GRE阅读难句之插入语详解

 　　Is this a defect，or are the authors working out of,or trying to forge,a different kind of aesthetic¹? (3)

　　这究竟是一种缺陷呢，还是这些作者想要按照一种与众不同的美学体系进行创作，抑或是在试图创立一种与众不同的美学体系?

　　难句类型：插入语

　　解释：本句的句子既短，意思也不难理解，但插入语(or trying to forge)的干扰作用却极强。

　　意群训练：Is this a defect, or are the authors working out of, or trying to forge, a different kind of aesthetic?

　　As my own studies have advanced,I have been increasingly impressed with the functional²　similarities between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural³ differences that seem,at first glance,to constitute such an immense gulf⁴ between them. (5)

　　随着我的研究不断深入，我对昆虫和脊椎动物群落之间的功能类似性印象愈来愈深刻，而对结构上的差异印象愈发淡漠，虽然这些结构上的差异初看上去似乎构成了二者间一条无法愈越的鸿沟。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语、省略

　　解释：本句子的中间一段impressed with the functional similarites between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural differences容易令人看晕，其中的insect and vertebrate societies and less so with由两个and连接了三个部分，然而它们其实不是同一层次的并列，第一个and实际上是between insect societies and vertebrate societies的一部分，是并列的，而and之后的less so with其实是对于一个完整的表达方式I have been increasingly less impressed with的省略形式，去掉了与前面重复的成分。

　　后面修饰的structural differences的定语从句that seem, at first glance, to constitute such an immense gulf between them中，又出现了一个别扭的插入语at first glance,把应该连在一起的seem to 粗暴地分开，令人不熟悉此类难句的人倍感不适。

　　意群训练：As my own studies have advanced, I have been increasingly impressed with the functional similarities between insect and vertebrate societies and less so with the structural differences that seem, at first glance, to constiture such an immense gulf between them.

　　In addition, the style of some Black novels, like Jean Toomer's Cane⁵, verges⁷ on expressionism or surrealism ;does this technique provide a counterpoint to the prevalent theme that portrays⁸ the fate against which Black heroes are pitted , a theme usually conveyed by more naturalistic modes of expression ? (5)

　　不仅如此，有些黑人小说(比如JT的甘蔗)的风格接近与表现主义和超现实主义;这种技巧是否为流行的主题提供了一个和谐的对应呢?这种主题刻画了黑人注意与之相抗争的命运，这是一个通常用更为自然主义的表现手法所表达的主题。

　　难句类型：复杂修饰、插入语

　　解释：在本句中有三个词需要先解释一番：verge⁶ on这个词组是接近于、濒于的意思，hero在文学作品中是主人公的意思，pit作动词时，除了挖坑、窖藏之外，还有使竞争、使斗争的意思，其英文释义为：to set as gamecocks into or as if into a pit to fight, to set into opposition⁹ or rivalry¹⁰ usually used with against.在此用的是后一种语义的被动语态fate againt which Black heros are pitted.如果用主动语态则是：pit black heros againt fate.

　　另外本句的结构复杂，分号之后是一个一般疑问句，但是由于修饰成分过多，过长，使得读者看不清楚这个句子在问什么。其实如果没有最后的那个prevalent theme的同位语a theme usually conveyed by more naturalistic modes of expression,本句会易懂得多。

　　意群训练：In addition, the style of some Black novels, like Jean Toomer's Cane, verges on expressionism or surrealism; does this technique provide a counterpoint to the prevalent theme that portrays the fate against which Black heroes are pitted, a theme usually conveyed by more naturalistic modes of expression?

1 aesthetic   

adj.美学的，审美的，有美感

参考例句：

• My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。
• The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

2 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

3 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 cane   

n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的

参考例句：

• This sugar cane is quite a sweet and juicy.这甘蔗既甜又多汁。
• English schoolmasters used to cane the boys as a punishment.英国小学老师过去常用教鞭打男学生作为惩罚。

6 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

7 verges   

边，边缘，界线( verge的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The small stream verges to the north. 这条小河向北延伸。
• The results ob-tained agree well with those given by Verges using random Bethe lattice model. 所得结果与Verges用非晶的Bethe晶格模型的计算结果相符。

8 portrays   

v.画像( portray的第三人称单数 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The museum collection vividly portrays the heritage of 200 years of canals. 博物馆的藏品让运河200 年的历史再现眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The film portrays Gandhi as a kind of superman. 这部电影把甘地描绘成一个超人。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。