難句解析:
①"Is this what you intended to accomplish with your careers?" Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week. "You have sold your souls, but must you corrupt our nation and threaten our children as well?"
▲這是一個有直接引語的復雜句。首先抓住核心句Senator Robert Dole asked Time Warner executives last week,其前后是直接引語。這個直接引語的前半部分是一個一般疑問句,后面由兩個轉折關系的句子構成,由連詞but連接。第一個分句是一個簡單句,but后面的句子是一個一般疑問句。由情態動詞must引導,包括由and這個連詞連接的兩個并列部分,corrupt our nation和threaten our children as well。在后面threaten out children as well這部分的主語you被省略了。
△關鍵要理解but后面的一般疑問句,這里并不是表示疑問,而是反問、詰問的意思。當并列復合句的第二個子句的主語與第一個子句的主語相同時,第二個子句的主語可以省略。as well這里是“in addition,also,too,也”的意思,經常用于句尾。
②It's a self-examination that has, at various times, involved issues of responsibility, creative freedom and the corporate bottom line.
▲這是一個有定語從句的復雜句。閱讀時首先注意主干為It is a self-examination...,that后面引導的是限定性定語從句,修飾self-examination,定語從句的賓語是一個of詞組,其核心是issues,在介詞of后面是三個并列的短語,都是用來修飾和限定issues的。這三個短語因為是并列的關系,所以只在最后一個短語前面使用并列連詞and。at various times是插入語,將動詞的兩部分分開了。
△這句話的核心在于self-examination,后面的部分都是用于修飾這個詞,要正確理解其意思是“自我反省,自我檢討”。而corporate bottom line所指的是一個公司所能做出的事情或者所能容忍的新聞工作者自由發揮的最大限度。
③The flap over rap is not making life any easier for him. Levin has consistently defended the company's rap music on the grounds of expression.
▲第一個句子是一個簡單句。flap over rap是句子的主語,is making是謂語,使用了結構:make+n.+adj.。第二個句子也是一個簡單句。
△第一句中的重點是掌握to make life easier這個表述方法,其它部分都是輔助這個短語的。另外,對于flap一詞的理解也至關重要,在這里它的意思是“焦慮,興奮狀態”的意思。第二句中的主干是defend somebody on the grounds of something(為某種理由或手段為某人辯護)。expression這里的意思是the quality of singing or playing a musical instrument with feeling,即“表達方式、腔調”,尤指“雄辯的語調,富有表情的唱腔”。注意consistently是“一貫地,一向地”的意思,不要與constantly混淆。
④"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..."
▲這里直接引語被分成兩部分,一部分在主句前,另一部分放在主句之后。在這個例子里面,直接引語是主句的賓語。直接引語的主干是The test... lies not in... but in..., however...,這是一個用副詞however連接的并列復合句。
△閱讀時可以先不看直接引語,可以在分別搞清楚主句和作為賓語從句的直接引語的意思后再把主句和直接引語放在一起理解,這樣就比較容易了。另一方面,要理解however引導的句子的意思,在這里可以把其理解為“不管,不論”,在這種用法中,however一般后面接形容詞。
⑤During the discussion of rock singing verses at last month's stockholders' meeting, Levin asserted that "music is not the cause of society's ills" and even cited his son, a teacher in the Bronx, New York, who uses rap to communicate with students.
▲句子的主干是Levin asserted that... that even cited...。During... stockholder's meeting這一部分是表示時間的狀語從句。music is not the cause of society's ills是直接引語,作為動詞asserted的賓語。his son是動詞cited的賓語,后面的a teacher in the Bronx, New York是賓語his son的同位語,最后面的who uses rap to communicate with students是修飾his son的定語從句。
△這個句子比較長,但是只要抓住... Levin asserted that... and even cited...這樣的句子主干,就能明晰Levin的主要觀點,其它部分的理解也就水到渠成了。
⑥"I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this."
▲I think...是這句話的主干,后面的部分是這句話的賓語從句。在賓語從句當中that引導一個同位語從句,說明case的具體情況是some people associated with the company have only recently come to realize this。associated with相當于簡略的定語從句,修飾前面的people。
△重點是要理解that引導的是同位語從句,后面的部分說明case的具體情況。名詞fact,dream,idea,notion,proposal和news等等都常常被同位語從句所修飾。
adj. 有義務的,應負責的,有 ... 傾向