Herdsmen and hunters have also long observed that grazing animals often tend to align themselves facing either north or south, which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escape in either of those directions should a threat emerge.
请问:如何分析与理解粗体部分的从句呢?
Herdsmen and hunters have also long observed that grazing animals often tend to align themselves facing either north or south, which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escape in either of those directions should a threat emerge.
【语法分析】which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escape in either of those directions should a threat emerge,为非限制性定语从句。
1. the researchers suspected 为插入语。定语从句带有插入语,称作“复合式定语从句”。关于这个问题,请参见:
http://ask.yygrammar.com/q-21747.html
2. 在此定语从句中,which是主语,be in readiness to escape 是谓语部分,意为“随时准备逃跑”,in...direction “朝着......方向”。
3. should a threat emerge 是条件句,也是倒装句。等于if a threat should emerge。这是虚拟语气中省略if的一种倒装形式。详情参见:
http://www.yygrammar.com/Article/201305/3283.html
4. 关于关系代词which的指代问题:要么指代observed后面that从句的全部内容;要么指代grazing animals。根据谓语部分was in readiness to escape in either of those directions,应该指代grazing animals,但谓语用了was,显然不妥。我认为原文有误,建议改为were。
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Herdsmen and hunters have also long observed that grazing animals often tend to align themselves facing either north or south, which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escape (when/as是否打漏掉了啊) in either of those directions should a threat emerge.
【参考译文】牧民们和猎人们也长时间观察到食草的动物常常倾向于使他们自己朝北或者朝南方向站立。研究者们猜想这是为了当危险朝那些方向中任何一个方向出现时可以随时准备逃跑.
第1种理解:
which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escape(when/as) in either of those directions should a threat emerge.
语法结构分析:
主语:which
插入语:the researchers
系动词:was
表语:in readiness to escape
时间状语:when a threat should emerge (in either of those directions)
(备注:原句子使用了状语提前的倒装结构)
(特别备注:当一个句子出现3个谓语动词的时候,必须会出现2个从属连词来引导从句:谓语动词个数=从属连词个数+1.)
(1)in the direction of朝…方向
It pulls you in the direction of positive growth.
它将你吸引向积极性成长的方向
He drove away in the direction of London.
他开车向伦敦方向驶去。
(2)in all directions=in every direction 朝 四面八方/各个方向
When danger comes, I roll myself into a ball so my sharp quills point out in alldirections.
遇到危险的时候,我就把身子团成球,这样,我身上尖尖的刺伸向各个方向。
It could form in any direction because the Coulombic field is radial in alldirections.
能够在任何方向形成,因为库仑产在全方位发生分散。
But, we can still ask, is there a derivative in every direction?
但我们仍想问,是否在每个方向上都有一个导数呢?
第2种理解:
which the researchers suspected was in readiness to escapein either of those directions should a threat emerge.
语法结构分析:
主语:which
插入语:the researchers
系动词:was(应该改为were,因为关系代词代替复数名词)
表语:in readiness to escape
状语 :Should a threat emerge =if threat should emerge (in either of those directions)
(备注:原句子使用了虚拟语气省略连词if并将should提前的倒装结构)
备注:同意刘老师观点,后面系动词改为“were"
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