倒装结构
英语中有时为了强调突出某一句子成分,或当否定词出现在句首时,或是由于同上文衔接等的缘故,常常采用倒装的结构,即:把正常的主+谓+宾(表)+补+状的语序打乱,把应该在后面出现的成分提到前面去,如:谓语出现在主语前面,谓语、宾语出现在主语前面,或状语放在句首等。简单句中的倒装较容易辨认,但在长句中当同其他的句子结构混在一起时,倒装结构的辨认就有一定的困难,有时会误认为是其他的句子成分,如:分句独立结构,定语等,导致错判全句的主干,形成理解障碍。
Exercise
Of drugs or medicine she had almost none.
Splendid is the architecture of Manhattan, the heart of the city, with its one hundred and more skyscrapers.
Especially popular were his Sunday evening dinners, usually followed by musical performances.
要点及参考译文
要点:介词短语位于句首表示强调,这是一个倒装句。
译文:在毒品或者药物这两样东西中她几乎什么都没有。
要点:此句为倒装句,正常语序应为:" The architecture of Manhattan,... is splendid."因为主语太长,为了保持句子平衡,所以用了倒装语序。
译文:市中心曼哈顿的建筑有百余幢摩天大楼,甚为雄伟壮观。
要点:此句为倒装句。因主语较长,并带有分词短语"followed..."作定语修饰"dinner",为了保持句子平衡,将表语提前到句首。
译文:在周日晚餐后,通常提供音乐演出,因此特别受欢迎。
Exercise
Electronics has made possible a new kind of higher education and research, including what counts to a global scale electronic lecture hall.
Worse perhaps was the idea of Saturday afternoon cricket; most of my friends would be enjoying leisure at that time.
A chart or a graph can often give us an idea in a glance that is communicated verbally only with great difficulty.
要点:本句"possible"是宾语补足语,置于宾语前面是因为宾语过长,通常宾补应在宾语后面。
译文:电子学已使创立一种新型的高等教育和研究成为可能,包括创立可称之为全球规模的电子大课堂在内。
要点:此句为倒装句。作表语的形容词"worse" 和系动词都被提到句首,把句子较复杂的部分放在句尾,目的是达到“尾重”的句子效果。
译文:更糟糕的也许是星期六下午打板球的安排,因为这时候我的朋友大都会在悠闲地尽享其乐。
要点:本句中,关系代词引导的定语从句" that is communicated ..."修饰名词an idea,因其较长所以放在作状语的介词短语in a glance之后。
译文:看一眼描绘的图表或图解常能使人对只用言词很难表达的东西获得一目了然的效果。
Exercise
We could not offer you that post without the responsibility, neither could we ask you to accept the one or two other vacancies of a different type which do exist, for they are unsuitable for someone with your high standard of education and ability.
Along with this disparagement of a compliment is the American tendency to laugh at one's own mistakes and admit one's weaknesses.
The Chinese had trained messengers on horseback and runners before 1100 B.C.,as did the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans.
要点:neither后面用的是倒装语序(could we)。 which do exist 的先行词为vacancies,但被of a different type 隔开。exist后面是一个由for(等立连词)引导的原因状语从句,用来作附加说明。
译文:我们不能不负责任地给你这种职务,也不愿让你接受其他工种现有的一两个空缺,因为这两个中任何一个都不适合教育程度和能力达到你这样高水平的人去做。
要点:本句是判断句的倒装。Along with引导的介词短语在句中作表语,为了使句子的结构达到平衡协调,把带有较长修饰语的主语部分放到句子的后部,以避免头重脚轻。表语提前,还达到了强调表语所表达的意义的作用。介词短语along with意为"together with"。
译文:美国人在自贬别人对自己称赞的同时,还有一种倾向,那就是嘲笑自己的错误并承认自己的弱点。
要点:此句的后半部分"as did the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans"中的连词"as"引出方式状语从句。"did"为代动词,代替主句的"had trained messengers on horseback and runners before 1100 B.C"。因为从句主语较长,谓语较短,为了保持句子平衡,将谓语动词提前。正常语序为" as the ancient Persians, Greeks and Romans did"。
译文:就像古波斯人、希腊人、罗马人一样,中国人在公元前1100年就已经训练信使骑马或跑步送信。