難句解析：
①But the environment must also have a profound effect, since if competition is important to the parents, it is likely to become a major factor in the lives of their children.
▲本句的主干是... the environment must also have a profound effect。后面的since引導一個原因狀語從句，而這個從句又是一個if引導的條件主從復合句。
△注意profound的詞義為“意義深遠的”。另外要看到最后一個逗號后面的it所指代的是competition。
②One place where children soak up A characteristics is school, which is, by its very nature, a highly competitive institution.
▲本句的主干是One place... is school，這個簡單句的主語和謂語都有一個定語從句修飾，前面的是限定性的，而后面的是非限定性的，并且在其里面還有一個插入成分by its very nature。
△可以先抓主干，然后再分析那兩個定語從句，另外注意soak up的意思是“吸收，攝取”，其實即使我們不是很清楚這個詞組的意思，只要我們抓住soak的基本意思“浸泡，浸濕，浸透”，詞組的意思也能猜出來。
③The current passion for making children compete against their classmates or against the clock produces a two-layer system, in which competitive A-types seem in some way better than their B-type fellows.
▲本句的主干是The current passion... produces a two-layer system，passion后面的介詞for的賓語比較復雜，是一個make sb. do sth.的結構，而主句的賓語a two-layer system后面有一個非限定性的定語從句。
△可以先抓主干，然后再分析其它成分，另外在理解的時候也要有一定的想象力，比如compete against the clock不能從字面上理解為“和鐘表競爭”，而應該理解成“與時間競爭/和時間賽跑”。
④The merits of competition by examination are somewhat questionable, but competition in the certain knowledge of failure is positively harmful.
▲本句由兩個子句構成，中間有一個but表示意思的轉折。
△要正確理解本句，重點在于抓住單詞的正確意思。questionable可疑的，值得疑問的；而后面的knowledge如果理解成“知識”那么這句話就怎么也看不懂了，在這里它的意思應該是“知道，知曉”，因此in the knowledge of應被理解為“在了解……的情況下”。
⑤Perhaps selection for the caring professions, especially medicine, could be made less by grades in chemistry and more by such considerations as sensitivity and sympathy.
▲本句的主干是... selection... could be made less by... and more by...。兩個逗號隔開的是對于caring professions的進一步具體說明。
△注意在閱讀的時候抓住less... and more...的結構，同時注意more后面的可能要更加重要一些。
來源:可可英語 http://www.ccdyzl.cn/kaoyan/201407/314171.shtml