一個英語句子之所以難以理解，有許多原因，其中一個主要原因是句子太長或者句子結構複雜。句子過長或者複雜通常是該句除了主幹之外還包含了一些附加部分，如插入語、同位語、分隔現象、各種從句或較長的非謂語動詞短語等等。下面我們來談談幾種英語閱讀長難句的處理方法。
如何處理長難句
1、找謂語，找定語
一般情況下，一個謂語形式的動詞對應其動作的發出者(主語)，我們可以根據謂語動詞的意義來確定其主語。而且，如果一個句子中出現兩個或兩個以上的謂語形式的動詞，則該句可以是並列句或複合句(並列謂語動詞的情況除外)。如：
People feared that weakening a 21-year-old ban on the sale of ivory would encourage illegal hunting and hurt elephant populations.
【句意】二十一年來，象牙交易一直被明令禁止，人們擔心削弱這一禁令會助長非法捕獵，導致大象數量減少。
【分析】that 引導賓語從句，從句中謂語動詞是encourage和hurt，根據邏輯意義，可知encourage和hurt 的主語是動名詞短語weakening a 21-year-old ban on the sale of ivory。
2 、提主幹，去枝葉
一般情況下，一個句子中的主句所表達的信息為主要信息，從句、狀語和定語等所表達的信息為次要信息。若句子的主幹提煉不出來，就不能完全把握句子的核心意義，從而導致思維混亂，主次不分。如：
Economists from the University of Sussex analysed findings from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a 15-year research project charting the fortunes of a group of thousands of teenagers who attended high schools in the US in the mid-1990s.
【句意】來自薩塞克斯大學的經濟學家們分析了國家青少年健康縱向研究的研究結果，這項研究是一個歷時15年的課題，它記錄了數千名在美國20世紀90年代中期上中學的一組青少年的財產情況。
【分析】句子主幹為Economists analysed findings。from the University of Sussex 作economists的定語;from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health 作findings的定語;a 15-year research project作the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health 的同位語;charting ... 作project 的定語;who引導定語從句修飾teenagers。
3 、尋關聯，辯邏輯
一些長句其實是由若干分句組成的並列句或複合句。而這些並列句或複合句之間需要一些關聯詞來連接。如果我們找準這些關聯詞，就能夠弄清楚句與句之間的邏輯關係，分別弄清主句的意義和從句的意義，則長句就容易對付得多了。要掌握此方法必須對英語中的常見的關聯詞諳熟於心。如：
Whether you get along well with your professors or not has a huge effect on your self growth as it is a measure of how well you can respect authority and obey requirements.
【句意】你與教授相處是否融洽對你的自身發展起著重要的作用，因為這是衡量你是否尊重權威和服從要求的標準。
【分析】此句為複合句，句中whether引導主語從句，as 引導原因狀語從句，how well 引導從句作介詞of 的賓語。
4、看搭配，防分隔
有時一個長句或難句是由一個或多個搭配構成，而且這些搭配中常常出現分隔現象。讀者若受分隔現象的干擾而看不清句子的本來面目，則對句意的理解就會發生偏差。如：
Some companies have made the manufacturing of clean and safe products, to some degree, their main selling points and emphasize it in their advertising.
【句意】一些公司把生產的衛生的、安全的產品，從某種程度上說，當作他們的賣點，並在廣告中強調這一點。
【分析】其實本句是一個“主語+謂語+賓語+賓語補足語”句型“make+ 賓語 + 賓補”，即“使……成為……”，只不過賓語和賓補被“to some degree”隔開而已。
總之，在碰到長句和難句時，要根據實際情況靈活運用上述方法，在平時閱讀過程中要加強對長句和難句的句法分析訓練。有時要幾種方法綜合使用才能正確理解句意。如：
The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions.
【句意】一種文化背景下的人不像另一種文化背景下的人一樣直率地表達他們的情感，這一事實並不意味著他們沒有這些情感。
【分析】本句的主幹為The fact does not mean that ...，其中，that they do not experience emotions 是從句作mean 的賓語。that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another 為fact 的同位語從句，其中as do members of another 是狀語從句，助動詞do 位於主語members of another 前形成倒裝，主語後省略了express their emotions。
歷年高考英語長難句50例
分析長難句對於提高英語閱讀水平有著非常重要的作用，現在分享歷年高考英語長難句50例，大家可以運用上面講的方法好好讀一讀、分析分析，希望對你有幫助。
1.First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Format in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecolab polytechnique.
這個定理，先是由十七世紀法國數學家皮爾法特提出，曾使一批傑出的數學大師為難，包括一位法國女科學家，她在解決這個難題方面取得了重大的進展，她曾女扮男裝為了能夠在伊科爾理工學院學習。
簡析：夾雜過去分詞短語，現在分詞短語，動名詞及兩個定語從句。
2. It is difficult to measure the quantity of paper used as a result of use of Internet-connected computers, although just about anyone who works in an office can tell you that when e-mail is introduced, the printers start working overtime. That is, the growing demand for paper in recent years is largely due to the increased use of the Internet.
由於因特網的使用，計算所使用的紙張的數量是很難的，然而幾乎任何在辦公室工作的人都能告訴你，當引進電子郵件後，打印機就開始超時工作。也就是說近年來人們對於紙張的日益需求主要是由於因特網越來越多的使用。
簡析：夾雜較複雜的句型結構，關鍵詞just about幾乎;overtime超時地。
3. Perhaps the best sign of how computer and internet use pushes up demand for paper comes from the high-tech industry itself, which sees printing as one of its most promising new market.
或許，表明電腦及因特網使用促進人們對於紙張的需求的最好跡象源於高科技產業本身，印刷業被認為是高科技產業極有前景的新市場之一。
簡析：夾雜較複雜的句型結構，關鍵詞promising有前途的。
4. The action group has also found acceptable paper made from materials other than wood, such as agricultural waste.
這個行動組也發現一種人們可接受的紙，製成這種紙的原料不是木料，而是農業廢料。
簡析：關鍵詞other than而不是。
5. Mostly borrowed from English and Chinese, these terms are often changed into forms no longer understood by native speakers.
這些術語，主要從英語和漢語引入，經常會變成不再被說本族語的人們理解的形式。
簡析：關鍵詞term術語。
6. It is one of many language books that are now flying off booksellers’ shelves.
它是現在很暢銷的許多外語書中的一本。
簡析：比喻生動形象。
7. The mass media and government white papers play an important part in the spread of foreign words.
大眾傳播媒介和政府白皮書(正式報告)在外國詞傳播過程中起重要作用。
簡析：關鍵詞the mass media and government white papers大眾傳播媒介和政府白皮書(正式報告)。
8.Tales from Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the programme and anyone who was a lively interest in their pet, whether it be a cat 、dog or snake!
來自動物醫院(這個電視節目)的故事(這本書)，將使這個電視節目的愛好者以及對無論是貓、狗還是蛇這類寵物有濃厚興趣的任何人感到高興。
簡析：關鍵詞fans…愛好者，whether…or…，無論是…還是…。
9. Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic ended and science began.
牛頓被證明是一位很有才華的科學家，他處於一個魔術終結科學開啟的歷史時期，他也有普通人所特有的弱點。
簡析 ：夾雜兩個定語從句。
10. But for all the texts that are written, stored and sent electronically, a lot of them are still ending up on paper.
但對於所有這些以電子手段記錄，貯存及傳遞的文本而言，許多文本仍要(打印)在紙上。
簡析：關鍵詞text文本;end up最後成為(處於)。
11.With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence, according to Intermountain Therapy Animals(ITA) in salt Lake City.
據鹽湖城的ITA的觀點，閃爍的棕色眼睛，搖著尾巴，並有無條件的愛心，狗能成為無判斷力的(忠實的)聽者，這是剛開始搞閱讀的小孩所需要的。
簡析：夾雜with構成的介詞短語及過去分詞短語。
12. The Salt Lake City public library is sold on the idea.
這家鹽湖城公共圖書館接受這個觀點。
簡析：關鍵詞sell on (to)使接受。
13. Discovered by the Portuguese admiral of the same name in 1506, and settled in 1810, the island belongs to Great Britain and has a population of a few hundred.
這個島嶼，於1506年被同名的葡萄牙上將發現，在1810年有人居住，現在屬於英國，人口數有幾百人。
簡析：有兩個過去分詞短語作狀語。
14. They had no connection with the outside world for more than a thousand years, giving them plenty of time to build more than 1000 huge stone figures, called moat, for which the island is most famous.
他們已有一千多年與外界沒有聯繫，這給他們充足的時間來修建1000多座巨大的石像，被稱為莫艾，因為有這個東西這個島嶼極其出名。
簡析：夾雜有現在分詞短語，過去分詞短語及定語從句。
15. Our parties are aimed for children 2 to 10 and they’re very interactive and creative in that they build a sense of drama based on a subject.
我們的(生日)聚會針對兩到十歲的小孩，它們互動感強，富有創新，因為它們能基於一個主題構建一種戲劇的氛圍。
簡析：關鍵詞aim for 針對;in that 因為。
16. The most important idea behind the kind of party planning described here is that it brings parents and children closer together.
在這裡敘述的這種籌備(生日)聚會的計劃所帶有的最重要的觀點在於它能讓父母和孩子的關係更加密切。
簡析：夾雜過去分詞短語及表語從句。
17. Until one day he came across two stone crosses in Ampthill park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.
直到有一天他在阿帕斯爾公園碰巧看見兩個石制的十字架，他才懂得在1773年修建這兩個十字架是為了向她表示敬意。
簡析：關鍵詞come across碰巧遇見，in one’s honor紀念某人。
18. It is Sue Townsend’s musical play, based on her best-selling book.
它是蘇珊·湯森德的音樂劇本，根據她暢銷的小說改編的。
簡析：關鍵詞best-selling 暢銷的。
19. Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into the organic trend, and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business.
戈德是對有機食品感興趣眾多購買者當中的一位，遍及英國的超市依賴更多像他那樣的購買者，因為他們要增加有機食品生意。
簡析：關鍵詞count on 依賴。
20. Supporters of underground development say that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth’s space.
地下發展的支持者說在地下搞建築而不是在地上搞建築是一種利用地球空間的辦法。
簡析：關鍵詞rather than 而不是。
21. Those who could were likely to name a woman.
那些能夠說出好朋友名字的單身男人，很有可能說出一個女人的名字。
簡析：省略句who could (name a best friend )承前省。
22. In general, women’s friendships with each other rest on shared emotions and support, but men’s relationships are marked by shared activities.
一般來說，女人相互的友誼基於相互分享情感和支持，但男人間的關係以共同參與社會活動為特徵。
簡析：關鍵詞rest on 依靠。
23.For the most part, interactions between men are emotionally controlled —a good fit with the social requirements of “manly behavior”.
就大部分而言，男人間的交往在感情上受控制，這與“男子漢氣概” 的社會要求是相符合的。
簡析：關鍵詞for the most part就大部分而言。
24.Whereas a woman’s closest female friend might be the first to tell her to leave a failing marriage, it wasn’t unusual to hear a man say he didn’t know his friend’s marriage was in serious trouble until he appeared one night asking if he could sleep on the sofa.
一個女人最親密的女性朋友可能是第一個告訴她要離開失敗的婚姻;而聽見一個男人說直到他的朋友一天晚上問他是否可以睡在他家的沙發上他才知道他朋友的婚姻已非常糟糕，這是很平常的。
簡析：夾雜多種語法結構not unusual=usual; not…until…，直到…才…。
25. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German.
如果這種情況延續下去的話，那麼今天的英語將和德語很相近。
簡析：含虛擬語氣。
26. We even have different word for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming. while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating.
我們甚至對某些食物有不同的單詞，特別是肉類，取決於它是長在田野裡，還是在家裡準備煮著吃，這就表明一個事實，即薩克森農民在農田幹活，而上層階級的諾曼人在大吃大喝。
簡析：含對比。
27. When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more “Foreign” than France because the German they see on signs and ads seems much more different from English than French does.
當美國人第一次遊覽歐洲時，他們通常發現德國比法國對他們來說更加“陌生”，因為他們在標牌和廣告上看到的德語，比起法語更加不同於英語。
簡析： 含比較級句型結構。
28. After their stay, all visitors receive a survival certificate recording their success, that is, when guests leave the igloo hotel they will receive a paper stating that they have had a taste of adventure.
在他們逗留之後，所有的遊客都會收到一份生存證明記錄他們的成功，也就是說當遊客離開小冰屋旅館時，他們會得到一份證明，表明他們曾嘗試過冒險。
簡析：含兩個分詞短語，關鍵詞state表明。
29.The major market force rests in the growing population of white-collar employees, who can afford the new service, in other words, Shanghai’s car rental industry is growing so fast mainly due to the increasing number of white-collar employees.
主要的市場因素取決於白領工人的人數增加，這些人付得起這種新型服務，換句話說，上海的汽車出租行業發展如此快，主要因為白領工人人數的增加。
簡析：關鍵詞rest in 依賴。
30. That you won’t be for long means it won’t be long before you’ll have to recycle your rubbish.
你不會等很長時間意味著過不了多久你就會回收你的垃圾。
簡析：夾雜主語從句及賓語從句。
31. Picturing(Imagining) the future will serve the interests of the present and future generations.
設想未來有益於現在和將來的幾代人。
簡析：關鍵詞picture活用為動詞想象，設想。
32. Decision-thinking is not unlike poker — it often matters not only what you think, but also what others think you think and what you think they think you think.
做決策像打撲克牌，起作用的不但是你怎麼想的，還包括別人對你的想法是怎麼看的以及你對別人對你的看法是如何考慮的。
簡析：含較複雜的句型結構not unlike=like, not only…but also…不僅…而且…
33.The easy way out isn’t always easiest.
解決問題容易的辦法並非總是最容易的。
簡析：關鍵詞the way out 解決問題的辦法。
34.The hot sun had caused the dough (麵糰) to double in size and the fermenting yeast(酵母) made the surface shake and sigh as though it were breathing and it looked like some unknown being from outer space.
炙熱的太陽導致麵糰面積加倍，酵母使麵糰的表面擺晃嘆息，似乎它在呼吸，它看上去像某種來自外部空間的無名生物。
簡析：比喻形象生動。
35. After all, what lively children wouldn’t settle for spending only half the day doing ordinary school work, and acting, singing or dancing their way through the other half of the day?
畢竟，難道這些活潑可愛的孩子們不滿足於半天搞普通教育的文化課，半天搞表演、唱歌、舞蹈等舞臺訓練嗎?
簡析：反問句式，語氣強烈。
36. Dad, in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run, had forgotten wear his safety belt—a mistake 75% of the US population make every day.
爸爸，急匆匆地在天黑之前趕回家，以便他能出去跑步，卻忘記系安全帶—這是75%的美國人每天犯的一個錯誤。
簡析：關鍵詞for a run去跑步。
37.The summit was to mark the 25th anniversary(週年) of president Nixon’s journey to China, which was the turning point in China-US relations.
這次峰會是為了紀念尼克松總統訪華25週年，尼克松訪華是中美關係的轉折點。
簡析：關鍵詞mark 紀念。
38. Many of the problems are of college level and these pupils can figure them out.
很多問題是大學水平，這些小學生能夠解答出來。
簡析：關鍵詞be of college level 大學水平，figure out解決，解答。
39. Rising through the roof is the Tower of the Sun, inside which stands a 160–foot –tall Tree of Life.
穿過屋頂矗立著太陽之塔，在裡面有一棵160英尺高的生命之樹。
簡析：含有兩個倒裝句。
40. The present question is that many people consider impossible what is really possible if effort is made.
目前的問題是，很多人把其實只要付諸努力就能做到的事情看成是做不到的。
簡析：consider後的賓語後置。
41. Ill and suffering as she was after the inhuman punishment, she yet remained so cheerful and confident, eager to devote the little strength left to her to helping the other comrades.
她受過重罰，而且有病，可她卻這樣愉快，這樣充滿了信心，這樣用盡她所剩的力量來幫助其他同志。
簡析：含有讓步狀語從句及形容詞短語作狀語。
42. Freed from TV, forced to find their own activities, they might take a ride together to watch the sunset.
如果他們從電視中的束縛中解脫出來，不得不自己安排活動，他們可能會全家驅車去看日落。
簡析：含有兩個過去分詞短語。
43.It covered the whole distance from broken–hearted misery to bursting happiness—too fast.
先是令人心碎的痛苦，繼而是極度的喜悅，從一個極端到另一個極端—變換得實在太快了。
簡析：比喻形象生動。
44.Still, he could not help thinking that if anything should happen, the nearest person he contact by radio, unless there was a ship nearby, would be on an island 885 miles away.
他禁不住尋思起來，要是果真有什麼意外，除非附近有條船，他用無線電能聯繫上的最近的人遠在885英里以外的島上。
簡析：含虛擬語氣。
45. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lived or endured, just as you choose to look at it.
八十大壽，畢竟非同一般，不管怎麼說你又活了十年，或者說熬了十年，是活還是熬，全在於你怎麼看了。
簡析：關鍵詞endure (stand; bear; put up with)忍受。
46. News reports say peace talks between the two countries have broken down with no agreement reached.
新聞報道說這兩個國家的和平談判失敗,沒有達成協議。
簡析：關鍵詞break down失敗，reach an agreement達成協議。
47. The old couple have been married for 40 years and never once have they quarreled with each other.
這對老年夫婦結婚40年了，兩人從來沒有一次爭吵。
簡析：含主謂倒裝句。
48. After all, Ed’s idea of exercise has always been nothing more effort-making than lifting a fork to his mouth.
要記住的是，伊德搞鍛鍊的想法根本沒有進餐使用刀叉那麼費力。
簡析：含比較級句型。
49.As a result , at the point in our game when I’d have figured on (predicted) the score to be about 9 to 1 in my favor , it was instead 7 to 9 — and Ed was leading.
就在我們比賽之前，我曾預料這場比賽對我有利，比分大概是9比1，結果比分反而是7比9，伊德暫時領先。
簡析：關鍵詞figure on預計，估計;in one’s favor對某人有利。
50.So when Ed arrived for our game not only with the bottom of his shirt gathered inside his trousers but also with a stomach you could hardly notice. I was so surprised that I was speechless , my cousin must have made an effort to get himself into shape .
因此當伊德來參加我們的比賽時,我發現他不僅將襯衫的底部扎進褲裡,而且幾乎注意不到他的肚子,我感到很驚奇,以致無話可說,我的表弟過去一定努力把自己訓練好,保持很好的競技狀態。
簡析：含有not only…but also…及so…that…的句型結構，must have P.P表示對過去事實的推測。
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