四级阅读基本功--长难句过关（第三十二期）

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2008:03:31 12:09:33
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

Exercise

Then he called in his two remaining women secretaries and handed them capsules of poison to use if they wished to when the advancing Russians broke in.

Whatever his rank, however rich or poor, an Egyptian believed in another life after death, provided he had pleased the gods.

My mother Jane, died in her 88th year, a mighty age for one who at 40 was so delicate of body as to be accounted a confirmed invalid, destined to pass away.

要点：if they wished to 后面省略了use.这种省略的动词要根据上文来判断。
译文：然后，他把自己仅剩的两名女秘书传来，递给她们毒药胶囊，以备节节逼近的俄国人闯入后她们想服用时服用。

要点：句中的两个让步状语"whatever his rank, however rich or poor"是两个省略句。完整的句子应为：“whatever his rank is, however rich or poor he is".句子中provided he had pleased the gods 是由连词provided引出的条件状语从句，类似意义的词还有：providing，（常用于口语和商业英语中，不用于书面语），given,supposing等。例如：Supposing the plane doesnt arrive on time, well have to postpone the meeting.
译文：埃及人不论职位高低，不管贫富贵贱，都相信如果得到了上帝的欢心，死后会有另一次生命。

要点：此句中Jane是my mother的同位语，a mighty age for one 是her 88th year的同位语。”who at 40...destined to pass away"是one的定语从句。“to be accounted a confirmed invalid ,destined to pass away "是一个省略了成分的并列动词不定式结构。此短语补齐后应该是：to be accounted a confirmedivalid , and to be destined to pass away,省略and to be 是为了避免重复多余的词。
译文：我的母亲简是88岁去世。这个岁数对于一个40岁时就身体纤弱，被公认有痼疾在身和注定不久于人世的人来说，是个难得的高龄。