Te xt A
Saving the Rainfor ests for Futur e Gener ations 保护雨林, 造福后代Study of the Text
1.Rainforests are being cut and burned from Brazil to Indonesia at such a rate that they could well disappear from the earth’s surface before the year 2050. 从巴西到印度尼西亚, 热带雨林被砍被烧, 速度之快, 2050 年之前很可能全部消失。
1 )such.that.如此..以至..；如此..竟至..
such 在上面结构中意为:“ 这样的”;“ 这种的”；“ 上述的”。
such 与some, many, all, no, any, another, one, two 等词连用时, 放在它们之后。例如: no such words (as those )没有(像那些)同类的词。another such watch 另外一个像这样的表。在uch.that.中, such 后面跟名词, 名词前面可有不定冠词, 形容词修饰该名词, 即“ such (a /an)+ (形容词)+ 名词+ that .”。例如:
It is such a fine day tha t all of us are going out.
天气如此晴朗以致我们大家都要出去进行活动。
The couple has such lovely children tha t their lives are very interesting and lively. 这对夫妻有这样可爱的一群孩子以致他们的
生活变得十分有趣并充满生气。
He had such bad behavior tha t everyone disliked him.
他的行为如此糟糕, 以致人人都嫌恶他。
2 )so.that.如此..以至..；如此..竟至..
但so 后面跟的是形容词或副词, 即so + 副(形)词+ that.。
He was so ill tha t we had to send for a doctor.
他病得很厉害, 我们必须去请医生。
There were so many tha t we didn’t know where to put them all.
数量太多了, 我们不知如何安置它们。
He was so angry that he couldn’t speak.
他非常愤怒, 竟至说不出话。
如果用so.that.结构代替such.that.结构, 那么可以这样。
The day is so fine tha t all of us are going out.
The couple’s children are so lovely tha t their lives are very interesting and lively.
His behavior was so bad tha t everyone disliked him.
注: 在上述结构中, so, such 位于各自句首时, 句子要倒装。
He was so absorbed tha t she didn’t dare to make a sound.
他如此专心致志, 以至她不敢弄出响声。
= So absorbed was he tha t she didn’t dare to make a sound.
The workmen finished their work so quickly tha t they were given a bonus. 工人们很快完成了他们的工作, 并得到了奖金。
= So quickly did the workmen finish their work tha t they were given a bonus.
The force of the explosion was such that all the windows were broken.
爆炸的力量如此之大, 以至所有的窗子都震破了。
= Such wa s the force of the explosion that all the windows were broken.
2.The most recent figures show that the area of rainforest destroyed last year alone was bigger than the size of Great Britain and Ireland. 根据最新的统计数字, 去年被毁的雨林面积比英国和爱尔兰两国面积总和还大。
1 )figure 数字(尤指0 至9)
Double figures are numbers between 9 and 99.
二位数即10 至99 间的数字。
The manager has an income of six figures every year.
这位经理每年有六位数字的的收入。
除“数字”外, 还可意为“ 价钱”,“ 图形(表)”、“ 体态(身材)”、“人物(尤其指有影响力)”。例如:
The student bought a schoolbag at a low figure.
这个学生以便宜价格买了一个书包。
The blackboard was covered with geometrical figures, i. e.
squares, triangles, etc. 黑板上画满了几何图形(正方形、三角形等)。
She’s a fine figure of a woman. 她的身材很美。
Churchill is the greatest figure of his era.
邱吉尔是他那个时代最伟大的人物。
2 )destroyed last year alone 作后置定语修饰rainforest。用作后置修饰语的-ed 分词一般都带有修饰语或其他成分, 这种后置修饰语在意义上相当于关系分句。例如:
Vast areas of land, efficiently irrigated and fertilised, could be converted into arable fields producing cereals.
= Vast areas of land, which are efficiently irrigated and fertilised .
得到充分灌溉和养分的广袤土地能变成生产谷物的可耕地。
Most of the people invited to the reception were old friends.
= Most of the people who had been invited to the reception were old friends. 被邀参加招待会的人大多数都是老朋友。
The quantity of oxygen liberated to atmosphere by growing vegetation is obviously very large.
= The quantity of oxygen which is liberated to atmosphere by growing vegetation is obviously very large. 生长的植被释放到大气中的氧气量很多。
用作后置修饰语的-ed 分词有时也可单独出现, 这时-ed 分词的动词功能更加突出, 依然起关系分句的作用。例如:
Things seen are mightier than things heard.
= Things which are seen are mightier than things which are heard.
耳闻不如眼见(眼见为实, 耳听为虚)。
3.According to many scientists, the burning of rainforests is also directly contributing to the so-called greenhouse effect. 许多科学家认为, 焚烧雨林也是造成温室效应的直接因素。
1 )so-called 是-ed 分词加副词构成的复合形容词作前置修饰语, 修饰greenhouse effect。
有些-ed 分词通常不能单独用作前置修饰语, 但若加前缀un-或者为副词所修饰而构成“副词+ -ed 分词”的复合形容词以后, 可以作前置定语。例如本文的newly cut wood 新砍伐的木材；uninvited guests 没被邀请的客人；untold sufferings 无数的痛苦；unheard-of stories 从未听过的故事；an undetermined boundary 未确定的界线；an unedited story 未编辑的故事；an unexpected happening 未预料到的事件；badly-built house 劣质建房；far-fetched reasons 牵强的原因；newly-born children 新生的孩子；highly-developed country 高度发达的国家；half-baked ideas 愚蠢的主意；a properly-started engine 运转正常的发动机。
2 )effect n. 影响v. 招致, 实现He fell ill from the effect of hot weather.
因炎热天气的影响, 他病倒了。
This policy effected a marked change in the country’s economical situation. 这一政策给国家的经济形势带来了明显的变化。
4.This effect, they say, is raising average temperatures and sea levels as the polar ice caps recede. 他们认为这种温室效应使得全球的平均气温升高, 极地冰帽消退因而海平面上升。
1 )they say 作插入语, 这种插入语又常被称作评注性状语(分离性状语), 不是修饰谓语或谓语动词, 而是对整个句子进行说明或解释或表明说话人对话语的看法或态度；其次, 评注性状语不同于它所评说的句子在结构上紧密结合, 通常位于句首(也可位于句中或句末), 常用逗号与句子隔开。例如:
What’s more important, this project offered prospects of a great profit. 更重要的是, 这个项目提供了巨大盈利的前景。To be sure, some people may disagree. 肯定有人会反对。
In my opinion, you’d better go with us.
我认为你最好与我们同去。
You telephoned the hospital first, quite rightly.
你首先给医院打电话, 这很正确。
The accident happened, possible, when I was in the garden.
这事故发生时, 我可能在花园里。
I’ve got a proposition that, I’m sure, will interest you. 我相信我有个让你感兴趣的问题。
2 )raise vt. 提升, 使..增加(上升)
The moving tractor raised a cloud of dust.
行驶的拖拉机扬起一片尘土。
His funny stories raised a laugh. 他的滑稽故事惹起一阵大笑。
He ra ised his hand to ask a question. 他举手提问。
5.Plant species are not the only forms of life threatened with extinction in the rainforest. 在热带雨林里濒于灭绝的还不止限于植物种类。
1 )species 在这里是个名词, 意思是“(生物)种；类”。
There are more than 250 species of shark. 鲨鱼种类达250 种以上。
He has a species of cunning. 他有一种狡诈性格。
2 )threaten.with.用..威胁.., 用..吓..
The employer threa tens an employee with dismissal.
这位雇主用开除威吓一个雇员。
They threatened revenge. 他们声言要报复。
常用被动语态be threatened with.受到..威胁。
The race wa s threatened with starvation and disease.
这个种族受到饥饿和疾病的威胁。
He is threa tened with a lawsuit. 他受到诉讼威胁。
句中threatened with extinction 为-ed 分词短语作定语修饰the only forms of life 相当于一个关系分句which are threatened with extinction。
6.In the face of all these facts, it seems senseless for countries to continue destroying their rainforests. 从上述情况看来, 有些国家继续毁坏他们的雨林似乎是愚蠢之举。
1 )it 作形式主语, 后面的真正主语是不定式结构“ for countries to continue destroying their rainforests”。此it 称“ 先行”it。先行it 除可代替不定式外, 还可代替-ing 分词结构或名词性分句结构作先行形式主语或先行形式宾语。例如:
It’s illegal to dr ive without a license. 无照驾车是违法的。
It was pleasant meeting you in London tha t da y. 真高兴那天在伦敦见到你。(meeting you in London that day 为-ing分词结构作真正主语)He made it clear that he didn’t want to speak to me. 他明白表示不想同我谈话。