今日长难句:
选自《瓦尔登湖》
I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals, as surely as savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came in contact with the more civilized.
这句话最外层的框架就是I have no doubt我毫不怀疑,不怀疑什么呢?之后跟随that引导的同位语从句来解释doubt这个抽象名词, it is a part of the destiny of the human race,它是人类种族的命运,in its gradual improvement,随着人类的逐渐的进步,这个插入成分可以快速扫读,把之前内容和之后不定式连到一起读,不定式进一步解释什么样的destiny,to leave off eating animals,其中动词词组leave off表示停止终止,停止食用动物的命运。as surely as这个副词短语表示“和…一样肯定无疑”,也就是人类会停止食用动物是命中注定这件事和什么事是一样的呢?savage tribes have left off eating each other,就像野蛮部落停止互相吞食彼此一样,之后是when引导的状语从句,when they came in contact with the more civilized.其中的动词词组A come in contact with B意思是A与B接触。这里边还有一个定冠词the+形容词的用法,表示某一类人,the more civilized,更文明的一类人,再比如,the rich有钱人。
总结下,这句话由两个主句一个从句组成,have和have left off是主句当中的谓语动词,came是从句当中的谓语动词,整句话意思是:我毫不怀疑,随着人类逐步进步,停止食用动物是人类命运的一部分,就像野蛮部落在与更文明的族群接触后放弃相互吞食一样。你对作者的这个看法是怎么想的呢?
核心要点:
1.leave off 停止,中止
Can we leave off this topic and move on to something else?
我们能否停止谈论这个话题,转而讨论其他事情?
2. as surely as 正如……一样确定
As surely as the sun rises in the east, I will always love you.
就像太阳永远在东方升起一样肯定,我会永远爱你。
3.sth come in contact with sth 某物与某物接触
The chemicals should not come in contact with each other to avoid a dangerous reaction.
这些化学物质不应该相互接触,以避免危险的反应。
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