例2. But now it is realized that supplies of some of them are limited, and it is even possible to give a reasonable estimate of their “expectation of life”, the time it will take to exhaust all known sources and reserves of these materials. (84年考题) 分析: 该句的骨干结构为“It is realized that…”, it为形式主语, that引导着主语从句以及并列的it is even possible to …结构, 其中, 不定式作主语, the time …是“expectation of life”的同位语, 进一步解释其含义, 而time后面的句子是它的定语从句五个谓语结构, 表达了四个层次的意义: A. 可是现在人们意识到; B. 其中有些矿物质的蕴藏量是有限的; C. 人们甚至还可以比较合理的估计出这些矿物质“可望存在多少年”; D. 将这些已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽的时间根据同位语从句的翻译方法, 把第四层意义的表达作适当的调整, 整个句子就翻译为: 可是现在人们意识到, 其中有些矿物质的蕴藏量是有限的, 人们甚至还可以比较合理的估计出这些矿物质“可望存在多少年”, 也就是说, 经过若干年后, 这些矿物的全部已知矿源和储量将消耗殆尽
例5. It begins as a childlike interest in the grand spectacle and exciting event; it grows as a mature interest in the variety and complexity of the drama, the splendid achievements and terrible failures; it ends as deep sense of the mystery of man?s life of all the dead, great and obscure, who once walked the earth, and of wonderful and awful possibilities of being a human being. 我们对历史的爱好起源于我们最初仅对一些历史上的宏伟场面和激动人心的事件感到孩童般的兴趣; 其后, 这种爱好变得成熟起来, 我们开始对历史这出“戏剧”的多样性和复杂性, 对历史上的辉煌成就和悲壮失败也感兴趣; 对历史的爱好, 最终以我们对人类生命的一种深沉的神秘感而告结束对死去的, 无论是伟大与平凡, 所有在这个地球上走过而已逝的人都有能取得伟大奇迹或制造可怕事件的潜力
例6. If parents were prepared for this adolescent reaction, and realized that it was a sign that the child was growing up and developing valuable powers of observation and independent judgment , they would not be so hurt, and therefore would not drive the child into opposition by resenting and resisting it. 如果做父母的对这种青少年的反应有所准备, 而且认为这是一个显示出孩子正在成长, 正在发展珍贵的观察力和独立的判断力的标志, 他们就不会感到如此伤心, 所以也就不会因对此有愤恨和反对的情绪而把孩子推到对立面去
(2) 逆序法英语有些长句的表达次序与汉语表达习惯不同, 甚至完全相反, 这时必须从原文后面开始翻译例如:
来源：www.examda.com
例1. Aluminum remained unknown until the nineteenth century, because nowhere in nature is it found free, owing to its always being combined with other elements, most commonly with oxygen, for which it has a strong affinity. 分析: 这个句子由一个主句, 两个原因状语和一个定语从句, “铝直到19世纪才被人发现”是主句, 也是全句的中心内容, 全句共有四个谓语结构, 共有五层意思: A. 铝直到19世纪才被人发现; B. 由于在自然界找不到游离状态的铝; C. 由于它总是跟其他元素结合在一起; D. 最普遍的是跟氧结合; E. 铝跟氧有很强的亲和力按照汉语的表达习惯通常因在前, 果在后, 这样, 我们可以逆着原文的顺序把该句翻译成: 铝总是跟其他元素结合在一起, 最普遍的是跟氧结合; 因为铝跟氧有很强的亲和力, 由于这个原因, 在自然界找不到游离状态的铝所以, 铝直到19世纪才被人发现
例2. It therefore becomes more and more important that, if students are not to waste their opportunities, there will have to be much more detailed information about courses and more advice.
分析: 该句由一个主句, 一个条件状语从句和一个宾语从句组成, “……变得越来越重要”是主句, 也是全句的中心内容, 全句共有三个谓语结构, 包含三层含义: A. ……变的越来越重要; B. 如果要使学生充分利用他们的机会; C. 得为他们提供大量更为详尽的信息, 作更多的指导为了使译文符合汉语的表达习惯, 我们也采用逆序法, 翻译成: 因此, 如果要使学生充分利用他们(上大学)的机会, 就得为他们提供大量关于课程的更为详尽的信息, 作更多的指导这个问题显得越来越重要了下面我们再举几个实例:
例3. It is probably easier for teachers than for students to appreciate the reasons why learning English seems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the language have been understood. 一旦了解英语的基本结构和句型, 再往下学似乎就越来越难了, 这其中的原因, 也许教师比学生更容易理解
例4. They (the poor) are the first to experience technological progress as a curse which destroys the old muscle-power jobs that previous generations used as a means to fight their way out of poverty. 对于以往几代人来说, 旧式的体力劳动是一种用以摆脱贫困的手段, 而技术的进步则摧毁了穷人赖以为生的体力劳动, 因此首先体验到技术进步之害的是穷人
例5.A great number of graduate students were driven into the intellectual slum when in the United States the intellectual poor became the classic poor, the poor under the rather romantic guise of the Beat Generation, a real phenomenon in the late fifties. 50年代后期的美国出现了一个任何人都不可能视而不见的现象, 穷知识分子以“跨掉的一代”这种颇为浪漫的姿态出现而成为美国典型的穷人, 正是这个时候大批大学生被赶进了知识分子的贫民窟
例6. Such is a human nature in the West that a great many people are often willing to sacrifice higher pay for the privilege of becoming white collar workers. 许多人宁愿牺牲比较高的工资以换取成为白领工人的社会地位, 这在西方倒是人之常情
例7. Insects would make it impossible for us to live in the world; they would devour all our crops and kill our flocks and herds, if it were not for the protection we get from insect-eating animals. 假如没有那些以昆虫为食的动物保护我们, 昆虫将吞噬我们所有的庄稼, 害死我们的牛羊家畜, 使我们不能生存于世
