考研英语（一）长难句解析系列——2007年Text 2

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　　本文选自2006年Scientific American上一篇名为Intelligence Considered: What does it mean to have brainpower? A search for a definition of intelligence文章的一部分，主要论述了智商测试的不足之处，即不能全面反映一个人的智商与能力。全文中在长难句方面，难度并不是很大。作为2007年考研英语试卷的第二篇阅读，句子难度虽然较前面题型有所提升，但是仍处于中级难度。阅读做题时只需静下心来，再辅之以词汇和语法基础，即可理解和解题。下面就其中的典型例句进行分析：
　　【典型例句1】：It’s not obvious how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns suits one to answer questions that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers.
　　【例句解析】：本句主干为It’s not obvious how the capacity suits one to answer questions，包含一个how引导的主语从句，而it作形式主语。to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns是由and连接的两个不定式短语，都作后置定语修饰the capacity。that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers是由that引导的定语从句，修饰questions。
　　【难点点拨】：visualize：想象;numerical pattern：数值模式;elude：把…难住。
　　【例句释义】：令人们不解的是，想象物体和计算数值模式的能力如何能够使人回答那些曾经难住了一些最出色的诗人和哲学家的问题。
　　【典型例句2】：The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ score, even though IQ tests are not given as often as they used to be.
　　【例句解析】：本句主干为The defining term still seems to be the IQ score。of intelligence in humans是of介词短语作后置定语，修饰The defining term;而in humans又是介词短语作后置定语，修饰intelligence。even though IQ tests are not given as often as they used to be是even though引导的让步状语从句，修饰主干。
　　【难点点拨】：not as…as：不如…那样…
　　【例句释义】：虽然智商测试已经不如过去那样频繁地应用了，但是对于人类智力的定义标准似乎仍然是智商分数。
　　【典型例句3】：Superhigh scores like vos Savant’s are no longer possible, because scoring is now based on a statistical population distribution among age peers, rather than simply dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100.
　　【例句解析】：本句主干为Superhigh scores are no longer possible。like vos Savant’s是同位语，解释修饰Superhigh scores。because scoring is now based on a statistical population distribution among age peers是because引导的原因状语从句，修饰主干。rather than simply dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100是由rather than引导的比较状语，修饰前面的because从句。
　　【难点点拨】：superhigh：超高的;divide…by…：将…除以…;multiply by：乘以。
　　【例句释义】：人们再也不会得到像沃斯·莎凡特的那样的超高分数了，因为现在的计分以各年龄段的人口统计学分布为基础，而不是仅仅用心理年龄除以实际年龄再乘以100了。
　　【典型例句4】：In his article “How Intelligent Is Intelligence Testing?”, Sternberg notes that traditional tests best assess analytical and verbal skills but fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge, components also critical to problem solving and life success.
　　【例句解析】：本句主干为Sternberg notes that traditional tests best assess analytical and verbal skills but fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge，包含一个that引导的宾语从句;而在该从句中，but又连接两个并列的从句谓语：assess和fail to measure。In his article “How Intelligent Is Intelligence Testing?”是介词短语作状语，修饰主干。components also critical to problem solving and life success是同位语，解释说明creativity and practical knowledge;其中also critical to problem solving and life success又是形容词短语作后置定语，修饰components。
　　【难点点拨】：verbal：言语的;component：成分。
　　【例句释义】：在其《智力测试有多明智?》一文中，斯蒂恩博格指出：传统的测试充其量测出了分析和言语能力，但并没有测出创造性以及应用知识，后者对问题解决和人生成功而言也是重要的组成部分。
　　【典型例句5】：Anyone who has toiled through SAT will testify that test-taking skill also matters, whether it’s knowing when to guess or what questions to skip.
　　【例句解析】：本句主干为Anyone will testify that test-taking skill also matters，包含一个that引导的宾语从句。who has toiled through SAT是由who引导的定语从句，修饰anyone。whether it’s knowing when to guess or what questions to skip是由whether引导的同位语从句，解释说明test-taking skill。
　　【难点点拨】：toil through：辛苦通过，辛苦经历;skip：跳过。
　　【例句释义】：任何一个已经辛苦通过SAT的人都可以证明：应试技巧也很重要，比如知道何时该猜或者什么题目可以跳过。
　　总之，由于本文中对于定语后置、宾语从句、状语、等知识点考查较多，因此对此大家课下需要多多复习。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《科学美国人》、《经济学人》等，积累英语国家新闻中常用到的表达。
　　(本文作者为中公考研英语指导老师—张玉环)