考研英语长句的分析方法：去枝叶，留主干
1) 划出句子中的定语从句和状语从句;
2)划出所有介词短语(位于be 动词后的除外);
3) 名词性从句看作一个整体,找出句中所有的谓语结构、非谓语结构、介词短语和从句的引导词;
4) 非谓语动词结构看作一个整体;
5)找出全句的主语、谓语和宾语，即句子的主干;
6) 分析从句的结构和非谓语动词的内部结构。
长难句分析的步骤举例：经典例题(2001 年考研完型填空第二段)
In a significant tightening of legal controls over the press, Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, will introduce a draft bill that will propose making payments to witnesses illegal and will strictly control the amount of publicity that can be given to a case before a trial begins.
分析:
第一，划出定语从句和状语从句: that will propose making payments to witnesses illegal and will strictly control the amount of publicity /that can be given to a case /before a trial begins.
第二，划出介词短语：In a significant tightening of legal controls over the press
第三，句子的结构分析:
(1)主干结构是主语(Lord Irvine 含同位语the Lord Chancellor)+将来时谓语(will introduce)+宾语(a draft bill);
(2)that 引导的定语从句修饰draft bill,其中，will propose 是第一个谓语，making payments to witnesses illegal 是一个动名词短语做宾语，在动名词短语内部，payments to witnesses 做making 的宾语，illegal 是宾补;第二个谓语是will strictly control, the amount of publicity 是它的宾语。that can be given to a case before a trial begins 是孕含有一个时间状语从句(before a trial begins)的定语从句，修饰publicity。
请大家按照上述步骤认真分解以下70 个句子，并把分解后的句子读熟甚至背过，则基本上可以解决考研长难句问题。
1. This will be particularly true since energy pinch will make it difficult to continue agriculture in the high-energy American fashion that makes it possible to combine few farmers with high yields.
结构分析:句子的主干是This will be particularly true„。since 引导原因状语从句。此从句中又套嵌一个由关系代词that 引导的定语从句，修饰the high-energy American fashion。在定语从句中，that 做主语，makes 做谓语，it 做形式宾语，不定式短语to combine few farmers with high yields 则是真正的宾语(不定式短语内部to combine 是主干，few farmers 是宾语，with high yields 是状语)，possible 做宾语补足语。this 指代前句中提到的这种困境。energy pinch 译为“能源的匮乏”;in„fashion 译为“用„方法、方式”。
译文：这种困境将是确定无疑的，因为能源的匮乏，高能量消耗这种美国耕种方式将很难在农业中继续下去，而这种耕种方式使投入少数农民就可获得高产成为可能。
2. Now since the assessment of intelligence is a comparative matter，we must be sure that the scale with which we are comparing our subjects provides a“valid”or“fair”comparison.
结构分析:句子的主干是we must be sure„。since 引导原因状语从句the assessment of intelligence is a comparative matter。主句中又有that 引导的宾语从句that the scale with which we are comparing our subjects provides a“valid”or“fair”comparison。
此宾语从句中又套嵌一个由介词with+which 引导的定语从句with which we are comparing our subjects 修饰先行词the scale。scale 在此处意为“尺度、衡量标准”。
译文：既然对智力的评估相比较而言的，那么我们必须确保，在对我们的对象进行比较时，我们所用的尺度能够提供“有效的”或“公平的”比较。
3. In general，the tests work most effectively when the qualities to be measured can be most precisely defined and least effectively when what is to be measured or predicted can be not well defined.
结构分析:句子的框架是the tests work most effectively when„and least effectively when„。and 连接两个并列分句，每个并列分句中皆有一个when 引导的时间状语从句分别说明work most effectively 和and(work)least effectively。第二个时间状语从句中还有一个主语从句what„predicted。the tests 是主句的主语，work 为动词做谓语。qualities 在此处是可数名词，不译为“质量”，而译为“特征”。defined 不能直译为“被定义为”，而应译为主动语态“界定”。
译文：一般来说，当所需要测定的特征能被精确界定时，测试最为有效;而当所测定或预测的东西不能被明确界定时，测试效果最差。
4. For example，they do not compensate for gross social inequality，and thus do not tell how able an under privileged youngster might have been had he grown up under more favorable circumstances.
结构分析:句子的框架是they do not compensate„，and thus do not tell how„。and连接两个并列分句，第二个并列分句中由how 引导的宾语从句是一个带有虚拟条件句的主从复合句，其中had he grown up„(=If he had grown up„)是省略了连词if 的非真实条件句。主句主语的they，在此代指上文提到的tests; able 在句中作might have been 的表语。underprivileged 在此不能译为“没有特权的”，而译为“没有地位的”或“物质条件差的”。
译文：例如，测试并不能弥补明显的社会不公;因此，它们不能说明一个物质条件差的年轻人，如果在较好的环境中成长的话，会有多大才干。
5.It leads the discussion to extremes at the outset：it invites you to think that animals should be treated either with the consideration humans extend to other humans，or with no consideration at all.
结构分析:句子的框架是It leads the discussion to extremes at the outset: it invites you to think that„。冒号后的复合句是对冒号前部分作进一步说明。复合句中that 引导宾语从句，从句中有either„or„引导的两个并列的介词结构作状语，修饰动词be treated，其中第一个with 介词结构中还有一个省略了关系代词that 或which 的定语从句humans extend to other humans，修饰the consideration。it 代指上文的观点，即如果对人权没有达成一致看法，而谈论动物的权利是徒劳的。介词短语at the outset 译为“从一开始”。
动词invites 应转译为“使”、“让”或“促使”。动宾结构extend consideration to 意为“给予关怀或关心”，consideration 不应译为“考虑”。
译文：这种说法从一开始就将讨论引向极端，它使人们认为应该这样对待动物:要么像对人类自身一样关怀体谅，要么完全冷漠无情。
6. But even more important，it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past，for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion years ago.
结构分析:句子的框架是it was the farthest that„。但It was„that„在本句中不是强调句型。it 是指上句中所提到的150 亿年前形成的巨大云团(a strip of enormous cosmic clouds some 15 billion light-years from earth);that 引导的应是一个定语从句，修饰先行词the farthest。for 引导的是表示原因的分句，分句中还有that 引导的定语从句，修饰the patterns and structure。
译文：但更重要的是，这是科学家们所能观测到的有关过去的最为遥远的景象，因为他们看到的是150 亿年前宇宙云的形状和结构。
7. Thus it happened that when the new factories that were springing up required labor，tens of thousands of homeless and hungry agricultural workers，with their wives and children，were forced into the cities in search of work，and any work，under any condition，that would keep them alive.
结构分析:句子的框架是it happened that„。it 做形式主语，that 引导的从句做真正的主语。主语从句中，又有一个由when 引导的时间状语从句，主句为tens of thousands of homeless and hungry agricultural workers„were forced„，时间状语从句中从句主语the new factories 又带有一个定语从句that were springing up; that would keep them alive 做work 的定语从句。spring up 意为“发生，出现，建立”。
译文: 于是就出现了这样的情况:正当新办的工厂纷纷建立，需要劳动力的时候，成千上万无家可归、饥肠辘辘、以农业为生的劳动者携家带口，被迫进入城市;他们要找活干，不管什么活儿，不论什么条件，只要不被饿死就行。
