你看到这句“He seems to be working.”是否会明白?
"to be working" 是不定式的进行形式,作系动词seem 的表语。
单单WORKING 可以看作是现在分词。
例句中“to be redirecting aggression in a threat display” 是不定式的进行形式,作系动词seem 的表语。
“redirecting”是现在分词, aggression是它的宾语,“in a threat display ”是状语,“and Ottawa is the unlucky object getting thrashed.”是一个跟“it seems ..."并列的句子。
单看例句,感觉译成准确的汉语不容易。我搜到了这是摘自卫报双语的一篇文章,它是这样翻译的:
On first sight, Canada is caught in a clash between two rhinos. Unfortunately for Ottawa, the truth is probably worse. If Beijing charged straight at Washington, it would risk being badly gouged. Instead, it seems to be redirecting aggression in a threat display and Ottawa is the unlucky object getting thrashed.
乍一看,加拿大好似陷入两只“犀牛”之间的冲突。 不幸的是,对于渥太华来说,事实可能更糟。 如果中国直接向美国发难,那么事态发展可能会更糟糕。 相反的是中国像是把美国的这次“入侵”演变成一次双方摆出“威吓姿态”的对垒,而加拿大则不幸地“受伤”。