必須是動(dòng)詞原型。
其實(shí)在閱讀的現(xiàn)場,考生根本就沒有時(shí)間去考慮其語法,上面所說的把established讀錯(cuò),還是因?yàn)樽x者很少見到established作形容詞的用法及兩個(gè)and居于不同層次的情況。
意群訓(xùn)練:She wished to discard the traditional methods and established vocabularies of such dance forms as ballet and to explore the internal sources of human expressiveness.
100、 Although it has been possible to infer from the goods and services actually produced what manufactures and servicing trades thought their customers wanted,only a study of relevant personal documents written by actual consumers will provide a precise picture of who wanted what.
盡管有可能從實(shí)際制造的商品和服務(wù)中可推知制造商和服務(wù)業(yè)認(rèn)為他們的顧客所需要的是什么,但只有對由實(shí)際顧客撰寫的相關(guān)的個(gè)人文件進(jìn)行一番研究,方能提供一幅精確的圖畫,藉以說明 什么樣的人 需要什么樣的東西。
難句類型:復(fù)雜修飾、倒裝
解釋:前面的it是形式主語,主語真正的內(nèi)容在不定式中。不定式中的大規(guī)模倒裝,是這個(gè)句子讀不懂的主要原因:infer的賓語是what從句,而infer和從句之間被以from為首的作狀語的介詞結(jié)構(gòu)所分隔。正常語序應(yīng)該是:to infer what manufactures and servicing trades thought their customers wanted from the goods and services actually produced.后面的分句也不好讀:主語很長,而且句末的賓語precise picture后面的修飾成分of who wanted what也是比較少見的。
意群訓(xùn)練:Although it has been possible to infer from the goods and services actually produced what manufactures and servicing trades thought their customers wanted,only a study of relevant personal documents written by actual consumers will provide a precise picture of who wanted what.