文章主要讲述的是1996年澳大利亚北领地通过了全球首个安乐死法案后产生的影响。对于广大考生而言,题材较为简单,难度较小。作为阅读的第一篇文章,出现的长难句较少,所以文章难度也略低。下面就其中的3个句子进行详解:
【例句分析】本句是一个复合句,主干是Australia’s Northern Territory became the first legal authority。After six months of arguing and final 16 hours of hot parliamentary debates介词短语做时间状语;in the world做后置定语,修饰first legal authority;to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients做后置定语,同样修饰first legal authority;who wish to die是定语从句,修饰incurably ill patients。
【例句译文】经过半年的争论和最后16小时的领地议会激烈辩论,澳大利亚北领地成为世界上首个准许医生根据绝症病人自身意愿对其生命进行终结的法律当局。
【典型例句2】In Australia—where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part—other states are going to consider making a similar law to deal with euthanasia.
【例句分析】本句的主干是other states are going to consider making a similar law。In Australia是介词短语做地点状语,where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part是定语从句,修饰Australia;to deal with euthanasia是不定式做目的状语。在where引导的定语从句中,由and并列3个主语:an aging population, life extending technology和changing community attitudes。
【例句译文】在澳大利亚,老龄化的人口、寿命延长技术和变化的社群态度等均产生各自影响,因此其他各州也在考虑制定类似的法规来处理安乐死问题。
【典型例句3】For Lloyd Nickson, a 54 year old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer, the NT Rights of Terminally III law means he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition.
【例句分析】本句的主干是the NT Rights of Terminally III law means (从句)。For Lloyd Nickson是介词短语做状语;a 54 year old Darwin resident suffering from lung cancer是同位语,解释说明Lloyd Nickson;he can get on with living without the haunting fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition.省略了连词that的宾语从句。宾语从句中,主干是he can get on with living,without the haunting fear of his suffering是伴随状语,a terrifying death from his breathing condition是同位语,来解释suffering。
【例句译文】利奥德·尼克森是一位现年54岁、居住在达尔文市的肺癌患者,对于他来说,北领地绝症病人法案意味着他可以平静地生活下去而无须整天惧怕即将到来的痛苦:因呼吸状况(日益恶化)而惊恐得死去。
各位同学在今后的学习中,应该加大长难句练习,以句子为单位综合掌握词汇、语法和翻译方法。此外,如果时间充足的话,可以多读一些外国核心期刊文章,如《经济学人》、《华盛顿邮报》和《时代周刊》等,积累英语国家新闻中的常用表达。