首先上原句“To put it simply, prime minister,certain informal discussions took place involving a full and frank exchange ofviews, out of which there arose a series of proposals which proved to indicatecertain promising lines of inquiry, which, when pursued, led to the realizationthat alternative courses of action might, in fact, in certain circumstances, besusceptible of discreet modification, leading to a reappraisal of the areas ofdifference and pointing the way to encouraging possibilities of compromise andcooperation which, if bilaterally implemented with appropriate give and take onboth sides, might, if the climate were right, have a possibility, at the end ofthe day, of leading, rightly or wrongly, to a mutually satisfactory resolution.”
To put it simply简单地说——to引导的状语从句,it指说话者想要表达的东西。
prime minister首相——插入语可以补充表达,可以删除,不影响句子原意。
certain informal discussions took place involving a full and frank exchange of views进行了一些非正式的讨论,充分而坦率地交换了意见——certain informal discussions是这么一大串句子的主句的主语,其他的都是从句和插入语。certain informal作为定语来形容discussions。took place是谓语动词,一般情况下,一个主句或从句(也就是一个句子)里只能有一个谓语,其他的动词则以非谓语的形式出现,比如involving就是非谓语动词。a full and frank exchange of views是involving的宾语,and作为连词连接两个定语。
out of which there arose a series of proposals which proved to indicate certain promising lines of inquiry从中产生了一系列计划,最终引导了多种可行的研究目标——out of which引导的定语从句,which指上句的discussions,arose是谓语动词,由于从句是独立于主句的另一个句子,因此它可以拥有属于自己的谓语动词。用了there be句式,某种程度上算是一种倒装。在proposals后面又加了一个which,形成了定语从句中的主语的定语从句。
which——引导出定语从句的定语从句。
when pursued推进之后——when引导的状语从句。
led to the realization that alternative courses of action might得出结论,有某些其他方案可能——that又引导出了同位语从句,形成了定语从句的定语从句中的宾语的同位语从句。同位语从句十分容易和定语从句混淆,前者的理解在于“这个东西具体的内容由同位语从句表达”引导词that或which不会在从句中担任成分;后者的理解在于“这个东西的说明和形容由定语从句表达”,引导词which和that在从句中会承担某种成分。
in fact事实上——插入语,在看英语原文时为了方便理解建议全删了,翻译时再加回来就是了。
in certain circumstances在特定的情况下——状语,circumstance算是很常见的词了。
be susceptible of discreet modification对既定方针做出谨慎补充——删除掉“in fact”和“in certain circumstances”两个插入语后,可以发现此处实际上承接前文的might,这样might be 的表达就显得合理了。
leading to a reappraisal of the areas of difference and pointing the way to encouraging possibilities of compromise and cooperation which以实现求同存异,寻找一条途径使双方有条件妥善接受并通力合作——leading用了lead的-ing形式,说明它是非谓语动词,这就说明谓语动词的位置已经被别的词占了,这个词就是be(如果笔者判断错了,那谓语动词就应当是arose或took place)。句中and是连词,连词起到“连接”的作用,这里and连接的是leading及其宾语和pointing及其宾语,而且在大部分情况下,and连接的成分的“地位”是相同的,比如leading是非谓语,那么pointing也是非谓语。句末which引导出定语从句的定语从句的非谓语的定语从句。
if bilaterally implemented with appropriate give and take on both sides如果双方都能贯彻执行并同时做出适当让步——if引导的状语从句。同时也是一个省略句,省略了it is而直接跟上动词implemented,把it is加上后得if it is bilaterally implemented可以发现implemented是动词的被动形式,因此它是谓语动词而不是-ed形式的非谓语动词。从句是独立于它所属的句子成分的,因此它可以拥有属于自己的谓语动词,这跟主句是否有谓语动词无关。
might可能——承接前文的which。
if the climate were right若形式许可——同样是if引导的状语从句,用来补充表达。
have a possibility有可能——把中间的插入语和从句都删除后,发现其承接前文的might(还有一个线索就是,have没有变形),因此它是定语从句的定语从句的非谓语的定语从句的谓语动词和宾语。
at the end of the day最终——状语从句,但是从句末提到句前并且用逗号单独隔离以表强调。
of leading引导出——删除at the end of the day,发现其与前文possibility形成possibility of doing的结构。
rightly or wrongly无论是否可行——状语,既可以放在句末,也可以插入到句子的其他位置。
to a mutually satisfactory resolution双方均满意的解决方案——句首的to与前文leading形成leading to结构。状语mutually不仅可以形容动词,也可以形容形容词,这次配合上satisfactory的意思是“使双方都满意”.
一个句子长达一百多词,中间使用了多个状语从句、插入语、非谓语动词、there be句式、同谓语从句、省略句。真不愧是汉弗莱爵士(Sir Humphrey)!